Books with author Catherine Burns

“Wonderful." —Michiko Kakutani, New York TimesCelebrating the 20th anniversary of storytelling phenomenon The Moth, 45 unforgettable true stories about risk, courage, and facing the unknown, drawn from the best ever told on their stagesCarefully selected by the creative minds at The Moth, and adapted to the page to preserve the raw energy of live storytelling, All These Wonders features voices both familiar and new. Alongside Meg Wolitzer, John Turturro, Tig Notaro, and Hasan Minhaj, readers will encounter: an astronomer gazing at the surface of Pluto for the first time, an Afghan refugee learning how much her father sacrificed to save their family, a hip-hop star coming to terms with being a “one-hit wonder,” a young female spy risking everything as part of Churchill’s “secret army” during World War II, and more. High-school student and neuroscientist alike, the storytellers share their ventures into uncharted territory—and how their lives were changed indelibly by what they discovered there. With passion, and humor, they encourage us all to be more open, vulnerable, and alive.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From storytelling phenomenon and hit podcast The Moth—and featuring contributions from Meg Wolitzer, Adam Gopnik, Krista Tippett, Andrew Solomon, Rosanne Cash, Ophira Eisenberg, Wang Ping, and more—a new collection of unforgettable true stories about finding the strength to face the impossible, drawn from the very best ever told on its stagesCarefully selected by the creative minds at storytelling phenomenon The Moth, and adapted to the page to preserve the raw energy of stories told live, onstage and without notes, Occasional Magic features voices familiar and new. Inside, storytellers from around the world share times when, in the face of seemingly impossible situations, they found moments of beauty, wonder, and clarity that shed light on their lives and helped them find a path forward. From a fifteen-year-old saving a life in Chicago to a mother of triplets trekking to the North Pole to a ninety-year-old Russian man recalling his standoff with the KGB, these storytellers attest to the variety and richness of the human experience, and the shared threads that connect us all. With honesty and humor, they stare down their fear, embrace uncertainty, and encourage us all to be more authentic, vulnerable, and alive.

“Wonderful." —Michiko Kakutani, New York TimesCelebrating the 20th anniversary of storytelling phenomenon The Moth, 45 unforgettable true stories about risk, courage, and facing the unknown, drawn from the best ever told on their stagesCarefully selected by the creative minds at The Moth, and adapted to the page to preserve the raw energy of live storytelling, All These Wonders features voices both familiar and new. Alongside Meg Wolitzer, John Turturro, Tig Notaro, and Hasan Minhaj, readers will encounter: an astronomer gazing at the surface of Pluto for the first time, an Afghan refugee learning how much her father sacrificed to save their family, a hip-hop star coming to terms with being a “one-hit wonder,” a young female spy risking everything as part of Churchill’s “secret army” during World War II, and more. High-school student and neuroscientist alike, the storytellers share their ventures into uncharted territory—and how their lives were changed indelibly by what they discovered there. With passion, and humor, they encourage us all to be more open, vulnerable, and alive.

From USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bruns comes a hilarious holiday whodunit!It’s the most wonderful time of the year… Unless you’re Sally Muccio.The full-time baker and sometime sleuth is ready to burst into song. She and her husband are expecting a bundle of joy, her sister’s wedding is just around the corner, and it’s Christmas, her favorite time of year. But when Sal’s the victim of a carjacking by Santa himself and a forgotten item links her to a murder, she doesn’t feel like ho-ho-hoing anymore.Damian Ruger was a drug user, womanizer and first-class jerk. And unfortunately for Sal, she once had a connection to him in high school. The dough really hits the fan when her bakery's gingerbread cookies are found next to his dead body, and Sal's cake server is used as a murder weapon. Someone is trying to frame the expectant mother, but why? Sal has no choice but to try to clear her name...before she and the baby are singing Christmas carols in prison!*Recipes Included!*The Cookies & Chance Mysteries:Tastes Like Murder (book #1)A Spot of Murder (short story in the "Killer Beach Reads" collection)Baked to Death (book #2)Burned to a Crisp (book #3)Frosted With Revenge (book #4)Silenced by Sugar (book #5)A Drizzle Before Dying (short story in the "Pushing Up Daisies" collection) Crumbled to Pieces (book #6)Sprinkled in Malice (book #7)Gingersnapped to Death (book #8)What critics are saying:"A fantastic cozy mystery!"—InD'Tale Magazine"I want to visit more with all of the quirky characters just to see what crazy and outrageous things they will do next!"—Fresh Fiction"The Cookies and Chance Mystery series is more than just a series....it's a family !! Once you read the first book, you are hooked and feel like a member of the crazy Muccio family."—Cozy Mystery Book Reviews

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From storytelling phenomenon and hit podcast The Moth—and featuring contributions from Meg Wolitzer, Adam Gopnik, Krista Tippett, Andrew Solomon, Rosanne Cash, Ophira Eisenberg, Wang Ping, and more—a new collection of unforgettable true stories about finding the strength to face the impossible, drawn from the very best ever told on its stagesCarefully selected by the creative minds at storytelling phenomenon The Moth, and adapted to the page to preserve the raw energy of stories told live, onstage and without notes, Occasional Magic features voices familiar and new. Inside, storytellers from around the world share times when, in the face of seemingly impossible situations, they found moments of beauty, wonder, and clarity that shed light on their lives and helped them find a path forward. From a fifteen-year-old saving a life in Chicago to a mother of triplets trekking to the North Pole to a ninety-year-old Russian man recalling his standoff with the KGB, these storytellers attest to the variety and richness of the human experience, and the shared threads that connect us all. With honesty and humor, they stare down their fear, embrace uncertainty, and encourage us all to be more authentic, vulnerable, and alive.

Catherine Lloyd Burns's The Half-True Lies of Cricket Cohen is an outlandish tale of a grandmother and her granddaughter whose us-against-the-world friendship teaches them both about what it means to tell the truth.Cricket Cohen is not a liar. She just enhances the truth. Often. Cricket is a natural-born storyteller. She is also a part-time geologist, a Greek professor, and a certified brain surgeon with a thriving private medical practice. Yes, her patients are all stuffed animals, but the work is still very demanding.Despite her busy schedule, Cricket always has time for Dodo, her equally imaginative grandmother. And one Manhattan weekend when Cricket finds herself in hot water with her teacher and thoroughly fed up with her controlling parents, she and Dodo hit the pavement. What could possibly go wrong when two people with a habit of confusing fact and fantasy take off looking for adventure? Lots, it turns out, and eleven-year-old Cricket finds herself face-to-face with some hard truths about love, family, and getting home again.

USA Today Bestseller! Baker turned reluctant amateur sleuth, Sally Muccio’s, finally found the happiness that’s eluded her for years. She’s in love with a great guy, her bakery is thriving, and now she and her best friend Josie Sullivan are gearing up to appear on the popular reality baking show, Cookie Crusades. But a visit from Sal’s greedy ex-husband Colin, who's looking to cash in on the bakery’s dough, changes everything. Within a few hours Sal’s world—like the shop’s original fortune cookies—is broken apart when Colin turns up dead, and her boyfriend’s arrested for the crime. Now Sal’s mixing it up with vengeful ex-inlaws, a suspicious new employee, slippery baking competitors, and a greasy mobster who’ll stop at nothing to collect on Colin’s unpaid debt. Can Sal prove her man is innocent in time? Or is she about to get baked herself?**Recipes Included!**The Cookies & Chance Mysteries:Tastes Like Murder (book #1)A Spot of Murder (short story in the "Killer Beach Reads" collection)Baked to Death (book #2)Burned to a Crisp (book #3)Frosted With Revenge (book #4)Silenced by Sugar (book #5)A Drizzle Before Dying (short story in the "Pushing Up Daisies" collection) Crumbled to Pieces (book #6)What critics are saying:"Catherine Bruns dishes up a deliciously devilish mystery with this feisty suspense story. This is a highly entertaining cozy mystery that would appeal to anyone who likes a little zaniness with their suspense. "—Night Owl Reviews, Top Pick!"I want to visit more with all of the quirky characters just to see what crazy and outrageous things they will do next!"—Fresh Fiction"The delightful whodunit kept me guessing until the end, and the tasty treats had my mouthwatering from start to finish! A fantastic culinary mystery in the vein of Joanne Fluke and Diane Mott Davidson!"—Gemma Halliday, New York Times & USA Today bestselling mystery author"Catherine Bruns has found a winning recipe for an exciting mystery mixed with a dash of humor and a heap of danger. Add in a little romance for spice, and you get one sweet reading treat."—Mary Marks, bestselling author of the Quilting Mystery series.

From USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bruns, comes an Aloha Lagoon Mystery that proves sometimes paradise isn't all it's served up to be. New to both Hawaii and the Aloha Lagoon Resort, Carrie Jorgenson has big dreams of stardom. But while she awaits fame and fortune, she's forced to accept a job waitressing at the resort's The Loco Moco Café. It isn't long before she discovers the dish on her new boss—also known to many as "The Big Kahuna." Hale Akamu is rich, handsome, repulsive...and dead. When Carrie discovers Hale's lifeless body, she's suddenly forced into yet another role—amateur sleuth. With everyone from Carrie to the saucy chef to the café's hot assistant manager under suspicion, Carrie needs to track a killer before she becomes his next main entrée! **Recipes included!**The Aloha Lagoon Mysteries:Ukulele Murder (book #1)Murder on the Aloha Express (book #2) Deadly Wipeout (book #3) Deadly Bubbles in the Wine (book #4) Mele Kalikimaka Murder (book #5) Death of the Big Kahuna (book #6) Ukulele Deadly (book #7)Bikinis and Bloodshed (book #8)Death of the Kona Man (book #9)Lethal Tide (book #10)Beachboy Murder (book #11)Handbags & Homicide (book #12)About Aloha Lagoon:There's trouble in paradise...Welcome to Aloha Lagoon, one of Hawaii's hidden treasures. A little bit of tropical paradise nestled along the coast of Kauai, this resort town boasts luxurious accommodation, friendly island atmosphere...and only a slightly higher than normal murder rate. While mysterious circumstances may be the norm on our corner of the island, we're certain that our staff and Lagoon natives will make your stay in Aloha Lagoon one you will never forget!

From USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bruns comes a boxed set of three full-length mysteries featuring baker turned sleuth Sally Muccio. This boxed set includes the first three novels—and tasty recipes!—from the #1 bestselling Cookies & Chance series, including:Tastes Like MurderSally Muccio’s had her crosses to bear: a cheating ex-boyfriend, crazy Italian parents, and an unfaithful husband, just to name a few. After her divorce, she returns to her hometown to start a novelty cookie shop whose specialties include original fortune cookies, served with a sprinkle of foreshadowing. But there’s no warning when her ex-husband’s mistress drops dead on Sal's porch!Baked to DeathBaker turned reluctant amateur sleuth, Sally Muccio’s, finally found the happiness that’s eluded her for years. But when Sal’s ex-husband winds up dead and her new boyfriend is arrested for the crime, everything begins to crumble.Burned to a CrispJust when things appear to be going well for baker and sometime sleuth, Sally Muccio, life turns up the heat again. When the bakery Sal’s worked so hard for goes up in smoke—along with her dreams!—she’s not sure how much more she can stand. Even worse...a man is found dead in the bakery’s back room, and now it's up to Sal to find out why.The Cookies & Chance Mysteries:Tastes Like Murder (book #1)A Spot of Murder (short story in the "Killer Beach Reads" collection)Baked to Death (book #2)Burned to a Crisp (book #3)Frosted With Revenge (book #4)Silenced by Sugar (book #5)A Drizzle Before Dying (short story in the "Pushing Up Daisies" collection) Crumbled to Pieces (book #6)"Catherine Bruns has whipped up another delicious treat with this delightful cozy. If you like your mysteries to taste sweet this one is a good choice."—Night Owl Reviews, Top Pick!"I want to visit more with all of the quirky characters just to see what crazy and outrageous things they will do next!"—Fresh Fiction

From USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bruns comes a boxed set of the next three exciting mysteries featuring baker turned sleuth Sally Muccio. This boxed set includes three full-length novels—and tasty recipes!—from the #1 bestselling Cookies & Chance series, including:Frosted With Revenge (book #4)The some-time amateur sleuth and full-time bakery owner is finally marrying the man of her dreams. But during a last minute taste testing of their wedding cake, Sally and her fiancé are witnesses—and almost victims!—of a random shooting. At least they think it’s random, until an original fortune cookie message proves otherwise. Can Sal make it to the church on time…and alive?Silenced by Sugar (book #5)Full-time baker and sometime-sleuth Sally Muccio wishes that sales in her bakery would pick up. So when a popular TV show invites her and best friend, Josie, to be guests, it’s a dream come true. Only it quickly turned into a nightmare when a dead body is discovered on the set, and fingers immediately point to Josie. Now it's up to Sal to save her friend and tack down a killer!Crumbled to Pieces (book #6)In need of some quick dough, full-time baker and sometime sleuth Sally Muccio decides to rent the vacant apartment over the bakery to a friend of her grandmother’s. But when the elderly woman is mowed down in a hit and run, it quickly becomes obvious this was no accident. Grandma Rosa asks for Sal’s help to find the killer, but can she catch a murderer before her world crumbles around her?The Cookies & Chance Mysteries:Tastes Like Murder (book #1)A Spot of Murder (short story in the "Killer Beach Reads" collection)Baked to Death (book #2)Burned to a Crisp (book #3)Frosted With Revenge (book #4)Silenced by Sugar (book #5)A Drizzle Before Dying (short story in the "Pushing Up Daisies" collection) Crumbled to Pieces (book #6)Sprinkled in Malice (book #7)"The Cookies and Chance Mystery series is more than just a series....it's a family !! Once you read the first book, you are hooked and feel like a member of the crazy Muccio family."—Cozy Mystery Book Reviews"A fantastic cozy mystery!"—InD'Tale Magazine"A fast-paced and light hearted whodunit that kept me engaged throughout the telling of this tale."—Dru's Book Musings

From USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bruns comes a hilarious holiday whodunit!It’s the most wonderful time of the year… Unless you’re Sally Muccio.The full-time baker and sometime sleuth is ready to burst into song. She and her husband are expecting a bundle of joy, her sister’s wedding is just around the corner, and it’s Christmas, her favorite time of year. But when Sal’s the victim of a carjacking by Santa himself and a forgotten item links her to a murder, she doesn’t feel like ho-ho-hoing anymore.Damian Ruger was a drug user, womanizer and first-class jerk. And unfortunately for Sal, she once had a connection to him in high school. The dough really hits the fan when her bakery's gingerbread cookies are found next to his dead body, and Sal's cake server is used as a murder weapon. Someone is trying to frame the expectant mother, but why? Sal has no choice but to try to clear her name...before she and the baby are singing Christmas carols in prison!*Recipes Included!*The Cookies & Chance Mysteries:Tastes Like Murder (book #1)A Spot of Murder (short story in the "Killer Beach Reads" collection)Baked to Death (book #2)Burned to a Crisp (book #3)Frosted With Revenge (book #4)Silenced by Sugar (book #5)A Drizzle Before Dying (short story in the "Pushing Up Daisies" collection) Crumbled to Pieces (book #6)Sprinkled in Malice (book #7)Gingersnapped to Death (book #8)What critics are saying:"A fantastic cozy mystery!"—InD'Tale Magazine"I want to visit more with all of the quirky characters just to see what crazy and outrageous things they will do next!"—Fresh Fiction"The Cookies and Chance Mystery series is more than just a series....it's a family !! Once you read the first book, you are hooked and feel like a member of the crazy Muccio family."—Cozy Mystery Book Reviews

In this middle grade novel, an autobiography assignment gets truly unreal when a middle schooler and her mischievous grandma run away from home. Cricket Cohen isn’t a liar, but she doesn’t always tell the exact truth. She loves thinking about geology and astronomy and performing tricky brain surgery on her stuffed animals. She also loves conspiring with Dodo, her feisty grandmother who lives in the apartment right next door. One Manhattan weekend when she’s in hot water with her teacher and her controlling parents over a fanciful memoir essay, Cricket goes along with Dodo’s questionable decision to hit the bricks. Imagining all sorts of escapades, Cricket is happy to leave home behind. But on a crosstown adventure with an elderly woman who has her own habit of mixing truth and fantasy, some hard realities may start to get in the way of all the fun.From Catherine Lloyd Burns (The Good, the Bad & the Beagle) comes The Half-True Lies of Cricket Cohen, an outlandish tale of a grandmother and her granddaughter whose us-against-the-world friendship teaches them both about what it means to tell the truth.Praise for The Half-True Lies of Cricket Cohen:"The ending, Cricket’s poignant rewritten memoir, is realistic but hopeful. May reassure readers with aging relatives facing Alzheimer’s." ―Kirkus Reviews“Reminiscent of a Kate Di Camillo story relocated to the big city.” ―School Library Journal