🌟 🌟 BOOK REVIEW🌟 🌟 💫 Simone St. James' The Book of Cold Cases was one of the most awaited reads of 2022 in my TBR. The author is in fine form as the book kicks off setting up the eerie Greer mansion, housing the equally mysterious Beth Greer- a serial murder suspect of the 70s. The book picks up when true crime/cold case blogger Shea Collins has a chance encounter with Beth Greer in 2017 and surprisingly gets an opportunity to interview the self-reclusive Beth. The ensuing interactions at the mansion with supernatural incidents leave more questions than Shea had hoped for. Whether Shea uncovers the truth of the lady serial killer, can she uncover the reasons behind the mysteries of the mansion and are the unnatural deaths of Beth's parents related to any of this form the plot of the author's latest offering. Positives first- the 1st half. This was some of the spookiest set-ups I have encountered since possibly The Shining and The Mexican Gothic. The audiobook narrators, Brittany Pressley as Shea (especially during the first encounter with the supernatural) and Kirsten Potter as the mysterious, no-nonsense Beth are a knockout. Unfortunately, as a whole, The Book of Cold Cases honestly left me with mixed feelings. Especially since the 1st half of the book is an absolute cracker. The gothic atmosphere set up around the Greer mansion heightens the tension but unfortunately, the unravelling left me a bit underwhelmed. **Spoilers ahead** The back and forth between the 70s and present-day are fine until the introduction of Lily which is where the story does a complete 180. The court encounters though engaging, felt unnecessary since as readers you already know that Beth has been acquitted all those years ago. The final encounter between Lily and Shea was a bit confusing too as there wasn't a mystery surrounding the deaths by that point. Overall, it would be a 3.5-4 and I would still recommend it for fans of horror for the first 150 odd pages which have enough to leave you with jump scares you go in expecting. #bookreview #bookrecommendations #bookstagram #thebookofcoldcases #simonestjames #gothic #horrorbookstagram #mystery #booklovers #libbyapp #audiobook https://www.instagram.com/p/CeP7b0AAUwR/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
