Congratulations to the author on a successful cozy mystery debut ! This is the first book in the charming new series "Jane Doe Mystery Series" by author Kate Young. I found this book delightful with great charcters and a fun sleuth that kept me guessing. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinions are my own.

We are introduced to Sweet Mountain Georgia and Lyla Moody as a protagonist. She works as receptionist for her uncle's private investigative firm. She belongs to a group of true crime followers and enjoys her life. Until her ex boyfriend moves in next door with his new paramour, her own cousin her life was idyllic. When one of the club members is found dead at her front door, Lyla steps in to investigate with her Uncle's help. When her best friend falls under the police radar, she worries her friend will take the fall for the murder. Lyla is on the right track when her life is threatened by the possible suspect.

I loved the Southern charm of this book and the likable charcters. it was enjoyable to read and fun to conclusion. The sleuth kept me guessing until the end. i look forward to the next in series. Well done to the author.

On Borrowed Crime is the first in Kate Young’s Jane Doe Book Club Mysteries, a tongue in cheek yet immensely satisfying investigative mystery. With its strong characterisation and logical plot, I would recommend it to any mystery buffs looking for a light-hearted but engrossing read.

Every page of this book screams The South (of the USA), which I have to admit felt exotic as I was curled up under my electric blanket during a rainy English autumn. I’ve never left Europe, and so can’t comment on the accuracy of the culture Young depicts, but the glimpses into a society very different from my own were a pleasure to read. When murder interrupted, even more so.

If I were to summarize this book in one phrase it would be ‘trope savvy’ – and you should steer clear if you haven’t yet read And Then There Were None or even Ruth Ware’s 2019 book The Turn of the Key, the endings of both being explicitly spoiled! Young has clearly written a mystery for mystery lovers, and I relished the easter eggs sprinkled throughout. As with any Christie homage, it walked the line between convoluted and logical, and actually pulled this off very well.

However, my favourite part of the novel, and what will bring me back for more, was the characterization of Lyla’s family. Her relationship with her grandmother reminded me strikingly of my own, the best friend and partner in crime you can always go to with any problem. Lyla’s interactions with her mother were also well drawn, and for a character who played little part in the solving of the mystery she had a surprising depth to her which I’m sure will be explored further in the sequels.

I gave On Borrowed Crime four stars, and would recommend it to mystery fans over 14 seeking a self aware but compelling story. Content warnings for death, corpses, gore, and sexual harassment. Thank you to Crooked Lane Books for sending me a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have to admit, it took me a bit to get into this book. Some of the characters were a bit annoying...one so much so that I actually wanted to smack her (if you read it, I'm sure you'll figure out who!)...but then I really got into the story. Honestly, I can't remember the last time I went back and forth so much on who the murderer of the tale was. The ending was better than I expected and left me eagerly looking forward to the next book in the series!

When I rolled my eyes at the very first sentence of On Borrowed Crime, I should have heeded the warning and stopped right there. From a very promising premise, this first book in the Jane Doe Book Club cozy series just was not my cup of tea. From an easy-to-deduce whodunit to an awkward takeoff on Janet Evanovich's Grandma Mazur, I simply could not warm up to either the story or the characters.

Lyla loses half her wardrobe, but it's no biggie because her mother keeps her closet fully stocked at home. Lyla's car goes to the scrapyard in the sky, but-- no biggie-- she can borrow her mother's car. But if you think the thirty-one-year-old's life as the daughter of rich parents is all sunshine and roses, you obviously haven't met her mother. Apparently, Lyla's mother had some sort of tragedy in her childhood that makes her the ultimate control freak, and it's the sort of thing to fuel another book in the series, but honestly, I don't have the will or the desire to find out what happened to her. Lyla's always been obsessed with true crime, with solving cold cases, with finding justice for victims and their families, but that's not the life choice her parents want for her, so they actually put her in therapy in an attempt to snap her out of it. Marriage and babies. That's the thing. Ugh! (Hey, I can't help it if I'm pro-choice.)

However, the one thing about writing book reviews is that I'm fully aware of the fact that, while I'm describing something that drove me around the bend, at the same time I'm convincing some of you that this is exactly the book you want to read next. If you look at it this way (and I do), it's a win-win situation. The next decision is up to you.

What a great start to a new series! I loved the small town vibes of this book and can’t wait to read the next book.
Lyla and her friends in Sweet Mountain, Georgia’s Jane Doe Book Club are rocked when one of their own is murdered. Did she get to close to a serial killer who’s murders remain unsolved or was she the victim of someone close her? Join the ladies as they try to solve the murder of their friend.
With endearing characters and a setting that will entrance you, Kate Young has created another world of wonderful cozy characters you will love to read about. I highly recommend this to all the cozy mystery lovers out there!

I have never read a cozy mystery that read like a thriller. I caught myself several times realizing that it was just a cozy. This was so good and it had me guessing until the very end. I'm excited to see where to rest of this series goes.

I'd like to thank the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for my review.

This is the first book in a new cozy mystery series by a new to me author, though it does appear that she has other books published. Cozy mysteries for me, rely on the author building the setting, people and personalities of the series. The more the author can help you feel that you are there with the characters solving the crime or visiting the locations, the better. I like to have the setting described to me more than just having the author tell me "this book is set here". Unfortunately, I felt like the author repeated the fact that the book was set in the South more than she showed me where the book was set. Maybe this will be developed more in the coming books.

The book was interesting and I enjoyed solving the mystery. I would read other books in this series to see how it all develops over time. For a cozy mystery series, it is a good start.

I will leave a review on Amazon or B&N on Oct. 8, 2020

On Borrowed Crime is the first book in a new series by Kate Young. This was a very good start to the series, and I look forward to reading more books in the series. Lyla comes from a complex family, and I love how strong she is in her convictions of what she wants to do in life. I didn't really like Quinn, not sure what Lyla saw in him. I certainly would recommend this book to others.

I received a ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is the first in a new series that is centered around the founder of the Jane Doe book club, Lyla. They are a group of women who like reading mystery novels and true crime books. One of the members, Carol has become obsessed with a Jane Doe case that has ties in their community.

The body was found on a stretch of a wooded area of the interstate. And it also is found with a scarf given to Lyla and her friends at a class reunion. Many of Carols friends and relatives believe she is being paranoid and it has effected her mental state. When Carols body is dumped on her doorstep Lyla who has visions of joining her Uncle as a Pi in his firm is determined o discover who killed and dumped her o her doorstep. Hopefully she can solve the Jane doe crime and finally put that poor soul to rest.

I enjoyed the mystery part of this story however the side stories involving her family members fell short. They hinted at things being with held from her by her parents. Information that is not provided by the end of the story. I enjoy when the characters that shall be returning thru out the series to mature and develop on their own over time. I think the addition of back stories should flow naturally.

I got this e-ARC on NetGalley for an honest review.

I presume this is supposed to be a cozy mystery from the cover design and general description, but it didn't really give me that impression as I read it. I enjoy cozy mysteries because they are stories where I can relax and get lost in a different place and try to solve the crime before the main character. This story did not give me that feeling. The main crime, and the other things happening around it, had me freaked out and on edge. It probably didn't help that I was reading it before going to bed.

This is not to say it wasn't a good book, it just felt a bit much at times, like too much had to be told. The characters were interesting, but didn't draw me in like usual. Sometimes it felt like there were too many all at once and trying to keep track could be difficult.

I went back to check the description and this is supposed to be the first in a series. There is just too much going on character-wise in this and it might have been better for the author to cut back on who was included in this first book in order to ease us into the series.

It also didn't help that the hint of romance was shadowed by suspicion and a touch of misogyny, which turned me off.

Lyla didn't think it could get any worse than her ex-boyfriend moving into her neighborhood with her obnoxious cousin. However, she finds out it can get a whole lot worse when she receives a gruesome delivery. Now Lyla finds her life may be in danger as well as that of her friends.

The plot kept me on the edge of my seat. There were so many ways it could go that I didn't have any idea what was going to happen and it seemed like there were many possible suspects. Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

This was a page-turning book, I couldn't put it down from the beginning to the end. The action starts almost right away, the descriptions are vivid and the emotions are real. One thing I didn't like was how the protagonist always emphasized her independence and talked about feminist issues but at the end, she always ran to other strongmen for help.

Sweet Mountain, Georgia is not as peaceful as some people think! Lyla, who works for her uncle Calvin, a private investigator, is also a member of the Jane Doe Book Club, a group of amateurs who like to poke into mysterious crimes, In this nice start to the new series, one of her fellow members- Carol- is killed and stuffed into a suitcase which is left on Lyla's doorstep. A little more gruesome than the usual for a cozy to be sure but rest assured, the rest of the book is a classic. Lyla and her friends find dirt on former loves and others- one of whom will surprise you. Keep in mind that this is a set up for the future so the characters might seem less well rounded than you might want but this will allow them to grow. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I'm looking forward to the next one.

Having read Kate Young's Marygene series, I kept my expectations high on this one. Sadly, this was a disappointing read for me. The story did not live up to my expectations.

The story had a lot of potential. The plot is intriguing - a murder case related to Jane Does found on the I-85. The problem lies in the plot to story development. Emotions all over the place, people busy ranting and bantering, I was lost. There were too many things going on at once. As a series debut, maybe cutting down on the details (and various could-be-scenarios) a tad would have worked well.

2.5/5

I loved this book!! It was a good cozy story!! 1st book I have read by this author will read more of her books!! Liked that their was a bookclub!!!

This is the first book in a new series featuring the members of a book club in a small town in north Georgia called the Jane Does. The club reads and discusses mystery books every week, this novel features Lyla Moody who has recently gone to work as a secretary for her uncle who is a private detective. Lyla is intent on becoming a detective herself and when one of the clubs members is murdered she becomes focused on solving the murder. Her friend’s body has been dismembered, shoved in a suitcase and deposited on Lyla’s front porch.

The case gets complicated when the coroner rules the death undetermined instead of murder, and the police begin to treat it as a crime of unlawful disposal of a body. Lyla arranges with her friends husband to have her detective agency look into the death. With her uncle out of town, that means Lyla begins to investigate on her own.

Things get complicated by Lyla’s parents who had her in therapy when she was much younger for obsessive behavior. They are sure she has become obsessed with death and murder and are concerned for her mental well being. They would like nothing more than to have thirty-one year old Lyla move back home so they could take care of her. Lyla, on the other hand, feels she has worked hard to develop her own personality, has gotten her own townhouse, and values her independence. While she appreciates her parent’s concern, she wants them to understand she is committed to her career choice and is mentally stable enough to handle it.

As Lyla continues her investigation, she examines the case of a serial killer or killers who have deposited an unknown number of dead bodies up I-85. One body in particular was singled out by Lyla’s dead friend who was convinced she knew who the dead woman was and also who had killed her. Lyla makes contact with the FBI agent who was in charge of the case and learns that her body was also found in a suitcase, a fact that had been kept from the public.

There are numerous suspects who come under suspicion one by one, including Lyla’s ex boyfriend who has moved into a townhouse across the parking lot from Lyla with Lyla’s cousin. The cousin and Lyla have a long history of clashing, which continues with this move and the cousin taunting Lyla with the fact she now was living with Lyla’s ex.

While there are a number of clues, additional information is required to pull them all together to solve the murder. In this case, they get pulled together by the person who puts Lyla in danger. Lyla has to be rescued in the end, and the rescue includes the capture of the guilty party.

Lyla’s behavior seemed younger than that of a thirty-one year old to me. The secondary characters seemed somewhat typical to me, as if they could easily be moved from this book to any number of similar ones. It may be that as the series continues the character development deepens and the presentation of clues and red herrings lead more directly to a reasonable solution.

My thanks fo Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced digital read copy of this novel. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the whole "Jane Doe" book club. It made me want to form a book club like that of my own. The Gran character was quirky and fun. I wanted to know more about the mom and Uncle Calvin. I know this wasn't the first in the series but it would be nice if it was a little more stand alone. I really felt like I was thrown in the middle of a story. I can usually tell the villain in these books right away but it took me awhile! I had a hard time buying the motivation of the bad guy though. It just didn't seem worthy of murder. Thanks Netgalley!

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the advance ecopy. This was my first Kate Young book. Lyla Moody is a secretary at a Private Investigation office, which her Uncle runs. She would love to become a PI and solve crimes. Lyla is in a book club which is called Jane Doe's bookclub. One day there was a suitcase, which belongs to Melani, Lylas best friend, left on her porch and inside was a body. The body is a of a woman Carol from her bookclub. Lyla must help clear her friends name.

On Borrowed Crime by Kate Young
Come join the Jane Doe Book Club members in the small town of Sweet Mountain as they try to solve cold cases involving some Jane Doe’s. The members have always been fascinated by true crime, but what happens when it hits a little too close to home? Can the girls pool their knowledge together and solve their friend’s murder? Rumors run rampant in a small town. Who can you trust? Are things really as they seem? Physical evidence doesn’t lie, but it can be misinterpreted.
This book has all of the elements of a good crime story. The victim is the wife of a judge who pressures the police department. There is a good back story. The book club itself is interesting. Family dynamics and drama are ever present. Rich versus poor. Money is often a motive for murder, right?
Pick up this book. You won’t be disappointed. It is a great read that keeps you guessing.

Lyla Moody works as a receptionist for her Uncle Calvin at Cousins Investigative Services. As a member of the Jane Doe Book Club, she and her fellow members love to read and discuss mysteries and true crime books.

Carol Timms, a book club member, develops an interest in a series of Jane Doe murders along I-85 and brings the cold cases to the attention of her fellow members. Then she turns up dead, and the sleuthing is on. Does her murder relate to the Jane Doe killings, or might there be another motive? Lyla is determined to find out.

Kate Young starts this new cozy series with a great mystery as she introduces an engaging community of characters living in Sweet Mountain, Georgia. The primary characters are well developed, the story intriguing, and the pace keeps pages turning.