Book: The Book of Cold Cases
Author: Simone St.James
Pages: 352
Publisher: Berkeley Press
Read On: Kindle
How Long it Took Me To Read: One day (I could not/ would not put it down)
Plot Summary: 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?
Things I Liked:
1. This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I was counting down days to when I could finally read another of the author's spooky and atmospheric reads. I am happy to report that my anticipation and excitement was not dashed. This book is a trip from start to finish. I started reading it at 11:30 AM and finished it late at night, around 1:00 AM, with breaks to eat, cook and be. But other than that I was hooked and would not put it down. This book pulls you in, creeps you out and keeps you guessing. A fun read perfect to binge read this weekend.
2. If you are a true crime nut (I mean this all the love in my heart) like me, you will enjoy this book and it's main protagonist-Shea. She is like us. She spends her evenings reading and writing about true crimes, about cold cases and her zeal and determination is something I can appreciate and understand. It's always nice reading about someone like you, and seeing someone like you represented in a book or film. So this little aspect really worked for me.
3. The heart of this book is the two women- Shea in 2017 and Beth of 1977 and now.
Shea- is someone who has been through something traumatic in her childhood, something that has left it's mark. Something that has shaped who she is now. She is over cautious, hyper vigilant and finds solace in murders and killers and is someone who will like and root for from the get go. I really liked Shea and wanted her to get past her trauma, work through her issues and come out better. Shea is well-written and comes across as a real person from the first time we meet her.
Beth- she was something else. Is she a cold-blooded serial killer who got away with it? Is she now just gloating over her triumph? Or is there something else going on with her and her infamous house? Beth is an enigma and is written so well. She is cold, rich, mysterious and demanding. But she also lost and alone and so lonely and petrified. By the end of the book you see her in a new light (not giving spoilers) and in so many ways her life and her story will break your heart. I wish I could somehow go into the book and go back in time and fix Beth's life.
Both these women and their arcs and the chapters that oscillate between them, held my attention and had me equally invested and interested.
4. The house, the Greer house is a character in itself and the things that happen there are seriously creepy and spooky. I am glad I read most of this book during the day because reading about this horrible house at night would scare the pants off of me!
5. The whole aura and buzz and hype around the Lady Killer Case and how the media and the police and even the general public treated Beth and how she was over sexualized and demonized for just being a confident woman was spot on. The ire and the wrath she was subjected to was entirely believable and something we see happen far too often.
6. This is a horror novel. You might think it's a thriller, and in a small way it possibly is a thriller, I mean there is a murder or two (or more) here but mostly this is a ghost story. There is a haunting. A haunted house and a haunted woman. If you love horror, you are in for a treat. If you don't, you could still walk in and find something to love. There are scares and a feeling of unease but it does't take away from the enjoyment from the book. You won't be too scared I promise.
7. I love that you start getting answers to some big questions in the middle of the book, the author doesn't keep you hanging and waiting till the very end. I really appreciate this.
8. I also like the men in the this book, the sort-of-but-not-quite love interests. Both the men are nicely written.
9. Messy families, sad families and dysfunctional families..while very sad all around..make for some interesting reading and Beth's family is a landmine! Messed up and tragic but it gives you so much to think about and mull over.
10. This book is so atmospheric, every intense and you feel every creepy thing that happens and this book does a slow creepy vibe very well. I thoroughly enjoyed the spooks and the whole time I kept thinking 'this would make such a nice web-series'.
Things I Didn't Like:
Seriously, I did really like this book and enjoyed pretty much all of it. A fun ride.
But I did find myself at the 70% mark hoping things would speed up a bit.
And in the end, I did have some issues with some of the decisions made by Beth...actually a lot of what she did back in 1977/78 was frankly quite stupid and the fact that she had to live with the consequences, the very frightening consequences of said actions for so long..I don't know kind of rubbed me the wrong way.
Rating: 4/5
I highly recommend.
Get it and read it.
Also pick up the author's previous book, The Sun Down Motel which is also very enjoyable.
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