Synopsis:

Second in a new series from national bestselling author Kylie Logan, The Secrets of Bones is a riveting mystery following Jazz Ramsey as she trains a cadaver dog.

Assembly Day at St. Catherine's dawns bright and cloudless as professional woman gather from all around Ohio to talk to the schoolgirls about their careers in medicine, at NASA, and as yoga instructors. Administrative assistant Jazz Ramsey is involved herself, giving the girls a taste of her lifelong passion: cadaver dog training. Her adorable new puppy Wally hasn't been certified yet, so she borrows the fully-trained Gus from a friend and hides a few bones in the unused fourth floor of the school for him to find.

The girls are impressed when Gus easily finds the first bone, but for the second Gus seems to have lost the scent, and heads confidently to a part of the floor where Jazz is sure no bones are hidden—at least not any that she's put there. But Gus is a professional, and sure enough, behind a door that shouldn't have been opened in decades, is a human skeleton.

Jazz recognizes the skeleton as Bernadette Quinn, an ex-teacher at the school who'd never returned after one Christmas break, though letters and postcards from her had seemed to indicate there was no cause for worry. But now it seems Bernadette never left the school at all, and her hiding place makes it clear: this was murder.

Bernadette's strident personality means there are a plethora of suspects inside the school and out of it, and as Jazz gets closer to the truth she can't help but wonder if someone might be dogging her footsteps . . . (Amazon)


Review:

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story from the very beginning. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The mystery was well plotted and there were enough suspects to consider and clues to sort through. I was actually surprised how the book ended, and it was a pleasant surprise.

The characters are well rounded and well developed. I like the fact that Jazz works at a catholic girls school, that can provide a lot of interesting situations in the future. I like Sister Eileen, she is spunky and smart and she and Jazz work good together. Nick is back and Jazz is getting closer with him, and that is a good thing. I am disappointed that Wally was not in the book more, he only made an appearance a few times. I wish that Wally was in the book more, with his training and doggies antics. Maybe in book three, Wally will be more present.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series when it is published.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

I’m a sucker for mysteries that include working dogs. The Secret of Bones is aptly named. Jazz Ramsey is giving an impromptu exhibit of how a cadaver dog works when the dog finds a skeleton hidden in the girls’ school where Jazz works. The skeleton is that of a teacher that didn’t return after Christmas break three years ago.
The plot gives us some background on the super religious teacher, Bernadette Quinn. “Bernadette is more nunny than any nun I’ve ever met.”
Don’t go into this book expecting the dogs to be a major part. They’re not.
Jazz takes it upon herself to investigate. In fact, for major sections of the book, you’d think the police weren’t interested in solving the murder.
I found this book disappointing. It moves at a slow pace. The characters seem two dimensional. It relies on a lot of improbable situations and coincidences. And does anyone else roll their eyes when a witness can remember someone they saw in passing from years ago? The cover of the book was the best thing going for it.
On the plus side, I didn’t know who the murderer was until right before the reveal.
My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

This was a well-written drama with a tightly woven plot full of twists and turns that catered to what I enjoy in a mystery. With suspects here and there and clues left to be discovered, it was fun watching it all played out. The author knows how to tell a story that kept me immersed in all aspects as scene after scene kept me intrigued as to what will happen next. The pacing was on par with how well this story was being told. I like how everything was staged from the discovery of the body to the investigation to character development to Jazz and Nick’s blossoming relationship and to the many clues that kept this whodunit suspenseful as I was eager to learn the killer’s identity. A good read and I look forward to more exciting adventures with Jazz and her friends.

I like this one it wad a good one but would have loved for the dogs to be featured more preventtly. It was still a good quick read.

The Secrets of Bones by Kylie Logan. Enjoyable cozy mystery, pleasant read. Would have like to have had more interaction with Wally and the other dogs.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

I like this book, I just didnt love it as much as I had hoped I would. I just didnt connect to the characters. I wish I could say more but I hope to read other books by this author.

Jazz, her new puppy Wally, and a friend's retired cadaver dog find a skeleton while doing a career day presentation. Now Jazz has to find out who killed Bernadette, a former teacher.
I just didn't click with this book. Whether it was my mood, or the book itself, it wasn't my favorite. She introduced a new police officer and I found the character so trite. He doesn't want to really work the case, just find evidence to convict the most convenient suspect.
She also had less of the dog training/search training than in the previous book. I realize that some people may not want to read the training details, but that's one of the reasons I like books about search or police dogs. #netgalley #thesecretsofbones

A strong second entry in this series. I was pleased to review the first book for Booklist, so my editor sent this one to me as well. Please look for my review in a forthcoming issue.

Assembly Day has arrived at St. Catherine’s. One lady that was scheduled to present info on her career is a no show so Jazz is asked to step in. Jazz brings in her new puppy which she is training to be a cadaver dog and Gus a certified cadaver dog. Jazz hides a couple of bones around the classroom. When Gus easily finds the first bone the easily the girls are impressed. When Gus is supposed to find the second bone he confidently goes to a place Jazz didn’t put any bones. Jazz believes he just lost the scent. However, when Jazz checks where Gus has alerted sure enough there is a full skeleton. Is this the skeleton of a monk from decades before or a teacher who went missing just a few years earlier? Can Jazz help find out who the skeleton belongs to and how they ended up in there?

This is a great follow-up to the first book. This can be enjoyed as a stand-alone mystery. The story is well-written with a great plot full of twists and turns. The characters are well-developed and realistic. The chemistry between the regular main and secondary characters is evolving nicely. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I voluntarily agreed to read a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way have been influenced by anyone.

After reading & liking the 1st book in this series, I happened upon this 2nd of the series.....& found that I liked it even more than the 1st! The characters are coming along nicely, I liked that Nick is seen more in this one. The dogs get a little more play in this one too, & as in the 1st one, I like the unusual setting of an all girls school in Cleveland....& the local neighborhood descriptions. I'd consider this a cozy mystery series...no bad language, sex or gore.......but enough mystery to keep you wondering where this is going. If you like dogs, a little romance & some mystery.....this is probably a series for you!
I received an e-ARC of this book from St Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley, after offering to read it & post my own independent fair/honest review.

I absolutely adored the first book in Kylie Logan's new series. Naturally, when I saw the sequel offered on Netgalley, I jumped to request it. I wasn't disappointed. Here's a few reasons why. 

Even though the book deals with murder and other unpleasant subjects, this isn't a "crime novel." The tone is warm-hearted. Think Alexander McCall-Smith-type warmth, and you'll get a sense of what I felt as I read.

After reading several harrowing crime novels with gruesome killings and depraved killers, it was nice to read something more gentle. The mystery genre isn't all darkness and horror. Sometimes it has cute puppies, too. 

But make no mistake: this is definitely a murder mystery. Logan deftly balances the warmth with realism. Murder is murder. No one particularly liked Bernadette Quinn, but that doesn't mean they don't mourn for her or don't want the killer caught. Her death disturbs and saddens even Jazz's boss, the formidable Sister Eileen. And rightfully so: someone murdered a woman and hid her body in an infrequently used part of the school she runs.

Jazz's investigation is realistic. She's not a police officer, so when she starts asking questions, she receives a lot of push-back. Not everyone is forthcoming. Not every line of questioning yields readily apparent answers. She's nosing around, much like the cadaver dogs she trains, and not everyone likes that--including her old/new boyfriend Nick the homicide investigator. 

The plot unfolds slowly. There are plenty to keep your attention, though: lots of twists and red herrings!  

Logan is excellent at describing human relationships. The all-girls school environment of St. Catherine's feels real to me. The all-female setting has its perks but there are a lot of the rivalries, alliances, and minor melodramas inherent to teenage society.

It's refreshing to see a strong and compassionate female in charge, though. Sister Eileen is a gem. Sarah, Jazz's BFF and the art teacher at St. Catherine's, is simultaneously adorable, supportive, and vulnerable. Yet neither of them, nor any of the students, can be discounted as possible suspects. 

Kylie Logan doesn't include a lot of backstory. But there's enough to remind us that Jazz's father, a firefighter, died in a mysterious arson blaze in recent years; that Jazz has cautiously reunited with her old lover Nick; and various other tidbits about Jazz's friends and family.

For once, this is a loving, supportive family! But even functional families have squabbles and Logan makes these minor characters interesting without letting them take over the story. Jazz's emotions at seeing her mother begin to date again feel realistic. She's watching another man--a lovely, attentive man--taking her late father's place. Even though the new boyfriend may not be trying to "take" the place of another man, it's still a struggle to be happy for her mother.

Nick and Jazz have reunited. They're tiptoeing forward in their relationship, painfully aware of the things that drove them apart and resolving to avoid them. Each time they're together, there's tension coupled with desire. But they obviously care deeply for each other in ways that go beyond sexual desire. 

Apart from the early chapters, there isn't as much about cadaver dog training as one might expect. This is a bit disappointing, but the dogs do play key roles at several moments in the book. Logan is obviously an animal lover, though. It shows through her descriptions of dog behavior and reactions. She describes an Airedales' walk as a combination of "runway strut and goofy clowning around." That's a line that only an observant dog-lover could have written. 

Highly recommended for anyone who loves mysteries and dogs! 4 1/2 stars rounded up to 5.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's/Minotaur press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
(This will appear on my blog on April 13, 2020.)

I thoroughly enjoyed this second book in the series, better than the first book. Though I thought the plot of the series was based on the idea of cadaver dogs, there was very little in this book about them. The mystery of a dead nun kept the pace moving, but about half way through the book, I had figured most of it out. I have always enjoyed Kylie Logan’s style of writing and I am anticipating the continuation of this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC. This review can also be found on Goodreads.

While I liked the story, I was a bit disappointed. I had the same issue with the first book. It seems like the fact that Jazz is a dog trainer and handler would play a bigger role in the books. Instead it's used as just an opener to kick off the mystery. That said, the mystery is great. There are plenty of surprises. Fast pacing keeps the action moving and the twists keep you guessing. I didn't get it figured out before the reveal. Jazz is slowly developing as a character. At times she has a childish temperament and yet she is loyal and determined. By the end I found I have higher hopes for her. Her relationship with Nick is slowly evolving and I like that the author isn't rushing the relationship. We get to see them both develop as people and grow into a better relationship than their first go around as a couple. I will definitely continue reading the series.

The premise of this book was so promising, but the execution really left me wanting more! The book started really strong, but I was not able to finish it since I just did not find myself emotionally invested in the characters or in the plot. I sure do appreciate the advanced review, but I will not be recommending this one on my blog...

2 stars. DNF: I am sorry but this book did nothing for me...I am not sure how it got the high ratings! I found the writing was juvenile ....the story plodded along and I struggled with what I did read! Thank you for the ARC ...sorry I couldn’t do a better review!

Jazz Ramsey and Sister Eileen are working to wrap up another school year at St Catherine’s. When the girls spend the day exploring careers with visitors, Jazz is asked to step in at the last minute for one speaker who didn’t show. As Jazz shows the girls how dogs detect human remains in a closed off part of the school, the last thing she expected was for one of the dogs to actually find real remains.

As the police look into the skeleton found, Jazz and Sister Eileen suspect the bones belong to a troubled teacher who resigned and disappeared years before. But who killed her and why? That’s exactly what Jazz means to find out. With a list of suspects, Jazz needs to find out whodunit before she disappears.

A well written whodunit with enough red herrings to keep you guessing. While I had made one link early on, the ending was a surprise up until almost the reveal. A great series that leaves you waiting for the next entry in the series to drop.

The Secret of Bones by Kylie Logan (Jazz Ramsey #2.). 4 stars

This is a sequel to last year’s The Scent of Murder. I thought the first book was OK, but this one was much better. We see a Jazz Ramsey in her regular job of working in a Catholic girls school. They are having their career day and one of the speakers can’t make it. So Jazz is asked to do a demo of cadaver dog training, unfortunately she finds a real body in a closet. The body is identified as a former teacher and Jazz tries to find out who strangled her. This book kept me guessing until the end. I enjoyed this mystery and hope there will b3 another next year.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC.

This mystery certainly kept my attention. I didn’t realize it’s book two in a series. I hadn’t read book one but I had no problems following this book. I thought the story interesting and enjoyed the twist at the end! Will be watching for more in this series. Thanks to Netgalley for the early copy

I thought this one was just OK. I didn't want to abandon it, but I don't think I'll remember it tomorrow.

The Secret of Bones is the second book in Logan’s latest series. The first book out more of a focus on the cadaver dogs and training them, whereas this book focuses more on Jazz and her “day job”. The mystery was well done in this book, with plenty of suspects to consider. Definitely a series I’ll continue to read. Thanks go to NetGalley and St Martin’s/Minotaur for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.