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 … 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.
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This is a great start to a new series. I liked the main character, Lyla and the members of the Jane Doe book club. I look forward to getting to know them better. The mystery was well written and had me guessing to the end. I look forward to reading more of this series.
Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
As a fan of Kate Young’s other series, I was excited to be approved for an ARC of On Borrowed Crime, the first book in the new A Jane Doe Book Club Mystery, from NetGalley, but the book left me a bit ambivalent. I expected a cozy mystery but the harshness of the appearance of the body and the intricate relationship Layla has with her mother takes the book to a level not common in cozy or amateur mystery novels. I loved that the mystery was extremely complex and that the author provided hints, many of which were easier to identify after the fact than as I was reading. I love a subtle trail of clues!
There is an awkward dichotomy between the complexity of the rest of the book and the protagonist’s emotional immaturity, not to mention her long-time obsession with Jane Doe victims.
One of the stronger elements of the story centered about her mother who felt like a 1950’s-1970’s perfect little housewife, but who apparently came from a problematic background that she is still striving to leave behind. At first her efforts to fit in her husband’s world make her appear weak, but as we see more of her, we learn that she is in fact quite strong; she just feels the need to hide that strength as she plays good doctor’s wife. I look forward to discovering more of her depths. She is not an anachronism in this book. Only a few elements like cell phones clearly placed the book as a contemporary novel.
Will I read more of this series? Probably, I would like to see Layla grow up in her dealings with men and her intended career path, but I am hoping that will happen as she works with her uncle and develops a grown-up romance. I was impressed with the variety and depth book club members and look forward to getting to know them better. I am eager to discover more about her mother’s past and to see who she really is. I loved the grandmother and will enjoy spending more time with here. And of course, Kate Young writes a heck of a mystery!
#NetGalley #OnBorrowedCrime
On Borrowed Crime by Kate Young is the first instalment in the ” A Jane Doe Book Club Mystery” series. I really enjoyed this story it was a little more gritty than a normal cozy but I loved it! I plan on buying when it comes out in paperback.
I found myself engrossed in the story and wanting to read in one sitting. It was suspenseful, and had me on the edge of my seat. It was still a cozy but had elements of a thriller/suspense novel that you don’t normally find in cozies, but with that said it had just the right mixture of everything.
I totally loved the Jane Doe Book Club and I wish I could have a club like that here at home. I liked how Lyla and Mel had each other’s backs throughout the story.
The mystery of the cold cases “Jane Does” was interesting, well plotted, and full of twists and turns as well as a few surprises. I must admit I did suspect the killer mid way through but there were so many red herrings that it wasn’t glaringly obvious.
I am so looking forward to seeing more in this series as well as in Kate’s other series the “Marygene Brown Mysteries”
I highly recommend this series to all my mystery loving friends.
I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.
On Borrowed Crime is the first book I’ve read by Kate Young. I would ultimately give this book 4.5 stars if half stars were possible.
I enjoyed the plot of this book and thought it was a touch unusual, mixing the cold cases with a new case. The name of the book club was cute, tied in well to the story, and seemed like a group I’d enjoy being a part of based on their reading material.
There were a number of relationships in this book that were problematic and I’m thinking the author may be setting those things up as something to explore as the series goes on – specifically what the trauma was that Layla’s mother and uncle experienced as children, the relationship between Layla’s parents, and between Layla and her mother.
All in all this was a good start to a new series.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an ARC at my request. All thoughts in this review are my own.
Fantastic start to a new series The Jane Doe Book Club Mystery! I loved the main character Lyla who has very relatable flaws along with her family members which was refreshing! Working as a receptionist in her uncle’s private investigative firm by day and at night running a book club discussing their favorite mysteries made me wish I was there for it! I was loving Ms.Young’s edgy twist to this cozy mystery and was left wishing I was in her book club! I loved the surprise ending I normally don’t get from a cozy and can’t wait to see what is next for Lyla! I highly recommend this to anyone that loves mystery or cozy reads!
Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “On Borrowed Crime” by Kate Young, Crooked Lane Books, October 2020
Kate Young, the author of “On Borrowed Crime” has written a cozy mystery novel that is captivating, intriguing, entertaining, and suspenseful. It is the perfect book to read by a fireplace, with a hot cup of chocolate. The genres of this book are a cozy mystery, and mystery and suspense. The timeline for this story is set in the present and goes to the past when it pertains to the events or characters. The author describes her colorful cast of characters as complex, complicated and some seem suspicious. Reading this book reminds me of the game “Clue”. It is a perfect “Who-Done-It Book, that I would highly recommend.
Many of the characters belong to the Jane Doe Book Club, who reads a book and discusses it. Lyla Moody especially loves the role of playing detective. Her proper Southern mother has to remind her of the proper ways she is expected to act, and her therapist dad is always there for her. One of her closest allies is her grandmother.
Lyla seems to have had an interesting cast of boyfriends. One ex-boyfriend is the Police Chief of the town she lives in. A suitcase with the body of her close friend is left at her door. Who could be responsible for her death? Lyla is determined to find out. There are clues, threats, warnings, and danger. I look forward to reading more of Kate Young’s books in the future.
On Borrowed Crime kicks off the brand new series by Kate Young: A Jane Doe Book Club Mystery. It’s the second book I’ve read by Kate Young, and I really love her writing style. She makes it very easy to get to know the characters after only a few chapters.
Lyla, the main character in this series, has begun working with her uncle as his “receptionist” in his PI business. When you read On Borrowed Crime, you’ll notice that the author keeps something about Lyla hidden from us throughout the book. I love this because it lays the foundation for her character. Though she gives us some information about the thing (no spoilers!), not everything is clear.
That’s also the case with Lyla’s mom and uncle who are siblings. Something happened in their past that shaped them and affected them in somewhat different ways. (Again, no spoilers. It’s hard to share this awesome hidden stuff without giving things away!) I’m looking forward to seeing how the author peels away the layers to reveal the past.
If you read my reviews, you know how I love the older people in cozy mystery books, and that’s also the case in On Borrowed Crime with Lyla’s grandmother. She’s got lots of spunk and hopefully she’ll play a big part in the series.
One thing I will say for you sensitive readers, there is a bit more of a disturbing nature in this mystery. Since the Jane Doe book club (Lyla especially) enjoy trying to figure out whodunit in mysteries (and sometimes actual cold cases), a cold case plays a big part in the mystery. If you’re fine with listening to podcasts like Crime Junkie or Serial, you’ll be fine. But, like, thinking about my almost 75 year old mom….she’d be too scared of this book. However, I loved the mystery! I think because I watch, listen to, read lots of true crime stuff, it was kind of easy for me to figure out whodunit. But, I must admit I did change my mind a few times.
On Borrowed Crime definitely kicks the Jane Doe Book Club Mystery Series off in a good way! Fans of Aurora Teagarden and Veronica Mars will like this mystery solving book club/PI focused story! I can’t wait for the next book!
This was my first cozy mystery read so I went into this blind. I liked that our main character Lyla is in a book club and they only read true crime, hence the name The Jane Doe Book Club. When one of the members is left on Lyla’s doorstep stuffed in a suitcase, she immediately begins to investigate.
This was such a fun read! I felt bad for Lyla at times because one of her closest friends, and the owner of the suitcase the body was stuffed in, is a prime suspect. Then there is her overbearing mother who didn’t see that Lyla needed to grieve. However I loved her grandma! Lyla’s grandma is a little spitfire and so fun to read about.
I did not predict who the killer was or their motive! I used to think I was pretty good at that, but this one threw me for a loop! I highly recommend this book, and this is just the first one. If you love cozy mysteries then I would check this one out!
I have enjoyed the two books in her Southern Sass series and I enjoyed this debut, too. Lyla Moody lives in Sweet Mountain, Georgia, not far from Atlanta. It’s a Southern state of mind for sure. She says “Our tea was sweet, our accents were sweeter and our ladies were expected to be the same.” She and her mother and grandmother don’t exactly fit. Her Gran is a hoot, marching to her own tune, her mother follows the rules but has a complicated history and Lyla? Well, she has no intention of getting hitched and having kids and her track record with men isn’t great. She is fascinated by mysteries, true crime and cold cases – much to her parents dismay. To that end she is a member of the Jane Doe book club. She also works for her uncle Calvin, a 16 year veteran of the police force who is now a private investigator. Lyla may be his receptionist/secretary now but she’s a PI in training. Little did she know that the morning her car died by the railroad tracks that her interest in things criminal would become all too real and make her the focus of a killer. Soon a friend is dead, another one is the prime suspect and Lyla sets out to find out who wanted Carol dead and then delivered to Lyla’s front door.
This has the makings of another great series. As a debut mystery there are, of course, some weak spots because we, as readers, want more answers than the first book can deliver. Some of the characters need more development and her mother’s background needs time to be revealed. Because the puzzle kept me engaged and I liked Lyla and her gran so much, I’ll be adding the next in the series to my TBR list. I want to learn more, lots more.
My thanks to the publisher, Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Well, this was quite an interesting story that had some excitement thrown in just for good measure. Would you want to be a member of a book club called the Jane Doe’s? They certainly are interested in murder and crimes. I enjoyed reading about their adventures, concerns, and ideals of how to solve the crime. There is a good mix of characters that makes the interactions interesting. You gotta love Gran! I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.
On Borrowed Crime
by Kate Young
First book in the Jane Doe Book Club Mystery series
Lyla Moody is at the start of a new career. She has joined her Uncle Calvin at his Cousins’ Investigative Services as the new receptionist. Lyla has always had a fascination with murder and true crime, and this job is in line with that passion. While on her way to her new job, her car dies. While she is waiting for the tow truck, she is nearly run over by her friend Carol Timms. In the passenger seat is someone Lyla doesn’t recognize, because the person’s face is hidden by a cameo baseball cap. Before Lyla can approach Carol, she speeds away.
The next time Lyla sees Carol, she is stuffed in a suitcase. Lyla and the Jane Doe Book Club are determined to find the person or persons responsible for their friend’s murder. Lyla begins to receive frightening texts from an unknown number, as did Carol before her murder. Lyla must solve the murder before she becomes the next victim.
My Thoughts
When I first started this novel, I wasn’t sure I wanted to finish it. I wasn’t interested in the characters or the plot. The overbearing Southern mother seemed overdone and the plot didn’t grab me.
Until it did.
The writing did pull me in. I’m not sure where, but the writing had me guessing and second-guessing the culprit. At times, the pace slowed down a bit because of too much information. While Lyla’s mother is still overbearing, there are enough hints about her backstory to begin to understand her. This novel is also a little darker than other cozies I’ve read, but nothing over the top.
This is the first book in the new Jane Doe Book Club Mysteries. Here’s hoping there are many more to come.
Author Information
Visit Kate Young’s website to find out more about her books.
Read a sample of On Borrowed Crime here.
Disclaimers: Free copy provided by #NetGalley
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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!
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.
On Borrowed Crime:A Jane Doe Book Club by Kate Young is a suspenseful novel that kept me guessing to the last page! Young writes a mystery filled with sassy southern charm. Written about a book club interested in real life murders she brings the characters and plot to life!!! She makes you feel like you are part of the book club from page one!! You will be looking for more with each turn of the page!!! I am looking forward to the next book in this series!
I would highly recommend this fast paced novel to anyone. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
On Borrowed Crime is a great start of a new series by Kate Young.
Lyla Moody is an interesting character, and I’m looking forward to getting to know her.
Lyla works as a receptionist for her uncle, who is a private investigator. She is also a member of the Jane Doe book club, which is primarily known for their interests in true crime and cold cases.
When Lyla finds the decomposing body of a fellow book club member, she finds that people will work very hard to get what they want, even at the expense of loved ones.
Lyla’s fascination with true crime does not please her mother, but I can tell that Lyla doesn’t always do exactly what her mother wants her to do. I loved all the twists and turns, and even though I worked out some of the mystery, I was still gobsmacked with the reveal!
I’m really looking forward to reading more in this series.
Lyla is a new hire at her uncle’s PI agency. She’s single, lives in a condo in a small town in Georgia, and is a member of the Jane Does Book Club. When one of the members of the club is found dead, Lyla becomes involved in solving the murder.
I wanted to like this book; however, something was awkward in the writing. The mystery itself is good with a surprise ending. I hope the second in the series reads more smoothly.
Kate Young has done it again. She sweeps the reader into a small town Georgia community where everybody knows everybody. In On Borrowed Crime, we are introduced to Lyla and her book club called The Jane Doe Book Club. They solve mysteries in the books they read but are quickly introduced to their own mystery when a friend and member shows up missing. This book is fast paced as you follow along with the main character Lyla in her quest to find answers. Lyla is also a person I want to be friends with and her strong willed personality.
Thank you Kate Young and NetGalley for the opportunity to read On Borrowed Crime. All opinions are my own.
psychological, thriller, private-investigators, law-enforcement, murder-investigation, southern, small-town
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, when crime comes to her house in the form of a fellow clubber’s body stuffed into a suitcase resembling the one another friend took with her on a cruise. The characters are varied and well presented, the twists and red herrings entertaining, the plot a mite slow at times. All in all, it was a very good read.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Crooked Lane Books/Penguin Random House Publishers via NetGalley. Thank you!
This is a well done cozy mystery albeit with some discussions on possible serial killings and a book club that likes true crime. Since is it the first in the new “Jane Doe” series, it sets up and introduces us to members of the Jane Doe book club, Lyla the MC, her family and townspeople but that does not weigh down the flow of the story
It is a solid mystery and while I thought I had figured out who (but not why), there were many red herrings which caused me to go down another path and question whether I had it right.
I enjoyed this book, read it in one sitting and look forward to the next one which hopefully will give us more info on the mystery in Lyla’s mother and uncle’s past and flesh out the rest of the Jane Doe Club. And perhaps a romantic interest for Lyla?
My thanks to Crooked Lane Books for providing me an ARC via Net Galley. I have provided an honest review in turn, and all opinions are my own
This is the first book in the Jane Doe Book Club Mystery series and I can’t wait to read more! Kate Young wrote this cozy mystery so well that I never could decide who I thought was guilty. Every time I’d think I was sure of who the culprit was, there’d be a twist that completely threw me. To me, that’s the sign of a great mystery writer! There was a large cast of characters that took me a bit to learn but I enjoyed getting to know all of them…even if I didn’t trust any of them until the actual murderer was revealed. If you enjoy cozy mysteries set in cute small towns that are solved by amateur sleuths, definitely check this book out! Also, I’d just like to add that this book especially felt like I could be living in it as it’s set in Sugar Mountain, Georgia, a fictional town about 45 minutes north of Atlanta, and I live in a small town in NW Georgia about an hour and a half from Atlanta. I’m no Lyla though so don’t expect me to go snooping around to solve any Jane Doe cases anytime soon!