I found out that this is the 5th in a series and I have not started this series so I am no longer intrested in reading this.

This was a middle of the road, easy to read, popcorn thriller. There wasn't much here that was memorable or exciting but if you're looking for a reliable read that's a part of a series then this would be for you. I'm not sure I'd ever spend money on another of this author's works but if there was a free copy I might read it.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me advance access to this title. I really enjoyed reading this story and look forward to reading more from this author. As a reader, I am really motivated by character driven stories and I found myself quickly becoming immersed in these characters’ lives. Full review to come.

Here's a gripping book that packs a punch! If you're in the mood for a mystery novel with a compelling main character and a plot full of twists and turns, check out "It's News to Me" by R.G. Belsky. Don't miss this great read! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This wasn't bad. It just wasn't memorable. The characters didn't really stand out to me. The plot was interesting sometimes.

3 stars
This book is alright. There's nothing memorable about the plot or the characters. The writing is a little boring at times but sometimes the plot pulls you into the story. The characters are a little annoying but they don't entirely ruin the story. All in all, this book is just alright.

This was my first Clare Carlson Mystery, but it won't be my last. I really enjoyed the storyline, the setting, and most of all, the characters. I love unpredictability and this book had plenty of it. I loved the news room atmosphere as well - any time I can get a behind-the-scenes look at a fascinating career, I'm all in. If you love police procedurals, you will love this book by R.G. Belsky.

This is the fifth book in the series about Clare Carlson, a TV news journalist. Though I have not read any of the other books in the series this book was easily read as a standalone novel. The author does attempt to fill in the gaps with information from the other books.

Throughout the book the author gives the reader a birds eye view of what happens in TV news.

Clare is investigating the death of a college student named Riley Hunt. Though there is a suspect in custody Clare continues the investigation because Riley is not exactly who the media has portrayed her. Clare's instincts lead her down another path.Clare's character is written to be annoying and constantly making inappropriate remarks. Her snark and bluntness at times seemed a little much.

This story is a well- paced who dunnit that has all of the loose ends tied up at the end. The twists and turns all lead to a resolution.

It's News to Me is the fifth book in the Clare Carlson mystery and this is first one I am reading from it. Clare Carlson is the news editor of TV news channel and is quite the quirky character. There are sudden changes in the TV station she works and her boss and mentor, is replaced with a woman who is cut- throat and has different ideas on how to run the program.

Just then, a wholesome, American girl Riley Hunt is found murdered near a park and Clare goes about her usual way of investigating and reporting the murder. Amidst clashes with her new boss and conflicting accounts from people about Riley, Clare goes on a journey of convoluted investigation where anything is not what it seems and the getting to the truth might even cost her life.

I loved the way the story took off; I was hooked into Clare and Riley from the moment I started reading and the mysteries surrounding Riley's life made for an interesting read. I particularly loved the way Clare's character is written. She is the one who make the story more entertaining. Her no-nonsense attitude and straightforward outlook of life makes her character quirky enough to grab the reader's attention. No wonder this series has been widely read and appreciated.

In fact, now I am hooked into the series and can't wait to see how the story unfolds further. I recommend this book highly to people who love to read a story set against the backdrop of the crazy world that is a newsroom (I loved that very much).

This was just not a tale that held my attention, I’m afraid; a bit too all-over-the-place with characters that weren’t relatable.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC opportunity.

This is the fifth book in the series about Clare Carlson, a TV news journalist. Though I have not read any of the other books in the series this book was easily read as a standalone novel. The author does attempt to fill in the gaps with information from the other books.

Throughout the book the author gives the reader a birds eye view of what happens in TV news.

Clare is investigating the death of a college student named Riley Hunt. Though there is a suspect in custody Clare continues the investigation because Riley is not exactly who the media has portrayed her. Clare's instincts lead her down another path.Clare's character is written to be annoying and constantly making inappropriate remarks. Her snark and bluntness at times seemed a little much.

This story is a well- paced who dunnit that has all of the loose ends tied up at the end. The twists and turns all lead to a resolution.

Another great read by R. G. Belsky involving Clare Carlson-the news woman for a tv station-best known for breaking news and researching crimes. I was prepared to be disappointed when the case she was investigating regarding the death of college student Riley Hunt seems to be resolved very quickly with an arrest but Clare didn’t let me down. I love a story with a strong protagonist who doesn’t settle for the easy way out. She continues to investigate the people Riley engaged with-plenty of suspects but only one murderer-one I didn’t see coming. Great story.

I've read a couple of these Clare Carlson books before. I'm not particularly taken by them. Clare is just another famous newscaster who solves mysteries. She eats to much to fast, confronts people too much too fast, sleeps around too much to fast, and pushes everyone's buttons too much too fast. These are 1940s -ish, noir -ish, newsroom stories. Easy to read but no meat.

I think that this book flew under the radar but it is deserving of attention for those who enjoy mystery and suspense stories. The protagonist is a reporter who endeavors to serve journalism well-a perfect message for our times.

This is the fifth story to feature Clare and what a story she has to cover. Seemingly perfect and ambitious, a college student, Riley, has been murdered. A war vet is suspected but there are others who ought to be including the men in whom Riley was interested. They are a police official and a man with ties to the underworld.

Will Riley get to file her story? Will the case be solved? I recommend reading this title to find out.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

It's News to Me by R G Belsky is the fifth in the Clare Carlson mysteries, an investigative journalist fiction series. Clare’s boss is fired and she faces an new, controversial, and cantankerous new woman determined to achieve high ratings on their TV news program whatever the cost. Her goal is within sight when young Riley Hunt, the “perfect” college student, is found murdered near campus. Clare must investigate the real story, not just the one her boss chooses to promote her “Take New York Back” program to foment fear in the city. Clare becomes convinced that the story is more than just a simple murder case and investigates further, bringing her deeper into conflict with not only her boss, but a mob boss and the police commissioner.

Clare Carlson is a credible journalist, funny, feisty, and determined. The dialogue is excellent with multiple great retorts. There are twists and turns, some I could anticipate and others not, in this complex story. I will check out the earlier four books in this series, my ultimate compliment.

I didn't know what to expect from R. G. Belsky's IT'S NEWS TO ME other than there was a newsperson encountering a real-life thriller rather than made-for-impact story. What I got was a tightly-structured, involving, and entirely realistic view of a working woman doing her best to thrive and survive a brutal work environment and moments of confusion, doubt, triumph, and resolution. While the opening pages were rough, I was drawn through the rest, not knowing what was coming next, but enjoying the ride. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

4 Surprising Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free-A Quick Review
This was my first book by R.G. Belsky but will not be my last. I started this without any of the backstories of the main character and never felt lost.

This tale was timed perfectly for today's times as we are blasted day by day by ratings-aggressive news broadcasts. The need for viewers and how the stories are pushed are covered perfectly here. The plus was a strong plot and lots of twists.

I received a complimentary electronic copy of "It's News to Me" from publisher OceanView and author R. G. Belsky. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am pleased to add R. G. Belsky to my favorite authors and recommend his work to friends and family. He writes a fast-paced tale with personable characters. He brings us from the newspaper age to today's method of keeping track of the world on electronic media without that angst we Baby Boomers often feel when our way of life fades away beneath our feet.

And Clare Carlson, former NYC newspaperman and current 5:00 news anchor for Channel 10, makes the transition easy for us to bear. For me the transition was easy - I can follow up on anything that interests me instantly where ever my phone and I happen to be sitting. My husband needs to have the paper spread out across his lap in his recliner before he feels like he is in touch with the universe.

In "It's News to Me", the fifth in a series but stand-alone, we follow the investigation of the wee morning hours murder of a lovely, smart, blonde student, Ohioian Riley Hunt. Riley is killed in Washington Square Park just yards from the campus of Easton College where she is a sophomore. The easy way of solving the crime would be to blame the homeless, PTSD-suffering Afghan veteran who calls Washington Square Park home. But Clare doesn't like taking the easy way. She will keep on till she finds a way that fits the facts.

Belsky takes us all over New York City, to fine eateries and street food carts, bars and nightclubs, and many many city parks. And Clare works her way, steady and sure, through the ins and outs of police business and news reporter business until she can unwind the thread that will tie her murderer to Riley's death. This is a very good read. It is a series I will want to read in full.

In It's News To Me, the fifth book in the Clare Carlson Mystery Series, author R.G. Belsky weaves a riveting mystery tale that easily draws the reader into New York Channel 10 News Director Clare Carlson's latest investigation.

The story revolves around the brutal murder of twenty year old Easton College student Riley Hunt. Riley was from Ohio and moved to New York City to attend college. She was majoring in political science, and was considered a golden girl who was loved by everyone, and had a bright political future ahead of her. Riley was found badly beaten to death in the early morning by a jogger near the entrance to Washington Square Park, a short distance from her dorm. The police consider Riley's murder a random attack, and when Donnie Ray Bakely, a homeless Army veteran was arrested for Riley's murder, Clare takes the lead as the on-air reporter covering the sensational crime story for Channel 10 News.

As Clare delves into the investigation of Riley Hunt's murder, she finds that there are more questions than answers, a growing list of suspects, dark pasts, and deeply buried secrets, so she has to dig deep into Riley's life to put the puzzle pieces together. And if that isn't enough, Clare's investigation leads her into some pretty dangerous situations involving corrupt police and the mob, and they will do anything to keep the truth of Riley's murder from being revealed.

It's News To Me is a captivating mystery tale that is rich in detail and vivid descriptions. It has enough intriguing and suspenseful twists and turns that leaves the reader with no other option than to keep turning the pages to find out what happens next. As a diehard fan of mystery tales, I must admit that this fifth installment in the series is my favorite. The complexity and multi-layers of Riley's story, and Clare's investigation kept me thoroughly riveted and so engrossed, I couldn't help but try and guess the outcome as Clare puts all the pieces of the puzzle together.

With a complex and realistic cast of characters, the author does a phenomenal job of transporting the reader into this fast-paced white-knuckle storyline. The thrilling cat-n-mouse game engages the reader to follow Clare's investigation as she tries to find out who really murdered Riley Hunt. The jaw-dropping surprise ending will leave the reader completely speechless. It just doesn't get any better than this!

I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much I loved the author's richly vivid description of New York City. The author captured the famous landmarks and all the sights and sounds of the city that never sleeps, all the reader has to do is close their eyes and be transported to my favorite city.

It's News To Me is one heck of an adrenaline rush that is a must-read for the true diehard mystery junkies!


Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest book review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Tours.

https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2022/10/its-news-to-me-by-rg-belsky-vbt-book.html

Thank you NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for the copy of It’s News To Me. The story was great and really kept me guessing. I loved the insider look into the TV news business and how Clare went to great lengths to protect her coworkers, even the ones she didn't like. Clare’s constant wisecracks were annoying and often came off as inappropriate for her character. To be fair, this is the first book I have read in this series, so if I had read the previous six books I might have gotten used to it.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.