I appreciate that Jolene is a hard worker and dedicated to exposing the truth. After a tip leads her to digging deeper into questionable practices at the mayor's office, Jolene begins to receive threatening messages and close calls with Toyotas!

TV reporter Jolene is not content with covering “sexy” fluff pieces assigned by her boss, instead she prefers investigative news stories.

After receiving a tip, Jolene decides to look into the “accidental” death of a small business owner who had questions about city contracts. There are twist and turns that keep you guessing and keep you interested. Can she survive her search for the truth?

I did not realize this is the second book of a series. It is easily read as a stand alone.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The series continues for me. Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for a chance to read an early copy of this book.
It could definitely also be a stand alone read as well.
Jolene is a reporter with big ambitions and a lot of presence. While she is not a likeable character to me one has to appreciate her drive. I did however get a little tired for hearing about her Emmy award during this story.
A local man is killed after he was to report about suspected corruption in the awarding of city contracts. The murder itself was most disturbing and he and his family were the most redeeming characters in the story.
In the book many of the characters feel more like types than real people to me. There is also a real sense of melodrama that many readers will enjoy but is not really for me.
The news industry is certainly going through a crisis of identity with sensationalism often trumping truth and at least I feel Jolene is fighting this as she follows her story. I do think the premise of a reporter determined to follow stories to their truthful end is a good one and certainly worthy of more books for the series. I feel the series does do a good job of exposing inequity in government and journalism.

This is the second in a series and even though I don’t think you need to read the first one to really enjoy and understand this one, I will say there are a lot of characters and for me, that hurt my interest in the book. It was a lot going on and a lot to keep track of but it’s a fun easy read otherwise

The Story That Wouldn't Die by Christina Estes is a good second book in the Jolene Garcia Mysteries series, with plenty of action and a web of crime and corruption for reporter Jolene to navigate.
As in the first book, rivalries play a large part in Jolene's drive to succeed and to get the scoop, and this time, with an Emmy under her belt, she is more determined to beat others to the story than ever before. One might say that she has tunnel vision.
The crimes include lobbyist and government corruption, and a few murders, all tangled together to keep the reader guessing and turning the pages. The vagaries of the journalism business and the challenges it faces today are front and centre, and they provide an interesting backdrop to all of the intrigue.
I found this book to be a bit repetitive as Jolene reviews her clues often, and the main character herself loses some of her relatability this time around.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC of #TheStoryThatWouldn'tDie .

Second in a series but can be read as a standalone. A solid mystery with good characters, red herrings and lots of twists. Loved the humor! I enjoyed the reporter angle, it's a great change! Thanks #Netgalley and #StMartinsPress for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

I didn't realize this was book two in a series but I don't think I missed anything by not reading book one. With that being said, this books was ok. The story was a bit predictable and the writing was a little disjointed at times. It has potential. Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc.

Thank you GetRedPR, Christina Estes, and Minotaur Books for my #gifted copy of The Story That Wouldn’t Die! #GetRedPR #getredprbooks #minotaurbooks #TheStoryThatWouldntDie #ChristinaEstes

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐃𝐢𝐞
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐬
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟏𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

The Story That Wouldn’t Die is the second book in the Jolene Garcia Mysteries Series by author Christina Estes. While I read Off the Air last year and really enjoyed that book, these books can absolutely be read as standalone books. I love that the author is a reporter herself and has used her career as inspiration for writing these mysteries. Jolene is such a fun character and I love her personality so much! This book centers around a small business owner who died in a car crash. The only problem is, Jolene isn’t convinced the crash was an accident, and is deterred to find out the truth behind what really happened, especially as she learned that he was raising questions about who was getting lucrative deals at city hall that some people perhaps didn’t want answered. As Jolene continues to expose information and the story becomes bigger and bigger, her bosses want her to drop it, but Jolene is not giving up when there’s a story to tell.

Full of humor, twists, interesting characters, and a great ending, The Story that Wouldn’t Die is a great mystery. I love how the author used her own experience as a reporter and I can’t wait to read whatever she comes up with next!

Posted on Goodreads on July 16, 2025: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around July 16, 2025: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on August 19, 2025
**-will post on designated date

This is the second book in the Jolene Garcia series, however both can be read as standalone. Well the series is marketed and appears as cozy mystery I would just add it’s on the darker side in some sections.

Jolene is quite the tenacious reporter, forever after the story. Which was an interesting twist on cozy mysteries. Usually we have an amateur playing detective focusing on solving the mystery whereas here Jolene was more focused on the journalism side of getting the exclusive. It was a cool concept, I enjoyed seeing an inside look into journalism but sometimes it just felt way too repetitive.

There was a wide range of characters which is nice to keep us guessing but this did toe the line of too many characters.

In the end I’ve found both books to be easy albeit average reads so maybe this just isn’t the right series for me.

Read if you love:
🕵🏻‍♀️ Cozy mysteries
🎙️ Journalism/ investigative reporting

Thank you Minotaur and Netgalley for my review copy in exchange for an honest review!

The Story That WoulJolene has just won her first Emmy and is committed to solving and covering stories to help her community. But her bosses want clickbait stories, things that people will be interested in and not hard-hitting coverage that she wants to do. When a small business owner dies in a car crash she is convinced that it was not an accident. He had been raising questions about things concerning City Hall. Things that people in powerful positions did not want answered.

I really enjoyed this book. I love the fact that Julian is an incredibly flawed character and is she surrounded by people that aren't afraid to call her out on her BS. I would say this is a little more gritty than your average cozy mystery, but it still has the cozy mystery elements. Though I read this in the summer, I would recommend this as a fall read. It seems like the kind of thing that you would read with a warm cup of coffee or tea on a lovely fall day.

I received a free DRC of this book through Netgalley. I have not read Book 1 in this series, but it works fine as a standalone book. It's about a tv reporter, Jolene, who wants to get to the big league stations, but meanwhile is dealing with trying to find a better story than gluten-free cupcakes at a local Phoenix news station. Jolene is lonely and mostly likeable as a character. She has a sad backstory in foster care which she has hidden from her current coworkers and acquaintances. If you are interested in tracking down different stories or a career in journalism, then this could be a good mystery for you. I wasn't very interested by the political and city council bits, but I think a lot of politicians count on that, right so they can do misdeeds and no one cares enough to figure it out.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing a copy of the ebook in exchange for my review.

This is book 2 in a series, and I haven't not read book 1. However, I don't think I really missed any important details by missing book 1. The author did a good job of providing a recap of book 1, so I was able to follow along and understand the continuing storyline.

Although I didn't personally care for Jolene as a person, I appreciated the fact that she is written as an imperfect person. This really helped her feel a lot more 'real'. Jolene felt like a real person making (sometimes poor) decisions and skipping over protocol, but she does what she feels needs to be done, even if she is a bit aggressive in following the story.

The events in the story felt obvious and predictable and the author writes in a very leading way, so there weren't many surprises for a suspense book. The writing seemed choppy in areas and the time line seems to jump around.

Overall, it was an ok read. I'm not sure if I would go back to read book 1 as I didn't really connect with any of the characters.

3 stars.

Christina Estes has crafted an unforgettable lead in Jolene Garcia—a character who’s as infuriating as she is endearing. One moment I was cheering her on, the next I wanted to shake some sense into her. But that’s what makes her so compelling.
The story takes a sharp jab at modern journalism, skewering the obsession with viral clicks and social media buzz over good old-fashioned fact-checking. Jolene is caught in this mess, clashing with her boss over demands for a flashy, “sexy” headline while she fights to stick to her roots in investigative reporting.
When Jolene stumbles onto what seems like a routine story, she’s the only reporter determined to dig past the surface. The deeper she goes, the darker things get—and as the bodies pile up, it becomes clear something sinister is tangled up in city hall’s corruption.
She’s flawed, no doubt. At times, Jolene seems lazy and burns bridges to get ahead. But she’s also aware of the wreckage she causes and makes efforts to set things right.
The mystery hooked me from the start. Why was the lobbyist killed—simple robbery or something more twisted? Did the friendly contractor suffer a heart attack, or was it murder? And what’s up with Santa—an accident or something more? Plus, someone’s threatening Jolene... and a bakery might be hiding the truth about its gluten-free cupcakes!

I didn't realize this had a book before it when I picked it up, but....it stands well on its own! I didnt feel like I was missing out on anything and enjoyed the story 😊
It is definitely more cozy mystery than thriller and the FMC was a little too comfortable crossing professional lines, BUT that seems to be on brand for mystery books and not a big deal lol
Overall I liked the plot and it did keep me guessing which is always fun 😄
I went back to read book one when I was done and I think this one was even better!

Jolene Garcia is a no-nonsense reporter who is just trying to get the job done and make a real difference. In other words, she is better than the fluff stories her boss sends her out on. This is book 2 in a series, but it can easily be read as a stand-alone. Jolene is smart and a little quirky (she talks to her pet goldfish). The banter amoung characters made this lighthearted while murder mystery solving. This is an easy read for those who enjoy a cozy mystery. Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for the ARC and opportunity to provide an honest review.

The Story that Wouldn't Die is a fun and engaging mystery that had me hooked from begining to end.

Although I did not read Book 1 in the series, ( I will certainly go back and read it) this book can certainly be read as a stand alone.

Jolene is a reporter that is smart, compassionate and determined.

I love she talks to her goldfish as it makes her all the more real.

Jolene is on the trail to chase down a murder that makes her suspicious of the Mayor.

Twists and turns combined with a well paced book kept me hooked .

The ending took me by surprise even though I thought I had figured it all out.

I look forward to reading more Jolene Garcia Mysteries and I cant wait for the next sequel in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review The Story That Wouldn't Die.

Jolene Garcia is one tough reporter and she is determined to find the truth about Carlos Rios accident. He was one hard working family man that was questioning the contact bidding system. Jolene gets warnings to stop investigating but keeps digging for justice. I liked how Jolene’s coworkers called her out when she did sketchy things. I didn’t like that her boss kept saying to make the media “sexy” just seemed wrong and the word was over used in this book. Someone will go to great lengths to cover up their secrets.

I totally forgot that I did not enjoy the first one and only realized a few chapters in that I didn't like this. Took me a second to realize I was reading another book by an author who I don't think had a good editor or hand in the development of the story. Its fine...but I wouldn't rush to get it.

Phoenix-based TV reporter Jolene Garcia is riding high after winning her first Emmy and remains dedicated to telling stories that matter to her community. When a beloved small business owner is killed in a car crash, Jolene suspects there’s more to the story. The victim had been questioning who was landing lucrative city contracts, questions that powerful people were eager to silence.

As Jolene digs deeper, she uncovers a trail of corruption, greed, and deceit that could lead to the biggest story of her career. But when her station pressures her to walk away, she’s faced with a choice: protect her job or pursue the truth. Jolene knows there's a story here, and she won’t stop until it's told.

This was a fast, suspenseful read that kept me hooked from start to finish. Every chapter delivered new twists that made it hard to put down. Estes’ background in journalism informs the plot, adding authenticity and depth. I especially appreciated Jolene’s character development, including insights into her childhood and what drives her pursuit of justice. The ending felt a bit lackluster compared to the strong buildup, but I’m still excited to see what comes next in the series.

A massive thank you to Christina Estes, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings include abandonment, homelessness, political corruption, murder, addiction.

Be sure to pick up this book when it is published on 8/19/2025!

"Emmy Award-winning reporter Christina Estes uses her twenty-year career for inspiration for her mysteries. In The Story That Wouldn't Die, Jolene Garcia refuses to stop investigating, but someone is determined to kill the story - and maybe her.

Phoenix, Arizona TV reporter Jolene Garcia is fresh off winning her first Emmy and committed to covering stories that matter to her community. But Jolene's managers want stories that grab immediate attention and generate clicks, not ones that take time to develop.

When a beloved small business owner dies in a car crash, Jolene isn't convinced it was an accident. He'd been raising questions about who keeps getting lucrative deals at city hall - questions that powerful people don't want answered. The deeper Jolene digs, the more suspicious things she uncovers.

Exposing greed, ambition, and deception could become the biggest story of Jolene's career. Her bosses tell her to drop it. But there's a story here, and Jolene's going to find it."

Could her bosses be in on it? Claiming "clicks" when it's really them that's up to no good?