Forty years ago, two murders rocked the small town of Claire Lake, Oregon. Similarities between the double killings proved the same person was responsibile for both. Although she was later acquitted, 23-year-old Beth Greer was accused of the crimes. Wealthy and eccentric, she was convicted in the court of public opinion, prompting her to retreat from society. Still haunted by the whole experience, Beth is finally ready to talk about the murders, which have never been solved.

Shea Collins is shocked when the infamous Beth Greer, who has stayed out of the spotlight for four decades, agrees to be interviewed for her true crime podcast. As she makes regular visits to the elderly woman in her home, Shea becomes mesmerized by Beth and freaked out by the strange things that happen in her house. Suspecting the place is just as haunted as its owner, she finds that—despite her reservations—she can't stay away. The more she learns, however, the more unsettled Shea becomes. Is she being lured in by a clever, manipulative murderer? Or is something even more sinister going on here?

I can always count on Simone St. James to spin me a shivery, suspenseful yarn. Her newest, The Book of Cold Cases (available March 15) is certainly that. It's atmsopheric, it's creepy, and it's engrossing. The characters are likable; I definitely cared about what was going to happen to them. Although this novel kept me turning pages, it's true I was a tad underwhelmed by it. I kept waiting for a big twist or at least some wild plot turns to shock and surprise me and that didn't really ever happen. In spite of this, I still enjoyed The Book of Cold Cases. I just wanted more from it.

(Readalikes: Reminds me of other Gothic/supernatural thrillers by Simone St. James as well as those by Carol Goodman, Riley Sager, and Emily Carpenter)

To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of The Book of Cold Cases from the generous folks at Penguin via those at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Note:  While this review will not contain spoilers for Good Girl, Bad Blood, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from its predecessor, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder.  As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.  

After all the chaos created by her last foray into amateur detecting, 18-year-old Pippa Fitz-Amobi is done with both sleuthing and podcasting.  She doesn't need the drama or the danger.  Instead, she's concentrating on hanging out with her sweet boyfriend, Ravi Singh, and getting ready to move on to college at Columbia.  Then, a man goes missing after a community memorial honoring the sixth anniversary of the deaths of Sal Singh and Andie Bell.  Although Jamie Reynolds is 24 and known for taking off unexpectedly, his little brother, Pip's good friend, is worried about him.  When Connor asks Pip for help finding him, she really can't say no.  Especially since the police aren't taking the disappearance seriously.  Once more, Pip is on the hunt and on the air.

Pip's investigation soon takes a dark turn, putting her in harm's way once again.  What happened to Jamie Reynolds?  Can Pip solve the mystery?

I enjoyed A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson, so I was all in for a second book.  Like its predecessor, Good Girl, Bad Blood uses transcripts of Pip's podcasts and interviews as well as her case notes to flesh out the story of her search for Jamie Reynolds.  What emerges is a tense, engrossing thriller that kept me glued to the page.  In addition to a compelling mystery, the novel offers a cast of warm, likable characters; an engaging, upbeat vibe (despite its grim subject matter); and a heroine who's fun and root-worthy in her earnest adorkable-ness.  Sure, the idea of everyone being willing to spill their deepest, darkest secrets to a teenage sleuth is a bit far-fetched, but still...I enjoyed this absorbing yarn that kept me reading and guessing throughout.  Not surprisingly, I'm very much looking forward to As Good As Dead (available August 5, 2021).  I definitely want to know what's going to happen next to the always-appealing, ever-intrepid Pippa Fitz-Amobi!

(Readalikes:  A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson as well as other YA mysteries, including those by Karen M. McManus and Ashley Elston)

When you want to be an investigative reporter and a murder happens practically in your own backyard, looking into the crime is pretty much a no-brainer.  That's what 17-year-old Pippa Fitz-Amobi thinks anyway.  She needs a kick-butt subject for her senior school project, so she decides to dig into the mystery that has haunted her town for the last five years.  It's not that she expects to solve the case, it's just that she doesn't quite believe the police's conclusions.  If she can cast enough doubt on them, maybe the authorities will reopen the case and search harder for the truth that Pippa knows is out there. 

Pretty and popular, Andie Bell was the same age as Pippa when she disappeared five years ago.  Although her body has never been found, Andie's boyfriend, 18-year-old Sal Singh, became the number one suspect in her supposed murder.  His suicide soon after proved his guilt.  Case closed.  The thing is, Pippa knew Sal and she would swear on her life that he was a good guy, incapable of harming anyone.  His younger brother, Ravi, agrees.  The duo is determined to prove Sal's innocence. 

It soon becomes apparent that someone is not happy with two kids sticking their noses where they don't belong.  And that someone will do anything to keep Pippa and Ravi from looking too closely at Andie's disappearance.  Who is that desperate?  And why?  What really happened to Andie Bell?  Can two high schoolers solve the baffling case or will they be the next to vanish under suspicious circumstances?

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, a debut YA novel by Holly Jackson, received all kinds of excited buzz when it came out earlier this year.  Well deserved?  I think so, although not every reviewer agrees with me (naturally).  For me, it was a well-written, engaging, and thoroughly enjoyable read.  While the novel isn't edge-of-your-seat exciting, it moved along at a steady enough pace for me, even surprising me with a few twists I didn't see coming.  Pippa's a fun heroine who's nerdy-cool as well as loyal and determined.  I dug her and Ravi, individually and as a team.  Characters I like + an intriguing plot + skilled writing = a winning combination in my book.  A Good Girl's Guide to Murder was an enjoyable romp for me and I'm excited for its sequel—Good Girl, Bad Blood—which comes out in March 2021. 

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of other YA murder mysteries, including One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus and This is Our Story by Ashley Elston) 

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find