I’m a huge Simone St. James fan. I really enjoy her mixture of mystery with the references to paranormal.

40 years ago Beth Greer was tired and acquitted of the Lady Killer Murders. Even though she was acquitted,

Shea Collins is the true crime writer behind the blog The Book of Cold Cases, which dives deep into unsolved murders. While the blog might be her side gig, it borders on an obsession. When Beth Greer, the only suspect in a double murder case from 40 years ago crosses paths with Shea, Shea can’t resist attempting to get an interview for her blog. Beth agrees to be interviewed at the Greer Mansion, but as Beth’s story is unfolding Shea is sure there is more to the story. Will old secrets be revealed?

St. James, as always does a fabulous job of creating an atmospheric and gripping thriller. There is just enough eeriness to really add a good ‘spooky’ factor to the story while also adding to the allure of the story. The Book of Cold Cases is a solid story, but (and maybe it’s just because my expectation for St. James are high) it didn’t fully deliver for me. My biggest compliant is with the pacing of the story. There were one too many ‘slow’ sections of the story including the ending dragged on for me. Because I found myself wondering how many more pages were left in the story, I can only give this book 3.5★ (rounded up to 4).

Simone St. James’ newest novel is an entertaining read but is by far not my favorite from the author. Recommend for anyone looking for paranormal vibes and can’t wait to see what else James puts out.

AMAZON | GOODREADS | ★★★★

The Book of Cold Cases comes out March 15, 2022! Huge thank you to Berkley for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.  If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof_books.