How can you really review this one? I really feel like I might reveal something if I even attempt it. This was a great thriller, suspense, slightly horrific novel. I had a lot of fun reading it.

I really only had a couple of gripes. One was the season. A lot of the thriller scenes are set with freezing descriptors, yet rain was falling from the sky. I feel like this could have done wonders in winter. I also felt the middle section getting a bit repetitive and predictable, i was losing some interest.

Everything else was great! The first third had great set up and character work with backstories that weren't quite filled in until later. The last third was pure action with a couple of twists I didn't see coming. This was a really strong close to a book. You don't get that often in a lot of thrillers. But, the dialogue at the end is some of the best I've witnessed. It has me wanting more. Is that on purpose? Im looking forward to reading more from this author.

I thought this book was clever. Everything was weaved together nicely. Even though it is over 500 pages, there was never a dull moment. There was so much suspense, so many things that didn't make sense that I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out what exactly was going on! Great setting - out in the middle of nowhere surrounded by lots and lots of trees. I liked the main character, Adele. Honestly, I liked everything about this book. It was amazing.

Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for an ARC.

“That’s the problem with mysteries, they only exist because you don’t have the answers. When you get them - all the mystery gets vaporized.”

Synopsis:

The project:
Final Draft, a psychological horror, being filmed at a house deep in a forest, miles from anywhere in the wintry wilds of West Cork.

The lead:
Former soap-star Adele Rafferty has stepped in to replace the original actress at the very last minute. She can’t help but hope that this opportunity will be her big break—and she knows she was lucky to get it, after what happened the last time she was on a set.

The problem:
Something isn’t quite right about Final Draft. When the strange goings-on in the script start to happen on set too, Adele begins to fear that the real horror lies off the page …

Personal Review : 3.75 Stars

Launching in August of 2022, this novel was a thriller that I wasn’t expecting. Embedded in the novel is the screenplay of Final Draft, the movie unto which Adele Rafferty was last minute hired to film, flown out to a secluded area with no cell reception, and only 7 other men. Are alarms going off for you? Because my internal alarm was ringing off the hook - run, run, run! This novel was through a singular POV, Adele, who is eluded to have preexisting contiguous that may make her an unreliable character! The chapters were short, the narrative and script easy to follow. The mystery was not easily solved, as the twist was not an obvious one! Thank you @netgalley and @blackstonepublishing for the ARC of the novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

Down-on-her luck actor Adele can't say 'yes' fast enough when she's offered a peach of a part on horror film set in a remote cabin in a dark wood. In the script, Woman 1 is reading a book in a remote cabin about Woman 2 who is being terrorized while enjoying a holiday in a remote cabin, when Woman 1 begins experiencing the same events, setting the stage for the film's plot. But when the same things begin happening in real life, Adele suspects a prank. As time ticks by in the dark wood, Adele finally begins to understand terror. Fans of psychological suspense will enjoy this somewhat convoluted tale.

****UNPOPULAR OPINION*****

This is hard for me to say,

When Catherine Ryan Howard had a new book out on Netgalley, I rushed to request it and glad it was accepted. I really loved and enjoyed 56 Days, it was twisted, complicated, full of lies and relatable. I had big hopes for this book because of that and was left a little disappointed.

I do not mind dual, complicated or multiple storylines but this was too much. One story within
another having to do something. Meh.

The setting was great and even the characterization was still spot on but the execution of this book was not there for me. I do hope her next book is much better than this one.

Can I recommend this? Sure, other people may disagree with my views and that is allowed. Just not for me.

Thanks to NetGalley, Catherine Ryan Howard and Blackstone Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 8/16/22

Run Time was a fun and entertaining read. It’s the first book by Catherine Ryan Howard that I’ve read, so you can bet 56 days will be added to my list. I found this new book to be very interesting. The pace was perfect, and the story was well written. Great premise and overall I very good book. The ending was a surprise!! The setting of this one was also a plus! I definitely recommend this to others when it’s available. Many thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for the ARC.

It kills me to say this, but I didn’t love-love this book. I liked it enough to tear through it in a day and will definitely recommend it to fellow thriller lovers, but it didn’t knock me out the same way my favorites of her earlier books (56 Days and The Nothing Man) did.

3.5 rounded up because I will always love CRH and am already excited to read whatever she writes next!

A thriller, in a thriller

Main character Adele is a struggling actress, hired last minute to star in Final Draft. A horror movie set in a house in an isolated wooded area. Adele's experiences on set start to mirror her characters role, Kate. Something on set isn't right...

I loved Catherine Ryan Howard's book, 56 days. So when I saw Run Time was available to request on NetGalley I knew I wanted to pick it up. The concept of this book was super intriguing. I just didn't care for it as much as her other book. Parts were repetitive, and the pacing felt off. I would still suggest it to others looking for a good creepy book.

Overall, I liked it, not loved it.
I like Catherine Ryan Howard, and I'll definitely keep reading her future books.
Thank you to NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review

Run Time follows Adele who is a famous Irish actress who hasn't gotten an acting job in years. The one day she gets a call to be the lead actress in a horror movie. It seems a little sketchy but she loves acting so decides to take the role, thinking it could be her big break. Once she gets to set things just seem off. And soon the horror isn't just in the movie it is also in real life.

This is the second Catherine Ryan Howard novel I have read. And I just do not think this author and I are compatible. I just do not like her writing. This book sounded really interesting but just wasn't executed well. The overall setting of this book was really good though. What I did not like about this book was that half it was just the fake movie script for the movie this book was about. It seemed like a waste and very confusing. This book seemed to be missing something and I can't really pinpoint it. This book just did not do it for me.

I have to say - I didn’t love this new book. I usually try to do summaries in my reviews, but honestly I am not even sure if I know what happened - so I am going to skip that part.

The previous books I have read from this author - did in fact have a story within a story - but this was too much. It was 3 stories within each other and I could never quite figure out what was going on. It was a disappointment for sure compared to her other novels.

on the show.
Book journal - Run Time by Catherine Ryan Howard


I went into this book with a weird mix of expectations: super high ones because you know of my love for CRH.

And more tempered ones bc a couple of trusted sources had struggle with the format and DNFd early on.

And I myself had read just a few pages when I first got it and had set it aside, knowing it wasn’t the right time for a rip roaring ride just then.

So imagine my surprise when I started this a second time and it was, most resoundingly, the right time. I really liked it so much.

Now, a few things to start that must temper my review of this for authenticity’s sake:

1. There’s no question that what this book was most glaringly missing was a strong-handed edit. It’s not the normal sharp, just-enough prose we’re used to for CRH. It feels, like a not-quite-final draft. (Which, once you read it, you know is super ironic.)
2. If you don’t love to read in the screenplay format, this won’t work for you. I actually think that’s the #1 reason those trusted sources I mentioned didn’t love it. I personally have to be in the right mood to read a screenplay or play of any kind. So, know that’s there.
3. CRH is making a name for herself with her interesting constructs and this one doesn’t disappoint. It’s clever and had me guessing all the way through. But, it’s about 1/3 overly complicated than it needs to be and it almost gets in its own way at times.

But, even with all that, I had FUN reading this book. I kept checking with myself all the way through and - yes, I was loving it. It’s exactly the kind of reading I love to do during the summer. It reads super fast, the chapters are short, the action clips along at a fast pace. Creepy things are happening, secrets are being kept and then revealed.

And I really liked the screenplay within the book structure. I was interested in both the novel and the movie within it. I was in the mood for that kind of reading. I think that’s key.

I had some real moments of that pleasurable spine tingliness and heart poundiness. And some serious WTF-ish-ness.

I’m not going to say it was 5-stars like the Nothing Man, 56 Days or Rewind, but I will say that this was a fun, fast work of crime fiction that was perfect for my summer reading mood.

So, all that to say that I think this is another much-anticipated release that will divide readers into two camps.

For me, CRH remains an auto-buy author. She’s so dang smart and we need more writers like her writing in our crime fiction world.

4.5 star rating, rounded down to 4.

Let me just start by saying, if you haven’t read anything by Catherine Ryan Howard yet – do so now. I was hesitant to read 56 Days last year because I just wasn’t sure about the idea of a pandemic thriller. But she nailed it, and she nailed this one too.
 
MC, Adele, is an actress who takes on a last-minute roll for a small-scale horror film. The movie is about a couple who stay in a remote cabin in the woods, and the woman (Kate – played by Adele) finds a book that was written by someone else who stayed in that cabin. In the book, creepy things start happening, and in turn, they start happening to Kate in the movie and THEN to Adele in real life.

I won’t lie, that was a bit confusing, but once I got into it – it came together.
 
The chapters switched back and forth between Adele’s POV and pages of the movie script which was unique and fun. And let me tell you, about 40-50% of the way through this book, I was SCARED lol. Adele wasn’t sure if weird things were actually happening or if these things could be explained away, and as the reader you felt the same way.
 
It seemed like it was going down the path of being a horror story, but it wasn’t that. It was a very suspenseful thriller with a mysterious plot that keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat throughout. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing, and Catherine Ryan Howard for the advanced copy of Run Time in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up.

I definitely loved the premise of this one: the goings on of a horror movie begin happening in real life. While the premise was interesting, and I enjoyed getting to read the script as a break between chapters, it almost felt like it spoiled the book in a small way. This was pretty minor for me and didn't substantially impact my enjoyment of the story.

The big final twist is one that I enjoyed, and I found the ending of the book wholly satisfying. I think this would be a fun book to see adapted! This was my first read by Catherine Ryan Howard but it certainly will not be my last.

Run Time will be on bookshelves August 16!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this Netgalley ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow!!! I devoured this book in one sitting. Just read it....you will love it.

Catherine Ryan Howard is an auto read author for me & I loved her previous book, 56 Days. Unfortunately this book just fell flat for me. The characters were not well developed and the plot was lacking any forward momentum. Not everyone can knock it out of the park every time. I’m going to keep working on Howard’s backlist and anxiously await her next release.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Blackstone Publishing and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Quite frankly, I liked the suspense and mystery that unfolded throughout. I wasn’t disappointed, I found it quite well done.

3.5 ⭐️

I loved The Nothing Man but, for me, this didn’t quite hit the same spot.

Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy the book. It had a unique film-making premise and a clever writing style. Going between Adele’s perspective and the script for Final Draft, I was definitely intrigued.

It had an atmospheric, claustrophobic feel to it through the setting and also the parallels between Adele and the character she was playing in the film. Some of it was definitely creepy - very Blair Witch Project.

I really liked how the book was based on her brother’s own involvement in an independent Irish horror film set in the woods. A lot of research and input has obviously been put into the story, and the film-making aspect was definitely a new premise for me from a reading perspective.

Whether I’d classify this is a psychological thriller, I’m not sure. Although there were twists - they weren’t particularly shocking. At the end of the book, one of the characters even admits to the ending being “mundane”. A bit… “is that it then?”

Although I wasn’t blown away, it was an enjoyable, well-written read. I really like Catherine’s writing style, and she knows how to draw her readers in. I’m looking forward to seeing what she does next.

I hate to stay that I was underwhelmed by this book. I was really enjoying it until about the middle when I started wondering when it was going to pick up. The premise was promising: a desperate actress going to film a movie in the middle of the woods after signing an NDA. It sounds like it would be very thrilling, and it was for the most part. The things happening to Adele in the cabin and in the woods were definitely spooky, but I totally predicted what would happen very quickly. At the end, I was left wondering what was the point? The only reason I am giving this three stars is because the setting was fantastic, the format of the chapters was intriguing, and the overall premise was interesting.

Thanks to the publishers for sharing this book. I really liked the premise, but I found the ending a bit silly. My full review appears on Weekend Notes.

"My anonymous friend was back. This time, they’d sent a command, and typed it in all caps.
GET OUT OF THERE NOW."

This would be a pretty perfect campfire read - if you dare... 😳😅🔥

Run Time is the second Catherine Ryan Howard's book I’ve read, and it gave me all the vibes I was craving. Great atmosphere, great setting and enough mystery and suspense to make you turn those pages faster.

I enjoyed how unnerving the feeling of isolation sometimes felt. I wouldn't say the book was very scary, but it occasionally gave me the goosebumps.

I'm really glad I got a chance to read the early copy of Run Time. It was just the kind of slow suspenseful thriller I was in the mood for.

I loved 56 Days and, after this one, Howard has become one of my favorite thriller authors. There's something about her writing that really works for me. Can't wait to read more from her.

If you want to see my much more in depth review, you can check it out on my book blog NovelOnMyMind.

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Run Time by Catherine Ryan Howard in exchange for an honest review.