“The Book of Cold Cases” by Simone St. James

Title: The Book of Cold Cases
Author: Simone St. James
Publisher:  Berkley
Year: 2022
Genre(s):  mystery, suspense, paranormal
Part of a Series: No

Rating: 

Why I read it: Once Upon a Book Club pick

Summary: By day, Shea Collins is a receptionist at a doctor’s office. By night, she is a popular blogger who runs a site called The Book of Cold Cases. She writes about true crime, her way of coping with being a player in one as a child. Her two worlds collide when she meets Beth Greer, the last member of a prominent family in their Oregon town. Back in 1977, Beth was accused of being the Lady Killer – the murderer of two men who left behind taunting notes. Though she was ultimately acquitted at trial, suspicion has followed her since then. She decides to tell her story to Shea, who realizes that there is more to the story than anyone has known. Will she be able to tell the truth – or will some force make sure the truth remains a secret?

Review: This was certainly a spooky read! But it was an intriguingly spooky one.

I was excited to read this book because of the author. The first book I ever read with Once Upon a Book Club was also by Simone St. James and I enjoyed that one so I figured I would enjoy this one as well. And I certainly was right!

The story is told from two perspectives – Shea’s and Beth’s. We get to see what happened in 1977 while Shea tries to figure it out in 2017. But in both years, St. James deftly creates a creepy atmosphere that hints that there is more going on then meets the eye. It certainly intrigued me – was Beth the Lady Killer? What was happening in her house? And how did it affect all the tragedy that seemed to befall Beth’s family?

Shea also has to come to terms with her own history, including her personal brush with true crime. It has left her with some fears and, along with her recent divorce, caused her to retreat from the world. But Beth’s own isolation and story gives Shea the strength and courage to take the steps she needs to change her own life.

There is some romance in the book but it’s not really a focal point of the book, so I didn’t include it as a genre. But I enjoyed the relationship between Shea and her private investigator Michael. What we got was great and I think worked well with the story.

St. James continues to be a master of using scenery and description. Like the first book of hers I read, she made Beth’s mansion its own character. All the descriptions of it and its surroundings added to the eeriness of Beth’s life and story. Everything was woven well together to create an amazing story.

Bottom line: A haunting mystery that grips you to the end.

Sex: Some mentions but nothing graphic

Moonlight Musing

What’s the one story that haunts your town?