did not finish - I couldn't get into this one. I found myself having to reread and just now invested in the story.

This was well written and fun to follow. Gave some interesting insights into the world of journalism while throwing out a great mystery with enough red herrings to keep it interesting. I would definitely read another by this author.

This book was okay for me, it didn’t really wow me. I thought the plot was super basic and while I don’t mind unlikeable characters, I felt like Jolene was just wayyyy too unlikeable for my taste. I also thought the murder mystery aspect of this book could have been better written.

What I liked about this book:
1. Debut book for this author.
2. Insights into life of press with all the changes in the world of social media.

What I didn't like:
1. Too much information on Phoenix which didn't add to the plot.
2. Lots of politics
3. Felt very "clinical" - almost like we were reading a manual of how the work was done.


My thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

This book was a real struggle for me. I was hard to care about the characters.

Just an okay read in my opinion.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a super quick and easy read! It was very different in terms of books I read - this book is rooted in realism of journalism and TV reporting which is super cool! It isn't my flavour of reading overall but there is a lot to learn from this one!

Thank you SMP for the opportunity to read and review!

This book is pretty good. It started out great and hooked me, but it didn't hold.my attention. By the middle of the book I was fairly bored but I'm glad I stuck with it.

Worth the read, but room for improvement…

Off the Air caught my attention as a Tony Hillerman prize-winner, and the blurb sounded interesting too, so I was happy to receive a review copy. For me, however, Off the Air didn’t fully live up to its promise.

First, the good. I enjoyed the mystery itself, which took enough twists and turns to keep me engaged, trying to figure out whodunnit. Although the protagonist, Jolene, isn’t officially a detective herself, she does a nice job of putting together what she hears from her sources, some internet investigation, and her own legwork, and eventually comes up with the solution. And I enjoyed following along as she did.

In addition, the author, Christina Estes, an Emmy-award winning journalist herself, does a very nice job of addressing the challenges and ethical issues facing journalists today. Not just the need to get a scoop, but the 24/7 pressure to put out digital updates, the financial stresses on news organizations as customers move away from traditional news sources, the competition between local and network operations, and even the public’s expectations that (qualified or not) they should get to be involved in the reporting process as well. There was a lot that made me think, although I have no solutions.

Sadly, however, I had trouble really getting into Off the Air, mainly because I found many of characters to be over-stereotyped: Jolene’s competitor and nemesis, JJ, relying on her looks to get her by; the victim, a nasty far-right shock radio host; the station manager, making decisions based on his wife’s whims; the buzzword-spouting consultant; even Jolene’s possibly well-intentioned but ultimately nosy neighbor. I do understand that stereotypes exist because there are lots of people who fit them, but there’s also a lot of nuance in the world, and Off the Air could have used a bit more of that.

Overall, though, I thought that the good outweighed the bad, and would still recommend Off the Air to read. (One note: if you do lean far to the right in your politics, such that you might agree with the right-wing victim, you probably won’t enjoy this read. Definitely not an issue for me, but YMMV…) And finally, my thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the review copy.

This is the debut novel from Christina Estes, a broadcast journalist herself. The mystery kept my attention and interest in finding out who the culprit was but for me the best part of the book was the clear realistic view on broadcast journalism. I knew little about that profession before reading this book and yet quickly bought into the ways of that world and the business/personal interactions of those in the thick of it.

DNF @ 11% - honestly not in the mood for this type of book. I've tried 3x and it is not catching me.

If you're into journalism and love a good behind-the-scenes story, Off the Air is a must-read!

This book takes you deep into the newsroom, mixing the author's real-life experiences with the excitement of today's media landscape. I grew up around journalists and have always loved TV shows and movies set in the industry so I was immediately hooked by Jolene and her drive to succeed. I really like how Christina Estes showed how the business of news (ratings, social media, celebrity reporters…….) can conflict with and influence reporting. It's a fascinating topic and one that gets more relevant by the day.

Don't sleep on this debut!

Thank you Minotaur and NetGalley for the gifted copies to read.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book as an ARC.
While the writing style was good and it for sure was interesting to read about the drama, stress, and excitement that goes on in a news station, it did not peak my interest to learn more about it. The characters were not likeable at all and not much happened in the book. It seemed to just go on and on with not much happening besides the protagonist trying to make a name for herself.
This book for sure manifested even more so the dislike towards media and them pestering people and their lives. It was an ok read but seemed a little boring to me as there were no twists at all. A lot of the chapters and what was happening seemed repetitive.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an e-arc!

This story follows a determined journalist who is dedicated to advancing in her career. When a local celebrity of sorts dies suspiciously, Jolene makes it her mission to find out any relevant information possible to make sure she has the scoop first before any of her competitors can run the breaking news on the air first. However, Jolene finds herself frustrated at the amount of information she is forced to keep off the record, or the unwillingness of key people to talk to her. Jolene is looking for clues wherever she can, getting herself in a dangerous situation.

I did enjoy this book, however I do think that it has a very niche audience. I used to be a reporter, went to school for journalism and am now in the PR field, so I could appreciate and relate to a lot of things within this story. I think that it’s a worthwhile read for anyone in that line of business as journalists are so often portrayed poorly in books and movies, whereas this book is more accurate to the experience. (To an extent) However, someone who does not have this background may not enjoy the specifics.

Going off of that, context is so important in reporting and I could understand why the author so heavily explained things that were mentioned to the reader..however, sometimes it interrupted the flow of the story, and the things that were being so over explained maybe didn’t have to be. I think that some of the things that the author provided context on could be considered common knowledge.

Overall, besides the occasional over explanations, I did enjoy this author’s writing and very much appreciate a story about a reporter and the hectic life of news media that is actually written by a reporter herself. I did find myself laughing at some of the relatability, like the one source who was so eager to do an interview and became forceful about it, even though the reporter politely declined multiple times. Or the attitude of some of the people Jolene did interview, and how some of them were very anti-reporter.

I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this book to everyone in general but I definitely do recommend to readers that are interested in media, journalism, reporting, broadcasting, etc.

"Off The Air" by Christina Estes is about Jolene Garcia, a local TV reporter in Phoenix, Arizona (named after the Dolly Parton song). The narrative kicks off with Jolene investigating car registration prices, but her attention quickly shifts when she learns of a death at a radio station. She rushes to the scene, very eager to be the first to report on the incident.

The deceased is Larry Lemmon, a famous and controversial talk show host. Jolene realizes she has a unique advantage in covering this story because she was the last to interview Lemmon. Driven by her ambition and dedication to uncovering the truth, Jolene dives into the investigation, putting herself in danger to get the inside scoop on Lemmon's death.

The novel gives readers a front-row seat to the intense and often dangerous world of investigative journalism. Jolene's relentless pursuit of the story makes for a compelling and thrilling read. The book effectively captures the stress and excitement of a reporter's life, making readers feel like they are right alongside Jolene as she navigates the challenges of her job.

"Off The Air" is an interesting and engaging book that highlights the demanding nature of news reporting and the lengths journalists will go to uncover the truth. I’ll rate this 3 stars. It gave me a newfound appreciation for the field of investigative journalism. Thank you NetGalley and publishers!

Debut mystery is realistic about the world of multimedia news and journalism.

Local television reporter, Jolene Garcia, wants a big story and wants an Emmy. When a controversial radio personality, Larry Lemmon, dies while at work on radio station KFRK, Jolene wants the inside track. Soon the death is considered suspicious, and everyone knows that means Larry was murdered. Since she was the last person to interview him, Jolene has the notion that this will be the news break that makes her career. Despite competition from other local and national news outlets, Jolene has a couple of sources that might give her an advantage if she can find out the truth first and get it on the air.

This was funny at times and lighthearted at others. Some serious political hot topics are discussed as part of the shock jock's rhetoric, and there are lots of details about the inner workings of news organizations. The author has experience and obviously knows what she is writing about, and that insider information is interesting. Although I have an aversion to reporters and how they want the story at any cost, I can understand how the public's demand for 24/7 news and social media feed the frenzy. I found it quite convenient that Jolene had so many sources and also thought her investigation was equal parts unlikely and ill advised. All told, it was easy to read in a single sitting and a unique contemporary bit of storytelling.

I was able to listen to the audiobook while following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator, Marcella Black, did a good job of providing nuance and distinct voices for all the characters. This dual method always adds to my enjoyment of the reading experience.

Note: I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book should tick off all the boxes for me- it's billed as a mystery set in Phoenix featuring a controversial political talk show host- that should be everything I would need for a new favorite book. Unfortunately, it just doesn't come together for me and I was really struggling to power through the story. This was more TV/media based (like a day in the life of an investigative journalist, really) and not enough mystery, it was almost like the mystery aspect was just tossed in as an afterthought. Also, as someone from Phoenix, this was overly Phoenix-y and tried so hard to name drop every restaurant, road, etc. It got to be a bit much. I liked the concept of this story more than the actual execution, unfortunately, and I ultimately found this to be ok but not great.

Christina Estes' debut novel Off the Air uses her experience as a radio reporter and life in Phoenix in this cozy mystery. Newscaster Jolene is first on the scene when a controversial radio show host has been found dead under suspicious circumstances. As she was the last one to interview him, she takes it upon herself to find his murderer.
I enjoyed the setting of the Southwest as I enjoy that region and the qualities it gives a setting. I had trouble liking any of the characters and as a non-political person, didn't enjoy that portion. I do think the author would be worth giving another try in a different book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book thanks to Netgalley, but all opinions are my own.

When local far right and quite controversial talk radio host Larry Lemon dies mid-shift, reporter Jolene Garcia is on the scene! Who killed him, and for why? And what does it have to do with a mysterious housesitter at her apartment complex that leaves her weird flowers and notes? (Spoilers: nothing.)

As a basic description, this sounded good! Christine Estes is a long time journalist and it shows. This is not a good thing. This means that this piece of fiction is written like news articles and there are, literally, over a dozen tangents of the author going off into background of specific events like:

"Recalling Jim's previous reference to Jonestown, I start googling--and questioning humanity. Before September 11, 2001 [reviewer's note: this is not the only time the full date including year is mentioned in this book in these background asides], it was considered the largest single loss of American life in a deliberate act. Jonestown refers to the Peoples Temple Agricultural Project organized by Jim Jones, a former preacher from Indianapolis who created a settlement in Guyana. In 1978, it was the scene of a mass murder-suicide. More than nine hundred people, including babies, drank or were forced to ingest a powdered drink laced with cyanide. The phrase "drinking the Kool-Aid" was coined after Jonestown." [Further note: I went back and read the conversation; Jonestown was not mentioned prior. Nor was 'drinking the Kool-Aid.]

Estes does not trust her reader to either be familiar with things that are of general cultural relevance (9/11, how most people write the event, or just an offhanded internal monologue like, "sounds like Jonestown" as mystery readers PROBABLY at least know the basics??) and relies too heavily on her journalism background to include every nook and cranny of barely relevant information... this book is only 311 pages as per Kindle Cloud Reader. It would probably be novella length if these were cut out as they should have been.

Another thing that was barely noticeable is that I do not know what most characters look like -- EXCEPT the rival reporter that the main character is constantly thinking/talking disparagingly about because of the way she dresses/looks/talks, or the ex-wife who's gotten a lot of work done. These two characters command the VAST majority of physical descriptors. Meanwhile, there's a passage about how Garcia doesn't like describing women as black widows-- "I get that it's a reference to the female black widow, the most venomous spider in North America, but a common characteristics people attach to them are wrong. I know this because in fourth grade we had to present a report on a spider or an insect. I picked the black widow." Okay???????

There are TIDBITS that are interesting-- that Garcia was in a foster home but was eventually adopted by her now-deceased grandmother but it's barely touched on and could have, I don't know, made her more sympathetic to the homeless woman she meets earlier on (who is mentioned being seen again later-- because we can't have less obvious hints at the plot or anything!!) but instead she is judgmental and rude for no reason?? She also has a fear of dogs that is intense -- until For Plot Reasons she's okay and can deal.

And that 'mysterious stranger' I mentioned earlier on? A whole creepy side plot that fizzles into nothing like the weirdest failed attempt at a red herring and should have been cut entirely, like, what.

As a side note (another one??) even though I love when media is so familiar with and loving of their places of origin, again the descriptions of Phoenix were just OVER descriptive. I don't need to know the history of the light rail or the mall that Bill & Ted ("Released in 1989, the science-fiction comedy features several scenes shot in Phoenix, including historical figures being chased through the mall. Thirty-four years later, the city organized a final farewell and Harkins Theatres showed Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure one last time before the iconic mall was demolished.") which, by the way, was not a featured setting of the book-- it was a long and meandering aside from... a piece of concrete on a coworker's desk.

This was Not Good. It sounded like it could have been good! I am a natural optimist, I always want things to be good. Instead, I read this entire book and it was not good. If Ms Estes decides to publish fiction again, I would recommend a very good editor that has a thick red pen and reading a LOT of fiction in and outside her preferred genre to write a book like a novel-- not a newspaper article.

Thank you to St Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for reaching out and providing the NetGalley widget..!

DNF at 51%

I was really excited about this one since I’m from Phoenix. I did like to be able to picture so much of where they were talking about. But it really began to feel like the whole point the author was seeing to make was about getting someone to experience Phoenix and it was just way too much of that and not enough about the actual story.

This was a fun quick read. I enjoyed Off the Air for its vibrant portrayal of the competitive world of journalism. Jolene Garcia, the TV reporter at the center of the mystery, adds a dynamic layer to the narrative with her drive and determination. The Phoenix setting gives the story a lively backdrop, and the tension surrounding the investigation keeps the reader engaged.

The plot is driven by Jolene’s quest to solve the murder of a controversial talk show host, which intertwines her professional ambitions with the unfolding drama. I found the competitive edge between journalists to be an intriguing element that elevated the stakes. Overall, it’s a compelling read with a strong, ambitious protagonist that keeps you invested in the outcome.