In 1977, Claire Lake, Oregon, was shaken by the Lady Killer Murders: Two men, seemingly randomly, were murdered with the same gun, with strange notes left behind. Beth Greer was the perfect suspect–a rich, eccentric twenty-three-year-old woman, seen fleeing one of the crimes. But she was acquitted, and she retreated to the isolation of her mansion.
Oregon, 2017. Shea Collins is a receptionist, but by night, she runs a true crime website, the Book of Cold Cases–a passion fueled by the attempted abduction she escaped as a child. When she meets Beth by chance, Shea asks her for an interview. To Shea’s surprise, Beth says yes.
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?
A true crime blogger gets more than she bargained for while interviewing the woman acquitted of two cold case slayings in this chilling new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Sun Down Motel.
The Review
You never really know what you’re contending with when you read a book by Simone St. James and THE BOOK OF COLD CASES is no different.
Often her thrillers walk the line between human influence and supernatural events. Making them read like thrillers but also as horror. I’ve loved most of the books I’ve read by her and this one is right up there with my favorites.
This book follows Shea, a true-crime blogger who investigates cold cases. I love Shea – she is straightforward, curious, and just the right amount of naive. One day she meets Beth. Beth is exactly the kind of person Shea loves to interview. She is mysterious and has a lot to gain by talking. Shea might be the answer to all of her problems.
Shea requests an interview and Beth agrees. They both have motives and they both have secrets. The fun of the book is trying to figure out what exactly these women are hiding and how those secrets are going to express themselves?
I recommend this book to thriller lovers and to those who don’t mind blurred lines between genres.
The Minotaur Sampler, Volume 5: New Books to Make Your Heart Race
Synopsis.
Looking for a new book that will make your heart race? The fifth edition of The Minotaur Sampler compiles the beginnings of eight can’t-miss novels–either standalone or first in series–publishing Spring/Summer 2022 for free for easy sampling.
Standalone: A gripping debut domestic suspense novel, Nora Murphy’s The Favor explores with compassion and depth what can happen when women pushed to the limit take matters into their own hands.
Standalone: Four friends head into the Icelandic highlands in the middle of winter. The first day they get caught in an unexpected snowstorm, and end up in an abandoned hunting lodge. Outside is a chilling new standalone thriller from Ragnar Jonasson.
First in Series: Katharine Schellman’s captivating Jazz age mystery series debut, Last Call at the Nightingale, beckons readers into a darkly glamorous speakeasy where music, liquor, and secrets flow.
First in Series: James Byrne’s The Gatekeeper introduces Dez Limerick – “a welcome blast of freshness”* and “the most exciting new character I’ve read in years”** — in the most anticipated new thriller in years.
First in Series: A Rip Through Time mixes romance, mystery, and fantasy with thrilling results. In this series debut from New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong, a modern-day homicide detective finds herself in Victorian Scotland—in an unfamiliar body—with a killer on the loose.
Standalone: The Things We Do in the Dark is the brilliant new thriller from Jennifer Hillier, the award-winning author of the breakout novels Little Secrets and Jar of Hearts – The secrets of the past come back around when a woman, long believed dead, turns up alive.
First in Series: Mark Pryor’s Die Around Sundown is the first entry in an exciting new mystery series set in World War II era Paris, where a detective is forced to solve a murder while protecting his own secrets.
Standalone: From Sandie Jones, the New York Times bestselling author of the Reese’s Book Club pick The Other Woman, comes a gripping new domestic suspense novel. In The Blame Game, a psychologist working with victims of domestic abuse suddenly finds she may be being targeted herself: She knows she’s telling the truth. But the evidence says she’s lying.
The Review
THE FAVOR:
Reminiscent of THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN it begins with mirroring povs which may be confusing at first. But once you get down who is who and who’s drinking what you’ll be ok. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
OUTSIDE:
This scary af and atmospheric as standalone thriller is going to appeal to readers who love chilling settings and visceral details. Much like Jonassons other work, a bit too heavy for me. Nordic Noir lovers, FEAST! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
LAST CALL AT THE NIGHTINGALE:
A speakeasy murder mystery with THE DIVINERS vibes. Stronger on vibes than anything else. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
THE GATEKEEPER:
Military special ops, hostility, and snipers oh my. A lot here that is not for me. Would appeal to JACK REACHER fans and those who find conversations meaningless. ⭐️⭐️
A RIP THROUGH TIME:
This was fun and adventurous with an interesting setup and even more interesting characters. Historical mystery fans are going to enjoy this one. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK:
Hot like fire, this one was dark and unapologetic. Searingly written. I can’t wait to read the entire thing! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
DIE AROUND SUNDOWN:
If you enjoy your mystery with a side of jest I recommend this one for you. A murder mystery with a character lineup that will make you smile and writing that will sweeten your tea. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
THE BLAME GAME:
The sampler for this one is teasing at something that if explored to the fullest would be like a plot line dream come true. Only Sandie Jones and time will tell. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This sampler is free currently on Amazon and it’s such a great way to get a taste of something and really know what you’re interested in ordering full versions of.
All of these books will be available this spring and summer 2022!
Thanks to Netgalley and St Martins Press Minotaur Books for this advanced copy!
Toba Spitzer’s God Is Hereis a transformative exploration of the idea of God, offering new paths to experiencing the realm of the sacred.
Most of us are hungry for a system of meaning to make sense of our lives, yet traditional religion too often leaves those seeking spiritual sustenance unsatisfied. Rabbi Toba Spitzer understands this problem firsthand, and knows that too often it is traditional ideas of the deity—he’s too big, too impersonal, and too unbelievable—that get in the way. In God Is Here, Spitzer argues that whether we believe in God or fervently disbelieve, what we are actually disagreeing about is not God at all, but a metaphor of a Big Powerful Person that limits our understanding and our spiritual lives.
Going back to the earliest sources for Judaism as well as Christianity, Spitzer discovers in the Hebrew Bible a rich and varied palette of metaphors for the divine—including Water, Voice, Fire, Rock, Cloud, and even the process of Becoming. She addresses how we can access these ancient metaphors, as well as those drawn from rabbinic tradition and modern science, to experience holiness in our daily lives and to guide us in challenging times. In the section on water, for instance, she looks at the myriad ways water flows through the Biblical stories of the Israelites and emerges as a powerful metaphor for the divine in the Prophets and Psalms. She invites us to explore what it might mean to “drink from God,” or to experience godly justice as something that “rains down” and “flows like a river.”
Each chapter contains insights from the Bible and teachings from Judaism and other spiritual traditions, accompanied by suggestions for practice to bring alive each of the God metaphors. Rabbi Toba Spitzer has helped many people satisfy their spiritual hunger. With God Is Here she will inspire you to find new and perhaps surprising ways of encountering the divine, right where you are.
The Review
I was having a bit of trouble formulating my review for this book. Most times when trying to talk about books I aim to tell you how I feel about a book and I also try, even if the book is not for me, to tell you who the book might be intended for.
With this book, it was not intended for me as a reader and I had a lot of trouble finding value in it for a wide audience.
I feel this book would be good for a very narrow group of people. Specifically those in the early stages of their exploration of Judaism and in all stages of understanding GOD contextually.
It goes into great detail as to the many ways of understanding who or what GOD is. It’s asking you to reimagine all the ways God is present in your life and also how to bring him to the forefront as you understand him in different ways.
I took it as a testimony to how GOD works in different people’s lives and I appreciated the simple idea of using different metaphors when thinking of things religiously.
Thanks to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for sending this my way!
For this title I recommend:
FogBreak
2019 Pinot Blanc from Monterey County, California
Invented History, Fabricated Power: The Narrative Shaping of Civilization and Culture by Barry Wood
