The Book of Cold Cases

Man, this book had my head spinning for the 2 days it took me to read it. I was constantly thinking about it and trying to guess who did what and how and why. The prose is straightforward, making it an easy read without being overly simple. The best part was that I was almost never right!

Beth and Shea are both interesting, complex characters, although I do feel like Shea gets shafted on
organic character growth in the end because almost all of her growth happens in the last 1/16th of the book, and most of it falls in the last 20 pages where it's almost completely glossed over; getting over being in a car, learning to drive, being comfortable in the public eye, etc., once the mystery is solved in typical mystery book fashion.

And to tread show more into more spoilery waters: The plot twist gave me 'Gone Girl' vibes in the suddenness of the narrative shift, but with a half-sister instead of it being the victim lol.

My biggest qualm was that the paranormal became too real with Lily's ghost feeding Shea information (and also attempting to kill her, which I THINK was supposed to fuel Shea's character development, but the trauma of it is swept under the rug in favor of her becoming a podcaster/author). There could've been a better route for her to learn how Lily died, instead it came off as contrived, even more so when the police just . . . believe her.

In the end it had me highly invested and even though the ending is a bit rushed, it hardly detracts from the rest of the novel. A great read. show less

Finally, a decent story! The murder mystery, supernatural element and even the autumnal atmosphere of the Oregon setting were all on point here - and the cat wasn't mistreated in the slightest! Bonus point!

Shea Collins, who narrowly escaped being murdered herself as a child, runs a blog called the Book of Cold Cases. Top of her list is the 'Lady Killer' case of 1977, when a young heiress was accused of being a female serial killer after two men were shot by the roadside. Beth Greer was arrested for the deaths but later released due to lack of evidence, yet the town of Claire Lake still believes she is guilty. When Shea meets the elusive Lady Killer in the doctor's surgery where she works, she bravely asks to interview her - and Beth show more agrees. But why? And what dark secrets is she hiding at Greer mansion, long thought to be haunted?

I absolutely loved the first half of the story, with Shea's combination of curiosity and neuroses driving her interest in the lives and deaths of other people, and the classic haunted house tropes at the Greer house. Beth is also a fascinating character, a recovering alcoholic battling personal demons - literally - but who faces the world with a cool manner and a blank expression. Like Shea, I was in awe of Beth's style and power too.

The identity of the Lady Killer, a plot twist saved only by the supernatural subplot of the novel, didn't work as well for me. The psychopathic behaviour of the killer fell flat against the deeper characterisation of Shea and Beth, although I'm glad that the author didn't force the whole 'traumatic childhood' angle as an excuse.

The perfect novel for the cold, dark nights of Halloween season, which will have readers feeling cold drafts and checking the shadows! show less

Oh, I have been eagerly awaiting Simone St. James' newest novel - The Book of Cold Cases! I ended up devouring it in a day - her books are page turners that you just can't put down.

St. James again weaves a mixture of mystery, murder and … an otherworldly element. Seriously, does anyone else literally get goosebumps reading St. James?! (If you've read it already you'll get this - I will never look at an open kitchen cupboard door the same again...)

Okay, so what's this latest about you ask? The lead character is Shea Collins, who works a mundane day job in an office. But, her true passion is blogging about true crime. Her site is The Book of Cold Cases. The 1977 case of the Lady Killer Murders in Shea's hometown of Claire Lake has show more never been solved. The lead suspect at that time still lives in Claire Lake in 2017. When Shea approaches Beth for an interview, she is surprised when she agrees. But something is off with Beth Greer - and her (creepy) house. But Shea can't help herself, she wants to know more...

Shea was a great lead character. She's suffered a childhood trauma that has affected her thoughts, actions and more. I was whole heartedly behind her. St. James fleshes out her personal life well. he supporting is a large part of that and they too were well drawn.

Oh my gosh. Creep factor of ten. That otherworldly feeling is insidious and will awaken your primal brain. The mystery of the murders is slowly unfolded through past and present chapters and the narrative changes from Shea to Beth. But the doubt is always there - what is the truth? Beth rarely gives Shea clear cut answers instead providing enigmatic clues or suggestions. The path to the final pages is winding and treacherous. And addicting!

St. James knows how to tell a story - hook the reader from the opening pages, keep the questions coming and the reader on the edge of their seat. Five stars for a fantastic read. show less

When you pick up a book from Simone St. James you know you’re in for at least a touch of the supernatural, but The Book of Cold Cases really amped up the haunted house story. With true crime podcasts (and shows) being so popular I can see a lot of people being drawn to The Book of Cold Cases, even if they are not familiar with St. James.

St. James slowly draws us in by alternating the story between Shea, who was almost abducted as a child and whose life has been put on hold from her fear of all the bad in the world and with Beth who was accused of killing two men many years ago and who is also very rich and still beautiful in her older years. Beth too has closed herself off from the world, spending most of her time in the mansion on show more the hill and not doing any interviews.

So when a fateful encounter puts Beth in Shea’s path and grants her an interview, the reader instantly wants to know what made Beth decide to finally talk after so many years.

After a bit, the story line starts to give us bits of the past along with the present. We learn more about Beth and see Shea growing and coming out of her shell. But with all the strangeness that takes place in the mansion, it’s hard for Shea to continue on her journey of growth when she’s continually wondering if she is having a nervous breakdown.

St. James really shines with her pacing. While some may find it too slow for a thriller, the reader has to keep in mind, while true crime normally reads more as a thriller, The Book of Cold Cases is more of a gothic ghost story, and those usually have a more sedate pass to help creep out the main character as well as the reader.

Another fantastic book by St. James and I am looking forward to what she brings us next. show less

I’m not usually a ghost book girl but by the time I got to those elements I was already too drawn into the book to quit and I do like a good thriller mystery! Ghosts kept me from 5 stars but the creepy thriller would make it a 5

Every small town with a history can boast two sides of the tracks with a narrow middle class no-man’s land buffering between the common folk and the old money. Clare Lakes, Oregon, is no exception. As we zero in on the town, we end our tour with the old mansion on the bluff, seemingly abandoned. But the discerning eye might spy a shadowy wisp of a girl in a second story window, or a small palm pressed against the windowpane. Nothing good has ever come out of this house and it has been the venue of at least two murders and one provoked drunken death.

Our story unfolds in this ritzy section of anywhere, small-town America. Shea Collins is a receptionist in a clinic by day and a writer by night in her popular blog, The Book of Cold Cases. show more As a victim of a drive by kidnapping as a child, she is the one who got away, and she later becomes obsessed with unsolved murders. Her blog is a place where people meet to discuss their experiences or advance their theories. I divert here by saying that this blog is not central to the plot and only appears in the book occasionally to explain that she knows how to write and to research.

Shea notes a patient in the waiting room who looks eerily familiar (I had to use the word eerie…this is a ghost story after-all). It turns out that the woman is the notorious Beth Greer, also known as the Lady Killer. Although she was never found guilty, the label stuck as she was the most convenient and only suspect in the murder of two men in two seemingly senseless road shootings, circa forty years ago. At the age of twenty-something, she was the poor little rich girl living in the mansion at the top of the hill…a wild girl of the seventies, known for late night drives, drinking, and drugs – but actually known to no one. As it turns out the gun used in the two shootings was used in the shooting of her father, years earlier. Her mother, died in a DUI accident several years later. Young Beth continued to live in the old mansion, haunted by the experiences of early adolescence and surrounded but the relics of her family including her father’s luxury cars which she uses to cruise around town.

Beth has decided to break her silence of forty years and share her experiences and “the truth” with Shea, so that the veil of the mystery can finally be lifted. As you might guess, this book is steeped in ghostly atmosphere, similar to St. James’ other books – with an unsuspecting witness to other worldly experiences, inexplicable running water, blood flowing through pipes, kitchen cabinets doors flying open and shut, whispering voices begging to be let in, strange recordings, disappearing messages, and, for good measure, objects that are disposed of but continuously return to their rightful place in the house.

There is a bit of light innocent romance between Shea and her go-to fella, who helps with her research and investigations. Other than the ghosts, Shea and Beth are the only characters fleshed out (OMG I'm truly sorry about that one). I found the plot more interesting than the characters. This was a fun 4.5 read! show less

Twenty-nine-year-old Shea Collins, resident of Claire Lake, Oregon, is a receptionist in a doctor's office by day and a true-crime blogger by night. With a traumatic experience in her childhood and a recent divorce behind her, she mostly keeps to herself, occasionally visiting her sister, but spends most of her evenings devoted her blog ”The Book of Cold Cases” where she researches unsolved cases.

In the course of her day job she meets Beth Greer, the prime suspect of the "Lady Killer" murders of 1977 in which two men were shot dead at point-blank range in separate incidents and one person identified Beth, who he witnessed leaving the scene of one of the murders, as the perpetrator. The case remains unsolved and even though Beth was show more acquitted she was still suspected to be guilty. Shea, intrigued by Beth’s past and in awe of Beth’s poise and gravitas, requests an interview for her blog to which Beth surprisingly agrees. As Shea is permitted to dig deep into Beth’s world, she passionately pursues the cold case interviewing not only Beth but also the police officer assigned to her case many years ago and other people who figured as a part of Beth’s life. Her research takes her into the history of Beth’s family which has its share of secrets and much tragedy in the past. Her visits to Beth’s home, the Greer family mansion, are also not without incident and Shea encounters more than she bargained for. As she gets closer to unraveling the events from 1977 and unmasking the killer, she becomes more aware of a mysterious presence surrounding Beth and the house – a force that makes its presence felt to her as well, often thwarting her efforts and threatening her in the process.

“Something about the Greer mansion stifled laughter and killed happiness. It might sound dramatic, but anyone who had lived there knew it was true."

Why did Beth, who refused to talk about herself for so long, agree to talk to Shea? What is the mystery surrounding the Greer family and its house which has been preserved like a “museum” with nothing changed from the 1970s? Will Shea be able to solve this murder case from so long ago and if so, at what cost?

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St.James is an intense and gripping read with a well-paced narrative with an atmospheric setting (with a paranormal element thrown into the mix), well-written characters and an absorbing plot. The narrative is shared between Shea and Beth, with Beth’s narrative split between her past and present. Though much of the mystery is revealed a little over the halfway mark, I did not lose interest and enjoyed how the remaining story played out. This is my first Simone St.James novel and I am duly impressed and do intend to read more of her work.

“There’s a moment where you have the power of life and death, and then you realize it doesn’t make you any different than you were before.” show less