At the latest meeting of the Jane Doe Book Club in Sweet Mountain, Georgia, Lyla Moody and the rest of the Jane Doe’s get into a discussion of Agatha Christie’s Crooked House. The Jane Doe’s are a local group of women who are a part book club, part crime solvers, focusing particularly on unsolved cases. For Lyla, this is the perfect fit as she is learning the ropes of becoming a private investigation at her uncle’s firm. At the meeting, friend and librarian, Harper Richardson, does not seem to be herself. Her marriage to an older gentleman seems to be deteriorating and the only family Harper has left, her aunt, has disappeared into thin air. Added to the fact that her husband’s entire family has moved into their home is more than Harper can handle. Lyla promises to help and support Harper any way she can and promises to look into her aunt’s whereabouts.

At a charity event thrown at Lyla’s childhood home, Lyla finds it strange that her mother and Harper seem to be in cahoots over something. The two barely know one another. Shrugging it off, Lyla decides to check out the new library renovation with her grandmother. Finding the dead body of Leonard Richardson, Harper’s husband, was the last thing anyone expected. Even stranger, in a house full of party-goers, no one had seen a thing. Harper is soon suspect number one, and Lyla makes it her mission to clear her friend's name, even if it means putting herself in the murderer’s crosshairs.

READING BETWEEN THE CRIMES is an entertaining cozy mystery with a twist set in a picturesque small southern town. Part book club, part cold case files, part sleuth, with a dash of romance, makes for an engrossing read. I love Harper’s strong character and her undeterred search for the truth, regardless of who or what obstacles stand in her way. The other characters, from Harper’s best friend, her family, and members of the book club are all the perfect offset to keep things interesting. The plot, closely tied to Crooked House, will keep readers guessing. What seems so obvious is thrown into doubt, and long hidden secrets come unraveled at a gasp-worthy pace.

READING BETWEEN THE CRIMES is book two in the Jane Doe Book Club Mysteries and can be read as a standalone, but this is such a fun series I would highly recommend reading the previous book to get the full effect.