Christina Estes’s first book in this series, “Off the Air,” won the Tony Hillerman Prize and she’s sharing it, in the form of an Emmy, with lead character, Jolene Garcia, the intrepid, ambitious Latina Phoenix crime reporter (with much help from Estes’ previous career). I loved this character’s debut — here Jolene is still immersed in her career, which can be cutthroat local journalism. But the Phoenix media market can be boring (meteorologists outshine reporters), so her managers are looking for stories with immediate clicks rather than long form investigation. A local business owner dies and Jolene determines it might be murder, not an accident.

This can definitely be read as a standalone. It’s a lighter sort of mystery (but not a cozy). Phoenix is a character in these books — I imagine the local bookstores should be featuring it as a hometown story. Jolene can be bullish and sometimes chaotic, but she’s determined even when her story takes on political implications with the mayor involved. 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): NO No eye colors mentioned at all.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Again, the reality of the Arizona landscape is all around and Jolene actually experiences a patch of green grass and thinks of Omaha.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

This is the second book in the Jolene Garcia series, but I don't think you need to have read the first book to be able to understand what's going on in this one. Jolene is a very ambitious investigative reporter who will go to great lengths to uncover corruption, because yes, she really wants to win another Emmy (see book 1), but also because she believes that people who break the law should face justice for their actions. In this case, Jolene finds out there are a lot of questions about the bidding process on local government projects which are worth millions of dollars when one man keeps being awarded the projects over and over by bidding lower than everyone else, and then adjusting his bid after the fact to make up the difference, almost like he had inside information on just how low to bid. That gets her investigative juices flowing, but when she finds out that one person who may have been involved in this scheme was murdered, and then another who has information about all of this dies in a suspicious accident, she really starts to sink her teeth into the story.

Jolene is a woman on a mission, and she can be abrasive and aggressive at times, but it's because she cares and wants to find justice for those who can't get it for themselves, for whatever reason. If you read the first book, you might feel, as I do, that Jolene is actually much less aggressive in this book, which was nice. She lives alone, has a core group of friends she spends time with, and devotes the rest of her time to whatever story she's working on. She may be aggressive and downright pushy at times, but her heart is in the right place.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought the plot was interesting and the story moved along at a good pace. The characters were fleshed out and relatable, and we definitely learned more about Jolene's history in this book, which gives us a window into what drives her so hard. The mystery itself was well written and kept me turning the page. All in all, this was just a well written book and I happily recommend it.

5/5 stars

*** Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Christina Estes for the chance to read and review The Story That Wouldn't Die.

Christina Estes has crafted a wonderful narrative with The Story That Wouldn't Die. This gripping murder investigation had me hooked from the very first page. The plot is intricately woven, keeping me guessing at every turn, and just when I thought I had it all figured out—bam! A surprising ending that left me in awe.

The characters are incredibly well-developed, each with their unique layers and complexities that breathe life into the story. Their interactions are enriched with wonderful dialogue, making their relationships feel authentic and compelling. Estes’s knack for capturing realistic conversations adds depth and emotion, drawing readers even deeper into the narrative.

If you enjoy a cleverly constructed mystery with unforgettable characters and twists you never saw coming, this book is an absolute must-read. The Story That Wouldn't Die is a testament to Estes's brilliant storytelling, and I can’t recommend it highly enough!

4.5 stars. This was a great read. It has a protagonist that I really connected with. Jolene is a reporter struggling to get away from stories about gluten-free muffins to stories that she can really sink her teeth into (pun intended). She is hot on the trail of a government corruption story that also leads to several murder stories. The station higher ups keep telling her to drop the story. Huh. Do obviously don't know her very well.

Her boss is obnoxious, her favorite photographer isn't speaking to her, her goldfish doesn't bother to answer when she asks a question, and her hottest competitor just beat her to a great story...again. Could her life suck anymore?

The story was fast-paced, had a good flow to it and was really fun to read. The character development was great. You like the ones you're supposed to like and hate the rotten ones. I can't wait for the next installment of the Jolene Garcia Mysteries to see what happens to her next.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the copy. All thoughts are my own.

Christina Estes, Emmy Award-winning reporter, brings her insider knowledge of journalism to her latest mystery, The Story That Wouldn’t Die. The novel follows Jolene Garcia, a Phoenix TV reporter fresh off her first Emmy, as she digs into the suspicious death of a beloved small business owner. Despite pressure from her bosses to chase flashier stories, Jolene refuses to abandon the investigation—and soon finds herself navigating corruption, deception, and powerful people who would rather see her story buried.

One of the strongest aspects of this novel is Estes’s depiction of the newsroom. The tension between chasing meaningful stories versus click-driven coverage feels authentic, and Jolene herself is a relatable and determined protagonist. Readers will appreciate the ethical dilemmas she faces and her persistence in uncovering the truth, which makes for a suspenseful and engaging read.

While the pacing occasionally slowed, and some plot points felt predictable, the book succeeds in creating an immersive look at the challenges journalists face, the power structures they confront, and the courage it takes to pursue the stories that matter.

Published August 19th, The Story That Wouldn’t Die is a solid choice for fans of character-driven mysteries and newsroom thrillers.

2.5 stars rounded up. The plot was slow and the story had too many irrelevant and boring details and the characters were hard to keep track of. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

This second Jolene Garcia mystery finds our TV reporter stuck reporting on human interest and viral cupcakes stories. Jolene is ready for a story with much more going on and it finds her via a tip from an attorney, Whitney Wright. It seems that his client, Carlos Rios, alleged that unethical practices are involved in the city's bidding process for jobs. Rios dies in a suspicious accident, and Jolene suspects that there is validity to hs allegations. Not long after, another individual dies who was implicated in the city hall unethical dealings. Jolene once again begins her own investigation into the deaths and the allegations. Are these coincidences or murder?

Jolene is a driven journalist, once she senses a good story, she is on it. She is a strong protagonist, ambitious and all about finding the truth. The author's background as a broadcast journalist gives the story a realistic feel regarding the dynamics of investigative reporting. The plot moves at a good pace and there are some twists and turns until the satisfying conclusion. I hope to see more of Jolene Garcia's reporting.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Minotaur Books, for an ARC. The opinions in this review are my own.

This was a good classic whodunit mystery. I really enjoyed how authentic the newsroom scenes felt. It gave the investigation a lot of credibility. The mystery itself kept me guessing, with plenty of plausible suspects.

Christina Estes’s novel "The Story That Wouldn’t Die" is a fast-paced mystery that digs into the tension between journalism that serves the public and journalism that serves clicks. The story follows television reporter Jolene Garcia, who refuses to walk away from a story that doesn’t quite add up. What begins as the tragic death of a well-liked local business owner quickly turns into something much larger, involving corruption and backroom deals.

Jolene is a compelling lead character because, while she is definitely ambitious, she also has deep roots in her community. Estes draws from her own career as a reporter, and manages to capture the grind of newsroom politics and the pressure to prioritize attention-grabbing headlines over more in-depth investigative work. That real-world insight helps to lend authenticity to the story, especially when Jolene clashes with her bosses while chasing the truth.

"The Story That Wouldn’t Die" is a well-written mystery with enough twists to keep readers guessing without feeling overdone. The story delivers suspense, but also provides a thoughtful look at what it means to stand up for stories that matter, even when powerful forces try to keep them buried. This is perfect for readers who enjoy sharp mysteries grounded in reality.

3/5 stars: This is the second entry in Estes' Jolene Garcia series which is a BIPOC Cozy-ish Mystery that's set in Arizona and features a local TV reporter who's new investigation involves the death of a beloved small business owner who was asking questions about who keeps getting all the lucrative city hall deals and the powerful people determined to keep profiting no matter what. Exposing greed, ambition and deception could become the biggest story of her career, so when her bosses tell her to drop it, she's pushes forward with the story and won't stop until she uncovers everything and puts it all on air. With plenty of twists and turns, Estes has crafted a mystery that balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Heartfelt and humorous, Estes' writing and character work are well done; the characters are well-rounded and likable. It's great to catch up with Jolene, who's determined and dogged, her friends and family, her TV news crew and colleagues. Estes' twenty-years of experience as an Emmy Award-winning reporter shines through on every page. Estes' touches on some sensitive topics; so take care and check the CWs. While you could read this as a stand-alone, you'll gain so much more by reading the series from the beginning; so be sure to pick up book one, Off the Air.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

Jolene has finally started to become known as a reporter after covering a previous investigation. Now she is trying to find her next big story but her boss is too busy sending her to report “fill in” stories instead. When a business owner is killed in a car accident what seems as just that, an accident, has Joleen suspicious and Joleen starts to investigate on her own.

I haven’t read the first book in this series but that didn’t matter at all. Joleen has a bit of an over the top personality but I think anyone in that field is. I loved the setting as we are in Arizona many times a year so I could picture a lot of the story. The ending was a fun one and saved the story for me.

I found a lot of the story to be quite dry and it took too long to get to another entertaining part. I found myself wanting to put it down and take a break at some points. I ended up enjoying it enough but didn’t love it.

A sharp, fast-paced mystery with a smart and determined heroine you can’t help but root for. Jolene Garcia’s tenacity pulls you into a web of greed, corruption, and cover-ups, all set against the vivid backdrop of Phoenix. Christina Estes delivers a newsroom thriller that’s as much about integrity and courage as it is about solving the case.

I read the first Jolene Garcia mystery and while the context was helpful, this book could totally stand alone. Jolene's commitment to her journalism, and doing the right thing, keeps this story moving quick!

Thank you Christina Estes, Dreamscape, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

#TheStoryThatWouldntDie #NetGalley #NetGalleyARC #ARCReview #BookReview #WhatImReading #BookRecommendation #Bookstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #InstaBook #Bookish #AdvanceReaderCopy #ReviewCopyProvided #BookishThoughts #ReviewersOfInstagram

I am loving the humor, the nicknames, the Spanglish, I was loving everything! I adored Jolene. The mystery is a little cozy-ish. I zoomed right through this one.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I was interested in this book since it’s set in Phoenix AZ. I always love to read books with settings I’m very familiar with. However, there was a bit too much setting in this case. For someone familiar with the area, it was fun to catch all the streets and restaurants I know of or have heard about. But even I thought there was too much I can only imagine how those from outside of AZ would just start skimming over all the locations mentioned.

In addition, there was a lot of telling, not showing. When a character hadn’t been brought up for a while, the author would restate their part in the story (for instance, remind the reader of their profession or what the MC thought about them). Context clues would have been much more enjoyable to read than rather than the reminders.

Overall, the book was ok. It’s an easy read but not one I would recommend widely.

Book number 2 in the Jolene Garcia Mysteries. While I enjoyed the first book more, I still liked this one. I felt the first book was more suspenseful and thrilling. This second book was more a slow burn. I live in Phoenix and really enjoy all the Phoenix landmarks, although if you aren't from here then many probably won't make sense. I am hoping we get more of Jolene!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a fun mystery set in Phoenix, AZ, and featuring a TV news reporter, Jolene Garcia. She certainly has a nose for news!

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new mystery via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

The Story That Wouldn't Die is the 2nd book in the Jolene Garcia Mysteries. The beginning felt like I started in the middle of a book. Once the story got going the cozy mystery was good and kept me guessing. Jolene Garcia is a TV news reporter and she needs to stay ahead of the competition. She grew up in foster care and she tends to be aloof. She upsets a lot of coworkers and sources because she is so focused on her own goals an stories. I could sympathize with Jolene but I didn't really like her. One of the stories she gets called to cover is a vehicle fatality. It is someone she recently met and liked but Jolene thinks the death is suspicious. As she begins to investigate, she questions local politics and contract procedures which upsets people and puts Jolene on the killer's radar. Jolene keeps trying to get justice and find the culprit. The story is intriguing and there is a lot going on that kept my attention. Overall, this was an enjoyable cozy mystery. #TheStoryThatWouldntDie #JoleneGarciaMysteries #NetGaley #MinotaurBooks #StMartinPress

Oops did not know that this was book 2. I read this book first. This was a slow start for me. But that could be because I didn’t read book 1. It’s a true mystery - not a thriller. I did not expect the twists and turns it took. A lot of journalism - I learned a lot. Thank you to NetGalley, Christina Estes, and Minotaur Books. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Jolene is back trying to find the high off winning her Emmy for the story she reported on the death of Larry Lemon, a controversial radio talkshow host. Reporting about the if bakeries are really making their cupcakes gluten free is not how she is going to achieve it. When the mayor gets stuck in the elevator at City Hall, she doesn't really want to go, but it will keep her from talking about cupcakes. What she doesn't realize is this will set off a chain of events, to include two deaths while pushing another one to be investigated harder. Jolene will do anything for a story, even putting herself in harm's way.

I enjoyed the plot of the story, and of course the location. While I read it during the summer here in Phoenix, it was set around Thanksgiving and had me wishing for the cooler temps. I do wish Jolene had grown up just a bit from her near death experience, but she is still missing the empathy piece. I saw it come out a bit when trying to help Carlos and then his family when he died, but there still is just something off that makes her fully likable. I know she had a very hard past, and that does have something to do with it, but I would've hoped there had been some growth. I did like that we are starting to know more about her past in bits and pieces. Hopefully any future books will dig into that a bit more.

Jolene Garcia is a news reporter in Phoenix, Arizona. When a local business man dies in a car crash, Jolene thinks things are suspicious. She starts to investigate what happened even though her managers want her to be working on another story. She has several challenges and setbacks along the way, but starts to unravel the mystery. Overall, I like this story, even with a couple things that I didn’t enjoy.

Thank you to Christina Estes, NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: August 19, 2025