Off the Air follows a woman trying to make a living in the cutthroat world of TV news. Jolene gets called in to report on a death at a radio station, and it turns out to be a nationally known conservative radio host who has devoted followers and bitter enemies. Technically there is a mystery at the heart of the story - who killed Larry Lemmon, but the point seems to be that figuring out who it is will boost your network’s ratings, and improve your odds of winning an Emmy. Jolene tries to stick to her morals at the beginning of the story, after learning the hard way earlier in her career what can happen if you don't. The reader will quickly see how hard it is to maintain that standard when the competition doesn't hesitate to publish unverified information and the network bosses are screaming for the content that will bring in social media “friends”. This all felt very true to life, but it also made reporters and news stations look self-serving. I sure wouldn't want to be on their radar for any reason. The social media aspect of it feels very believable, but it's also exhausting. It's bad enough when you know a TV station is trying to capture your attention that way, but it feels infantilizing to know just how many stupid things get covered and called news because of the comments and videos people watch on social media. Even when she’s holding to her principles Jolene is hard to like. It feels like there are very few people she views as friends. Everybody else just exists as a potential way to advance her career or annoy her. I think Estes did a good job of pacing the story so that it matches the urgency of a reporter chasing a story. I like the idea of multiple suspects, but it feels underdeveloped because as soon as the chance for an exclusive is gone so is the interest in the suspect. Too many leads get dropped. And ultimately, no one seems to care about who killed Larry, killing the competition is more important. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you love a good mystery book this one is for you! Though I went into this thinking that it was a romance book, mostly because I have been reading so many! It was a pleasant surprise to see a full mystery novel with no romance at all!!! It was a good give and take, and a new take on the same old mystery novel. Not just seeing it through the eyes of the cop or detective but see it through a reporters eyes! The author does an amazing job at making you think one thing is going to happen and throwing you into another! I read a lot of mystery novels and I still didn't know what was going to happen next! I did love this novel though it took me a little longer than I thought it would to finish it! I would recommend this to anyone that loves a good mystery novel!

The news world is cutthroat and when a local celebrity is found dead, all reporters will go to any length to get the scoop. While I agree, this story is for a specific audience, it was a thrilling adventure to find the killer.

I really enjoyed this book and a completely different take on the world of reporting. It was a page turner and kept me guessing until the very end. If you are looking for something different and fast paced this is the book for you!! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!!

This book was not a bad book, but it just not my personal taste in books.

I did not end up finishing this book, but I got about halfway through and I feel that I can write a review that is accurate. This book is marketed as a mystery, and while this does feature a reporter trying to help figure out what happened to a recently deceased and possibly poisoned political talk show host, I don't feel that the mystery was the focus at all. This book is really just a love letter to journalism. I was impressed by the vast knowledge of reporting that this book showed, but I really wanted to read more about the mystery, and less a guide on journalism.

Looking at the author's background, who was in the journalism scene herself, I can definitely see the inspiration for this book. I can tell the author has a lot of respect for her profession.

The main reason why I decided not to read the rest of this story is that it is just too political. Despite the main character repeatedly saying that journalism is supposed to be neutral, every journalist in this book was clearly biased. I like to read to escape, and I try to avoid any book that features discussions on modern political social issues as a whole. I know some people like this, but I do not.

Thank you to the publisher for providing this via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jolene Garcia is a TV reporter who spends most of her time investigating groundbreaking stories such as which dry cleaner is the best at removing stains and which nail salon gives the best manicure. When controversial radio host Larry Lemon is found dead, Jolene, who conducted his final interview, siezes the opportunity and races to solve his murder.

This was an interesting look inside the world of journalism. It was interesting to see the protocol behind breaking news and what can happen when those rules are broken. The mystery was well-crafted and unpredictable.

I felt like some of the side characters in Jolene's personal life were a bit unnecessary and didn't add much to the plot. In general, none of the characters were very likeable. I was also expecting the book to be a bit funnier, but at times it felt dry and seemed to drag on.

Overall, this was a unique story that provided an interesting prospective on journalism. However, much like the news, it was informative but not the most entertaining.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This first novel by Christina Estes takes us behind the scenes of television journalism as Jolena Garcia tries to make a name for herself in the cut throat world in which she works. She has been assigned too many low interest stories and longs to get a better assignment when a local radio reporter is suddenly murdered. She pulls out all the stops to get the assignment. I found the character believable and the story one that held my interest. I recommend this as a fast read and one you will enjoy. I hope to read more of her books in the future. I really learned a lot about investigative reporting.
I wish to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press - Minotaur Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a fun, easy read. The dialog is so natural you can feel yourself saying the exact same thing Jolene says in exactly the same circumstances.

A TV news reporter in Phoenix, Jolene Garcia is chasing after the breaking news story of the moment only to be stymied every step of the way by her rival reporter from another station, JJ, or the national network news teams who arrive to scoop her, or the station news director who overrides how she wants to report the story. Ever persistent, Jolene finds a way around these roadblocks only to get herself into more hot water when Murphy’s Law takes over.

A very relatable protagonist, populated with every day characters all wrapped around a murder keeps you guessing and turning the pages till the surprising end. I look forward to more adventures with new reporter Jolene Garcia.

Thank you NetGalley for the Uncorrected Digital Galley of Off the Air and the introduction to a new author.

3.5 Rating

A big thank you to NetGalley, Christina Estes, and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book sounded like something right up my alley - a murder mystery that is investigated and solved by local TV reporter Jolene (named after the Dolly Parton song) as she fights off competition and is determined to keep her story within her hands. However, I would say the actual book is more of an inside look as to how news stations and channels operate and the responsibilities and pressures their employees are placed under.

The book starts off interesting and becomes a slow burn as we move through the story. There is a murder in the book and Jolene does investigate it but it almost becomes a secondary plot because the minutiae and details of Jolene's job, her co-workers, and the way newsrooms are structured and operated take the forefront of the book. It almost felt like too much detail but I actually enjoyed learning about it - the takeaway is that I wasn't expecting to read a book about that based on its description. The author herself has professional experience as a reporter so you can be sure the information is not too far from the real experience!

Jolene is a driven, lovable, and flawed character. It's easy to follow the story from her POV and I do like when authors show the flaws in their characters - it makes them feel more realistic and human. Throughout the book, you understand Jolene and feel for her predicament while also wanting to shake her and tell her she's being illogical at times out of desperation.

Overall this was a lovely, cozy book but I wish it had been marketed more as a look inside a newsroom as they investigate a local murder instead of a murder mystery novel that happens to be solved by a local reporter. I think that would give more of an accurate depiction of the novel readers will be starting.

P.S. There are ample references to Phoneix and its neighboring areas. This is a wonderful love letter from the author to her career and the city of Phoenix

Jolene is a reporter working in Phoenix who is desperate to get ahead. and land a juicy story. When a local radio shock jock (think Rush Limbaugh) is murdered by what might be cyanide laced cookies, Jolene is determined to get the scoop and be the lead reporter with this story. Jolene had recently interviewed the controversial show host and she feels entitled to be the one to get to report this story. As a former print reporter myself, I enjoy reading books about reporting and it is clear the author did her research on the ins and outs of broadcast journalism. However, the story of how broadcasting works combined with the extensive comments on the history of Phoenix and the political discussions left little room for the murder mystery.

Jolene was not a likable character. She was jealous of more experienced and better known reporters and was rude to everyone; her neighbors, her police department source and even her camera man. I'm sure there are people who behave this way in the broadcasting world, but they are not pleasant to read about as fictional characters. Jolene finds herself running into roadblocks as she battles to be the first to interview anyone connected to the case while yelling at her police department contact because he won't jeopardize the murder investigation to give her information. There are a few possible suspects to consider, but we never get to really know the victim Larry Lemmon, so it is hard to connect the dots and try to guess who the killer might be. I did finding the ending part where Jolene confronts the murderer to be well written but in general did not care for this story or the characters. Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review.

debut-novel, news-media, broadcast-journalism, unpleasant-co-worker, unputdownable, local-news, tv-personality, verbal-humor, situational-humor, arizona, mystery, thriller, contemporary, murder-investigation

Get inside the head of new journalist Jolene in this time of instant news as she sniffs out the truth of the death of a radio personality. Lots of laughs and insights into the cutthroat world of news propagation. Fascinating read.
I requested and received an EARC from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thanks

I found this book to be as much a treatise on the not so glamorous side of broadcast news, as I did a mystery. Much time was spent developing the news/media angle, while the mystery itself seemed more like a vehicle to expose it. That said, I enjoyed the book and the author’s writing style. For diehard mystery – only readers, there may have been a bit of disappointment, but not for me, as I was just as glad to learn about the world of reporters. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance read copy, I enjoyed the book and look forward to more from this author.

Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for the #AdvanceReviewCopy

Summary: Local TV reporter, Jolene Garcia, spends her time covering general assignments and the real stories that interest her.

After the suspicious death of a known talk show host at a radio station, Jolene is determined to get the facts first. Turns out, Jolene interviewed this man just before his death. This makes her hungry to solve the murder, but can she do it without sacrificing her career?

My Thoughts: This fell short for me in a few ways. I didn’t connect with any character, it was a bit too detailed for my liking, and the story felt rather flat. I’m clearly not the right audience for this book as I struggled to finish it. Perhaps if you’re into journalism you’ll enjoy it more.

This story follows Jolene, a reporter in Phoenix, AZ. She is covering the death of a very outspoken radio personality. She finds herself constantly being undercut by competing news stations and is under an immense amount of pressure to deliver and time is running out!

I visited Phoenix recently and it was nice to learn some of the history about the neighborhoods, cuisine, and landmarks. I enjoyed the writing a lot and can't wait to read more from Christina Estes. I was really rooting for Jolene to come through and figure out what was happening. I have been in her shoes where everything is just going wrong and the mental toll it can take. Once I got into the story, I could not put it down. It was a well done whodunit. I would have liked a few more twists and turns but I overall really enjoyed the book! Also check out Christina's website there are some GREAT pic's of her live reporting days! I loved the hair!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Christina Estes, and Netgally for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was a good read - I really enjoyed this book. I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

Jolene is a reporter for a local Phoenix tv station, trying to navigate the pressure of competing stations and constant content updates on social media. When a controversial local radio host dies on air, Jolene battles her inner morals as well as the other reporters to get the scoop and figure out who murdered him before anyone else. Relatively fast-paced and a fun look at what goes on behind the scenes of our daily "news" shows.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.
This is the story of a Jolene a 20 something local TV News reporter based out of Phoenix Arizona. She is on the case of a murder of a local conservative radio firebrand- Larry Lemons ( a Rush Limbaugh-esque figure ). When I selected this story I was hoping the murder would be the main point for the story, but unfortunately thats not the case. Instead it focuses on all the mundane details of working at a local TV newsstation in Phoenix Arizona.

This book would be interesting for a reader who wants a behind the scenes look at broadcast journalism. We gets lots of them in this story- everything from dull phone calls from her manager to sitting in a conference room - to what kind of pizza they ordered ( the good kind from Oregano’s) to the color of marker used on the white board ( Blue). Unfortunately, these asides slow down the story telling. There are many scenes of jockying for postition and fighting to get the scoop or keeping her work from being stolen by Broadcasters . We get to meet the various news photographer/van driver- from decent guy Nate to the “ woman hater” to van driver Roger Hale cleverly nicknamed “ Snail”. As we plod along with Jolene we are forced to attend all the work minutia.. Its bad enough in IRL but in a book, hard pass.

As someone who lived in Phoenix for 30 years, I thought this book would be kind of fun to get to visit again. Instead it reads like whole paragraphs were torn from wikipedia, and have nothing to do with character development of progression of the story. The entire story is peppered with oddly specific name dropping of people, products and places. Pat Tillman, Maryvale, Indian School Road, Arizona Cardinals, Food City, Orange Patch, and needless explanations of their history. Case in Point- they are driving the home of the wealthy ex-wife of the murdered man- in Paradise Valley. Instead of simply saying that Paradise Valley is home to the uber wealthy, and moving on with the story, we get this bit of useless info:
“ Paradise Valley-It’s home to the country’s first police department to catch speeders by using cameras and radar devices streaming across roads. Besides hating speeders, Paradise Valley loves money. It’s Phoenix’s wealthiest suburb. But you won’t find a Neiman Marcus, Whole Foods, or even a Starbucks. For those, you have to travel to the neighboring cities of Phoenix or Scottsdale. Paradise Valley is zoned for hillside mansions and resorts cradled between Camelback, Mummy, and the Phoenix Mountains.”

The murder itself ( or the plot for that matter) takes a back seat to the history and culture lessons of Arizona. As I said at the beginning, I am perhaps not the right audience for this story. At the 60% mark, this book was a DNF for me.

The book features a cozy mystery with a determined news reporter and highlights the ruthless nature of reporting. I didn’t connect with the main character Jolene, so it was a bit hard to feel invested in the story. If you are interested in cozy mysteries, this book is for you. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC.

Christina Estes’ debut novel combines her experience as a reporter into a story about how far a journalist will go. Jolene Garcia is investigating the death of radio show host Larry Lemmon. Lemmon had a polarizing personality on the air and angered many listeners, and Jolene wants to solve the mystery of who killed him. Jolene is under pressure to produce news, but she’s always a step behind her rival JJ who seems to always get the exclusive interview. The main character finds herself trying to get the news while not disclosing information from her contact Jim, showcasing the lines between protecting her source and getting the story first. Her dream is to win an Emmy for her work as a journalist, and she knows she has to get this one right, or she’s back to stories about dry cleaners and gluten-free cupcakes.

The book read fast and I enjoyed the plot. Estes is knowledgeable about the industry, and this makes the book feel authentic. I didn’t predict the ending and was surprised when the killer’s identity was revealed. Thank you to NetGalley, Christina Estes, and St. Martin's Press for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Off the Air is a debut novel by Christina Estes. This highly competitive and morally charged universe of reporters takes readers on a heart-pounding, race-against-time.