The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James

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.

Hardcover, 352 pages

Published March 15, 2022 

by Berkley

5/5 stars

Simone St James turned into an auto read for with The Broken Girls, it’s a book that I still recommend when given the chance.

The Book of Cold Cases is divided between 1977 and 2017 that centres around the Greer house, a double murder dubbed the Lady Killer Murders and Shea Collins’ past.

The Greer House = “An awful thing that was tolerated because it was made with money and pretended to have class“

I loved reading this book. Yes there are things that go bump in the night as is true St James fashion. This book flows nicely between the past and present with ease. While I liked Shea, Beth kinda gave me the creeps - her mysterious vibes floated off the pages.

The Book of Cold Cases had the paranormal aspects I enjoyed, it was the perfect length and ended at the right time. The conclusion worked on a number of levels. Now the story itself was addicting, mysterious and suspenseful. The central focus was the house, tragic events and a past that came full circle. It kept me guessing and had a nice blend of ghosty vibes with healing and growth.

And while The Broken Girls remains my favourite Simone St. James book, this book follows closely behind. It released just last week and available for purchase in all formats.

This book was part of my 2022 Readingnoff my shelf challenge (#18)