Book Club Monday: The Book of Cold Cases

Author: Simone St. James Title: The Book of Cold Cases Publisher: Berkley Date Published: 03/15/2022

Read Dates: 07/01/2026- 07/03/2026
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

This was my library book club pick for July.

The Book of Cold Cases is a dual POV, dual timeline mystery. In the present day, it follows Shea, a woman with a traumatic past who manages her life with strict routines and runs a true crime blog as a side project. When she has a chance encounter with Beth, a woman infamous in town for her acquittal of two unsolved murders in 1977, Beth approaches her for an interview. She is shocked when Beth agrees, and the story alternates between present day and the 1970s, discussing Beth's life and experiences up to and following the horrific murders that everyone believed she committed.

This was one of my suggestions for our book club, and I am glad that it got picked. I love Simone St. James's storytelling style. I enjoy the dual timelines and creepy elements that keep you guessing. I loved following Shea's journey to uncover Beth's secrets, and the glimpses into Beth's life in the 1970's. 

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?