Lyla’s mother is hosting a charity event, which unfortunately becomes the setting for a murder. And the prime suspect is Harper, the deceased’s widow and a friend of the book group, the Jane Does. One thing leads to another, with Lyla’s mother taking an interest in Harper. And so Lyla becomes involved in proving Harper’s innocence. This mystery is darker than the average cozy, and more suspenseful. There is some character development from the first book to this second one in the series, but the story is more about the solving the murder and the steps Lyla goes through to achieve this. Some family secrets are disclosed, which comes as a surprise to Lyla. It’s an interesting and well thought out tale, and a bit of a departure from the cozy realm. ( )

I enjoyed the story and the characters thoroughly, a kind of twisted whodunit cozy mystery. But, the proofreading was terrible! Words left out, words out of order, extra words. Too bad, because it takes away from the flow of the story. the writing was good, it wasn't that, just needed to be proofed. ( )

Lyla Moody works for her uncle Calvin's private investigation agency, working to become a PI herself. When she's not working, she spends some time with her book club, the Jane Does, who discuss mystery books. One of their part-time members is Harper Richardson, who seems to be having trouble of her own. It doesn't help that there's a mysterious writer in town, and he's garnering attention from people who would rather he wasn't there.

After one of their meetings, Lyla and her Gran head over to Lyla's mother's home, where Frances Moody is hosting a charity event. But they aren't there long before Gran stumbles upon a body, and Lyla recognizes the man as Leonard Richardson, Harper's husband. When Harper is targeted for the murder, Lyla and her fellow book club members know they have to prove her innocence. But doing so isn't going to be easy.

Harper's family members are overly strange -- to say the least -- and her mother has become a woman she's never seen before, scared and a ghost of herself. Also, the writer, Charles, is making a pest of himself, and her even Calvin, who's normally unflappable, seems rattled and warns Lyla to stay clear of Charles. When there's an incident and in the process of helping Lyla is purposefully attacked, she wants to know who's doing it. But when she starts to dig, she discovers that there are secrets that are better left alone -- and they're coming to the surface...

First off, I must say that this book has nothing to do with Halloween, as the blurb states. Saying that, this is the second book in the series, and I found it completely riveting. The story is one of secrets held, both old and new, and people who are not what they seem. Curiosity kept me reading, but I found a familiarity in it, only for where I live, and have been near people like this more than once. (Although not as strange as the characters in the book).

It's difficult to write a review without giving away too much of this plot; for it is a story that connects one thread to another, and another; until all the threads pull it together giving us a final story that was long buried and should have remained so.

The ending was as surprising as an ending could be; the killer was most of all. What we know we really don't; and what we see isn't always what is there. The author has done an excellent job of this tale, and I eagerly look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended.

I was given a copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review. ( )

Reading Between the Crimes by Kate Young is the 2nd A Jane Doe Book Club Mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series. Lyla Moody finds herself helping Harper Richardson after her husband is murdered in Moody’s home during a charity soiree. Reading Between the Crimes has a convoluted mystery. There are a handful of suspects in this strange whodunit. There is a cliché tough guy detective (Detective Battle) who does not believe Lyla’s story (of course). The reveal was action packed and filled with tension. I was left with numerous unanswered questions at the end of the book. I would have liked a better wrap-up. I like how the mystery tied into the Jane Doe Book Club’s current selection of Crooked House. I wish Lyla and the ladies had compared the current murder to the one in the book (gone into detail). Agatha Christie fans will enjoy this story. I love Lyla’s grandmother, Daisy. She is a hoot and my favorite character in the book. I would love a cozy with her as the protagonist. There is a great deal of repetition of murder related details, and I did not appreciate the foul language. From the summary of the book, I was anticipating a spooky Halloween themed cozy. There are references to the October pub crawl, but Halloween seemed to have fallen through the cracks. I was surprised by Lyla’s sleuthing skills. As a private investigator, I expected her be different than an amateur sleuth. I expected her to dig deep to uncover information especially about the victims past. I thought she would be more curious especially when it appeared there was a tie-in to her own mother. While I liked the beginning, I had trouble completing Reading Between the Crimes. Reading Between the Crimes is a literary themed cozy mystery with jovial grandmother, a Christie related crime, a remote mother, tempting treats, a determined detective, and an alarming murder. ( )

Lyla and the Jane Doe Book Club ring in Halloween with a novel by Agatha Christie, but the festivities are soon cut short when Lyla and her grandmother discover a body in the library. The murder was reminiscent of the murder in the Christie novel with a candlestick as a murder weapon and the victim's widow taking the blame. Lyla turns to her Jane Doe pals for help solving the investigation to help clear their friend's name and stumbles upon a secret in her own mother's past.

Kate Young delivers a thrilling mystery with family drama, a surprising murder, and the fun that a book club can have to solve a case together. The Jane Doe Book Club is a delight component of the story which shines a light on the friendships between the members. Those friendships are an important support system for Lyla as she chases after her dreams of investigation and works to catch a killer. Lyla is a brazen and head-strong sleuth that is determined to make it as a private eye and is using her job with her uncle's Cousins Investigative Services for some experience. She's this relatable character that has a deep desire to investigate and gets her blood pumping by true crime which makes her the perfect sleuth to voice the story. Her job also ties into the family drama that she finds herself rooted in after learning that her mother has secrets. The mystery of her mother's past hits at trauma that ties directly into the murder mystery. The story has a strong emotional plot that tells a realistic and relatable story about family and respecting the boundaries of your family's secrets.

Young ties every thread of the story into a rich mystery that delivers surprises, twists, and suspense that would make Agatha Christie proud. ( )