A Merry Christmas Anniversary Mystery By Anna Celeste Burke: Review/Giveaway

Dec 19, 2020 | 2020 Articles, Kathleen Costa, Mysteryrat's Maze

by Kathleen Costa

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of A Merry Christmas Anniversary Mystery along with a $5 Amazon gift card, and a link to purchase it from Amazon. You will also find a player for a Mysteryrat’s Maze Podcast episode featuring the first chapter of A Merry Christmas Anniversary Mystery.

Hey There, Georgie Girl!
Fifty-something Georgie Shaw has been a valuable member of the Marvelous Marley World entertainment empire for thirty years from a public relations executive for Catmmando Tom, the famous cartoon cat superhero that started it all, to corporate VP in charge of the food and beverage division. It’s an exciting and rewarding gig, but her boss, the egocentric and eccentric Max Marley, is a bit demanding, overusing his “Hey, there, Georgie Girl” greeting, and often spinning a bit of trouble. Jack Wheeler, her husband of one year, is a local detective and also employed by Max as a security consultant on the newest Marley project: an entire city in North Palm Springs called New Arcadia. But, it’s the mayhem and murder that creates a bit of conflict, however Georgie relies on her own keen sense and a detective husband to uncover the truth.

A Merry Christmas Anniversary Mystery earns 5/5 Auto-bots…Engaging & Clever!
New Arcadia, Max Marley’s most prodigious project, is complete, and Georgie and her husband Jack have been invited (more like commanded) to its soft opening with an all-expense paid, deluxe, pet-friendly stay. They had planned to spend their first anniversary on a beach in Cancun, but they agreed to stop off at New Arcadia first to support, if not placate, their boss. Until…BOOM! What felt like an earthquake, shaking and shimmying, turned out to be two massive explosions. Authorities had received a “mayday” call from the command hub of the community, and after the explosion, reestablishing a connection had failed. Smoke, debris, a massive hole at ground zero, and Max can’t be found. Then Jack gets the news of a body in the rubble igniting a flurry of fears, rumors, theories, and accusations. Georgie is the most senior employee on site and Jack is in contact with security and official channels at the local PD, so in their hands are several important decisions: evacuation of the guests, care of the employees, assessing the damage, and finding Max. Happy Anniversary!

BAM! Anna Celeste Burke has penned an “explosive” ninth book in her Georgie Shaw Mystery series adding a bit of sci-fi and technology on steroids with biodomes of gardens, bio-passports, drones, and lots and lots of auto-bots all christened with alliterative names! The clever drama grabbed my interest right off with a bang, and it was realistic to have Georgie the calm, cool, and realistic in her actions and reactions, as well as strong—she’s not one at whom you would throw “marinara” sauce. Max’s condition is unknown throughout most of the drama so questions about who’s in charge and what happens next creates a plethora of possibilities for my inner detective. Suspicious fall on executives, an odd tech “whisperer,” a wannabe horticulturist, and a recently fired employee, and motives seem to be tied to greed, corporate in-fighting, sabotage/espionage, or maybe some old-fashion activists. The wide field narrows well to focus on some unexpected conspiracies and surprising conspirators, but it’s the two cats, a poodle, and a bot that save the day. If you know anything about Burke’s background than it isn’t a surprise to wonder if New Arcadia is the kind of city Disney had in mind for his original EPCOT. The whole series has “Disney” overtones I enjoyed! Georgie is a delightful woman of a mature age with an endearing relationship, and the rest of the characters are varied, some quirky, but all enriching the drama. Crossover characters are included for fans of Anna’s Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mystery series with Jessica, herself, and her fiancé Frank Fontana playing supportive roles. Engaging all around. Hard to put down! Where can I get Tidbit?

Bonus! Chef Anna Celeste Burke had trained at Walt Disney World, so you always count on a handful of easy-to-follow recipes from sweet to savory and perfect for casual or celebratory gatherings. Straight from Chef Larry’s kitchen, enjoy…Thick and Chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies, Ginger and Cream Sandwich Cookies, Triple Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake Cookies, Cranberry Quiche Lorraine, and Christmas Breakfast Quiche!

Be a Big Anna Celeste Burke Fan!
Later earning her Ph.D at the University of Michigan, Dr. Anna Celeste Burke (BIO) is now USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author writing many of my favorite series “Snooping into life’s mysteries with fun, fiction, & food—California style!”: the nine-book Georgie Shaw Mystery, six-book Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mystery series, four-book Seaview Cottages Mystery, soon four-book Calla Lily Mystery, and soon five-book Corsario Cove Mystery. Each entertaining series offers a different aged female with realistic flaws but an endearing strength of character. Each series has a different setting within California from the coast to the desert, but all with the same well-written adventure, humor, and realism.

Facebook – Anna Celeste Burke
Website – Desert Cities Mystery/Anna Celeste Burke
Twitter – aburke59
Sign Up for the Newsletter on her website and receive the FREE Gift of Gnarly New Year from the Corsario Cove series.

To enter to win an ebook copy of A Merry Christmas Anniversary Mystery along with a $5 Amazon gift card, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, with the subject line “merry christmas,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen December 26, 2020. Only US entries and you must be at least 18 to enter. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify. A new Christmas episode went up this week!


Check out the Mysteryrat’s Maze Podcast episode featuring the first chapter of A Merry Christmas Anniversary Mystery by clicking here or listening to the player below:

You can use this link to purchase these book from Amazon. If you have ad blocker on you may not see the link:

Kathleen Costa is a long-time resident of the Central Valley, and although born in Idaho, she considers herself a “California Girl.” Graduating from CSU-Sacramento, she is a 35+ year veteran teacher having taught in grades 1-8 in schools from Sacramento to Los Angeles to Stockton to Lodi. Currently Kathleen is enjoying her retirement revitalizing hobbies along with exploring writing, reading for pleasure, and spending 24/7 with her husband.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.

113 Comments

  1. Cozy + Die Hard…Could be interesting! Count me in!

    Reply
  2. Thank you so much for this wonderful review!! I’m glad you enjoyed this newest installment in the Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery series. Her decision to become a “lifer” in food service at a Disneyesque entertainment empire is an adventure. For me, it was a “path not taken” but fun to imagine…especially if my husband I had decided to take up sleuthing true crime rather than mysteries of human behavior as social scientists. I hope your readers enjoy the Christmas mystery with Georgie, Jack, Miles & Ella and all their companions in this adventure. xx

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    • I just started reading the Georgie Shaw series. I’m on book two. I can’t wait to see if Georgie gets married! I would love to win the Christmas mystery to find out!

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    • I would love to win & thank you for the opportunity.

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  3. would really love to read this!

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  4. I love Celeste Burke’s cozies and look forward to reading this new one! Thank you for the review and the opportunity to win an ecopy!
    Ev

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  5. i think cat and dog mysteries are clever. i cant wait to order this book and read it

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  6. This sounds like a good book. Thanks for the article. I enjoyed one of her other series and look forward to this one.

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  7. Would really like to read. Sounds like a great book.

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  8. I’ve read and loved all of Anna Celeste Burke’s books.

    Reply
  9. I love Christmas mystery cozies!!
    This sounds very good!!!
    Thank you for the giveaway and chance
    to win!!!

    Reply
  10. Sounds like an explosive read.
    Fun ahead. thanks
    txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com

    Reply
  11. Hope you all had the merriest Christmas possible, considering the challenges this year. I have a freebie for you–a holiday mini-cookbook featuring many of the recipes in Georgie’s new book. email me at burke.59@osu.edu if you’d like the link to a mobi or pdf version of the book!

    Reply
    • Looking forward to reading it!

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    • Would love a copy

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    • would love to read Georgie’s new book

      Reply
  12. I love this series & can’t wait to read this book
    jwhaley4(at)aol(dot)com

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    • Thank you for the chance to add this to my collection. Lamonicaks (at) gmail (dot) com

      Reply
  13. I would love to win!

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  14. Sounds like a great book.

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  15. Thank you so much for the chance ? I love mystery books and can’t wait to read this one.

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  16. Wishing you a happier new year full of cozy mystery releases!

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    • Wishing you a Happy New Year. Thanks for chance to win.

      Reply
  17. looks good

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  18. I would love to read this but can only do in print but I will enter for the $5 gift card and then pass the ebook to someone. She writes wonderful book! Happy New Year

    Reply
  19. I enjoy these newsletters so much. Thanks for the chance to win!

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  20. I’d love to read A Merry Christmas Anniversary Mystery. Please enter me in this contest.

    Reply
  21. I have read all of your books and I look forward to reading the next in all of your series especially this Georgie Shaw book! BAM! Can’t wait!

    pchefgg@aol.com

    Reply
  22. Can’t wait to read this next exciting story! Burke’s books always combine the best of cozy mysteries, animals, and action, and this sounds like she has done another bang up job with this one!

    Reply
  23. I LOVE all the series you write! They are fun, fast and flow so when you get started you can’t put any of the books down!

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  24. Love incorporating animals into stories!

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  25. A Merry Christmas Anniversary is another great hit from Anna Celeste Burke. I enjoy all her books. Great plots and great characters. And there are always great recipes included. I can’t wait to get the next ones.

    Reply
  26. Merry Christmas!!
    Book sounds fabulous!!! Cannot wait to read!?

    Reply
  27. I love Anna’s books and would love to win this one. Thank you for the opportunity.

    Blessings

    Reply
  28. We have a winner!

    Reply
  29. I’ve enjoyed part of this series and I am sure I would ammensly enjoy the Christmas holidays vursan as well

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    • I would love to win this. Your books are so much fun!

      Reply
  30. Sounds like a book I would like…..

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  31. This is such an amazing giveaway!! Love to read new authors

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  32. This sounds like a fun book to read as my first Georgie book! Thanks for the chance to win.

    Reply
  33. I love your cozy mysteries!

    Reply
  34. Thanks for the chance! Love Christmas cozies.
    maceoindo(at)yahoo(dot)com

    Reply
  35. Sounds like a great book. Fingers crossed

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  36. Love George. Keep forgetting to get this on the cheap. Doing it next. Yhanks

    Reply
  37. I’ll just say “I want it”. 🙂 jane.starcher(at)sbglobal(dot)net

    Reply
  38. I love these cozy mysteries!

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  39. I love these cozy mysteries! Georgie Shaw is a favorite.

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  40. Thanks for the chance and happy 20211

    Reply
  41. Thank you for the opportunity to win

    Reply
  42. The book looks and sounds interesting.
    I definitely would love to have a copy.
    I have 2 Siamese cats of my own.
    Thank you for this opportunity!

    Reply
  43. Looks like a great book!

    Reply
  44. As a federal government retiree on a fixed income, I’m always interested in freebies and low cost offerings. As an avid reader (I read at least 4 hours a day), I LOVE mysteries involving pets (especially cats). Thanks for writing such GREAT books and giving us readers the opportunity to escape the normal day-to-day life and to try new recipes (quite the bonus to most authors). Keep up the good work and HAPPY, HEALTHY & SAFE 2021!!

    Reply
  45. Would love to try this out!

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  46. I have enjoyed all the Georgie Shaw mysteries and look forward to future books in the series. January 2 is my birthday, so winning would be a nice birthday present.

    Reply
  47. Sounds like an awesome read!

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  48. thanks for the chance to win! sounds to be a good read!

    Reply
  49. Sounds intriguing. Would love to read!

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  50. Thanks I would really appreciate having this and reading this.

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  51. Nothing better than a cozy read at night. A very good habit to have.

    Reply
  52. Wishing you the very best in 2021 with all your writing and I know I am going to enjoy reading this one

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  53. Merry Christmas!

    Reply
  54. I love the Geogie Shaw series!I look forward to your newsletter because you never know when there will be a prize!Thanks so much for the chance to win this book!Have a wonderful New Year!????

    Reply
  55. Anna, Thanks for the chance to win this book; it sounds like great fun!

    Reply
  56. I love reading books with animals in them?

    Reply
  57. Always look forward to TV get next adventure your characters take me on.

    Reply
  58. Looks like a great series that I would love to read. Hoping…

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  59. Sounds great! Thanks for the opportunity!

    Reply
  60. Love the Georgie Shaw series. Nice to see a mature, successful woman as the main character in a book.

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  61. This sounds like a wonderful read. Thanks for the heads up and the recommendation.

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  62. Love me some books!

    Reply
  63. I love this series and have been reading it first in paper and later as an ebook. Thanks for this opportunity. Happy New year!

    Reply
  64. I know I have twitter, I guess I should find out who I am!!! I really would love to win something. My Christmas sucked. I am waiting for packages setting in NJ. I am in NY. The 2 I have received weren’t the right things. I was supposed to get a coat, I got men’s socks. My cat knocked over the Christmas tree this morning. I guess both of us have had enough!! Yes, a new book. Hook me up!!

    Reply
  65. I have yet to read one of these books. It does sound like one I would enjoy. Thanks for the giveaway

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  66. Thank you for this chance! Happy New Year!

    Reply
  67. Mysteries with h receiprs are my favorite.

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  68. Looking forward to reading this!

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  69. Sounds very interesting, always waiting read your books

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  70. Love this series. Have love to read since I was 7 years old and now I still love to read books at 71. Have read some of your previous books and have enjoyed them. Reading keeps this 71 year old mind working instead of just sitting around watching the birds fly by. Hope you had a Merry Christmas and I am looking forward to your new books in 2021

    Reply
  71. Oh pick me please.

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  72. look forward to reading this book. Hope I finally get approved to submit.

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  73. not sure what I am doing wrong as it will not send

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  74. This sounds like a really good read. I have not read this series yet but it is on my TBR list. Thanks for the chance. Happy New Year!

    Reply
  75. Just love the cozy mysteries. Like chocolate covered cherries. Can’t just read one. T.

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  76. I am a fan of your books and would love to be your winner!

    Reply
  77. This sounds like a great book! Can’t wait to read it! barbaralworkman(at)yahoo(dot)com

    Reply
  78. Thank you for the chance!!

    Reply
  79. Like all of the above peeps, I love to read your books.
    I prefer ePub. Good luck to you all!!

    Reply
  80. This looks like a delightful who-dun-it with a feline helping to solve the crime with paws for treats and recipes.

    Reply
  81. Merry Christmas! Sounds like a good read.

    Reply
  82. Soo love the books and website. The newsletter is a total hoot.

    Reply
  83. Sounds like a great read

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  84. I love a strong, wily female character, and the addition of a sci-fi aspect makes this even more appealing.
    Thank you for the opportunity!

    Reply
  85. I love these books! Happy New Year.

    Reply
  86. I love these books and would love to win.

    Reply
  87. Omg! I hope I win!!!!

    Reply
  88. I am looking forward to starting the series.

    Reply
  89. Thank you for the opportunity to read your book.

    Reply
  90. Hi. I love your books. They are so much fun to read.
    Thank you,
    Sally

    Reply
  91. I have read several of the Georgie Shaw mysteries. I have read the first 5 books so far. You make Catmmando, so real that I would love to go to with my husband (if it was truly a place to visit, LOL). I love the characters so much & they feel so real to me too. I would like to win an Amazon gift card, so that I can buy the other Georgie Shaw mysteries, that I don’t have yet (I have already purchased the 9th book earlier in the year).

    Reply
  92. I was wanting to get new books to read. I can’t pass up the chance for a free book.

    I hope you have a happy holiday season.

    Reply
  93. you would be a new author to me. thanks for the chance

    Reply
  94. Greetings from New Zealand and Best Wishes for 2021 This sounds a good read , thanks for the chance

    Reply
  95. This sounds like a fun and interesting book. I would love to get book prizes.

    Reply
  96. All of the Cozy Mysteries have made 2020 bearable. What a great way to end the year with a Georgie Christmas mystery. Happy New Year!

    Reply
  97. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
    Thanks for the chance to win.

    Reply
  98. this sounds like a great read sorry i missed the deadline wouldhave loved to read this thankyou so much for the offer

    Reply
  99. Happy New Year, Anna! Hope 2021 is better than 2020.

    Reply

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