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ellemnope 's review for:

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James
4.0
mysterious medium-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: Yes

4.5 stars.

A fun, light thriller with St. James's great writing. Though not as good as her previous novel, The Sun Down Motel, I really enjoyed this read. The creep factor is low, but there is a touch of paranormal. The atmospheric writing is excellent and I enjoyed Shea's character. Beth Greer's character gave me a touch of Evelyn Hugo feels.

There was some convenience factor to the plot, but I liked the setup. I would have liked more inclusion of the podcast element, but I appreciated Shea's curious nature and the way she approached her interviewing of Beth Greer.

The Book of Cold Cases was a very quick read. I loved the inclusion of the creepy manor house and the resulting Gothic feel to the novel. The addition of Winston Purrchill (a gray tabby) was a cute touch and I enjoyed his presence in the novel. The dual timeline with two semi-unreliable narrators was well done and the shifts were fairly seamless. This isn't a gripping thriller, but more of a paranormal mystery and I really enjoyed my time with it.