source: purchased
rating:★★★★✩
from goodreads:
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?
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?
my review:
simone st. james, a genius. this is my first read from her and it won’t be my last. it took me a minute to actually get into the book but once i did i couldn’t put it down. i originally wanted to read this because the titled reeled me in, the book of cold cases? it had to be something sinister and murderous. the writing style was another two people point of view book (that i know i say i hate but it seems like that’s all i’ve been reading lately.) it was easy to follow because it was written from a third person point of view and not the typical back and forth.
everything was described so perfectly that i seen the story unfolding right in front of my eyes! the way part one ended had me scared to go to sleep. the paranormal activity in this book gave me the same vibes verity by colleen hoover did (this felt scarier) and i loved every second of it. i didn’t expect it to be paranormal but i guess when you’re dealing with a serial killer we should expect it. i liked that there was sort of a love story aspect that played a role, it was completely unexpected (love when talking about serial killers???), it gave the book a nice ending and it felt like it completed the story. the way part two started kind of confused me but as i kept reading, it made everything come together and the story finally made sense. the life of beth greer and how she became a suspected murderous rich manipulator, why she stayed in isolation and couldn’t break free from it, all the crazy things that lead up to the lady killer.
i never would have expected sheas’ life to change as much as it had throughout the course of the book but i feel like she got what she deserved, excluding the crazy stuff that happened because of lily!! her and beth’s relationship, or situationship, gave shea the opportunity to have the life she truly wanted and deserved and it made me happy for her. i loved how shea knew what she liked to do and pursued digging into the case and not giving up no matter what people said about her.
the plot twist in the book threw me for a whirlwind, i didn’t know what to expect from the lady killer case but what was true definitely was not what i expected. i had my assumptions but was completely wrong. this book was good all the way through, part one was probably my favorite but part two brought everything together. i was happy with the way this book ended, it did not feel unfinished and the ending wasn’t rushed. everything was pieced together perfectly. this was definitely worth the read!
favorite quotes:
“But I’ve always believed that murder is the healthiest obsession of all.”
“Shame is corrosive and draining, and it never lets go.”