Category Archives: Kylie Logan

May 13, 2021 · 12:01 am

Review: A Trail of Lies by Kylie Logan

Title: A Trail of Lies by Kylie Logan
Jazz Ramsey Series Book Three
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

A Trail of Lies is the third in the Jazz Ramsey mystery series from national bestselling author Kylie Logan.

Jazz Ramsey is just getting used to the idea that her on-again-off-again beau, Nick, might actually be a permanent fixture, when she gets an alarming call in the middle of the night from his mother, Kim: there’s a dead man in her backyard. Kim has a long history of drinking and a vivid imagination, so when Jazz’s human remains detection dog, Wally, finds no evidence of a body, Jazz thinks she can breathe easy.

But when the body of a middle-aged man, Dan Mansfield, is discovered in a nearby park, and a photo of Nick and his mom is found in his pocket, Jazz has to admit that something isn’t adding up. Kim claims not to know who Dan is, but the cops find out soon enough: he’s a recently paroled convict who served thirty years for murder. And when Jazz traces his crime back to a bar fight with an antiques dealer, she ends up with more questions than answers.

Meanwhile, no one wants her poking around—not Nick’s mom, nor the Motorcycle-riding ex-con she connects to Dan, nor Nick himself, who seems worried about Jazz’s safety, but also about what she might find. But Jazz has never been one to take no for an answer, and she won’t give up now—even if it means risking her own life.

Review:

A Trail of Lies by Kylie Logan is a suspense-laden mystery. Although this newest release is the third installment in the Jazz Ramsey series, it can be read as a standalone.

While her police boyfriend Nick Kolesov is away working on a case, Jazz reluctantly agrees to check in with his alcoholic mother, Kim. So, when she is awakened by a phone call from her, Jazz goes over to see if there is any truth to Kim’s outlandish story. She claims that Nick is dead in her backyard, but upon Jazz’s arrival, there is no body.  Kim is adamant she killed a man but now she says he was a stranger. When a body is later found in a nearby park, Jazz has a feeling this discovery might be linked to Kim’s story. After she realizes the deceased is connected to Kim’s past, Jazz continues trying to figure who killed him and why.

Jazz works as an administrative assistant at St. Catherine’s and she also helps out with the girls’ track team. She has strong ties within the local community and she is close to her family. Jazz’s relationship with Nick has become more on than off but she and Kim are not close. But during her investigation into the dead man, Jazz gains a little more understanding about Kim and her long battle with alcoholism.

Jazz begins to piece together what happened with Kim and the deceased, Dan Mansfield. Her investigation takes her in unexpected directions as she interviews a slightly frightening motorcycle mechanic, a bartender and an antiques dealer. What is the connection between the three people she has talked to? And who is behind the alarming threat for her to back off?

A Trail of Lies is a fast-paced and engrossing cozy mystery. Jazz is tenacious as she tries to find out who killed Dan and why. The storyline is well-written and engaging. With clever red-herrings, Kylie Logan keeps the murderer’s identity under wraps until the jaw-dropping denouement. Old and new fans are sure to enjoy this third mystery in the Jazz Ramsey series.

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Filed under A Trail of Lies, Contemporary, Jazz Ramsey Mystery Series, Kylie Logan, Minotaur Books, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense

May 4, 2020 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Secrets of Bones by Kylie Logan

Title: The Secrets of Bones by Kylie Logan
Jazz Ramsey Mystery Series Book Two
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Second in a new series from national bestselling author Kylie Logan, The Secrets of Bones is a riveting mystery following Jazz Ramsey as she trains a cadaver dog.

Assembly Day at St. Catherine’s dawns bright and cloudless as professional woman gather from all around Ohio to talk to the schoolgirls about their careers ranging from medicine, to NASA, to yoga. Jazz Ramsey has also signed up to give the girls a taste of her lifelong passion: cadaver dog training. Her adorable new puppy Wally hasn’t been certified yet, so she borrows the fully-trained Gus from a friend and hides a few bones in the unused fourth floor of the school for him to find.

The girls are impressed when Gus easily finds the first bone, but then Gus heads confidently to a part of the floor where Jazz is sure no bones are hidden—at least not any that she’s put there. But Gus is a professional, and sure enough, behind a door that no one has opened in ages, is a human skeleton. Jazz recognizes the necklace the skeleton is wearing, and that it belonged to Bernadette Quinn, an ex-teacher at the school who’d quit her job abruptly one Christmas break. But now it seems Bernadette never left the school at all, and her hiding place makes it clear: this was murder.

Bernadette in life had been a difficult personality, and so there are a plethora of suspects inside the school and out of it. As Jazz gets closer to the truth she can’t help but wonder if someone might be dogging her footsteps…

Review:

The Secrets of Bones by Kylie Logan is an engrossing cozy mystery. Although this newest release is the second installment in the Jazz Ramsey Mystery series, it can be read as a standalone.

Administrative Assistant Jazz Ramsey fills in for a no show during Assembly Day at St. Catherine’s Predatory Academy.  Because Jazz works with cadaver dogs in her spare time, she borrows a friend’s dog Gus to show off his skills to  the students. Jazz has placed a couple of “finds” and the students are excited when he discovers one of her items. But when Gus alerts a second time, Jazz knows something is very wrong since he is indicating a spot where she did not place anything for the demonstration.

Quickly ushering the girls back to class, Jazz is shocked to find a skeleton. And based on the clothing and a distinctive piece of jewelry, she and her boss Sister Eileen Flannery believe they have just found missing teacher Bernadette Quinn.  The Religion teacher could be a bit difficult, but neither Jazz nor Eileen can guess who would have murdered her.  Jazz is dismayed that Detective Gary Lindsey seems to have settled on a suspect so she begins investigating on her own. Will she unmask the killer before it is too late?

Jazz cautiously begins searching for answers in an effort to find Bernadette’s murderer.  Quinn was a good teacher but her interpersonal skills left a lot to be desired. She was also ultra religious which ordinarily would not be a problem but her beliefs took an unusual turn. Bernadette’s relationship with student Maddie Parks was also a little troubling. Neither Sister Eileen nor Jazz believe there was anything inappropriate going on but Sister Eileen did take steps to put the relationship back in a professional setting.

As Jazz questions some of her co-workers, she unearths some intriguing information. She also learns that Bernadette’s only family is her cousin Sam Tillner who does not seem to have been overly worried about her disappearance. Jazz also recalls finding Bernadette very upset on one occasion and she is surprised when she finds out the reason for the teacher’s out of character distress.   All of this is very interesting, but will Jazz figure out who is responsible for Bernadette’s murder?

The Secrets of Bones is a well-written mystery with an intriguing plot and fantastic cast of characters. Jazz is too curious for her own good on occasion but her heart is always in the right place as she tries to find Bernadette’s killer.  Jazz’s ex-boyfriend Detective Nick Kolesov makes a few timely guest appearances and gives her some inside information. Although now just friends, Jazz is encouraged that they might eventually reconcile. Late in the story, Jazz’s investigation takes a shocking turn and Kylie Logan brings this clever mystery to an exciting, unpredictable conclusion.  Old and new fans will enjoy this newest addition to the Jazz Ramsey Mystery series.

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Filed under Contemporary, Jazz Ramsey Mystery Series, Kylie Logan, Minotaur Books, Mystery, Rated B, Review, Suspense, The Secrets of Bones

May 5, 2019 · 11:57 pm

Review: The Scent of Murder by Kylie Logan

Title: The Scent of Murder by Kylie Logan
Jazz Ramsey Mystery Series Book One
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery
Length: 315 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

First in a new series from national bestselling author Kylie Logan, The Scent of Murder is a riveting mystery following Jazz Ramsey as she trains cadaver dogs. 

The way Jazz Ramsey figures it, life is pretty good. She’s thirty-five years old and owns her own home in one of Cleveland’s most diverse, artsy, and interesting neighborhoods. She has a job she likes as an administrative assistant at an all-girls school, and a volunteer interest she’s passionate about—Jazz is a cadaver dog handler.

Jazz is working with Luther, a cadaver dog in training. Luther is still learning cadaver work, so Jazz is putting him through his paces at an abandoned building that will soon be turned into pricey condos. When Luther signals a find, Jazz is stunned to see the body of a young woman who is dressed in black and wearing the kind of make-up and jewelry that Jazz used to see on the Goth kids back in high school.

She’s even more shocked when she realizes that beneath the tattoos and the piercings and all that pale make up is a familiar face.

The lead detective on the case is an old lover, and the murdered woman is an old student. Jazz finds herself sucked into the case, obsessed with learning the truth.

Review:

The first installment in the Jazz Ramsey Mystery series, The Scent of Murder by Kylie Logan is an exciting mystery.

Jasmine “Jazz” Ramsey’s primary job is working as an administrative assistant at a Catholic High School. In her spare time, she trains and works with cadaver dogs. Both of these worlds collide during a training session with Luther, a friend’s dog.  While working with the dog in an abandoned building, Jazz is stunned when Luther finds the corpse of a young woman. She is further disconcerted when the detective in charge of the case is none other than her ex, Nick Kolesov. As she is giving him her statement, Jazz realizes the victim is former student Florentine “Florie” Allen. Unable to reconcile the fact that the promising young woman has been murdered, Jazz begins talking to the people in Florie’s life. Will Jazz’s questions provide her the answers she is seeking?

Jazz is a very relatable character due to her compassion and curiosity. She does not understand why anyone would want to harm, let alone murder, Florie.  Despite warnings from Nick to stay away from the case, Jazz begins digging around in Florie’s life. She is disturbed by some of the information she uncovers but she does not let this dissuade her from following where her investigation leads. Jazz unearths very troubling details about Florie’s activities, but did her activities lead murder?

During the investigation, Jazz is nonplussed by her mixed feelings about Nick.  Their relationship ended a little over a year earlier and a lot has happened to her personally during that time. Despite her determination to keep her distance, Jazz agrees to slowly begin dating him again. But will the problems they experienced in the past prove to be as insurmountable as before?

The Scent of Murder is an engaging mystery with a fantastic cast of characters and a perplexing murder to solve. Jazz is extremely likable, quite intelligent and very persistent. But will her dogged pursuit for the truth unmask Florie’s killer? With unexpected twists and some very clever red herrings, Kylie Logan keeps the murderer’s identity and motive for the crime tightly under wraps until the novel’s conclusion.  Readers  who enjoy amateur sleuths will definitely want to pick up their copy of this first installment in the Jazz Ramsey Mystery series.

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Filed under Contemporary, Jazz Ramsey Mystery Series, Kylie Logan, Minotaur Books, Mystery, Rated B, Review, The Scent of Murder