Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James

74 reviews

harpoonholly's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Audiobook. Brittany Pressley, Kirsten Potter, and Robert Petkoff were perfect. I wish there could be some consensus on how to pronounce "rifling"; there's "riffle-ing" or, the correct and better sounding way, "rifle-ing".
 
This is the second St. James horror I've listened to, the first being Sundown Motel, which I also enjoyed, but The Book of Cold Cases is more satisfying at the most important times, though the horror/plot of Sundown Motel is more compelling (to me).

Also, I get it, Beth Greer is beautiful, I didn't need to be convinced with repeated assertions. She was hot in her 20s and she was hot in her 60s, noted.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Sexism, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual assault

The mentions of the attempted sexual assault of a child are not graphic and only referenced (despite the 1st-person POV, the reader still isn't made aware of even passing details), but the trauma related to it is brought up regularly.

ajay913's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Abandonment and Kidnapping

Minor: Rape and Sexual assault

amelia_horseman's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Toxic relationship, Grief, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Death of parent

Minor: Violence, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault

hexmex'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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism

Moderate: Drug use, Blood, and Murder

Minor: Rape, Death, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Drug use

aimyreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Rape and Sexual assault

ashgross01's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, and Sexual assault

jillie's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

4.25

Ooooh!! Loved this atmosphere & the way this story unfolded! Dark & eerie, this story pulled me in & stuck with me. I REALLY enjoyed the mystery & how even when I guessed pieces, I never got the whole picture on my own. Can’t wait to read more from this author! Check the content warnings.

Read if you like:
- dual timelines (done well)
- creepy atmosphere
- slight paranormal elements

November 2023

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Child death, Drug abuse, and Addiction

Minor: Sexual assault and Forced institutionalization

alkemistimole6's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault and Murder

teesreads's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I really enjoyed this book, and I didn't really see the end coming. I loved the paranormal elements and how eerie some parts of the story were. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Minor: Sexual assault

jjames_mal'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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This suspenseful novel follows our protagonist Shea as she recognizes a woman who was acquitted for murder many years ago, and this woman just happens to want to give Shea the chance to hear her side of the story.

Another spooky murder mystery about a murder that happened years ago. I don’t know why but these books seem to always follow a pattern, not that I’m complaining. I liked the characters and the mystery, with the only thing stopping me from giving it 5 stars being the true crime aspect that had just a smidge of the whole some people are just evil and cops are good rhetoric which I know this type of book did not have to deconstruct, but it still made me uncomfy. But overall I loved the creepy house and the ghosts that feel like a staple for St. James’s books.

I would recommend this to anyone who wants a little paranormal in their murder mystery, and I’ll be continuing to pick up anything Simone St. James writes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Addiction, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Gun violence

Moderate: Car accident and Cursing

Minor: Terminal illness, Suicide, Sexual assault, and Infertility