"That's the problem with mysteries... they only exist because you don't have the answers."
Run Time is a great transition book for summer to fall!
The tension is no joke in Catherine Ryan Howard's newest thriller. It's non-stop!
Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for my eARC for review.
Adele Rafferty is an actress known once upon a time for her work on a soap opera. She relocated to LA and was never quite able to solidly transition to film.
Then a last-second job offer comes along for a horror film, shooting in a remote Irish forest and under a strict non-disclosure clause.
As per the genre, wise decisions do not a horror film make.
The story is told in traditional manner, then intercut with pieces of the script for Final Draft - there's a story within a script within the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed flipping the pages to find out what was happening to Adele once mysterious goings-on started occurring at the set, as well as the inside workings of the film industry.
The reveals ended up a bit messy and disjointed. But overall an enjoyable read and a great ending - recommended!
Released on Aug. 16.

Great premise and very chilling atmosphere. There were times I honestly felt scared reading this book. I loved not knowing who to trust and what to believe. The ending seemed little too far fetched and little confusing but overall a solid, entertaining thriller.

Run Time is one of those thrillers that is so spooky because the creepy feelings and unease come from things that you can completely understand and imagine happening in real life. You can feel the same sick feelings and worry in the pit of your stomach. The tools of isolation, desperation, and gas lighting come together in a perfect storm or fright. I loved the fast pace and realism of this book. An excellent and spooky new thriller!

This is a book within a book, within a movie that gets made into a book then a movie. Lol. Some of it is happening in real time, some as a movie script, all of it based on a book that only exists in the movie. Scratching your head? You’re not alone.
I really wanted to love this book. Unfortunately I couldn’t get past Adele’s paranoia and the endless chapters of her running from nothing. It was all running and panic and no climax. The actual climax/twist was totally predictable and unsatisfying.
I’m so sad I didn’t love this book. I really like this writer. But the book needed so much more then what was given. Maybe throwing something supernatural in it, or an actual deranged killer, would have saved it. Without it, it fell flat

I don't know. I thought it was unique and a very creative concept. I don't know if it was the writing style maybe, but this didn't hit with me. I judged a book by it's cover, and thought it looked exciting, but it was kind of underwhelming. There were some entertaining bits, but overall, it was just okay for me.

Thank you so much to @Netgalley for this advanced reader for an honest review.

Adele Rafferty was once a successful child actor in Ireland, where she performed for years on a popular soap opera.

Adele actually got into acting by chance, when she was selected from the crowd by a casting agent at an audition she simply attended with her best friend, Julia.

Julia was actually the actor, but Adele got real lucky that day. The role was on These Are the Days, the soap that she remained on for years.

Branching out, later on, Adele took a role in a movie and it was a wild success. Unfortunately, as sometimes happens, that success went to her head a wee bit.

She began to resent the soap for holding her back from doing other projects. Feeling constrained she abruptly left. Her next project did not end well.

Embarrassed beyond belief and consequentially, partially blacklisted from the industry in Ireland, Adele packed her bags and moved to the United States to try her luck there.

As the hits keep on coming though, that's not a successful venture either. Where once Adele was a big fish in a tiny pond, in L.A. she's more like an amoeba in the ocean.

Just when she's about to call it quits on acting for good, Adele receives a call that could change everything and the opportunity is back home.

She's offered the chance to be the lead in a very secretive project. A Horror movie called Final Draft filming in a remote region of West Cork. This could be exactly what Adele needs to revitalize her career.

With some minor trepidation, she hops a plane and heads home. Once on location, Adele is surprised by the skeleton crew and lack of bells and whistles. This is quite a small production indeed.

As she tries to settle in, Adele is unnerved. When the screenplay she reads begins to come to life, she's properly freaked out. Seemingly abandoned on set and in a desperate search for answers, Adele fears for her life.

Will this be her final cut!?



I had a lot of fun with Run Time. This was my first novel by Catherine Ryan Howard, but I absolutely plan to pick up more from her soon.

I was intrigued by this from the very start because here lately I'm loving different formats in writing I absolutely would recommend that format.

This novel has an interesting format. You follow Adele in her present perspective and through her reflections on her career leading her up to this point.

You also get the screenplay from the movie, Final Draft, the one Adele is returning to Ireland to act in.

In Final Draft, one of the main characters, Kate, is reading a book whilst at a remote cottage on a weekend getaway. You also get the portions of that book that Kate is reading.

So essentially, you're reading a book within a screenplay within a book. That's a lot of layers.

Additionally, I love a screenplay included within a book. I know this is hit or miss for people, but for me, it is almost always a hit.

I found some scenes in here genuinely creepy. Putting myself in Adele's shoes, I was properly freaked out. It was claustrophobic and disturbing. I had no idea what was happening.

I liked how the truth behind the movie was revealed. It was surprising, but also sort of not at the same time. Like once it was revealed, it did make a lot of sense, but I didn't see it coming at all.

Since this has a bit of a nontraditional format, I know it won't be for everyone. Luckily, I found it quite enjoyable. I think if you enjoy Horror in general, gritty-feeling found-footage movies, or just stories that go against the grain, you should absolutely give this one a shot.

Although the blurb of this book didn’t really grab me at first, I wanted to read it solely because I’m such a fan of this author. Her excellent writing kept me engrossed in the story despite the fact that the plot just wasn’t up to her usual standard.

Setting and characterization were the leading elements of this horror/thriller genre bender. The remote, cold, and creepy woodland was one to make you shiver regardless of the temperature where you are. The isolation, without cell service or WiFi, added a sinister element. The protagonist, Adele Rafferty, was one who was easy to empathize with.

The plot however… it left me as discombobulated and disoriented as the protagonist. Like a fun house of distorted mirrors.

With themes of desperation, gaslighting, revenge, and envy, there was a lot to admire in this book. However, compared to this author’s former brilliant novels, this one left me rather underwhelmed.

Catherine Ryan Howard's The Nothing Man is one of my favourite thrillers, sadly this was a miss for me. I hate horror so the horror film story line did nothing for me and it was all just a bit flat. I will still buy her next book though because I enjoyed all her others. I was lucky enough to get an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

”Run Time” by Catherine Ryan Howard is a popcorn thriller for readers who like a story-within-a-story.⁣

⁣I was a huge fan of Howard’s pandemic thriller “56 Days,” which is a pretty gruesome domestic thriller. The vibes in “Run Time” are very different.⁣
⁣
When I learned this was about a horror movie, I was worried it might be too scary for me. Horror movies aren’t my thing. It’s quite the opposite — this was more of a mystery and suspense novel than horror/thriller. If you want a very manageable case of the creeps and a thriller that’s not too dark, this one is for you.⁣

Overall, I enjoyed this one and can't wait for Catherine Ryan Howard's next book!

This book did not read like it was 520 pages. Once I got into the story of a book, in a movie, in a book I was flying through the pages. Adele is an Irish actress that had a great career until something mysteriously led her to a bit of a breakdown on set. In the aftermath, she picks up and moves to Los Angeles to escape the small industry circle she fears knows everything about her incident. When she gets a call offering her a lead role in a very hush hush production back home she thinks maybe her luck could be turning around. What better way to end up back on top than starring in a horror film that no one knows your making until it's already finished? I was immersed through the first two sections of the book. It was very atmospheric and has a real secluded location/locked room thriller vibe. There were portions that were a little confusing and repetitive switching back and forth from Adele in the present, her script, and the book the script is based on. There is a quote in the later portion that really summed up the book for me, but I don't want anything to be spoiled, so you'll just have to read it for yourself to see if you agree with me. All in all an interesting premise that delivers until coming to a luck luster, for me, conclusion.

I really enjoyed 56 Days, so I was delighted to see that I had been approved for this ARC. Run Time is essentially about a book within a book in a movie. This gets weird because the things that happen in the book begin happening to the person reading to the book and then our main character Adele, begins experiencing things on set. Now, This was not the scary psychological horror I was expecting or that the book was marketed as, but the story was definitely a wild ride, if a bit reaching, The structure reminded me of Riley Sager's Survive the Night, which was met with polarizing reviews, many not loving his script style writing. For me, STN is one of the only Sager books I enjoyed and I enjoyed the style in this book as well- especially how both plot lines impacted and intertwined with one other. This created a meta feeling that, if pulled off well, can be a really trippy, and that was the experience here. I also enjoyed how the fictional book within a screenplay mirrored the events of this story. Overall, a win for sure. I will continue to request and read Catherine Ryan Howard's books for sure.

Talk about a book with layers! This story follows along with former soap star Adele as she makes a horror movie based upon a book that's events are happening to the person in the movie, but are also seeming to happen to Adele as she is on set. The combination of story within a story, within a story and an unreliable narrator makes this a book that one will want to re-read. It's easy to get lost in all the layers, and question what is real, and what isn't. It's laid out in an interesting format too, with parts of the movie script included throughout. This is an atmospheric thriller/horror tale that will keep the reader on their toes.

Read this if…you like books within books (or in this case, a book within a movie within a book).

A big thanks to Netgalley, Blackstone Publishing, and the author for an ALC and a finished copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Adele Rafferty is a washed-up soap star who finally lands the part that could turn her career around. The horror movie is shooting in a very remote location in Ireland, which means there’s no cell service or neighbors to ask for help when strange things start to happen on set. Adele isn’t sure if she’s having some kind of mental break or if someone on set is out to get her. This role may turn out to be her ticket to stardom or it could be her final scene.

I loved the premise of this book. It had a complex plot with a book inside of a movie inside of another book. It was confusing at times, but everything made sense in the end. The big twist was pretty easy to see coming, but the twists and turns leading up to the climax took me by surprise. Reliable narrators are always fun and Adele kept me guessing the entire time. The setting of the book had a life of its own and really added to the spooky atmosphere. Overall, I enjoyed this one and think it’s a solid addition to CRH’s body of work. If you’re a fan of her other novels, I think you’d enjoy Run Time as well.

Run Time is like an onion. It's so multlayered that, every time one layer is pulled back, another is revealed. It's a final girl story within a final girl story, and it's impossible not to be completely riveted. Were there some plot twists that you had to suspend a little bit of belief? Yes, but isn't that the point of final-girl stories? I mean, would anybody really make some of the choices that put Adele into an isolated cabin in the middle of nowhere? Probably not, but that's what escapist fiction is for, and this is one of my recent favs.

5 stars from me! I enjoyed this even more than her previous. Super creative, loved the characters, and I was on my toes through the entire novel. Well done.

I was super excited I was approved this ARC and couldn’t wait to read it after reading the synopsis.

I’m a huge fan of thriller and horror and this sounded amazing and I wasn’t disappointed.

Basically an Irish actor who had some trouble in her homeland moved to L.A. to try to salvage her acting career.

She gets a job back in Ireland but has to sign an NDA and can’t let anyone know where she is.

This book kept me up way past my bedtime multiple nights because I could not put it down! I was hooked! It’s been a long time I’ve had a book that’s made my anxiety level go up and make me audibly gasp! (A few times I almost screamed.) There were so many twists and turns I was always shocked and surprised what happened next.

I loved how the book went back and forth between an actual book style and a the script style.

This book had so many twists and turns I couldn’t believe what I was reading!


I’ve never read anything by Catherine Ryan Howard before Run Time, but I’ll definitely be reading more of her books!

If you like to be trapped in suspense and love a good scary novel that raises your anxiety level, then Run Time is just the book for you!

Adele misses acting. After seemingly losing her mind on the set of her last show, she hasn’t been able to book even basic commercials. When she gets a call that Steve Dade wants her to West Cork to film Final Draft as the lead actress, Adele is ecstatic. However, when she gets there she realizes that maybe it isn’t what she had hoped it would be and either she is losing her mind or someone is out to get her.

This book was a slow burn for me. It took a long time to get into the meat of the book. After I was about halfway through I was invested and needed to know what was going to happen to Adele. The final twist was decent, which helped save the book!

5 stars

You know that scene in a horror movie where the killer is hunting the person? Then the person has to show extreme creativity and resourcefulness to escape, all while making the audience fall in love with her? That feeling of total suspense? It’s one of the best things about scary movies. Usually those scenes only last 5 or 10 minutes before they come to their inevitable conclusion. Somehow, in the novel Run Time, Catherine Ryan Howard keeps that feeling going for the vast majority of the book. It’s an absolutely awesome reading experience.

I won’t say much about the plot, because I do think it’s better to go in not knowing specifics. But it is the story of Adele Lafferty, an Irish actress in Hollywood struggling to find her big break. When she gets a call about a lead role in a mysterious horror movie filming in West Cork, she is excited about the possibilities and heads back to Ireland to start work on the movie.

What happens next is a Russian nesting doll of a thriller that keeps you thinking and guessing until the end. It is truly scary. I read most of the book on my porch in the sunshine, and I was scared. So if you scare easily, don’t read this one in the dark! Run Time is meta in the best way. It pokes fun at true crime, thrillers, the publishing world, and Hollywood, all while scaring the heck out of you.

Catherine Ryan Howard continues to be my favorite thriller writer. One thing I love about her work is that each book is so completely different. She pushes the thriller genre with every single novel. Run Time is out now, and it would be a great fall read—just in time for spooky season!

As my first Catherine Ryan Howard novel I was not sure what to expect.
I rather like her writing style, however, I did finish feeling that the main character has a lot of self dialogue that becomes redundant and analyzed 10 times over. ( Considering the character's situation perhaps I'd do the same?)

Loosely, the book is the filming of a movie ,based off of a book about a couple who appears to be living out the events of a book. MUCH credit to Howard for managing characters and converging storylines in a style that was easy to read. Personally, there was no confusion even though there is much going on and several characters to keep up with. Howard does a wonderful job creating an atmosphere of isolation, desperation and suspicion.

Several reveals caught me off guard and the updates at the end, for two of the heroines, wrapped up their awful experiences nicely.

SOLID 3 1/2..almost 4.
Pro Tip - - - DO NOT READ if you plan on camping in a remote, tree dense area!

This was a pacey and fun thriller that didn't do anything particularly groundbreaking but was an entertaining ride. I enjoyed the multi-layered meta-narrative aspect of the plot, although it did become a bit forced at times. I thought that the plot itself was well constructed, albeit fairly predictable and that the characters all performed their necessary actions throughout. Fun but ultimately, pretty forgettable.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.