Scan barcode
mondovertigo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Death of parent, and Mental illness
Moderate: Sexual violence, Medical trauma, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Violence, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Misogyny, Gun violence, Grief, Alcoholism, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, and Pedophilia
Minor: Pregnancy and Infertility
katrinasherise's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Terminal illness, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Domestic abuse, and Murder
Moderate: Car accident, Child death, Abandonment, Blood, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, and Rape
Minor: Infertility, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
albon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Kidnapping, Murder, Gun violence, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Pedophilia, Car accident, Alcoholism, and Alcohol
Minor: Terminal illness and Infertility
shadowbearreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Murder, Death, Gun violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Terminal illness, Suicide, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Car accident, Toxic relationship, Rape, Medical content, Blood, and Infertility
savvyrosereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Shea Collins is a receptionist by day and a true crime blogger by night, her passion for crime stories fueled by her own experience surviving an attempted abduction as a child. When she convinces infamous suspected (but acquitted!) serial killer Beth Greer to sit down for an interview about the unsolved “Lady Killer” murders, Shea is unwittingly pulled into a web of murderous secrets and ghosts that won’t stay buried (literally!)
Simone St. James’s The Sun Down Motel is one of my all-time favorite books, so needless to say The Book of Cold Cases was one of my most-anticipated reads of 2022. It’s almost impossible for a book to live up to expectations as high as mine were, but this novel came *very* close. The spooky paranormal vibes were impeccable, and I loved the characters so much—Shea was endearing, Beth was intriguing, Michael was a gem, and Winston Purrchill the cat was, of course, a stand-out favorite. I did wish for a few more twists from the plot, which reveals its secrets fairly quickly (around the halfway point), but I am also someone who likes a lot of closure in a book and this one definitely delivered in that regard.
In short, The Book of Cold Cases definitely didn’t replace Sun Down Motel in my heart, but I also won’t stop thinking about it any time soon!
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: true crime vibes; paranormal spookiness; layered and lovable characters.
CW: Death (including death of a parent); murder (including mentions of child abduction/murder); alcoholism; mentions of rape/sexual assault; mentions of infertility/miscarriage/pregnancy.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Toxic relationship, Death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Misogyny and Violence
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Car accident, Infertility, Pregnancy, Rape, Child death, and Injury/Injury detail
paisleypetty's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Child abuse, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Blood, Cursing, Pedophilia, Violence, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Confinement, Child death, Suicide, Kidnapping, and Car accident
Minor: Classism, Miscarriage, Medical content, Infertility, and Pregnancy