Reading Between the Crimes

I was intrigued by this book from the beginning because it actually starts with a charity function at which Lyla discovers a dead body. Lyla is a private investigator with her Uncle Charlie’s firm in Sweet Mountain, Georgia, and she loves nothing more than a good mystery. In this latest book in the Jane Doe series, Lyla and her group of friends who enjoy mysteries (the real ones and the ones in the books they discuss in their Jane Doe group), are hard-pressed to discover what is really happening under the surface of the murder mystery itself. I love a good puzzle and this book surely fit the bill! With plenty of red herrings and lots of suspects, I was completely blown away by the unexpected ending. Loved it! The characters are well-developed and even though there are plenty of them, I felt as though I knew each one well enough to keep guessing and eliminating suspects as I followed the well-developed plot and clues. This is the second book in the series, but it can definitely be read as a standalone. I really look forward to more in this cozy mystery series. This one surely had an edge to it that was a pleasant surprise, so I can’t wait to see what’s next. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Reading Between the Crimes by Kate Young is the 2nd A Jane Doe Book Club Mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series. Lyla Moody finds herself helping Harper Richardson after her husband is murdered in Moody’s home during a charity soiree. Reading Between the Crimes has a convoluted mystery. There are a handful of suspects in this strange whodunit. There is a cliché tough guy detective (Detective Battle) who does not believe Lyla’s story (of course). The reveal was action packed and filled with tension. I was left with numerous unanswered questions at the end of the book. I would have liked a better wrap-up. I like how the mystery tied into the Jane Doe Book Club’s current selection of Crooked House. I wish Lyla and the ladies had compared the current murder to the one in the book (gone into detail). Agatha Christie fans will enjoy this story. I love Lyla’s grandmother, Daisy. She is a hoot and my favorite character in the book. I would love a cozy with her as the protagonist. There is a great deal of repetition of murder related details, and I did not appreciate the foul language. From the summary of the book, I was anticipating a spooky Halloween themed cozy. There are references to the October pub crawl, but Halloween seemed to have fallen through the cracks. I was surprised by Lyla’s sleuthing skills. As a private investigator, I expected her be different than an amateur sleuth. I expected her to dig deep to uncover information especially about the victims past. I thought she would be more curious especially when it appeared there was a tie-in to her own mother. While I liked the beginning, I had trouble completing Reading Between the Crimes. Reading Between the Crimes is a literary themed cozy mystery with jovial grandmother, a Christie related crime, a remote mother, tempting treats, a determined detective, and an alarming murder.

family-dynamics, friendship, murder, murder-investigation, law-enforcement, private-investigators, small-business, small-town, southern, Georgia, amateur-sleuth, cozy-mystery**** Lyla works for her uncle in his PI office, lives alone because she doesn't care to live with her wealthy dysfunctional parents (and her fun Grandmother), belongs to a book club devoted to solving fictional crimes and works on cold cases for fun. This is a quick and twisty read with great characters both good and not. The publisher's blurb is a good hook so I won't do the summary thing, and spoilers are in such bad taste. I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!