Jessica Huntington’s best friend, Kelly Fontana, was killed soon after graduating from high school. The victim of a hit-and-run accident in a Palm Springs hotel parking lot, the investigation into Kelly’s death quickly grew cold. When Kelly’s handsome cousin, Detective Frank Fontana, shows up in Rancho Mirage with news, the cold case heats up. Now, more than a decade after Kelly’s death, a … lowlife meth addict swears: “It weren’t no accident! It was on purpose.” Who would do such a thing to the auburn-haired beauty with a voice like an angel and a streak of wild? Secrets, lies, drugs, and more turn up as Jessica, Frank, and their friends set out to discover who killed Kelly and why? Can Jessica get justice for her troubled friend?
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WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT A DEAD SISTER:
“An Enthusiastic Six Stars!”
I read the first book in the series, A Dead Husband, and have been eagerly looking forward to reading this one. It didn’t disappoint in any area. One of the things that Ms. Burke is a genius at is attention to detail. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a setting or a person, you can clearly see it in your mind, smell it, or taste it – and her food descriptions are to die for! But make no mistake, the story line and the characters are just as captivating. I felt like I had reconnected with old friends, and I look forward to reading A Dead Daughter. For my money, she is one of the most talented authors writing today. I simply love her work and would give it six stars if I could!
5Great series
By ChristophFischerBooks “Chris”TOP 500 REVIEWERon June 30, 2014
Format: Kindle Edition
“A Dead Sister” by Anna Burke is an excellent follow up to her “Dead Husband”. Jessica Huntington has a lot on her plate, especially after her last adventure. In this novel she looks into the death of one of her friends who dies in a mysterious accident 14 years ago.
The book balances her private issues, such as the broken down marriage, and her intimate connection to the victim well, making for a very personal and heart felt investigation, which lends the story more gravity and power. Jessica is a great lead character with strong emotions, thoughtful and clever whose circumstances show that money and looks still won’t necessarily buy you happiness. But she has good people around her and she won’t quit until she finds out the truth. The detective part is well written and at times very compelling. A must for fans of detective novels with interesting settings and fascinating characters. Very recommendable.
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Evil lurks in Palm Springs!
Jessica Huntington barely survived her last encounter with evil with the murderer of her best friend’s husband. Nevertheless, survive she did and now she is dealing with her upcoming divorce from her cheating husband. As if that isn’t bad enough, a three-time loser has come forward saying that her friend Kelly’s death was actually murder, not a hit and run, and he is willing to give information in exchange for a deal in court. The stress is enough to induce an anxiety attack, but Jessica cannot ignore the chance to right a wrong with the help of her Cat Pack, even when witnesses and suspects start turning into corpses.
This is a wonderful cozy mystery! There are plenty of twists and turns which kept me in stitches. The characters are interesting and their interactions are entertaining. Anna Celeste Burke has another winner!
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.
This review is for the audio book.
I enjoyed the first book but enjoy this book even more and can’t wait for the next. I love the characters as the are such a mixed bunch, private detective, lawyer, bodyguard, house keeper, pool cleaner, but despite there mixed professions or life styles they are the best of friends and I like learning more about them.
Jessica best friend was killed in a hit and run when they were still teenagers and when new information comes to light saying that it might not have been the accident that everybody thought it was Jessica and the team get to work investigating. Not sure the new information is that trust worthy they have no choice but to dig deep and ask lots of questions the only problem is someone doesn’t want his secrets to come to light and he won’t let anyone stand in his way. With painful secrets about her friend being discovered and bodies piling up Jessica has to ask the hard question does she really want to know the truth about her death.
I liked the narrator and think she does a good job of helping the story flow along.
A Dead Sister is the second book in Anna Celeste Burke’s Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mystery 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.
This is book 2 in the Jessica Huntington series and I loved book one A Dead Husband. So maybe I was disappointed when Jessica’s cat pack was not a big player in this book. I will move on to book 3 A Dead Daughter and hope the Cat Pack plays a bigger part in the mystery solving. Anna Celeste Burke is a wonderful writer and her series Georgie Shaw is a huge favorite of mine. Anna writes clean fast paced mysteries which I love. This series as well as the Georgie Shaw series takes place in California my beloved state so that is also a draw for me.