The Book of Cold Cases

Set in 2017, this chilling paranormal thriller from bestseller St. James (The Sun Down Motel) stars 29-year-old Shea Collins, a medical receptionist in Claire Lake, Ore., by day, who by night runs the Book of Cold Cases, a blog devoted to unsolved true crimes. One morning at work, Shea recognizes one of the patients as Beth Greer, an elusive, affluent woman who was a suspect in the Lady Killer murders in 1977. Two Claire Lake men were shot in cold blood, and though a witness saw Beth fleeing the scene, she insisted she was innocent and was acquitted at trial. Since the crimes are still unsolved, Shea gets Beth’s permission to interview her. They often meet at Beth’s mansion, where Beth reveals her side of the story through vivid flashbacks involving her troubled adolescence and adulthood. Meanwhile, Shea becomes increasingly uneasy in the house and suspects it may be haunted. St. James keeps the suspense high, though some readers will wonder why she reveals a major plot twist in the middle of the book. Horror fans will want to check this out. Agent: Pamela Hopkins, Hopkins Literary Assoc. (Mar.)