A review by alyssalee2022
The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James

dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I could NOT put this book down. Started this before bed one night, read all the way through the next day until I fell asleep reading (only had to stop some during the day while visiting family), and only had to finish about 30 pages in the morning before work.

The atmosphere sucks you right in, and makes you almost a bit paranoid. I was curious with the mystery all the way through, and was constantly updating my theories as new information came through. That's exactly what I always want to do with a thriller, so it kept me on my toes. Honestly, the whole thing was kind of demented, which I like. I also thoroughly enjoyed an investigation through the eyes of a hobbyist crime writer, rather than the grizzled detective trope character we see all too often. It refreshed the story quite a bit.

My only concern is that there was absolutely no reason for romance to be added into this novel. I'm a sucker for romance as much as the next person, and it can spice up any novel from any genre, but it did nothing for the plot here and was just kind of tacked on. 
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