The Book of Cold Cases

Why did St. James set Beth’s story in the 1960s and 70s? Is there a reason this particular period worked well to deepen the meaning of the story? How might the story have been different if set in a more recent time?

Analyze St. James’s illustration of societal perceptions of women. How have things changed between 1977 and 2017 according to the text? How have they remained the same?

How does beginning and ending the novel from the perspective of the Greer mansion deepen and inform the reader’s understanding of the story? Why did St. James structure the narrative this way?

Discuss St. James’s use of historical references in this novel. Why did she adopt this strategy, and how does it inform the text?

At one point in the text, Shea says, “There was nothing to show that either Mariana or Beth had ever tried to help her. There was nothing that spoke to how much Lily might have suffered” (257). Why does St. James offer this perspective, and how does it add layers of meaning to Lily’s story?

Discuss St. James’s use of ghosts in this story. What different types of ghosts appear in the novel, and how does St. James use them to emphasize the themes of the book.

Consider both Beth’s and Shea’s supernatural experiences in the novel. Use evidence from the text to support whether you feel the ghosts were real or imaginary. What purpose do these supernatural experiences serve in the narrative?

The novel shows the relationships between two sets of sisters: Shea and Esther, and Beth and Lily. Analyze the book’s exploration of these relationships and how it might contribute to the meaning of the book.