Welcome to Litsy!

“It made no sense, but guilt doesn't have to. It simply exists, weighing you down and choking you until you can't breathe anymore.”

This chilling novel features a MC who is a true crime blogger specializing in cold cases.

#Author #CharacterCharm

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

I listened to the audiobook of this via Borrowbox, it was pretty good/interesting.

Read for a reading challenge

4/5

Tackle the TBR 🤓📚
What are you reading?
#boleybooks #thebookofcoldcases #simonestjames #bookbeast #bookbuds #bookclub #letsread

Today‘s reading. This one has been on my bookshelf forever!

29/100
Skittles😺&Simone📖
#simonestjames #ebook #goodreads #goodreadsreadingchallenge

#MarchReCap

I read a couple of physical books off my shelf, a kindle book, and a couple of Audibles I had :) All in all a good month :)

#OffTheShelf2025
@Librariana

I finished this one right before April :) I really enjoyed it. It has things i enjoy - ghosts, true crime :)

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shea writes a blog about cold murder cases and is particularly fascinated the the unsolved Lady Killer case which took place in her town in the 70s. The story follows Shea and the woman accused of the murders, Beth, starting in 2017 and how their lives become intertwined.

A bit too paranormal for me and took too long for me to get into, but fairly engrossing once it got going.

#litsycrafters look at the crochet blanket I made! 🌼

#12booksof2024 #January @Andrew65

This book was soooo good. I enjoyed reading it with #SundayBuddyRead a couple of years ago.

#HauntedShelf #BookRecommendation Team #HexesandCrows

Prompt: Paranormal

@Catsandbooks @TheBookHippie

First Kill-Pleted for #HauntedShelf #TeamdeadSerious

#Readathons #31by31 #Spookoween #Readaway24 #Readyourownbooks #halloweenatoz #Spookyreads #BedandaBlanket #FullMoons

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Happy to have finally returned to Simone St. James. This book blends together some of my favorites: true crime and ghosts…

Wonderful thriller and mystery wrapped in one!

#AboutABook

It‘s another scramble-y sort of day & when I saw these Simone St. James books on a Goodreads list of popular books #WithDualTimeFrame I decided to choose them as I really enjoyed both! 🩶😱🩶

A Gothic horror/thriller with dual timelines. In the present Shea Collins is stuck in a dead end life due to past trauma, but spends her leisure hours writing and managing her true crime blog. And one day she meets a famous (acquitted) suspect in some brutal local murders. St. James excels at creepy paranormal that seems like it could be real. I made the mistake of reading at night during a storm...Good Book, Bad Decision

This is my third book by this author, I gave the other two (Broken Girls and Murder Road) 5 stars. This one let me down. I thought this book was suuuuper dragged out. It could have been cut by a good 100 pages, and you still would have got the same story. I did like the story and the characters and the haunted house. But, I felt it was predictable. I felt like this trope had been done many times before. 3/5

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

Switching gears!! Up next 🖤

“It made no sense, but guilt doesn‘t have to. It simply exists, weighing you down and choking you until you can‘t breathe anymore.”

#WithRain

#ItTakesAllKinds

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#withrain #ittakesallkinds
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs
One of my favorite thriller authors. Immediate go-to on BOTM.

Ghostly ghouls and murder? Not to mention a mysterious heiress!

Unfortunately it was a bit draggy for me. Seemed to take me forever to finish this one! Lots of excitement but it gets a 🤷‍♀️ from me.

It's easily my favourite book of the month! #readingbracket2024

I really liked it. It was a bit of a mash of “true crime”/mystery plus horror/ghosts/supernatural going on in the book, but it‘s all stuff I like, so it was all good

First 5 🌟 read of the year!

#52bookclub24 #morethan40chapters @BarbaraBB @Kristy_K @LaraReads @KarenUK @Hooked_on_books @BarkingMadRead @brittanyreads @Magpiegem @BookBelle84 @Larkken @julesG @Deblovestoread @MidnightBookGirl @Librarybelle @triplem80 @Tove_Reads @Read4life @Bluebird @eeclayton @hissingpotatoes @Book_Lover95 @TheAromaofBooks @kwmg40 @Crazeedi @Graciouswarriorprincess @Kristel

Would also work for #similarplot - The 13th Tale ⬇️

#vehiclecvr #NewYearNewBooks
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

One of my favorite books of hers -although I've yet to read one I didn't like.

Thanks to these Litsy folks for today‘s prompt:

#NEWYEARNEWBOOKS
@Eggs
@AlwaysBeenALoverOfBooks
@LitsyEvents
#LitsyEvents

TODAY‘S PROMPT: CAR ON THE COVER

Mystery - Thriller - Paranormal

THE BOOK OF COLD CASES moved slowly along, but the tension and underlying suspense ramped up when we met Lily. And just who is Lily?

FULL REVIEW: https://tinyurl.com/rch2hehj

Difficult to choose just one book for #October for #12Booksof2023 but eventually went for The Book of Cold Cases, but took me 24 hours to decide on one! This is another excellent story from Simone St James which has a bit of a ghost element to it. This really was an excellent read, and possibly my favourite by her.

Notable almost mentions for Past Lying by Val McDermid, the new book in the excellent Karen Pirie series set during the Lockdown 👇

Trying this audiobook from the library. #BookishMonopoly Set in USA

“The Book of Cold Cases” revolves around Shea Collins, a true crime blogger who interviews Elizabeth “Beth” Greer, a woman who was accused of the Lady Killer murders in 1977 and acquitted. The novel is composed of two narrative threads that intertwine: Shea‘s story, which takes place in 2017, and Beth‘s story, which begins in 1960 and continues through to 2017. • 4 Stars

#Bookstagram #TheBookOfColdCases #SimoneStJames

Light against dark.

This is my aesthetic.

I loved this book. And after 3 books St. James is now definitely one I will make an auto read. I would say this is the one that kept me most gripped so far but she is the master of creepy suspense and I‘m always drawn in to her books. Highly recommended if you like to be a little scared but not terrified.

I‘m REALLY enjoying this book so far, it‘s a mix of mystery and supernatural that‘s just right for my tastes. Enjoying this pumpkin snuggle too 🥰

Read for #AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville
I like how this author describes the atmosphere of her stories. In this story, I didn‘t like much the main character Shea but I found Beth so interesting. I liked how the story starts with these suspenseful/mysterious events that occurred in the past and the connection with Beth. I think the ending was a little too “convenient” to resolve the situation. 3.5/3.7⭐️
The gifts in this subscription box were okay.

Simone St James never disappoints me. It had those perfect end of October creepy vibes. Who doesn‘t love a good ghost story?
#AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

I read some fun books last week!! I really enjoyed all of these. Up to No Gouda was my least favorite of the batch - it was okay, but maybe it is just my suspicious mind talking - I had trouble discerning who was supposed to be “ominous“ and who was supposed to be a good guy 😂 She would say things like, “I met his gaze and felt a little uncomfortable. He had been coming in for lunch every day“ except then it turns out she's uncomfortable ⬇

Much of this story takes place within the confines of a spooky mansion…

#Mansion

#AutumnPlease!

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

This was a re-read for #AutjorAMonth @Soubhiville, and if anything I enjoyed this book more than the first time around. Definitely 5 stars. A blogger investigates a murder who was found not guilty of murders many years ago and finds more than she bargained for. A must read.

2900 Word Search Points #Scarathlon

#Rushathon #BookSpinBingo #31by31 #Spookoween #Falling4Books #Serieslove2023 #LittenListen #ScrathlonAtoZ #31by31

#aam #authoramonth

This was…. fine. I enjoyed the crime aspect of it but the ghost element did nothing for me. (Was I supposed to be scared? Cos I wasn‘t)

It‘s still a soft pick and it kept my interest on audio whilst I was driving to and from work but I‘m not particularly inspired to read any more by this author.

My first read by St. James will not be my last. The premise of a possible murderer-victim telling her story to someone is not new by any means, but St. James captivates with her ability as a wicked wordsmith to create an increase in tension that keeps you flipping those pages. Add to the mixture a possible haunted house that overlooks a cliff to the icy Pacific Ocean, and you have an even more riveting read. Perfect for the month of October. ⬇️

This was fast paced and thrilling. I loved the mystery of this one.

Why did no one tell me this was a creepy, scary thriller!!!!!!
Are all Simone St James books this genre? #authoramonth

😱😳😧

Will need to stop reading before sunset and have a alternate happy, comedic book to read before bed or I‘ll have nightmares!

I am a fraidy cat and avoid these kind of books/movies. But I‘m too far into it…and hooked…so will try to finish. 😂

On the upside, I‘ll get the extra points for Scaralthon! #skeletoncrew

What a good book! I loved the spooky atmosphere and the ghostly vibe. Several scenes really rugged at my heart strings, but it wouldn‘t be gothic without some tragedy, amiright?

#TrueCrime really isn‘t my genre, but Ms. St. James certainly helped me see the appeal in this one! #BookBinge @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

I really enjoyed this book and the mystery of all that was happening kept me guessing. I was a little disappointed with the ending but only because I was hoping for a bigger aha! moment or a twist to shock me. But it is an all around good book.

Whoa

I know it might be odd that I‘m technically recommending a book that I rated a 3.5, but I honestly do believe this book would be well liked by most people. It only felt average to me and otherwise I had no complaints; it‘s an easy-breezy and enjoyable read overall 😄

Yet another book to soon check off my Book of the Month list! I read The Sun Down Motel by this same author and really liked it, so I‘m pretty stoked to dive into this one next!😁 I‘m finally getting back into my steady routine reading pace and I couldn‘t be happier 😌

6 of 2023. Love her books and this is no exception. I enjoyed this on audio. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First read from my new library!