Former actress Adele Rafferty is about to give up on her acting career when she suddenly receives an opportunity of a lifetime. Or so she believes. Adele is offered a leading role in a horror movie called Final Draft due to the original actress being unavailable. Believing this may be her next big break, she jumps at the opportunity for this second chance. However, Adele soon discovers that the real horrors lie off the page.

We follow Adele throughout this story and while I don’t expect characters in a horror setting to be perfect, there were just too many alarming instances that were ignored and swept under the rug time and time again. I loved the idea and concept for the book but felt that the story was overly descriptive and the characters weren’t well developed nor likeable. It seemed as though situations and settings were better described and developed than the characters were.

When it came to big reveals, not only were some of them predictable (and the author does poke fun at this) but the dialogue felt very unnatural. It was again, way too descriptive and drawn out. Nonetheless, I’d still recommend this book for horror fans because the script within the book made it worth while. Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing.

4 stars--I really liked it.

This book is fun, with a twisty plot and a smart heroine. I love books about horror movies, and this one combines a novel, a screenplay, and live action into a meta narrative. The book is quick to read, and even though our heroine Adele is being manipulated and gaslit, she never falls prey to "too stupid to live" plotting and catches on to what's going on along with the reader. A nice break from often-oblivious narrators!

I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!

This one just didn't quite get there for me.

⭐⭐⭐

Run Time is a "horror lite" thriller about a young actress who spontaneously takes a role in a new film, "Final Draft", only to realize the small, all-male production crew may have other intentions with their final production.

I picked this up because who wouldn't want to read about the production of a horror movie. And I enjoyed it. But I didn't LOVE it for one main reason. It really teased me with the horror themes. We got a little flair of paranormal, slasher, and home invasion, but it never had the guts to really "go there" in any of those directions. Instead, it sort of just fizzled in the third act.

The feminist themes are very heavy-handed, but that's one of the things I liked about it! I also loved the screenplay within the story and the parallels that Howard played around with.

But the rest of it I thought was unfortunately really predictable and lukewarm. If you set your expectations right, I think you'll enjoy this a bit more than I did. But I enjoyed it enough that I would not dissuade anyone from reading it if the premise sounds interesting.

Now I can’t even go off to the woods!!

Last year when I read Catherine Ryan Howard’s 56 DAYS, I very clearly stated I was never dating again - that I would be going off to the woods to die old and alone…where it was safe.

WELL I think Catherine Ryan Howard and I need to have a word, because after reading her upcoming novel I can’t even do that!!

In the soon to be released RUN TIME, Adele is an out of work actress trying to put the past behind her. Just as she is about to hit her breaking point and call it a wrap on trying to rebuild her career, she is offered what seems to be the role of her dreams - to star as the lead in a psychological horror movie set deep in the woods of West Cork. It is only when she makes it to the secluded cabin where filming is to take place, that things start to feel off. Real life starts to mimic the terrors in the book, and it leaves Adele wondering if she will make it out of this living nightmare alive.

So as I was saying, clearly I can’t even go off to the woods now! Sheesh!

But seriously - If you are looking for an edge of your seat thriller that will have you wanting to leave the light on while reading it, this is the book!

Run, don’t walk, to stores on August 16th when RUN TIME hits shelves!

Thank you Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read a digital ARC.

**Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

This was one of the scariest thrillers I have read in a while! I absolutely loved The Nothing Man by this author, so I was really excited to get my hands on her latest thriller. I think she does a fabulous job at the story-within-a-story format, and this book is no exception. All the thriller classics are here: we've got an unreliable narrator, a creepy setting, and a secret from the past! But these elements come together in a way that doesn't feel cliche or overdone. I will say that I guessed one of the twists (although I didn't guess it completely), but that in no way diminished my enjoyment of the book. A solid 4-star book and I am already looking forward to seeing what unique format CRH comes up with next!

This is my first book by this author, and I enjoyed it immensely. Really loved immersing myself in the film world with our main character and found the plot intriguing and mysterious. Some legitimately super creepy moments as well. Fun, fast-paced—-a great summer read. I look forward to more books by this author! Would definitely recommend for thriller and horror fans.

I've enjoyed reading C R Howard's books since her exceptional "The Nothing Man", so was very excited to sit down with her newest "Run Time". Both of these titles feature the "book with a book" trope, however, in "Run Time's" case it is a movie script. Set in the world of film making (Author has familial industry ties), we have the story of L.A. actress Adele, now on the set of "Final Draft", an Irish-set horror film - and what could go wrong, LOL? Enjoyed the "meta" feel of this as it unfolded, and even though this is a long novel, it rarely bogged down & was not easy to put down. It's suspenseful and atmospheric with it's locked location and has well-written characters on a very twisty journey. While it may not be as brilliantly done as "Nothing Man", I found it engrossing and quite entertaining & highly recommend it. My sincere thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the complimentary DRC, the exchange of which did not affect my review.

This is a must read if you enjoy thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time. I had the hardest time putting it down because there were constantly new twists & turns. I haven’t read a book like this before, reading the main story as well as a movie script being used in the movie. I gave it a solid 4 stars because although the first 1/3 of the book was a little bit slower, the rest made up for it.

Howard has a way with coming up with catchy hooks that reel you in quickly and keep you dangling on the line for a wild ride.
This novel features a book within a film within another book within another film…or something like that.
It’s a fast-paced and highly entertaining read. The story is a bit predictable, but you’d be missing the point of the story if all you wanted was the have your mind blown.
While not every aspect works, my overall reaction was of satisfaction and enjoyment.

I'm a huge lover of horror movies! When I saw the synopsis for Run Time, I knew I had to read it! This book started off strong. I was intrigued and couldn't put it down. A story within a story, within a story! This book definitely brought the creepy factor but I do feel like it could have been a bit shorter. This book definitely kept me guessing and overall I felt like it was a good solid thriller.

Expertly written that you feel like you're in the woods alongside the characters. This author magically interweave two stories and grabs ahold of the reader until the very last page.

I was a big fan of Catherine Ryan Howard’s previous novel 56 Days, so I was delighted to receive an advanced copy of her upcoming novel Run Time (many thanks to Blackstone for providing me with an ARC in exchange for this review). Run Time felt very different than 56 Days and I loved being surprised by an author’s unpredictability - Run Time reads more like a horror movie - not surprising as the plot itself revolves around a struggling actress returning to set in a low-budge horror movie - whereas 56 Days was a pandemic-set mystery built around a suspicious romance. Run Time was a page turner and the layers (we have a book within a screenplay within a book here) were expertly executed by the author. I’m so excited for this book to be released into the world, I haven’t read anything like it before. Cheers to Catherine Ryan Howard on another slam dunk.

I’ve really come to love Catherine Ryan Howard. Each of her books has a different premise, a different setting, a different set of characters. As someone who doesn’t love formulaic series, I appreciate Howard for always thinking up something new.

I really enjoyed “Run Time.” It was fast paced which meant it was quick to read. I really liked Adele’s grit and thought she was a solid lead. I’m also a sucker for anything meta and film related. Can’t wait to suggest this one when it’s published.

I will admit I was skeptical of Catherine Ryan Howard’s work after “56 Days” fell flat for me, but “Run Time” is the tense and suspenseful novel I was hoping for!

“It’s dangerous to want something at the cost of everything else. So much so that you can’t imagine reaching the end of your life without it. “ “The not-having starts to corrode you, and the wanting starts to change you.” Run Time is a story about Adele, a struggling actress who is trying to build back up her career after some unfortunate events during her last film. When she is offered a role in a new film back home in Ireland, she jumps at the chance at a last effort to redeem herself as an actress. But all is not as it seems, and she soon finds herself in the middle of a crazy, confusing and downright frightening situation. A very fast paced and entertaining read.









https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4716764545

Run Time by Catherine Ryan Howard delivers chills and pure dread when Adele, a down on her luck actor is cast in a role at the last minute after another cast member drops out, suddenly. Set deep in a remote wooded area with no cell phone signal, Adele soon realizes something about this film is off kilter, and as the only woman on set, is in a vulnerable position, with everything to lose.

This novel is sure to be a page turner for fans of horror and psychological thrillers.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Run time was good. It was a movie about a book and the book was about what is happening in the movie. Like an inception.
I gave it 3 because it got a bit boring with her backstory that didn’t really go with the story

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I had high hopes for this after LOVING Nothing Man. I definitely did not care for it as much as I liked Nothing Man. It was a book within a screenplay within a book, which got a tiny bit too convoluted for me. But still enjoyable and a super fast read. 3.5 stars.

On the set of a horror movie, the lead actress begins to experience the same spooky events from the movie's script...

I really enjoyed "56 Days" from this author, so was very excited to give "Run Time" a read. While I thought the idea for the plot and atmosphere for the novel were spot on, the pacing was a bit slow for me throughout. Just like in the horror movies this novel is based around, brace yourself for a lot of confusion and running through the rainy, cold woods!

And this is why Catherine Ryan Howard is an absolute beast!

This novel is clearly well-thought-out and delivered with Catherine’s simple yet, vivid and descriptive writing. 
The characterisation is superb throughout, and as I encountered each character they were so vivid and real in my mind, from both their physical descriptions.
Very well well-developed characters 
Run Time will engage, it will enthrall, and it will most definitely surprise. 
This was a tense, claustrophobic read for me and one I could not put down.
The story keeps twisting and turning until the very end. The tension and suspense are kept high all along.
Another brilliant mystery from an author who has quickly risen to my favourites list.

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

Blackstone Publishing,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review to my platforms, blog, B&N and Waterstone closer to pub date.