On Borrowed Crime by Kate Young

Item: On Borrowed Crime
Rating: 5
Author: karenbaron

Posted December 31, 2024 by karenbaron in Mystery, Review, Series / 0 Comments

On Borrowed Crime

by Kate Young

Series: Jane Doe Book Club Mysteries #1
Series Rating:

Published by Crooked Lane Books on October 6, 2020
Setting: Sweet Mountain, Georgia
Genres: Traditional Mystery
Pages: 311
Format: Audio CD, Hardcover, Kindle
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Get Your Copy at: Amazon

A shoe-in read for fans of Ellery Adams and Kate Carlisle, On Borrowed Crime is the first in Kate Young's new Georgia-set, sweet tea filled, Jane Doe Book Club mysteries.

The Jane Doe book club enjoys guessing whodunit, but when murder happens in their midst, they discover solving crimes isn't fun and games...

Lyla Moody loves her sleepy little town of Sweet Mountain, Georgia. She likes her job as receptionist for her uncle's private investigative firm, her fellow true crime obsessed Jane Doe members are the friends she's always wanted, and her parents just celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary. But recently, with her best friend Melanie on vacation, and her ex-boyfriend and horrible cousin becoming an item and moving in next door to her, her idyllic life is on the fritz. The cherry on top of it all is finding Carol, a member of the club, dead and shoved into a suitcase, left at Lyla's front door.

Unusual circumstances notwithstanding, with Carol's heart condition, the coroner rules Carol's death undetermined. But when they discover the suitcase belongs to Melanie, who had returned from her vacation the following morning, Sweet Mountain police begin to suspect Lyla's best friend. Determined that police are following the wrong trail, to clear her friend's name, and to not allow Carol become one of the club's studied cold cases, Lyla begins to seek out the real killer. That is, until she becomes the one sought after. Now, finding the truth could turn her into the killer's next plot twist, unless she wins the game of cat and mouse.

On Borrowed Crime by Kate Young brings us a new sleuth in a Georgia town.

Can Lyla solve the case?

Lyla Moody

Lyla Moody is the only child of a therapist and a stay-at-home mom. She grew up well off and loves the book club she is a part of. Lyla also works as a receptionist at her uncle’s private investigator office because she loves solving mysteries and wanting to know why a person would commit crimes.

I like Lyla because she will not give up the pursuit of justice, even when threatened. She is an awesome character.

The Mystery

Lyla Moody brought in a suitcase that she thought was her best friend Melanie’s and would give it to her when she returned—well until Lyla and Melanie found Carol dead in the suitcase. Carol’s husband put Lyla on the case, and it was a whirlwind of an investigation.

I didn’t even think it was the person who actually did it.

Five Stars

My rating for On Borrowed Crime by Kate Young is five stars, and I recommend it. Ms. Young is a fantastic author who can write both a cozy and a traditional mystery easily. I was waylaid by the red herrings and the many different clues to see the real killer. Ms. Young had me in this small Georgia town going through the motions with Lyla in trying to solve this mystery.

Jane Doe Book Club Mysteries

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of On Borrowed Crime by Kate Young.

Until the next time,

Happy Reading!

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About Kate Young

Kate Young writes humorous southern mystery novels. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and the Guppy Chapter. Kate lives in a small town in Georgia with her husband, three kids, and Shih Tzu. When she is not writing her own books, she’s reading or cooking.

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