Catching up on some reviews for the month!
Thanks to Berkley Pub for the free copies in exchange for our honest reviews
THE BOOK OF COLD CASES – Simone St. James (Released March 15th, 2022)
You can see our thoughts on her other book, THE SUN DOWN MOTEL, here!
Book Description:
In 1977, Claire Lake, Oregon, was shaken by the Lady Killer Murders: Two men, seemingly randomly, were murdered with the same gun, with strange notes left behind. Beth Greer was the perfect suspect–a rich, eccentric twenty-three-year-old woman, seen fleeing one of the crimes. But she was acquitted, and she retreated to the isolation of her mansion.
Oregon, 2017. Shea Collins is a receptionist, but by night, she runs a true crime website, the Book of Cold Cases–a passion fueled by the attempted abduction she escaped as a child. When she meets Beth by chance, Shea asks her for an interview. To Shea’s surprise, Beth says yes.
They meet regularly at Beth’s mansion, though Shea is never comfortable there. Items move when she’s not looking, and she could swear she’s seen a girl outside the window. The allure of learning the truth about the case from the smart, charming Beth is too much to resist, but even as they grow closer, Shea senses something isn’t right. Is she making friends with a manipulative murderer, or are there other dangers lurking in the darkness of the Greer house?
A true crime blogger gets more than she bargained for while interviewing the woman acquitted of two cold case slayings in this chilling new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Sun Down Motel.
Chandra’s Thoughts: 4/5 stars
Hello! Good morning! If you love atmospheric, suspenseful, eerie reads, you simply must pick up any of Simone’s books. Every time I read something by this author, I think that I’m going to hear whispering rather than a dial tone every time I pick up a phone. That maybe it wasn’t I who turned on that faucet. That those aren’t branches knock, knocking on my window. Oh no, she dives deeper than that and there’s no where you can go to escape the goosies that pop up all over your body.
If you’re fascinated with true crime like I am, then this book will hit a lot of notes for you! Shea, “Girl A”, was a victim at a very young age. As an adult, she became obsessed with true crime and started her own blog called “The Book of Cold Cases” – all unsolved crimes – one of which turns up unexpectedly for her in the case of Beth Greer. Greer grants Shea the chance to interview her and well… sometimes you really do have to be careful what you wished for.
Two parts to this story. Two women with sordid pasts. What’s the truth and what will remain cold? Y’all are gonna have to read this to find out. Simone comes at us readers hard again with the supernatural elements that really do get under your skin. I did feel that it slowed down a bit towards the middle, as most suspenseful novels tend to do… but then we are rewarded at the end. Definitely one to add to your TBR. Another fave author of mine.
My Thoughts: 4/5 stars
Another incredible book from St. James! THE BOOK OF COLD CASES is the perfect combination of true crime and eerie suspense plus the supernatural elements I loved from her previous book! A true crime junkie, a woman acquitted of murder, and a spooky old mansion are what wait for you inside this quick read.
Shea is a bored receptionist by day and a passionate true crime blogger by night. Her main focus being on cold cases and trying to do as much research as she can to try and solve them. While at her day job, she crosses paths with Beth Greer, a woman that she recognizes but can’t quite place, until it clicks. Beth Greer was acquitted of two murders back in the 1970s and then retreated into her mansion, but the two murders remained unsolved. Shea gets the opportunity of a lifetime and gets to interview Beth for her blog at Greer mansion. A spooky and eerie old house that Shea never truly feels at ease in. Is Shea getting in over her head?
I loved this book and the creepy and unsettling atmosphere that St. James creates for the readers that just sucks you in. Despite there being a small lull in the middle this book still went by really fast. I will continue to pick up whatever Simone releases in the future. A definite win for me!
Jessicamap Reviews 
I just finished this book and I agree wholeheartedly that there was a lull in the middle of the book. I did love the eerie themes of the supernatural though, how it had me nervous. Every time Shea was in the Greer house I felt this heaviness in my chest. It really gave off the true feeling of something ominous lurking nearby.
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Sounds like an interesting read. Will have to put it on my TBR
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