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Busted #1
Busted
Crime isn't a game. Neither is love.
With a .38 on her hip and 38DD’s on her chest, motorcycle cop Marnie Muckleroy is fully equipped and ready for action. Having recently divorced and relocated to the small Texas town where she was born and raised, Marnie is also ready for romance. There’s no lack of eligible men in Jacksburg. Problem is, they’re eligible for social security, food stamps, or parole. After a mystery man on a Ninja motorbike rides into her town and into her fantasies, she’s determined to find out who he is. If only dispatch and fate would stop getting in her way....
When a scam artist steals the identities of local children to commit credit card fraud, Marnie’s underfunded police force lacks the high-tech skills necessary to pursue the perpetrator. In steps Trey, a video game programmer with mad technical skills, along with a hard drive and plenty of RAM to keep Marnie satisfied until she can track down the elusive guy who rides the kick-ass Ninja.
As Marnie closes in on the stealthy biker, and she and Trey close in on the con artist, a dirty secret comes to light and threatens to tear Marnie’s world apart. Will she be able to piece her life back together, or is it Game Over for her?
With a .38 on her hip and 38DD’s on her chest, motorcycle cop Marnie Muckleroy is fully equipped and ready for action. Having recently divorced and relocated to the small Texas town where she was born and raised, Marnie is also ready for romance. There’s no lack of eligible men in Jacksburg. Problem is, they’re eligible for social security, food stamps, or parole. After a mystery man on a Ninja motorbike rides into her town and into her fantasies, she’s determined to find out who he is. If only dispatch and fate would stop getting in her way....
When a scam artist steals the identities of local children to commit credit card fraud, Marnie’s underfunded police force lacks the high-tech skills necessary to pursue the perpetrator. In steps Trey, a video game programmer with mad technical skills, along with a hard drive and plenty of RAM to keep Marnie satisfied until she can track down the elusive guy who rides the kick-ass Ninja.
As Marnie closes in on the stealthy biker, and she and Trey close in on the con artist, a dirty secret comes to light and threatens to tear Marnie’s world apart. Will she be able to piece her life back together, or is it Game Over for her?
417 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 13, 2019
112 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
About the author
Diane Kelly
69 books1,234 followersAward-winning author Diane Kelly writes romance and romantic mysteries featuring feisty heroines, quirky sidekicks, and sexy leading men, with humor that leaves readers laughing out loud.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
June 5, 2024
Busted by Diane Kelly
Contemporary cozy mystery with light romance and plenty of humor. 1st in the series.
Marnie Muckleroy is a motorcycle cop in the small Texas town of Jacksburg, where she grew up. Marnie is single and actively looking for romance but the selections in the town aren’t promising. When a mystery man on a Ninja motorbike rides through town, her fantasies spark, but work interferes. Marnie works with Trey, a video game programmer, to help try to find who is stealing the identities of local children.
Marnie is a little bawdry in her self talk, in a flirty and humorous way, often referring to her double d’s. She approaches life and work with an abundance of enthusiasm and verve and a smidge of cynicism. She’s also confident in her police work so following this cozy is entertaining.
I’m not going to spoil the ending, but just say, it’s going to be a lively series and this first book is a great introduction.
Contemporary cozy mystery with light romance and plenty of humor. 1st in the series.
Marnie Muckleroy is a motorcycle cop in the small Texas town of Jacksburg, where she grew up. Marnie is single and actively looking for romance but the selections in the town aren’t promising. When a mystery man on a Ninja motorbike rides through town, her fantasies spark, but work interferes. Marnie works with Trey, a video game programmer, to help try to find who is stealing the identities of local children.
Marnie is a little bawdry in her self talk, in a flirty and humorous way, often referring to her double d’s. She approaches life and work with an abundance of enthusiasm and verve and a smidge of cynicism. She’s also confident in her police work so following this cozy is entertaining.
I’m not going to spoil the ending, but just say, it’s going to be a lively series and this first book is a great introduction.
June 8, 2022
I have *GOT* to start paying attention to authors! I have not liked a single one of Diane Kelly's books but I keep on reading them.
1. I HATED how Marnie was planning on abusing her authority as a cop. Like we don't have enough of that in the real world?
2. I'm glad that Marnie told us right up front that she wasn't too bright and not capable of solving crimes as I knew within pages of meeting the criminal that she was the criminal. But that makes Marnie's delight in pushing her authority all the more ick considering she's so stupid.
3. The big mystery of who's the guy on the ninja. Let me refer you back to number 2.inread cozies for the almost mindless nature of the books but come one. I have GOT to start paying more attention!
1. I HATED how Marnie was planning on abusing her authority as a cop. Like we don't have enough of that in the real world?
2. I'm glad that Marnie told us right up front that she wasn't too bright and not capable of solving crimes as I knew within pages of meeting the criminal that she was the criminal. But that makes Marnie's delight in pushing her authority all the more ick considering she's so stupid.
3. The big mystery of who's the guy on the ninja. Let me refer you back to number 2.inread cozies for the almost mindless nature of the books but come one. I have GOT to start paying more attention!
December 28, 2019
A funny look at the daily challenges of community policing if you're a woman. Little hint - the other cops learned to do as they're told and the perps learned to look past the bustline. Great character development in exploration of former events that brought the heroine to the small town and why she stays there.
December 26, 2020
I wound up liking Busted a little more than I thought I would after the first chapter or two. Even though the product description on Amazon describes the main character as having "a .38 on her hip and 38DD’s on her chest" (which, to be honest, are pluses in my book), I was kind of expecting the boobiness to be a little more subtle. A few times in the early part of the book, the character points out her endowments (about how her uniform top strained against her assets, people leering at her and making eye contact with her chest, the seat belt being uncomfortable, etc.), to the point where I had to double-check that the author wasn't a guy. (Looking at her bio, as near as I can tell, she's a woman.)
But, being the trooper that I am, I continued reading, and it got better. There was still reference to the bustiness every now and then, but it wasn't as in-your-face as it was early on, and the story got better.
Now that that's out of my system, let's get to the book itself. I actually liked the main character, Captain Marnie Muckleroy of the Jacksville (Texas) Police Department. You find out early on that there's stuff in her past that she doesn't like to talk about, apparently stuff that's related to her time with the Dallas PD and why she quit there and moved back home to Jacksville. A couple of hints about the scars on her arm made a nice red herring, and I was kind of relieved to learn the truth about where they came from. Still a nasty ordeal, but not what I was expecting. The other characters were good, and none of them made me go "Really?". Not having a murder (or any kind of death, really) was a nice change of pace. I thought the solution to who the criminal was, as well as the identity of the mysterious Kawasaki Ninja rider, was obvious well before the end of the book, but it was still worth it to see how the MC (eventually) figured everything out. The only other nit I had with the setting, and this may just be me not knowing how big Jacksville is or how small-town police departments are structured, is how big the police department is and how it's organized. But, like I said, that might just be me.
So, all in all, I thought it was an enjoyable read.
But, being the trooper that I am, I continued reading, and it got better. There was still reference to the bustiness every now and then, but it wasn't as in-your-face as it was early on, and the story got better.
Now that that's out of my system, let's get to the book itself. I actually liked the main character, Captain Marnie Muckleroy of the Jacksville (Texas) Police Department. You find out early on that there's stuff in her past that she doesn't like to talk about, apparently stuff that's related to her time with the Dallas PD and why she quit there and moved back home to Jacksville. A couple of hints about the scars on her arm made a nice red herring, and I was kind of relieved to learn the truth about where they came from. Still a nasty ordeal, but not what I was expecting. The other characters were good, and none of them made me go "Really?". Not having a murder (or any kind of death, really) was a nice change of pace. I thought the solution to who the criminal was, as well as the identity of the mysterious Kawasaki Ninja rider, was obvious well before the end of the book, but it was still worth it to see how the MC (eventually) figured everything out. The only other nit I had with the setting, and this may just be me not knowing how big Jacksville is or how small-town police departments are structured, is how big the police department is and how it's organized. But, like I said, that might just be me.
So, all in all, I thought it was an enjoyable read.
September 27, 2019
Busted by Diane Kelly is a terrific story featuring motorcycle cop Marnie Muckleroy who I just adore. Marnie is flawed but so much more likeable for those flaws. This story takes us through several crimes and Marnie’s courtship with video game programmer Trey an all-around good guy except… and that’s what makes this a sweet romp with serious undertones.
September 29, 2021
Marnie Muckleroy, small town police chief, is badly in need of the love of a good man, failing that any man with his own teeth might do. Recently divorced, suffering from PTSD, and re-located to her home town, Jacksburg, Texas, from the big city she's got too much time to think … mostly about men.
And then there is Trey, a computer wizard back home to care for his sick father – only problem is that he'll be gone soon, but Marnie is seriously considering her options because “I’d learned by now that a relationship was only fifty percent about the guy and how you felt about him. The other fifty-percent was about who you were when you were with him, how he made you feel about yourself. And when I was with Trey, I felt strong, smart, and beautiful.”
But who is the Ninja driver? It's a rather odd obsession with a motorbike rider who keeps turning up without Marnie ever finding out who he is.
“Busted”is the sort of book that is easy to pick at, but it has a huge heart and writing that just drags you in. Marnie alternates between being Wonder Woman and worrying about her body image, she's impulsive but hesitant at the same time, and she's slightly lost.
Lucas Glick, one of her first boyfriends, has turned into the town drunk – his on/off rehabilitation is a highlight of the book – understated, slow to develop, but satisfying as it develops.
The main mystery, who is using children's IDs to buy goods bought on fraudulent credit cards, is solved eventually – though the solution is telegraphed much earlier.
And the ending, though charming, is a bit of a letdown.
'Busted' by Diane Kelly is an enjoyable piece of fluff.
3 Stars
And then there is Trey, a computer wizard back home to care for his sick father – only problem is that he'll be gone soon, but Marnie is seriously considering her options because “I’d learned by now that a relationship was only fifty percent about the guy and how you felt about him. The other fifty-percent was about who you were when you were with him, how he made you feel about yourself. And when I was with Trey, I felt strong, smart, and beautiful.”
But who is the Ninja driver? It's a rather odd obsession with a motorbike rider who keeps turning up without Marnie ever finding out who he is.
“Busted”is the sort of book that is easy to pick at, but it has a huge heart and writing that just drags you in. Marnie alternates between being Wonder Woman and worrying about her body image, she's impulsive but hesitant at the same time, and she's slightly lost.
Lucas Glick, one of her first boyfriends, has turned into the town drunk – his on/off rehabilitation is a highlight of the book – understated, slow to develop, but satisfying as it develops.
The main mystery, who is using children's IDs to buy goods bought on fraudulent credit cards, is solved eventually – though the solution is telegraphed much earlier.
And the ending, though charming, is a bit of a letdown.
'Busted' by Diane Kelly is an enjoyable piece of fluff.
3 Stars
February 25, 2024
He's coming.
Marnie Muckleroy has returned to her hometown of Jacksburg, Texas after her divorce. Working as the town's only female cop, she spends her days checking speeders and fantasizing about a man on a Ninja bike. A chance meeting at a bowling alley introduces her to Trey Jones. He is only in town until his dad recovers from a stroke. Not the happily ever after Marnie is hoping for.
This is an excellent beginning to the series. I enjoyed getting to know Marnie and the inner workings of her brain. Her ongoing internal conversations are a hoot. The storyline of her PTSD is well done. I loved all the characters of the small town. Everything about the plot flowed easily with all of them.
Trey is a great foil for Marnie. I like watching their relationship grow. Even with misunderstandings and hurt, it was good to see them meld as a couple.
I knew who the mysterious Ninja rider was from the beginning. It was still delightful to see Marnie try to track him down only to have him slip out of her reach again and again.
The credit card fraud case was an interesting plot. I thought I knew just about every way someone could steal your identity
after having been the victim of credit card fraud. This was a new one for me.
This was a most enjoyable read that kept my attention and made me want to continue with the rest of the series.
Marnie Muckleroy has returned to her hometown of Jacksburg, Texas after her divorce. Working as the town's only female cop, she spends her days checking speeders and fantasizing about a man on a Ninja bike. A chance meeting at a bowling alley introduces her to Trey Jones. He is only in town until his dad recovers from a stroke. Not the happily ever after Marnie is hoping for.
This is an excellent beginning to the series. I enjoyed getting to know Marnie and the inner workings of her brain. Her ongoing internal conversations are a hoot. The storyline of her PTSD is well done. I loved all the characters of the small town. Everything about the plot flowed easily with all of them.
Trey is a great foil for Marnie. I like watching their relationship grow. Even with misunderstandings and hurt, it was good to see them meld as a couple.
I knew who the mysterious Ninja rider was from the beginning. It was still delightful to see Marnie try to track him down only to have him slip out of her reach again and again.
The credit card fraud case was an interesting plot. I thought I knew just about every way someone could steal your identity
after having been the victim of credit card fraud. This was a new one for me.
This was a most enjoyable read that kept my attention and made me want to continue with the rest of the series.
June 22, 2025
I want to say I enjoyed this but to be totally honest I skipped the middle. The story was just too long and I felt like it wasn't getting anywhere. The mystery side to the story, the stolen identities just wasn't big enough of a plot to carry all the way through the story. I knew who was responsible on first meeting and skipping a head proved that I was right and still knew what was going on. I did like the characters but too much was made of the romance for my liking. I probably won't read another of these books which is a shame because it started off interesting.
Marnie is a cop you after a traumatic experience and the end of her marriage returns home to run small police department on a shoes string budget. Her biggest problem should be if she has hired two twins as deputies or if he is only one person because she has never seen them together and who the mystery man on the bike that keeps blowing through town. Instead packages keep turning up at abandoned homes and children seem to be buying the items. Can Marnie shut down an identity theft ring? And sort out her none existent love life?
Marnie is a cop you after a traumatic experience and the end of her marriage returns home to run small police department on a shoes string budget. Her biggest problem should be if she has hired two twins as deputies or if he is only one person because she has never seen them together and who the mystery man on the bike that keeps blowing through town. Instead packages keep turning up at abandoned homes and children seem to be buying the items. Can Marnie shut down an identity theft ring? And sort out her none existent love life?
November 14, 2024
Not at all what I expected. This came up as a similar to Janet Evanovich and Elle Cosimano recommendation and hot damn do I feel duped. This was nothing like either. Instead of a cozy crime mystery it was a steamy romance where the main character was a motorcycle riding cop with giant boobs and we're constantly reminded about her ample size over and over again. It's also not funny, not even good for a chuckle, and the whodunit is so easy to guess. By now I should know better and lower my expectations when it comes to finding another series along the Stephanie Plum/Finlay Donovan lines but I keep at it and am disappointed each time.
May 15, 2022
This was more of a "smozy" (a sexy cozy), but it was fun and had great characters. I loved Marnie, a cop with a heart the size of Texas, who had a good sense of humor and self, but also had the same doubts most women do. I found Trey to be charming, funny, and fun, but mostly he was just a really good guy, which is a nice change.
The mystery (who is the ninja rider and who is stealing identities) was fairly obvious, but still fun to watch Marnie, who admits she's not a detective, figure out.
Overall, this was an easy, fun, satisfying read that let me escape for a few hours.
The mystery (who is the ninja rider and who is stealing identities) was fairly obvious, but still fun to watch Marnie, who admits she's not a detective, figure out.
Overall, this was an easy, fun, satisfying read that let me escape for a few hours.
February 20, 2024
A nice story; more romance than mystery. I'm typically not a romance novel person, so giving this 3 stars is indicative of how well it was written.
We have a stand-off with a felon, a case of identity theft, and the mystery of who owns a certain motorcycle. We also have rehabilitation (hopefully) of an alcoholic....so lots of things going on as well as the budding romance.
I did figure out fairly quickly the two mysteries, but it was interesting seeing how the author got us to the end.
We have a stand-off with a felon, a case of identity theft, and the mystery of who owns a certain motorcycle. We also have rehabilitation (hopefully) of an alcoholic....so lots of things going on as well as the budding romance.
I did figure out fairly quickly the two mysteries, but it was interesting seeing how the author got us to the end.
December 15, 2024
I read this after I read and loved book 3 in the series. And I’m glad I read book 3 first because I probably wouldn’t have continued the series if I’d read this first.
It was enjoyable but a tad long. The main character kind of annoyed me with how damn dense she was and the CONSTANT mention of her weight (which was actually a super average weight) and how much she needs to lose weight was a bit excessive for me. But the overall story was fine, just too long. If you didn’t enjoy this, book 3 was great and way shorter.
It was enjoyable but a tad long. The main character kind of annoyed me with how damn dense she was and the CONSTANT mention of her weight (which was actually a super average weight) and how much she needs to lose weight was a bit excessive for me. But the overall story was fine, just too long. If you didn’t enjoy this, book 3 was great and way shorter.
May 7, 2021
It is fantastic!!!😊 I laughed alot but I also got teary eyed 😢 and a bit scared 😨. Marnie was a character that is so relatable that I felt what she did at times. ☺ (Nice one to the author for that).😉 I just knew who the Ninja was from pretty much the beginning but the meeting between them at the end was EPIC! 😍 I found myself a new author to read (as if I need more😉) and I really hope her other series are as great! 😁
January 29, 2024
This is the first in a new series that features strong, female motorcycle cops. This story takes place in Jaxberg, Texas.
I easily solved the two mysteries: who is 1. the scam artist that steals the identities of local children to commit credit card fraud and 2. who is riding the Ninja Motorcycle.
The book has humor but I would not classify it as a cozy mystery due to the adult nature of the sex scenes.
I listened to this over Hoopla from my local library.
I easily solved the two mysteries: who is 1. the scam artist that steals the identities of local children to commit credit card fraud and 2. who is riding the Ninja Motorcycle.
The book has humor but I would not classify it as a cozy mystery due to the adult nature of the sex scenes.
I listened to this over Hoopla from my local library.
June 11, 2024
Great read
I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy this book but it was great. Marnie is a great heroine and a very likeable character. My only criticism was how obvious it was who the bad guy was throughout the book. Still it wasn’t enough to cause me to downgrade the book at all- it was great; funny, warm and easy to read but without being mindless. I am going to read the next one
I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy this book but it was great. Marnie is a great heroine and a very likeable character. My only criticism was how obvious it was who the bad guy was throughout the book. Still it wasn’t enough to cause me to downgrade the book at all- it was great; funny, warm and easy to read but without being mindless. I am going to read the next one
January 11, 2025
This book was surprisingly well-written for a storyline which sounds like a light comedy.
I have read enough romances to know that the funniest romcoms can talk about serious subjects, and this one was a somewhat tense picture of life as a small town cop in the South of the USA. There are lots of comic elements but also sad moments and big difficulties to overcome.
The writing style gripped me more than I expected.
I have read enough romances to know that the funniest romcoms can talk about serious subjects, and this one was a somewhat tense picture of life as a small town cop in the South of the USA. There are lots of comic elements but also sad moments and big difficulties to overcome.
The writing style gripped me more than I expected.
January 13, 2021
Good of its kind ... but not my kind. I was expecting a crime/mystery novel with a motorcycle-riding heroine, but Busted is actually a bodice ripper (a leathers ripper?) with a motorcycle-riding heroine plus a dead body. Pleasant writing with some funny lines - possibly a refreshing change for fans of this sort of thing who are tired of earls, cowboys and Amish.
February 15, 2024
I was totally unaware of what the book would be about. I took "funny, cop, mystery, and light romance, at face value. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. It's unorthodox, original and somewhat funny. Mostly it's the story of an unhappy woman looking for a little romance to lighten up her life. She just happens to be a motorcycle fan and a cop.
Read
January 12, 2020Sweet love story
Great heroine, with a truthful story to what cops face daily. I thoroughly enjoyed Busted and highly recommend it. If course, I spent 30 years in the Dallas area didn't hurt.
Great heroine, with a truthful story to what cops face daily. I thoroughly enjoyed Busted and highly recommend it. If course, I spent 30 years in the Dallas area didn't hurt.
November 8, 2024
Sassy and hilarious
This high quality mystery is told from the perspective of a feisty and sassy lady cop on a motorcycle. The story is loaded with a zany cast of characters and quite entertaining. I'll definitely read more books by this author.
This high quality mystery is told from the perspective of a feisty and sassy lady cop on a motorcycle. The story is loaded with a zany cast of characters and quite entertaining. I'll definitely read more books by this author.
July 29, 2025
I loved this book. I really enjoyed Marnie as a main character and hearing about the things she did as a cop in a small town and the chief for that matter. I loved how she is torn between Ninja and Trey and the whole story line. It was a really fun, fast moving good read.
April 20, 2020
Very different from most cozy mysteries
More a romance than a mystery. I am not sure what I think. It is a little grittier but interesting. I recommend giving them a chance.
More a romance than a mystery. I am not sure what I think. It is a little grittier but interesting. I recommend giving them a chance.
November 8, 2021
Great read; fun mix of mystery, suspense, and romance.
May 5, 2023
2.5 stars
June 9, 2023
thoroughly enjoyed this book
Found it the only unread book in my kindle app. Saved me from skilled nursing boredom. Thanks Diane for another great story!!
Found it the only unread book in my kindle app. Saved me from skilled nursing boredom. Thanks Diane for another great story!!
September 18, 2023
The voice on the audio book was all wrong. But I loved the characters. Mystery was really minor, but the romance was really cute.
November 10, 2023
Enjoyable story with likable characters and love life. Mystery was kind of fun - duh.
February 15, 2024
A ninja rider saved her life??? For someone he doesn't know??? I enjoyed this story and recommended the book.
February 18, 2024
Fun romance
Ms. Kelly pens a great small town romance with a bit of intrigue and humor. She gave us great characters.
Ms. Kelly pens a great small town romance with a bit of intrigue and humor. She gave us great characters.
April 15, 2024
Wow. This was interesting, but not my cup of tea. Well-written, but just not for me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews