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allisonbernhart's review against another edition
4.0
The Book of Cold Cases was a definitely a quick but enjoyable read. It was a little spooky, flowed well between Beth and Sheas POVs & timelines and kept me intrigued where I didn’t want put it down. Finished in just a couple of days. Excited to read more from Simone St James but may wait until the fall. I feel like her books would be great to read around Halloween.
tfaison3's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
2.0
Unexpected horror elements. Also the author repeated that Beth is sexy. Anytime Beth was described some reference to her sex appeal is mentioned. The characters did not feel very flushed out. Finished out of stubbornness vs enjoyment
jaimel's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
jhutch1324's review against another edition
4.0
This one is a 4.5 ⭐ rounded down, only because I feel like this book could have been longer or had more to the story.
St. James has now caught my attention and I will be purchasing more of their works for sure. This one was deliciously creepy but not quite the twisty thriller I typically love. I would consider this more of a mystery novel with ghosts which I also enjoy so win win.
Shea is a true crime writer. She runs a website (not her day job) that it appears to be a kind of blog, or a forum where people can go to discuss these true crime cases. Shea is also a central figure in a true crime case, something unspeakable happened to her when she was younger, and it appears to have molded her present day personality a lot. One day at her (day) job Shea meets another true crime famous person who lives in her town and this begins a series of interviews and more with Beth Greer, the woman who was acquitted in the infamous Lady Killer Murders. We are led through these interviews and meetings between Beth and Shea in Beth's mansion which is most definitely haunted. Shea is treated to some frightening moments during the interviews which at times doesn't quite tie into the story as well as everything else. I like the inclusion of the paranormal but it could have been tied in a little better. Anyways, we follow Shea while she tries to both corroborate Beth's story while also solving this old mystery.
As I mentioned before this is definitely more of a twisty mystery than a thriller, (even though there are aspects of a thriller involved like danger to the narrator etc). The author's writing kept me engaged and wanting to read to the end without stopping; when I feel like a kid again and it's "just one more chapter" I consider that a pretty good book. Like I said from the get-go, this author has caught my attention, I'm a big fan of her work and I will definitely be buying more of her novels.
St. James has now caught my attention and I will be purchasing more of their works for sure. This one was deliciously creepy but not quite the twisty thriller I typically love. I would consider this more of a mystery novel with ghosts which I also enjoy so win win.
Shea is a true crime writer. She runs a website (not her day job) that it appears to be a kind of blog, or a forum where people can go to discuss these true crime cases. Shea is also a central figure in a true crime case, something unspeakable happened to her when she was younger, and it appears to have molded her present day personality a lot. One day at her (day) job Shea meets another true crime famous person who lives in her town and this begins a series of interviews and more with Beth Greer, the woman who was acquitted in the infamous Lady Killer Murders. We are led through these interviews and meetings between Beth and Shea in Beth's mansion which is most definitely haunted. Shea is treated to some frightening moments during the interviews which at times doesn't quite tie into the story as well as everything else. I like the inclusion of the paranormal but it could have been tied in a little better. Anyways, we follow Shea while she tries to both corroborate Beth's story while also solving this old mystery.
As I mentioned before this is definitely more of a twisty mystery than a thriller, (even though there are aspects of a thriller involved like danger to the narrator etc). The author's writing kept me engaged and wanting to read to the end without stopping; when I feel like a kid again and it's "just one more chapter" I consider that a pretty good book. Like I said from the get-go, this author has caught my attention, I'm a big fan of her work and I will definitely be buying more of her novels.
kryptidnerd's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
nickiep's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
slgafford's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
3.0
Not your typical mystery book
vvhiplash's review against another edition
3.0
Nope. Another bomb like this one and I’ll drop off the bandwagon for sure. Sun down Motel was her best work imo.
thepaperbackplanner's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
This book looked so intriguing on the BOTM list that I used a leftover credit to get it as a bonus pick. I wish it had lived up to my expectations. It seemed like it would have everything — murder mystery from the past, intrepid heroine trying to Nancy Drew the whole situation, also maybe ghosts?! — but for some reason, it all fell a little flat for me. Maybe it’s a pacing thing? This was really fast compared to the recent mystery books I had read, so maybe I just missed having more time to chew on the mysteries before they were solved.