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.

This was a fun, cozy mystery, I was able to guess who the killer was and why they were the killer but I still thoroughly enjoyed the book and kept reading because I needed to know if I was right!

I recommend this book if you are looking for a quick, fun mystery to keep you interested from start to finish.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Lyla Moody is a receptionist at her uncle’s private investigation firm in the small town of Sweet Mountain, Georgia. She enjoys her book club which discusses both fictional and real crimes. LIfe is good until her best friend Melanie goes on vacation and her cousin starts dating Lyla’s ex-boyfriend. Things get even worse when the dead body of one of her club members is found in a suitcase on her doorstop. The suitcase belongs to Melanie who just returned to town and now Lyla must put her knowledge of true crime to use and clear her friend’s name.

This book has a really interesting premise and Lyla reminded me of a cross between Charlaine Harris’s Aurora Teagarden and Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum. The book is a little more graphic than a typical cozy mystery, but has some of the elements including a spunky main character with a pushy mom, a small Southern town, and a friend who is falsely accused of murder. Unfortunately for most of the book, those elements just don’t come together for me. I like Lila and how independent she is, but couldn’t connect with too many of the other characters to make the book enjoyable. If there had been more scenes with the club members interacting, it may have given me a chance to get to know some of the other characters in more depth. It starts out slow, but does pick up as the story gets moving.

The mystery is a little darker and more complex than in some cozies. It is suspenseful and I could never have guessed the identity of the actual killer. I enjoy the real books that are sometimes mentioned in the story. The threatening text messages Lyla receives add some excitement as well. Lyla has the potential to be a good investigator and the series does have potential. The story doesn’t always flow smoothly so I was sometimes confused about what was going on. There are some things left in the air at the end to create interest in subsequent books. I like the premise and I like how well Lyla and her grandmother get along. I’m not sure I will keep following the series, but I think the book may appeal to those who usually read thrillers and are looking for a bit of a traditional mystery mixed in with the suspense element.

I received this ebook from NetGalley through the courtesy of Crooked Lane. An advance copy was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

3.75⭐️s

Thank you to Netgalley, Kate Young, and Crooked Lane Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

What a fun cozy mystery! Being a big fan of cozy mysteries, I have read my fair share, and this is one of the better ones! It wasn’t too cheesy, I actually really liked the characters, and the creepy factor was there! There were a couple of times while reading it that I actually found myself scoping out dark corners haha.

The mystery aspect of this story was legit mystery! It was well done in my opinion, and it had some shivery creepy cool aspects! The murder was the most scary and gross I have ever read in a cozy! I like that there is still that amateur sleuth aspect to the story, though. And it was pretty light on the romance, which I also appreciated!

If you’re looking for a light creepy read, but that you’ll (likely) be able to sleep at night during and after reading it, give it a shot!! I am looking forward to more in this series and will definitely read them!!!

This is the first in the Jane Doe Book Club mystery series. Lyla Moody lives in her hometown of Sweet Mountain Georgia and is working as a receptionist for her Uncle Calvin. Her Mother is proper southern and her father is a psychiatrist and neither of them are thrilled with her desire to ultimately become a private investigator and as her mother calls her dead book club. Lyla is running late for a meeting with her Uncle and potential new clients and is almost run over by her friend Carol in a new BMW. Carol appears to have a passenger with a camo hat and she is violently crying. That day Uncle Calvin gets a call from Judge Timms wanting him to investigate the disappearance of his wife Carol but Lyla says she just saw her. She brings this up at her book club and thinks they should look for her but also Carol sent out an email to the group to investigate “Jane Does” who have been dumped along the interstate. The story takes a morbid turn when Lyla gets home she finds out her new neighbor is her ex-boyfriend Kevin and her nasty cousin Ellen. There is a suitcase on her porch and she assumes it is that of her neighbor Melanie’s who is returning from a cruise but her luggage was lost. She takes it in her house and the next day when Melanie gets home she comes over and Lyla wants to give her the luggage and she realizes it is not hers but Carols. The case smells terrible and they discover her body inside. The mystery begins after this but this was really a disturbing mystery with someone sending her anonymous creepy texts. The chief of police Quinn is also an ex and it seems all the men in town are chauvinistic which was pretty annoying. The mystery is very solid but darker than many cozies out there. I would read the next installment as the writing is solid and the story is paced well. Just hope the next one is not so scary and creepy. 3.5 stars