I love a story with an unlikable narrator so I really wanted to like this book, but this one didn't really land for me. The characters were well-developed but I felt that the storyline dragged at times. I wish it had been a bit more fast-paced, but overall it was still enjoyable.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I enjoyed this book. I never realized how highly competitive reporting can be.

A "cozy mystery" with a news/reporting/journalism theme, a first for me! I actually liked the TV news/reporting angle of this, since it isn't something I was really familiar with. It might get a little slow for some people with all the procedural news studio stuff, but I liked it. I overall like Jolene, she's driven and decides to go outside her comfort zone to try and get what she wants. I was a little uncomfortable with how she treated a few characters she was trying to get information from and I cringed when she almost ruined her friendship with Jim, but she seemed to be conscious (maybe after the fact tho) of the damage she'd done.

I liked the fact that there were a lot of characters/"suspects" to keep track of - I actually didn't figure out the whodunit halfway through like I do with a lot of books. The one thing I didn't understand was the creepy neighbor who moved in, went hard at Jolene then moved out.. what was that interaction for? Is this going to be a series? Was he there to kind of show a general attitude women get when they aren't receptive to men, or something? I enjoyed that the nosy neighbor was a health inspector, as I am a health inspector and we get little to no airtime.

Overall I like this and would read more books by this author! Thanks to St Martin's and Netgalley for the ARC.

This book.
Ok, let me get this straight. This is not a bad book. It's long and will read very dry and boring IF you are not into journalism and news media. If you happen to want to know more about the going ons behind the scenes of reporting crews this is the book for you!

I struggled my way through this for far too long. I was expecting a cozy mystery but I got feuding news stations and this woman talking about her job way too much. And at first I was intrigued like tell me all the juicy gossip that happens behind the green screen but NO it wasn't like that. Just a very sus vibes boss and long descriptions of what everyone is wearing and how camera angles worked.
Side note: I did see the author has a background in media so everything is legit.
Also, the guy who was murdered. Good riddance. Did not care to solve his murder because...well anyways, I'm done with this finally.

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc!
This book had so much potential, interesting storyline of the news crew and what they go through trying to get the best of the best or be the first to report the stories. Trying to unveil the killer of another newscaster as a smaller local company competing against a national channel. While this was relatively fast paced, there were times it was a little drawn out and slow. Overall it was alright, not a favorite but I still enjoyed.

Similar to yellowface, Christina Estes has made a main character, Jolene, who readers will both love and hate. The turmoil that Jolene goes through as a news reporter seeps through the pages and really connects the reader with Jolene's dilemmas. I found myself loathing Jolene at the end of the book because of her rash decisions (literally risking her life for a story) and her lack of acknowledgment over how reckless she is. In my eyes, Jolene embodies a typical news reporter, even though Jolene sees herself as above the rest.

The mystery over the death was slow-paced and a little predictable, but I feel like it's the side stories/journey that Jolene goes on that matter most. This book brings up real issues and different perspectives. Overall, I'm so happy NetGalley has approved this ARC for me and I can't wait to buy the book coming out on MARCH 26TH :)

An intriguing premise for a mystery or suspense novel, involving a local TV reporter, Jolene Garcia, navigating the complexities of a suspicious death at a radio station. The competitive element among journalists adds an interesting layer to the story. The story was so well written I felt Jolene's stress as she fell under increasing pressure from station management to get the story.

Bravo to Christina Estes, the author, and Emmy award winning reporter, for hitting it out of the park with her debut novel. Thank Macmillan Publishing for inviting me to read this story so I could share it with others.

If you’ve ever thought that working in television journalism can be a cutthroat business, wait until you see what Jolene Garcia encounters in Christina Estes’ debut novel, Off the Air Jolene is a reporter for a local station in Phoenix, Arizona. She spends her time covering general news stories and special assignments. The latter are stories she has a desire to tell. Like many reporters, Jolene is ambitious, and she’s looking to make a name for herself. She thinks she has a lucky break when news ekes out about a death at a radio station.

The deceased turns out to be a talk show host named Larry Lemon. His views about immigrants and guns were controversial, and because the station’s call letters are KFRK, his devoted followers are called “freaks.” Trump is mentioned, and Larry seems to have been even Trumpier than Trump. When Jolene arrives at the station, she finds a crowd of reporters and onlookers, including her main competitor, JJ Jackson, a ruthless reporter for a rival station. While Jolene believes in ethical journalism, JJ does whatever she can to ensure that she gets the story first. Facts don’t always matter.

Word circulates that Lemon’s death looks suspicious, and then the games begin! Jolene pumps her main police source, Jim Miranda, for any pertinent detail. Jim is not forthcoming until the findings become fact, something that drives Jolene – and her bosses – nuts. It’s a cutthroat business, and there are deadlines to meet. Every night, JJ seems to be scooping the competition with a new item about the case. But is it the truth?

The more pressure she gets from management, the more aggressive Jolene becomes. She pesters Jim daily for any information he can give her. She approaches “persons of interest” who have no interest in talking to her, saying she is hounding them. All the while, her co-workers wonder if she can handle the pressure and suggest she back off a bit. What’s a woman to do? Someone out there has other ideas, and it’s got her spooked. Will she back down, or will she stick to her guns – so to speak.

For a debut novel from a woman who knows her way around television and radio, this story is fast-paced and fun, although it does lag at times in the beginning. Although characters are somewhat one-dimensional, I admired Jolene’s persistence, especially her commitment to journalistic ethics. The author also presents characters who reject abuse of animals and those who renounce sexism, racism, child neglect, abandonment, and substance abuse. Off the Air could very well be the first of many successes for this author.

I received a digital copy of Christina Estes’ Off the Air in return for my honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks to Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press, and Ms. Estes.

3.5 stars

I really like #offtheair for the characters, plot and pacing. The writing was great at setting the scene and I could really feel the Arizona vibes. The inside look at various journalism styles was a new thing for me and I think it worked. Thanks to #netgalley and #minotaurbooks for the opportunity to read and review this advanced reader copy, all opinions are my own.

An early copy of “Off the Air'' was awarded the Tony Hillerman Prize, which is awarded to a debut author for mysteries set in the Southwest. We finally get to enjoy Christina Estes’ widespread publication of her story about a Latino reporter and the cutthroat business of local journalism. Very cutthroat: Phoenix conservative radio shock jock, Larry Lemmon, has suddenly died and Jolene Garcia, a TV reporter who had the last interview with Larry, is investigating the possibility he was murdered with poisoned cookies. The story is particularly realistic, with concerns about social media strategy, beating competitors to interviews, protecting sources, personal safety worries, toxic co-workers, finding exclusives, workplace hierarchy politics, and on-air deadlines. And since Larry was part of that crowd, there’s a media-centric vibe and suspicion that maybe Larry was offed by someone in the business. Larry’s death has made national news — even CNN has sent Anderson Cooper to the scene.

Jolene is totally immersed in the story, following leads, getting caught up in a rivalry, and even receiving anonymous threats. But she’s bullish and she starts to irritate people as her quest builds to find the right person to break the story.

I enjoyed the total immersion into the world of local journalism. Jolene, however, was a less than perfect person who was tempted too many times to consider an unprofessional route. I suspected her fear of dogs would come back to haunt her, thankfully with a satisfying ending.

Estes definitely knows her city. Phoenix has a starring role, as do all things Arizona (hot or not) like haboobs, the necessity of carports, Snottsdale, old neighborhoods like Laveen and Sunnyslope. 4 stars for an engrossing story with a journalist, not a detective being center stage.

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Ben’s (of Ben’s Burger’s) eyes are the color of mashed peas and neighbor Oliver has shiny green eyes.

Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO The author knows her desert landscaping.

Thank you to St. Martin’s /Minotaur and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

This book was interesting to me because for a while I wanted to be a journalist so it was fun getting a behind the scenes feel. But, there was just something lacking… this was a debut novel and I kind of felt that in character development. I didn’t really care about finding out who murdered the person, I didn’t really love our FMC, so as I was reading it I kind of found myself thinking “what’s even happening and is this worth finishing?”

I think this was written better than a lot of debuts and it was edited well. But it was definitely lacking that spark and care for me.

While I appreciated the behind the scenes look into investigative journalism, the slow pace of “Off the Air” made it a tedious read. The characters lacked depth, leaving me disengaged and indifferent to their fates. Overall, a disappointing book that failed to deliver a compelling narrative. Regardless of my disinterest, I would like to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Publishers for sending this ARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own

Off the Air follows the exploits of Jolene Garcia, ace reporter for a local Phoenix news station. Broadcast news has been steadily losing viewership and efforts to woo “friends” with social media tend to the lack objectivity that Jolene feels is critical to serious journalism. An interesting murder is the showcase for Jolene’s investigative chops. But her pursuit of the elusive exclusive story puts her in danger. With a diverse cast of co-workers and sources, Jolene sets the stage for future sequels.

I really wanted to like this but couldn’t connect to it much at all. The eager, quick pace and the forward motion really suits this journalist-works-to-uncover-a-murder plot (and even better that the author is an established journalist), but I found myself mostly bored the whole time. I needed MORE: character insights away from reporting, wit and humor, a side quest, or maybe even a twinge of romance??

Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for a review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Christina Estes for this ARC. I didn’t particularly care for this book as there was too much political referencing. I like to read to relax and to escape the drama and bologna of every day life. Having politics thrown at me in a book does not fit for me, as there’s too much coverage of it already in day-to-day life. The story reveal wasn’t all that interesting to me, as it was more about Jolene being on top of other news stations, rather than any suspenseful plot progression. Being a dog lover, I was also livid to find that Larry hunted and killed them for sport. Again, too much of this sickening abuse happens in real life.

Off the Air is one of those thrillers with really well-developed characters, that is so descriptive, you have no problem getting invested. I enjoyed reading through the perspective of a reporter and getting a feel of what that job is like. The storyline itself at times dragged a bit for me. It wasn’t as “edge of your seat” as I prefer thrillers to be. However, the way everything wrapped up, the way the characters were developed, really did a great job holding my attention. That’s what kept me invested in finding out how things would wrap up.

This book was a welcome surprise! Jolene (love her name!) is a broadcast journalist working for a local news station in Phoenix, and she’s looking for a big story to get her name out there when, lo and behold, she stumbles onto the death of a local radio talk show host that turns out to be a murder. She’s working to scoop the other reporters, especially one in particular, while trying to solve the case before the police and jockeying with national cable news stations too.

I learned a lot about the broadcast news business in this book. Wow, has their work changed with the advent of social media. Poor Jolene was always being told to tweet or Facebook immediately after she wrote her piece, did an interview on camera, or investigated which person to question next. These people never stop! And the murder victim became someone who was both good and bad, and then bad and good, and I was guessing up almost to the reveal as to who was the culprit. The writer does a great job of keeping the tempo accelerating throughout.

I can see why this debut novel was award-winning, and I really enjoyed it. My thanks to St Martin’s Press and the author for the ARC through NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for the ARC! I wasn’t a huge fan of this novel. Repetitive and wordy. Definitely a slow burn, when I wanted something a bit faster-paced.

This is a fun book to read, even with all of the murders and evil. It’s hard these
days to keep media outlets profitable and people are pressured to do things
they would never consider, were their job and self identity not always facing
challenges from everyone, even their friends.
My thanks to St Martins Press - Minotaur Books, via Net Galley, for the
download copy of this book for review purposes.

I normally try to be gracious with my reviews, but with this one…I just can’t. I wanted to DNF the book about a fifth of the way through. The only reason I didn’t was so I could leave an honest review here. There are a lot of descriptions of characters, but this book missed the mark with helping the characters come alive and developing them into something more than words on a page. There was a lot of unnecessary journalism talk that ruined the focus of the plot. As far as the murder mystery part…this one’s a dud.
For the sake of the book and the author, I will not be posting my thoughts on social media or Amazon.