Book Review: A Trail of Lies by Kylie Logan

A Trail of Lies (Jazz Ramsey #3). Kylie Logan. Minotaur Books (2021). 320 pages. Genre:  Mystery.

First Line:  "There is one truth that holds across countries, across cultures, across time: getting a phone call at two in the morning is sure to make the blood race, breaths catch, heartbeats speed up."

Summary:  Jazz Ramsey's boyfriend, Nick Kolesov, is working a case out of town.  While he is gone, he has asked Jazz to check up on his mom.  Kim Kolesov is an alcoholic who lives alone and often hallucinates.  When Jazz receives a call from her in the middle of the night claiming there is a body in her backyard, she tries to remember that Kim often sees things that aren't there. However, when Jazz arrives at her home, Kim is adamant there is a body in the backyard and that she killed the man.  Jazz searches the yard and finds nothing.  

A couple of days later when Kim is still adamant that she killed a man and his body is in her yard, Jazz decides to use a Human Remains Detection dog to see if he can pick up the scent of remains.  When the dog picks up a scent in Kim's yard, Jazz is afraid Kim's story might be true.  Then a man is found dead in a nearby park with a picture of Kim and young Nick in his pocket.  Now Jazz has more questions than answers. 

My thoughts:  Jazz Ramsey is a likeable main character.  She is smart, humble and tries to do the right thing.  Her job as an administrative assistant at an all-girls school continues to be interesting.  However, it is her hobby of working with detection dogs that I find most fascinating.  In this story she works with three different dogs - one in training, one that is well trained and one that is retired.  It was fun to see their different strengths and personalities.  

We get to know Nick a little better in this installment too as Jazz is getting a glimpse into what his life must have been like growing up with an alcoholic mother. Kim's alcoholism is handled well.  She is struggling, but refuses to get help.  Nick continues to care for her the best he can.  This does give the story a bit of a heavier tone, but it never feels overwhelming and is balanced with lighter situations.  There is also a bit more language in this one.  

The relationship Jazz has with her coworkers adds some depth to the story as well.  Sister Eileen and Sarah care about Jazz like she is family.  When Jazz needs help, they are there for her.  Jazz is close with her mom and brothers as well.  The importance of family is clear. 

The mystery begins on the very first page and kept me enthralled until the end.  It is very well-paced as the layers of lies are peeled away.  There are several suspects as well as twists and surprises that kept me guessing.  Even after her life had been threatened, Jazz didn't give up.  She kept digging.  She does take some risks, but nothing over the top.

Overall, this is a great mystery with likeable, well-developed characters.  I have really enjoyed all three books in this series and am looking forward to the next one.