The Book of Cold Cases

The Book of Cold Cases

By Simone St. James

This is my third book in the last twelve months that I have read written by Simone St. James.  I suppose it is safe to say that I enjoy her work, much like Lucy Foley.  Simone St. James has a knack for mixing ghosts with a tantalizing murder mystery.  Her characters are troubled and trying to find a purpose in a world that has not been kind to them, and the Book of Cold Cases fits right into the niche Simone has created for herself. 

Each book I have read of hers has its own uniqueness to it, while staying consistent with the melding of the past and present, really telling two separate stories into one cohesive novel, perfectly rounding out the story in the end.  It appeals to those of us who like to spend our time watching true crime documentaries and Ghost Adventures (or is that just me…).  The point being it is its own little genre that can appeal to which ever category you are in the mood for, or if you’re a weirdo like me and like to smush the two together.  I love a good fashioned ghost story with a compelling mystery to put a soul at rest, or does it?  Well, it never does, let’s be honest, but it still puts you on the edge of your seat every time. 

But that is not all.  What you really get in this book is a not-so-subtle view at women’s issues in society and those related to gender roles, especially those in the mid-2oth century.  A woman being forced into making decisions over a situation she never asked for in the first place, and then spends the rest of her life feeling shame, guilt, and I can imagine some loss there.  You will have to read the book to know what I am talking about, but considering what is going on today, it has good timing to get a glimpse at what it is like to be forced to make decisions and the everlasting aftermath.  Of course, most women’s stories did not turn out to be like this one, but that does not mean the emotions are not the same.

So, time to dive in and crack open the Book of Cold Cases.