Never Forgotten – A review of the novel ‘Cold Case, 99-5219’

[KPKevin]

“Only the forgotten are truly dead.” - Tess Gerritsen

Author Betta Ferrendelli’s novel ‘Cold Case, 99-5219’ is the latest installment in the Samantha Church mystery series books. While visiting the grave of her sister, Sam discovers an odd headstone in the graveyard—of a baby who was murdered 12 years ago. Already reeling under the stress of a protracted custody battle for her sole daughter, Sam is drawn to uncovering the mysteries behind this decade old case. As new leads turn up, she gets the police to reopen the case. But as Sam digs deeper, it becomes clear that someone powerful doesn’t want the truth to get out. Samantha then is forced to find a way out of a dangerous situation that could sound the death knell for her.

Betta Ferrendelli brilliantly draws us into a terrifying but ultimately affirmative novel in which emotions like love, friendship, and compassion reign supreme. The book also shines light on the quest for truth that is within all of us, and the shining eminence it has in an otherwise hopeless world.

Featuring a recurring lead who is both independent and immensely likable, Cold Case works as much because of the plot as because of the lead character. This is a novel that espouses the complicated and essential nature of friendships and family in one’s life. And coming after the previous year which was in many ways the year of the women, this is a book that shows that femininity and feminism need not be mutually exclusive.

“It boasts of having a solidly plotted mystery at its core, and this should appeal to fans who enjoy Gillian Flynn novels.”

Speaking about the cold and lonely heart of this book, it has a poignant and haunting story about a woman’s search for the truth behind a young child’s murder juxtaposed with her search for deeper meaning in her personal life. This is a powerful and emotional journey for Sam, but is ultimately a hopeful one, as she uncovers evidences that not only shines light on the murder case, but also makes personal progress that helps Sam put her traumatic past behind her.

“Betta explores the complicated nature of adult relationships while delivering a suspenseful novel full of unpredictable twists.”

Betta’s writing is so descriptive, and it isn’t about the boring details her characters do, but more about the technical side of journalistic practices and police work. She doesn’t try and show off the research that she has done for this book, but at the same time the hard work becomes obvious when you read these passages. There were many scenes in the book that hit hard and were thought provoking and stayed with me even after the book ended. I don’t want to spoil the book for anyone, but the scene set in the farm at night was especially telling. Then the revelation scene also gripped my heart, and at times I found myself tearing up. It was certainly very intense and moving, with many surprising revelations.

Betta shows that she is capable of both depth and mystery in equal measure and can create characters that you can sympathize with. I encourage you to check out the other books in this series. As for me, I look forward to the next book where hopefully we will get to see certain relationships continue to develop and prosper.