Jessica Huntington Desert Cities

Jessica Huntington #1-5

by Anna Celeste Burke

The Bestselling Jessica Huntington Mystery Series In One Box Set!

USA Today and WSJ bestselling author, Anna Celeste Burke, brings you all of her thrilling Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mysteries in one box set.

>>>A Dead Husband

Jessica Huntington is an amateur sleuth who would rather be shopping, but she soon finds out that money can’t buy happiness or save your neck. While hiding out in sunny California, her best friend’s husband is murdered. Roger Stone had something that got him killed. What was it and what will they do to get it back?

>>>A Dead Sister

A cold case heats up when the handsome detective, Frank Fontana, asks for Jessica Huntington's help. Who killed his cousin Kelly? Does Jessica want to know the truth about her high school friend's tragic death? Can she handle what digging into the past might reveal?

>>>A Dead Daughter

Jessica Isn’t sure what to expect when Libby Van Der Woert, the disturbed daughter of Jessica’s wealthy clients, asks to meet at the top of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Trouble begins the moment Jessica greets Libby in the Mt. San Jacinto Wilderness. Wild, manic, and sure she’s being followed, Libby’s got a gun. All hell breaks loose when Libby’s Beverly Hills shrink shows up with a gun of his own. What’s up with the missing and misguided daughters of wealth and privilege in Dr. Carr’s care? Getting to the bottom of things Jessica-Huntington-style, sets off a whirlwind tour of fashionable enclaves, upscale rehab clinics, shops, restaurants and other haute hangouts. Behind all the glitz and glam: secrets, lies, corporate wheeling and dealing.

>>>A Dead Mother

Jessica’s ex-husband, James Harper, and her mother, Alexis, are in big trouble in A Dead Mother. Family dysfunction, infidelity, murder, and mayhem—what else can you expect from members of the rich and famous who move in Jessica Huntington’s circles? An arraignment in court goes off the rails after Jim Harper’s Bel Air mansion is trashed and a man is left fighting for his life. Jessica’s love life almost veers off track, too, as she struggles to balance job, family, sleuthing, and her attraction to Attorney Paul Worthington and Detective Frank Fontana. When the body of a prominent member of the Palm Desert community is found dead on the side of the road, Jessica gives up hope that this year will be better than the last.

>>>A Dead Cousin

A frantic call for help has Jessica on the run. Taken from his home while his daughter hides upstairs, Detective Frank Fontana is gone. Jessica's out to save him, but what if he doesn't want to be found? Has he been abducted or is he on the run? When a body turns up, the identity of the victim only fuels the controversy. Good cops. Bad cops. Missing money. Undercover operations that may or may not have ended. Jessica and her friends soon become entangled in a web of secrets and lies that make it hard to know who's on which side of the law.

Scroll Up And Grab Your Box Set Today!

Genres: Mystery

1430 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 5, 2018

About the author

Anna Celeste Burke is an awarding-winning, USA Today & Wall Street Journal Bestselling author!
Welcome! Join me, snooping into life's mysteries with fun, fiction, and food--California style!

Life is an extravaganza and so unpredictable! Figuring out how to hang tough and make the most of the wild ride is the challenge.

On my way to Oahu to join the rock musician and high school drop-out I married in Tijuana, I was nabbed by the police as a runaway. When the police let me go and the rock band broke up, my husband and I had to find another way to survive. Our next stop: Disney World where we trained to be chefs, courtesy of the Walt Disney World University.

A GED for my husband, and many more years of education eventually landed us in academia—with Ph.D.s from the University of Michigan we took professor jobs with U of M’s longstanding football rival, The Ohio State University.

Retired now from my role as a professor in social work and behavioral science, I have picked up a long-time interest in writing fiction. In my professional career I wrote and published widely as a scholar, with more than forty manuscripts of varying lengths on my vita. I also carried out hundreds of training, consulting and speaking engagements on a number of gloriously nerdy topics.

So what on earth does a research scientist have in common with a mystery writer? As avid fans of the mystery genre will tell you at the core of any good mystery is a passionate search for the truth. Discovering the truth involves finding and assembling pieces of complex puzzles in order to solve seemingly intractable problems—scientist and sleuth are cut from the same cloth!

Still married to the same sweet guy, I live with my husband in one of the seven desert resort cities in the Palm Springs area. In addition to reading and writing mysteries I enjoy painting, hiking, hanging out with my handsome husband and tending to my Siamese cats.

The Sonoran Desert is a beautiful setting to ponder life’s mysteries, by the surrounding mountains and the bountiful delights of the desert resort communities. I hope you enjoy reading the books in my three cozy mystery series: The Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mystery Series, The Corsario Cove Cozy Mystery Series, and the Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery Series. Cheers! Anna

Reviews

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mysteries Books 1-5” Earns 5/5 Desert City Mysteries!

Thrilled! This is an entertaining, sometimes roller coaster ride, series penned by favorite author Anna Celeste Burke. Her stories are often intense with a few nail-biting predicaments. The mysteries include a host of suspects and motives along with enough twists, turns, and ‘wild goose chases,’ to me totally engaged. Anna’s first-person narrative provides excellent descriptions along with Jessica's inner thoughts, and the dialogue illustrates tone, personality, and emotion. Together Anna’s writing makes this a real page-turner! But it's not all nail-biting “Watch out!” screams, there are sprinkles of humor that allow you to catch your breath. I thoroughly enjoy this series with Jessica engaging and clever, and the sidekicks are a “kick.” With this box set fans get books they may be missing to complete their library, and newbies are lucky to get all of the books for a delightful binge! But what do you expect from a trained chef like Anna? A bonus Cookbook! Each of the books in the set includes a handful of bonus treats for a quiet dinner or a family holiday gathering. Thirty-two easy-to-follow recipes from sides to entrees to gooey desserts…all with a California flair! This is a superb!

[Cyndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wild ride with Jessica and her Cat Pack

In this 5th book in the series Jessica and her friends are out to find Frank Fontana who was whisked from his home by bad cops. Jessica is a trouble magnet , if there is danger around she is bound to be in the middle of it. With her friends Laura, her pool boy Brien , cousin Tommy, and his partner Jerry, her assistant Kim and of course the wonderful Bernadette, Jessica's housekeeper extrordinaìre , fondly known as her Cat Pack, we are off on suspenseful, frightening ride to find Frank. After all the times Jessica has found herself in life and death situations she has given in and hired a security team so the group now also includes head of security former black ops , Peter. From the last book rescued poodle Anastasia with all her special tricks. These characters have worked there way into my heart, they are all so different and so loveable, the author has done an excellent job of giving them personality. We learn much about the Coachella Valley and surrounding areas. If you are interested in fashion you are in for a treat to the eyes as we join Jessica and crew on shopping trips in Palm Springs, on Rodeo Drive in Cabo San Lucas. The author knows her shops well and all the props available if your pockets are deep enough to purchase the beautiful clothing, shoes etc even if you need it brought to you in your size to make your selections! I have enjoyed trying to figure out who were the good cops , who were the bad is Jessica going to get in a life threatening situation, how will she get out of it. Her divorce has happened almost a year ago so will she decide that detective Frank Fontana or handsome lawyer Paul be the man of her dreams, well that's if her Cat Pack is able to find Frank alive. I can't forget about Jessica's ex Jim and his crazy actress new wife Cassie they are always in the middle of a crisis and Jessica seems to get her name attached to them in the media. If you enjoy a book that always keeps you reading to find out what is going to happen next this exciting book is for you! .
This book is a stand alone story but it is so much better if you read it in order. Then you will be able to see how Jessica has become so much more careful about the dangers, how her Cat Pack has grown, her confusion over which awesome man she's going to pick (or will someone else come on the scene! ) the wild and wacky life of Jim and Cassie. I love it all and can hardly wait for the next book in the series! ..
I received a free copy of this book, but the above opinion is all my own.

[RO G'ma · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Dead Husband (Jessica Huntington Cozy Mystery Series – Book 1)
Never a Dull Moment
Ms. Burke’s writing style flows smoothly, the storyline is well plotted and full of action, suspense, and mystery. The characters are well developed and although they are in trying to solve a difficult mystery and are in danger much of the time, Ms. Burke has managed to allow them to be humorous and witty at times. Ms. Burke has written a well thought out and interesting mystery, with a good story line, and excellent character development. There are lots of twists and turns and I was engaged from the beginning of the book. I highly recommend this book.

Jessica Huntington-Harper is a wealthy lawyer whose law practice is in trouble due to the housing/economic downturn and she’s filed for divorce after she caught her cheating husband, Jim Harper, in a compromising position with a well-known Hollywood starlet. Jessica takes refuge at the Rancho Mirage home where she grew up. At first glance, Jessica comes across as a woman who is spoiled, selfish, only cares about herself, and is a high-end shopaholic; however, she is completely opposite (other than the shopaholic addiction) and is smart, energetic, and witty. Even though Jessica is drowning in her sorrow, when her best friend, Laura Stone, discovers her husband, Roger, has been brutally murdered in their home and is worried she is the prime suspect, Jessica immediately rushes to her aide. Although Jessica isn’t a criminal lawyer, she agrees to help prove Laura’s innocence. She contacts a college acquaintance Paul Worthington, who is a well-known criminal lawyer, to help her with the defense of her friend. Paula sends one of his firm’s in-house private investigators, Jerry Reynolds, to help Jessica as she launches her investigation into Roger’s death, placing herself and those close to her in harm’s way.

A Dead Sister (Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mystery Book 2)
Great Series
Ms. Burke’s writing style flows smoothly at a calm and steady pace and the storyline is well plotted with the three dimensional characters, humor, and some suspenseful moments. Ms. Burke’s books not only have interesting mysteries to solve but they allow the reader to get to know the characters. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy reading a well-crafted cozy mystery.

Jessica Huntington is not pleased when her soon to be ex-husband shows up at her door and he’s brought a copy of the divorce papers she hasn’t signed off yet and wants her to sign them so he can marry the woman he cheated on Jessica with who is pregnant. Jessica is a wealthy woman who is caring and generous she treated everyone to an escape after the trauma of solving the mystery surrounding the murder of her Roger Stone, her friend, Laura’s husband. The guys decided to go to the North Shore of Oahu so Brien could take the surf safari he dreamed about, the gals stayed at the Grand Wailea in Maui and spend their days getting spa treatments and going on shopping sprees, and Laura’s sister and her family went on a Disney cruise. Jessica is surprised when she receives a call from Frank Fontana asking if she will meet with him to talk about his cousin and Jessica’s high school friend, Kelly Fontana, who died over a decade ago when she was only 19 years old when she was the victim of a hit and run in a parking lot. The call brings up troubling memories of her friendship with Kelly. Seems a drug addicted criminal, Chester Davis, claims to have information that Kelly was murdered and he wants to make a deal to have the charges currently pending against him reduced. Frank is seeking Jessica’s advice on opening up his cousin’s case and asking her to talk to officials and interview Chester. Frank and Jessica decided for her to start her investigation without informing Kelly’s parents and brother because they wanted to protect them from having to relive the tragic event if the “tip” didn’t pan out. While Jessica feels she needs to take a year to adjust to her divorce and get her life together, there is a mutual attraction between her and Paul Worthington and Frank Fontana.

A Dead Daughter (Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mystery Book 3)
Action Packed, Hopeful and Uplifting
Ms. Burke has written a well thought out and complex mystery, with a good story line, and excellent character development, and a wonderful balance of humor and heart that flows smoothly. This book is mix of cozy mystery, chilling psychological thriller, comedy, sweet romance, and addresses people struggling with various addictions. There is a lot going on in this book and Ms. Burke does an excellent job of tying up all the loose ends. I highly recommend this book.

Jessica Huntington has a knack for what some call meddling and placing herself in sticky situations but she just can’t control her compulsion to make things right. Nick and Nora Van Der Woert are her clients and their daughter, Libby, is a 30-something woman whose life was in tatters and is trying to destroy her parents lives. Even though Jessica doesn’t represent Libby, she responds to her request for a private meeting at the top of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway that ends with both women being hospitalized and Dr. Carr, Libby’s Beverly Hills psychiatrist, dying. During their time on the mountain, Libby reveals secrets about her life and her doctor. Through further investigation, Jessica learns that young women from wealthy families are missing and have been misguided and exploited, with money being used as manipulation that morphed from sexploitation to extortion. Jessica has her hands and mind full with the investigation and still trying to work through her parent’s divorce many years ago and her recent one, her shopping addiction, and the secrets her mother reveals to her about her life and illness. Jessica has a wonderful support system, the Cat Pack, which is an intriguing group of friends who help with her investigations and provide support and shelter from threats.

A Dead Mother (Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mystery Book 4)
Trauma, Turmoil, and a Dead Client
The writing style flows smoothly at a calm and steady pace and the storyline is well plotted with the three dimensional characters, humor, and some suspenseful moments. There are lots of twists and turns and red herrings to keep the reader engaged. Readers will find themselves pulled in from the beginning and anxiously turning pages until they find themselves at the end of the story and wanting more. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy reading a well-crafted cozy mystery.

Jessica Huntington has settled into her position at Canady, Holms, Winston & Klein’s Palm Desert satellite office, but her personal life is in turmoil. She’s given herself a year to adjust to her divorce and get her life together. The mutual attractions between her and Attorney Paul Worthington and Detective Frank Fontana are still strong and she knows she’ll have to make a decision soon before she hurts one of them. She’s taken Father Martin’s advice and put her black AMEX card away, and although the numbers on the card are ingrained in her mind, she’s resisting the strong urges to go on shopping sprees. Alexis, Jessica’s mother has suffered a medical emergency and set back in her battle against drug and alcohol addiction, but with the love and support provided by Giovanni, her fourth husband, Jessica, and Bernadette, she’s determined to overcome her addictions and win her battle with cancer. Her divorce from Jim Harper has been final for almost a year, but she just can’t seem to get him out of her life. Jim and his new trophy wife, Cassie, are both filing for divorce and preparing to battle over custody of their newborn daughter, but these are the least of the issues plaguing him. A party in their home took a bad turn with drugs and murder, and Jim, who’s accused of killing Marty Hargreaves, has hired Paul to represent him. As if all this isn’t enough, Jessica is devastated when she learns a client, Beverly Windsor, has been murdered. Beverly and her daughter, Leslie, aren’t just clients, the three women had developed a friendship during the few months Jessica had been their attorney. Jessica has a wonderful support system, the Cat Pack, which is an intriguing group of friends who help her with investigations and provide support and shelter from threats. While investigating Beverly’s murder, they uncover cruelty, lies, deceit, and a Ponzi scheme.

A Dead Cousin (Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mystery Book 5)
Fantastic Fast Paced Page Turner
Readers will find themselves pulled into this fast-paced, complex mystery from the beginning, anxiously turning pages until they find themselves at the end of the story and wanting more. Ms. Burke’s descriptive writing style flows smoothly, and even though tension is high, she’s sprinkled humor throughout the pages of this book. The well-developed characters are three-dimensional and Anastasia, Jessica’s lovely poodle, will steal your heart in more than one scene. There is a lot going on, and Ms. Burke does an excellent job of tying up all the loose ends. I highly recommend this book.

Things have been calm in Jessica Huntington’s life for several months, and she felt a celebration was in order. Alexis, Jessica’s mother, is recovering from a medical emergency and making progress beating her drug and alcohol addiction, the law caught up with Cassie, her ex-husband’s new wife who often wreaked havoc in Jessica’s life, and big undercover operation her friend, Detective Frank Fontana, was involved in was finally over. Jessica and her Cat Pack friends enjoyed a relaxing evening together, but Jessica is a calamity magnet, and mayhem is never far away. Instead of her sweet poodle, Anastasia, waking her the next morning, Jessica receives a phone call from Frank’s daughter, Evie, who tells her that after men came to see her dad, she heard him say their safe word which meant she should hide behind the false wall in her closet and now he was gone! Jessica, who often suffers from panic attacks, fought the urge to fall victim to the one she felt coming on and quickly moved into action mode, accessed the situation, and contacted Frank’s colleague, Detective Rikki Havens. Jessica has a wonderful support system, the Cat Pack, which is an intriguing group of friends who help her with investigations and provide support and shelter from threats, both emotional and physical. None of them hesitates to jump in and take an emotional and bumpy ride with Jessica as she tries to figure out who, if anyone other than her team, can be trusted. Jessica had taken Father Martin’s advice to put her black AMEX card away to heart, and she’s resisted the strong urge to go on shopping sprees, but feels justified pulling it out to save Frank. They don’t know if he’s been abducted or is on the run but find clues he left along the way and are determined to bring one of their own back home. As Jessica and her family and friends search for clues leading to Frank’s whereabouts, they discover shady activities, lies, deception, corruption, missing money, and murder.

[Linda Wren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved these books

I loved this series because the characters were so real and funny and serious. It is hard to put down. I will definitely read more of Anna Celeste Buried books!

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have all these books individually but it's great to have them in one set. I love the crazy individuals who join her group and themselves the Cat Pack. She's lucky to have these caring people and she cares for them. In the first story she's trying to get over how her marriage fell apart with her stupid cheating husband. I like how new characters are introduced she gathers the good ones to her like Kim.

[Janet Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic Cozy Murder Mystery Set
I was hesitant to read this series because the titles made it seem too dark. I am so glad that I got beyond that and read one – Book 5). It was so good that I read another and loved it. I finally broke down and got this box set and am so happy that I did! This series gets better and better as it goes on. Our heroine keeps getting sucked into murders and her personal life is a problem as well. I love this series. All of the characters are real people with their issues and successes. The plots are intricate and keep the reader guessing with many surprises. I would recommend this series to anyone who likes a bit of the unexpected and wants to wait until the end of a story to see how it ends. I bought this book and this is my honest review!

[Bernadette Cinkoske · Rating 5 out of 5]

I own each of these titles individually so I did not buy the box set. I adore Jessica Huntington., he family and her quirky friends. These are some really amazing mysteries. The plots are fantastic. There are always an abundance of suspects and plenty of plot twists. Before I start a new book, I have to make sure I will have time to read the entire story in one sitting because I get cranky if I have to put it down before I get to the end! I highly recommend you meet Jessica and her friends!

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mayhem and murder


I loved this series of books,
I would recommend to anyone who loves mysteries, murder and most of all mayhem!

[Bonnye Reed]

TheFussyLibrarian

[Bonnie Dale Keck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kindle unlimited, think there was a one day for a few hours {I missed that} where could get it cheaper but actually already own the entire set just individually, but would have picked it up if had caught it as sets are easier for my reader to do, but no matter, still wanted to do a review since had read/owned all of them. At the very bottom is every book has out {although a couple are presently only on preorder} of every series including the 2 newest series.

Jessica Huntington Mystery Series In One Box Set!

A Dead Husband -- Jessica Huntington is an amateur sleuth who would rather be shopping, but she soon finds out that money can’t buy happiness or save your neck. While hiding out in sunny California, her best friend’s husband is murdered. Roger Stone had something that got him killed. What was it and what will they do to get it back?

A Dead Sister -- A cold case heats up when the handsome detective, Frank Fontana, asks for Jessica Huntington's help. Who killed his cousin Kelly? Does Jessica want to know the truth about her high school friend's tragic death? Can she handle what digging into the past might reveal?

Dead Daughter-- Jessica Isn’t sure what to expect when Libby Van Der Woert, the disturbed daughter of Jessica’s wealthy clients, asks to meet at the top of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Trouble begins the moment Jessica greets Libby in the Mt. San Jacinto Wilderness. Wild, manic, and sure she’s being followed, Libby’s got a gun. All hell breaks loose when Libby’s Beverly Hills shrink shows up with a gun of his own. What’s up with the missing and misguided daughters of wealth and privilege in Dr. Carr’s care? Getting to the bottom of things Jessica-Huntington-style, sets off a whirlwind tour of fashionable enclaves, upscale rehab clinics, shops, restaurants and other haute hangouts. Behind all the glitz and glam: secrets, lies, corporate wheeling and dealing.

A Dead Mother -- Jessica’s ex-husband, James Harper, and her mother, Alexis, are in big trouble in A Dead Mother. Family dysfunction, infidelity, murder, and mayhem—what else can you expect from members of the rich and famous who move in Jessica Huntington’s circles? An arraignment in court goes off the rails after Jim Harper’s Bel Air mansion is trashed and a man is left fighting for his life. Jessica’s love life almost veers off track, too, as she struggles to balance job, family, sleuthing, and her attraction to Attorney Paul Worthington and Detective Frank Fontana. When the body of a prominent member of the Palm Desert community is found dead on the side of the road, Jessica gives up hope that this year will be better than the last.

A Dead Cousin -- A frantic call for help has Jessica on the run. Taken from his home while his daughter hides upstairs, Detective Frank Fontana is gone. Jessica's out to save him, but what if he doesn't want to be found? Has he been abducted or is he on the run? When a body turns up, the identity of the victim only fuels the controversy. Good cops. Bad cops. Missing money. Undercover operations that may or may not have ended. Jessica and her friends soon become entangled in a web of secrets and lies that make it hard to know who's on which side of the law.



Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery Series
Murder at Catmmando Mountain #1 Love Notes in the Key of Sea #2 All Hallows' Eve Heist #3 A Merry Christmas Wedding Mystery
Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery Series: Novellas 1-3
#4 Murder at Sea of Passenger X #5 Murder of the Maestro #6 A Tango Before Dying #7 A Canary in the Canal #8 {2019}*

Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mystery
.5 Love a Foot Above the Ground A Dead Husband 1 A Dead Sister 2 A Dead Daughter 3 A Dead Mother 4 A Dead Cousin 5
Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mystery Series (Books 1-5)
A Dead Nephew 6 {2019}*

Corsario Cove Cozy Mystery
Cowabunga Christmas #1 Gnarly New Year #2
Heinous Habits (Corsario Cove Cozy Mystery, #3) {in summer collection only first}
Radical Regatta Corsario Cove Cozy Mystery #4 {2019}*

Seaview Cottages Cozy Mystery
A Body at Fitzgerald’s Bluff 1 {was in Summer Snoops and Cozy Crimes: 12 Mysteries for the Dog Days of Summer which between typos and WTH stuff actually cancelled, just waited for this separately}
The Murder of Shakespeare's Ghost 2 {out March 2019}*
Grave Expectations on Dickens' #3 {2019}*

The CALLA LILY MYSTERY Series
Lily's Homecoming Under Fire #1
{was only in collection Love Under Fire collection, now standalone}
Tangled Vines, Buried Secrets #2 {2019}*

see goodreads/amazon for full listing of books, in various collections

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

***A Dead Husband---5 Stars

I absolutely love Jessica and all the members of the Cat Pack. I also love Anna Celeste Burke's writing. This is the first book I've read in this series but I'm an avid reader of this author's other series--Corsario Cove and Georgie Shaw.

In A Dead Husband, we meet Jessica and all of her quirky friends--her Cat Pack. I'm looking forward to getting to know all of these characters better as the series progresses. There are plenty of clues and twists and turns that kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next. I like the way everything doesn't just fall into place for Jessica and the way the Cat Pack work together to solve the murder. Everybody contributes something to the investigation.

I've already got the rest of the series on my e-reader and am looking forward to seeing what happens next with Jessica and the Cat Pack.

***A Dead Sister---4 Stars
Jessica and the Cat Pack are back in action as they try to solve the cold case murder of Tommy's sister and Frank's cousin, Kelly. There are plenty of twists and turns, as well as some totally unexpected revelations about Kelly, as the story unfolds. Frank becomes a member of the Cat Pack and offers the perspective of law enforcement to the Pack's sleuthing. I really enjoy the way each member of the Cat Pack provides a different strength to the group. Jessica accepts Paul's offer of a job as she works on getting her life back on track. Now, if only she can figure out who she is romantically interested in. Hmmmm...

I thought the first 1/3 of the book dragged somewhat but not enough for me to quit reading. I've enjoyed the first two books in the series and am going to read Book 3 right now. I urge you to give the series a try if you like entertaining mysteries solved by amateur sleuths working with the police.

***A Dead Daughter---5 Stars
A Dead Daughter starts off with lots of action and the climax is full of twists and surprises!. An entertaining book from start to finish. The action at the beginning of the book feels like the end of a case but just opens the door for more intrigue and suspense. Even though we know who is behind all the murder and mayhem, it definitely doesn't detract from the story. I enjoy the way the story is serious but has plenty of humor and witty banter to keep it from getting dark. Each book in the series is a standalone but they are better read in order because the characters and their relationships evolve as the series progresses.

***A Dead Mother---5 Stars
WOW! What a tangled web of deceit, greed, and murder! There is so much going on in this story that I stayed up way past my bedtime in order to find out how it all ended. I couldn't put it down. I've read the first 4 books in this series and this one is my favorite. The entire Cat Pack is back in action after a client/friend of Jessica's is murdered. Anastasia is a very nice addition to the series. Can't wait to read the next book in the series.

***A Dead Cousin---5 Stars
Once again Jessica and the Cat Pack are on the trail of "la creme de la crud" as they search for one of their own. Frank is missing and the body count keeps rising. Not knowing who to trust makes the case more difficult but with each member of the Cat Pack bringing their own special talent to the investigation, they quickly make headway into solving the mystery. I stayed up hours past my bedtime to finish this fast-paced, action-packed whodunit by the talented Anna Celeste Burke. While each story in this series is a standalone, I suggest reading them in order. The characters and their relationships evolve as the series progresses and recurring characters(other than the Cat Pack) are found throughout the books.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Makes me wish there were more Jessicas in this world

Licking her wounds at her mother's estate after having caught her husband in bed with another woman, Jessica Huntington, an attorney currently not working, is angry and confused. Mulling over what went wrong in her marriage while working through the final details of her divorce, she is unexpectedly thrown into solving a murder when her best friend's husband is shot and killed in their home. Laura calls Jessica for help, which quickly escalates to include Bernadette, Tommy, and Brien. An unlikely cast of characters that eventually expands to form the Cat Pack. This one murder eventually leads to others as Jessica can't resist righting wrongs, even at great risk to herself. With her black AMEX card in hand, and a group of savvy friends, the attorney turned amateur detective learns just how dangerous living in the desert can be.

What I enjoyed about this series is that they work really hard to figure out what is going on. The cases are not easy to solve and it doesn't come easy to them. However, unlike others, she is extremely wealthy so hiring the best security, paying all the expenses, and having key contacts definitely eases the struggles many without unlimited funds would face that would make solving crimes ten times harder.

[Judy Rinehimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amateur Slouths Take On the Coachella Valley

Just finished reading the five non-stop novels that make up the Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mystery series. Start with Book 1 and watch how Jessica Huntington reclaims her title as Attorney and surrounds herself with a cast of characters often caught in a web of life threatening encounters with criminal cruds. Having visited the Coachella Valley many times it was fun to trace their tracks from exclusive desert gated communities to high-end designer stores and spas that welcome Jessica and her distinguished black American Express Card.

[Karen Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unusual Group Combine to Solve Crimes

A young attorney who happens to be wealthy finds herself being asked to help friends with problems that turn out to be related to murder and crimes to solve. She does it with the help of friends and family and police and legal support. I didn't think I would like having the heroes or heroine being from rich families from California. It wasn't until the 2nd book in the series that I got intrigued in the unfolded mysteries in each chapter that made me want to continue to the next.

[J Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jessica and the Cat Pack make a great team!

Her marriage may have failed but Jessica Huntington is a huge success as an investigator. Armed with a sharp, analytical intelligence and supported by her Cat Pack, Jessica brings closure for families and delivers criminals to justice. This is a good crime mystery series. I enjoy the humor interspersed with the detective work. In by opinion, there is nothing quite as enjoyable as a good cozy mystery.

[John McCormick · Rating 2 out of 5]

IMHO, this first of a five-set drags on way too long

I slogged through the first of this set of five to find Who Killed Roger but along the way just became tired of Jessica and her designer clothes .. I am NOT going to read the following four. Kudos to anyone who finishes all five!

[Sharon Huffaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read

After reading the 1st book, I couldn't wait to finish the 5 book series. Jessica and her Cat Pack were entertaining throughout. St Bernadette is an awesome side kick to Jessica. The intrigue and mystery in each book was more than enough to keep me wanting more. Can't wait for the next book to be released.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who can be trusted?

What an awesome set of books. I didn't want to put them down. They really defined the characters well. I wanted to join the group. Great plots and story lines. Can't wait to read more from this Author.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seamless and riveting from the first book to the last.

Each book reads well as a stand alone but they are so much better read one after the other as a series. The storyline flows continuously from one book to the next. The characters truly come alive.

[Sharon Cirlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this series. It held my interest throughout the twists and turns . The characters are a delightful mix of personalities and they work well together to solve the murders. I would recommend these books.

[Linda Manfredi · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great series

I have read all five of this fabulous series. I was in the edge of my seat. I read all five of these books in three days and I can't wait for book six!

[Emeline Pico · Rating 5 out of 5]

The characters within these stories. A great group of supporting friends. All stories good arc's lots of editing errors some distracts from story.

[Joyce Wilson]

These books were intense, gripping and you did want to quit reading. Everyone was the same and made you want to jump to the next book immediately. Want to see more.

[Patricia Ellingson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super read

Best series I have ever read can’t wait for more will check out rest of series be sure to read them

[Geoff Hagerich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Excellent story line, well developed characters. A fantastic read. I recommend this series and author especially if you like a very descriptive story.

[Richard Wichman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent books. The characters and plots are great. Moving on to book #6 and looking forward to more books in this series.

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable

I loved the first 5 books.....a funny collection of characters......maybe just a bit too long, but still entertaining. Looking forward to see what happens in the next book.

[Sherry Godfrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series and all by this Author!