In California’s Wine Country, Someone Wants Lily DeadWhen Lily Callahan returns home to California’s wine country, sparks fly amid a hail of bullets as she and U.S. Marshal Austin Jennings take cover.Money, fame, and love all come into play as motives when Lily and Austin try to find out who sent hired guns to kill Lily. The trouble begins soon after her beloved Aunt Lettie dies and leaves her … dies and leaves her estate to Lily–is it about the money?
Life in small-town California wine country is a tangled vine of mystery, suspense, and intrigue.USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author, Anna Celeste Burke, brings you the first book in the Calla Lily Mystery Series! Grab your copy today!
Recipes Included.
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I love Lily! Lily Callahan is the kind of character you wish was real so she could be your best friend. A strong cool character who will no doubt carry off the series the way she did this start.
And what a start. When it seems everything is stacked against her from the start with the convincingly violent attempt on her life, Lily holds her grace and charm.
Anna Celeste Burke has created this fantastic world of wine and vineyards, treats us to the rush of romance and danger and a wonderful leading lady with intelligence and heart.
This series and Anna Celeste Burke have earned the spot at the top of my Must Read List!
This was an excellent cozy mystery with sweet romance and a good bit of action. It was definitely a page turner, so I’ll be reading the next in the series!
I totally enjoyed these characters!
Lots of action in the vineyards for Lily. Interesting characters add to the mix and some relatives from Hell make a snappy read.
Lily has just returned to the house she has inherited from her great aunt, when she is tackled to the ground by an unknown man, and there are shots fired. This book only gets better after that! Multiple murders and attempted murders, fraud, crazy relatives… all told with lots of humor mixed in. I loved this book.
Lily is a former soap opera actress who uses the wild experiences of her character to help her when the bad guys are suddenly after her. As a big fan of a certain soap that got cancelled, I loved this and could totally picture her as a certain actress from my old show. She and her adorable little dog and her gorgeous new boyfriend have a very complicated set of murders and other crimes to figure out. I’m looking forward to the next one.
Wine Country romantic mystery – Who wants Lily dead and it is because she inherited her aunt’s estate?. Wonderful, developed characters in a beautiful setting and the rurmoil they face in trying to solve this mystery. First book in a series and I think we all we will be waiting fot the next one to be released. Yummy recipes included as a bonus.
I have yet to read Anna Celeste Burke story that I haven’t liked and this one is no exception. Full of action, twist & turns, and romance kept me turning those pages as the intriguing characters’ well written story unfolded. I became totally immersed in the story from the very beginning. I definitely recommend this one to all.
this was a really great book! she is home again only to have someone trying to kill her. now a us marshal is there to keep her safe. only now people are dying and they must find out who before its to late.
The book was good. The characters where defined but lacked depth in their relationship between each other and formed with no complete understanding to me. The writing was done well and the length was terrific for and afternoon read.
Keep your friends close, and your family closer!
Lily Callahan is finally coming home but it isn’t the happy time she envisioned. She is coming home for her Aunt Lettie’s funeral. Even though inheriting her Aunts estate will mean Lily is now a wealthy woman and partner in a winery, she would rather have her Aunt alive. She has barely arrived at the resort cabin reserved by Aunt Lettie’s lawyer when a gun battle erupts on her front porch. Then a man in a Stetson barrels in and wrestles her to the floor. As bullets crash into her cabin, her dog Marlowe tries to protect her but the cowboy seems intent on taking them hostage, even as sirens are approaching. When the shots finally stop, he introduces himself as Deputy U.S. Marshal Austin Jennings and asks her “Who wants you dead?”
Her days become non-stop chaos, especially when her dysfunctional family shows up for the reading of the will and people start dying. The only bright spots are her Aunts friend Judy who helps wherever and whenever she can, and Austin who is determined to watch over her until police find whoever paid the hitmen to kill her. His interest is not just professional and Lily is interested in him too. Now if her life will just settle down so they can get to know each other better!
This book is non-stop action from the opening paragraph! The characters were relatable and the relatives added some interesting insights and twists. There is death, mystery, romance and plot twists which make for a fun read. I would definitely recommend it!
Talk about descriptive writing that makes the book feel like I’m coming home… This was an amazing read just for the setting alone but then the author adds in a thrilling suspenseful plot and characters I just love and for me, the first Calla Lily mystery was just a wonderful read.
Lily’s Homecoming Under Fire is the first in a new series. Starts off fast & furious and keeps on going. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.
I liked that Lily is a smart amateur sleuth. She doesn’t place herself in danger on purpose. The characters are great and different. Looking forward to more in the series.
I was given an e-book ARC. These are my own opinions.
Lily’s Homecoming Under Fire is the first in a new series and I’m impatiently waiting for the next book! After her Aunt Lettie passes away, Lily Callahan returns to California where she finds she has inherited her aunt’s estate. It soon becomes clear someone is not happy about this when an attempt is made on Lily’s life. Who would benefit from Lily’s death? Why does someone want her dead? Set in the beautiful wine country this is a book that will keep you turning the pages. Well written characters and a good mystery make this a must read book plus delicious recipes are included. Highly recommend!
WOW!! This story starts with a bang and never lets up. There is plenty of action, lots of twists and turns, and a romance to top it all off! Anna Celeste Burke has written an exciting story to start off the Calla Lily Mystery series. I look forward to seeing the relationship between Lily and Austin develop as the series continues. I’m also looking forward to learning more about Judy and Jesse, as well as Lily’s posse. I urge you to read all books written by this talented author.
“Lily’s Homecoming Under Fire” earns 5+/5 Cabernet Conundrums…Clever!
DUCK! Introducing Lily Callahan! STAY DOWN! Introducing Deputy US Marshall Austin Jennings! Anna Celeste Burke has released the first book in a new series taking us from her California desert cities to California wine country all in a shower of bullets. Lily is fine, the cabin destroyed, and the gunmen ultimately brought into custody, but answers to Deputy Jennings’s questions seem unclear. Why is a hired gun after her…Crazy fan? Dumped agent? Insurance scam? Inheritance squabble? Lily is a former actress on the popular soap “Not Another Day,” and although it’s interesting that life may be imitating art since her early retirement from Hollywood is due to her character’s demise, attempted murder seems an overreaction. Wow, what a way to start!
Wow! I am a big fan of Anna’s writing style which keeps me coming back for more. She always has a clever plot that unfolds slowly with more than a handful of suspects with motives, twists, turns, and someone is always in peril. But, she weaves in everyday life…here, it’s Lily’s journey with the vineyard and winery. Her use of the ”I” perspective always puts me in the middle of the action…here, I’m Lily for a time wrapped in the hunky’s arms or dodging danger! She includes vivid descriptions of the opening gun fight, then the house, the vineyard, the people, tone, and emotion enveloping me in such sensory details. I enjoyed the romance dance between Lily and Austin, and the way Anna gives realism to character interactions. I highly recommend this book…this series leaps to the top of my nominations for Best in 2019!
This review is for Lily’s Home Coming Under Fire which is the first book in Anna Celeste Burke’s Calla Lily Mystery Series. Right from the first chapter this book drew me in. It was an easy quick read with many twists and turns to keep you turning the pages. It was very fast paced with well-developed characters which are a little quirky. Maybe a hint of a romance to come. Anna kept me guessing until the very end. I highly recommend this book. I am looking forward to the next book in this series.
Lily’s Homecoming Under Fire was originally offered as part of the Love Under Fire box set. It is now available as a standalone book. It is the first of a new series by author Anna Celeste Burke and introduces her newest sleuth Lily Callahan. In this first book, Lily is returning to the home of her Aunt Lettie, who has just passed away. Aunt Lettie raised Lily and was the only real family Lily had, and now she’s gone. But before Lily makes it home, she’s nearly gunned down by a pair of men outside her hotel. She barely escapes with the help of a dashing young U.S. Marshall named Austin Jennings. When she finds out that it wasn’t a coincidence but the men were sent to kill her, she is shocked! Then even more shocking- Marshall Jennings is tasked to be her bodyguard while they investigate who is behind the attempted hit. Just the beginning of a headache for Lily, as she confronts the heartache of loss while trying to figure out if there is more to Aunt Lettie’s death or not. This is a cozy mystery, meaning it’s written without any bloody, gory scenes. It’s safe for anyone to read and not gross out if that’s not your thing. The characters are fun and believable and the plot is full of twists and turns. Written against the backdrop of California’s wine country, I could almost imagine myself sitting in Aunt Lettie’s kitchen or walking through the vineyard. I look forward to the next installation of this series, releasing soon so be on the lookout!
This is the first book in a brand new series by Anna Celeste Burke. I had to keep reading until the end–it kept me that interested in not only who the killers were but if Austin and Lily are able to get past the horrendous happenings and possibly get together as a couple.
The twists and turns are many and varied–all I can say is greed is a terrible thing and can cause havoc!!!
I really can not wait until the second book in this series is released!! There are some regional recipes at the end that will have you drooling!
A California winery inheritance mixes with murder.
A suspense, dynamic and intriguing read!!
An interesting array of multifaceted, well defined
and creative characters set in the lush area
of vineyards which will take the reader and the
main character to a style of life she has to
readjust to living after the glamour and users in
the movie business.
The description is so well defined the reader will
feel as if they are in the same danger that Lily
Callahan, the actress who just inherited Aunt
Lettie’s estate experiences.
Bullets fly as Lily returns with her Miniature Pinscher,
Marlowe to bury her Aunt Lettie and meet with
the estate’s lawyer. A hitman is after her!!!
Thanks to the law, they are safe but others around
her are dying.
Marlowe adds his fur baby personality throughout
the story.
A uniquely plotted, complex plot in an action packed
story.
A Highly Recommended Read.
I volunteered to read Lily’s Homecoming Under Fire.
Thanks to the author for the opportunity. My opinion
is my own.