Book of Cold Cases, The

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I loved the pacing and intriguing execution of the story hooks up with interesting pieces of puzzle

In 1977, the people of Claire Lake, Oregon, feared for their safety when 2 family men were murdered by the same gun and notes were left on them steering towards a lady killer. The wealthy Beth, 23 years old at the time, was tried and acquitted and remains at her mansion isolating herself from the community. Many of my GR friends enjoyed the book, so I will put this down to the author and I simply not being a good fit. The story unfolds in TWO parts, about equal in length. I would have preferred to have been kept in SUSPENSE a bit longer because once we reach the second half the pace slowed a bit for me, as we learn much of what actually happened in the PAST, before Shea does. Once she catches up, the pace ramps up again, and it circles around to a satisfying conclusion.On the lawn, something moved across the surface of the grass. The touch of a footprint. Inside the house, one of the cupboard doors opened in the dark kitchen, groaning softly into the silence.

Beth Greer is famous in the small town of Claire Lake, Oregon. In 1977, she was charged as the woman behind the Lady Killer Murders. Whether or not she was the first and only female serial killer to hunt the grounds of Claire Lake, she was acquitted...and spent the next 40 years isolated in her mansion. 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 favorite character is Shea's adorable adopted cat, Winston Purrchill, who is a green-eyed-gray-tabby-purring-machine! The comfort he gives to Shea during her dogged search for answers in this cold case is a great addition to the story. I want more of this kitty and kudos to the author for this soft touch! Well done! The second half of the novel lost intensity causing my connection to fizzle. The story remained enjoyable but not as gripping or edgy as the beginning half. By the last 20%, the atmosphere and tension lost its grip on me and the conclusion felt rushed and unbelievable. Sherry Haines– the girl killed by Anders when Shea got away. Shea was known as Girl A, both to protect her identity, and I think also because she was the first intended victim.

Shea meets Beth and to her surprise, Beth agrees to an interview. Is Beth a cold killer who got away with it or is the true killer still at large? The story alternates between the past and the present as the story unfolds. I enjoyed both timelines. Learning more about Beth and her life made me feel very sorry for her. She got dealt a bad hand, that's for sure! In 1977, two men, seemingly random, were murdered by the same gun-a note left behind indicating that the killer was a lady. Could Claire Lake, Oregon, have a serial killer on its hands? And, a female one, at that? It is 2017 and Shea Collins is a 20 something year old woman who escaped tragedy as a young child. She was able to flee from her abductor and was rescued. She has forever been haunted by that experience.