🔍 C O Z Y M Y S T E R Y mini review 🔎 featuring “Off the Air” by Christina Estes!

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤/5

When news breaks out that a local (and very controversial) talk show host has died suspiciously on set, local reporters all scramble to be the first one on the scene! The competition is fierce, but so is the pressure to get the details first!

Jolene Garcia is one of these reporters, and is desperate to crack the case first! She was the last person to interview the deceased and this gives her a one up for now .. but it won’t last! Now Jolene must partake in a game of cat and mouse to find out the truth of what happened! Could this story help her achieve the Emmy that she has always dreamed of?? Or will it put her directly into the line of danger??

Thank you kindly to @minotaur_books @reporterestes @stmartinspress @netgalley for my advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This cozy debut mystery releases on March 26, 2024!

Off the Air

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was expecting this book to be a little more cozy mystery based on the cover, but it’s much more about the journalism when solving a crime.

Jolene is a news reporter for a local Phoenix station and competes for stories as a local radio show host is found dead under suspicious circumstances. She works to get the latest interviews with suspects on the case and stumbles into some trouble.

I didn’t love this book, it was much more focused on all of the reporting aspects and honestly didn’t put too much into the mystery. There were a couple of attempts at character building, but they kind of fell flat for me.

Thanks to @netgalley for this ARC.

Off the Air is a book that gives a behind the scenes look at the news reporter career, and what might happen when one of their own die. I'm not familiar with this author, so I went into the book with no expectations at all.

The thing I love most about this book is the behind the scenes info about tv journalism. I don't know how true to life it is, but it really drew me into the book. It was very interesting to see the dynamics of the different teams at work, and what goes into getting new reports to the viewers. It also has a lot of historical information about Phoenix that was really interesting.

The storyline was great too. I love a good murder mystery, and this one had me confused until the big reveal at the end.

Overall, I enjoyed this book! I like the author's writing style, the characters were all great, and the story kept my interest. I'm looking forward to reading more by Christina Estes in the future.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Mar. 26, 2024
Christina Estes’ debut novel, “Off the Air” is an in-depth look at the cutthroat world of television journalism in the modern internet era.
Jolene Garcia is a TV reporter in Phoenix, Arizona, who is always looking for the next big story. When a local radio broadcaster at a local station collapses and is presumed dead while at work, Jolene is desperate to break the story wide open and report something that none of her competitors have. Jolene exhausts all her sources and even dances on the tightrope of her personal morals as she tries to uncover the hidden truth behind the story but it isn’t until Jolene ends up in a life-or-death situation that she realizes how much she is willing to risk just to tell a good story.
Garcia is a young, cutthroat female reporter desperate to become the next big name. As she competes against men who have been in the world for many years before her, and women using their looks to their advantage, she struggles to find something that will make her stand out. Garcia is a likable character and although the conniving, manipulation that comes with her job is not something I could handle, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the underbelly of broadcast journalism!
Estes’ novel is refreshing and creative, with a protagonist worth rooting for. As a resident of Arizona, Estes’ story reads like a love letter to the hot and dry American city. She talks about its population and the gentrification of neighbourhoods, as well as important societal issues like immigration, which adds depth to the setting.
It would not surprise me if Jolene Garcia reappeared in more of Estes’ novels, and I really hope she does. I loved hearing about the world of broadcast journalism and all of its minutiae of working parts through Jolene’s (female) eyes, while I also got to watch Jolene solve a murder. Estes made the reader work to guess the suspect, but the reveal was believable and it flowed fluidly with the plot.
Estes is a new author, and it’s obvious she has some insane burgeoning talent. Normally, this would not be a novel that I would immediately gravitate to (I prefer the darker, suspenseful genres) but I’m glad I was given the oppourtunity to expand my horizons. I will add another author to my TBR list and I look forward to the (possible?) return of Jolene Garcia and the (definite) return of Christina Estes.

Off the Air is set in Phoenix, Arizona and I enjoyed the local flavor. Jolene is a reporter at a local news station and recently interviewed a right-wing radio talk show host. Now that host, Larry Lemmon, has died at the radio station and the circumstances are suspicious.
Jolene is interested in solving the mystery, but only so she can get the ‘scoop’. The mystery is mostly lost behind complaints about multi-media news and competition in the news media. Jolene wants to win an Emmy and is totally focused on that. I really started losing interest in the story when it became obvious she didn’t really care who did it as long as she gets the story.
The mystery itself was definitely short-changed.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

3 stars

Thank you for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This debut was just ok for me. You can tell the author loved her journalism career and see evidence throughout.

The mystery was a little slow for me and the reason for the murder at the end was…?

Make sure you check trigger warnings.

I truly cannot say how much I dislike writing poor reviews. I tried so hard to like this one but I could not connect with any characters and especially disliked the main character.. I also did not care about the mystery, and would have DNF if I had not received a netgalley ARC.

The story started off with a bang, the murder of a local polarizing talk show host, and the fight by the news reporters to get the story. The story evolved into more of a story about journalism and news reporting than a murder mystery. The murder mystery was secondary to the news reporting.

Jolene Garcia is a local news reporter in Arizona. When a local polarizing talk show host, Larry Lemmon, dies, reporters head to the radio station to get the scoop. Jolene tries to outwit her competition to get the story on who murdered Larry, hoping to earn an Emmy.

The author’s extensive knowledge of being a reporter turned this book into more of a behind the scenes of the news industry. Unfortunately, the murder mystery became the secondary story.

This book will be released on March 26th.

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martins Press, and the author for the e-arc.

A solid debut set amid a Phoenix tv news program. It’s a cozy mystery, though FMC Jolene is sort of unlikable at times. And rather than having a dog, as is common in the cozy genre, Jolene is terrified of dogs (with good reason). This has a high level of “couldn’t put it down”-ness, and I look forward to more from the author.

I received a copy of this book from Minotaur.

2.5/5 ⭐️
I’ll start by saying I did not DNF this book. I actually sat through its entirety. Which is a good thing. It didn’t annoy me to the point where I just couldn’t read it. However, it was not good. I saw its potential, but it seriously needed a few more rounds of rewrites and beta reading and editing.
First, if they cut out all the irrelevant details, I think this book would’ve been 100 pages. Max. It told me so much unimportant info but did not telling me anything on how the main character and this detective became friends and him willing to help her, for instance. It actually reminded me of a popular segment on the podcast, Dumb People Town, where they read articles written by a Florida reporter because he notoriously over explains even the most obvious things. He once explained what an anchor was. This author took the time to tell us kimchi is fermented cabbage. It had nothing to do with the plot. And this was not the only time it happened. It is marketed as a murder mystery but felt like we spent way more time learning what it’s like to be a news reporter. And I mean learn. Like it’s one of those cheesy movies we would watch in school, like in drivers ed, where it’s heavy on the lecturing and weak on the entertainment.
But yet I kept reading. I didn’t stop. Though I was super close a few times because I like to read to escape reality, not read about it. I wanted to read about a fun little murder mystery involving new reporters and a controversial radio star, I didn’t actually want to read about the actual political drama in America today. Like I hear enough about Trump and racists on the actual news, I wanted to take a break from that shit storm and read about a fictional version of reality with made up issues.
Overall, this was fine. I think there will be people who like this. But if you also don’t want to read more about Trump and polarizing political takes or to have things over explained to you, I would maybe pass on this book. But if all that doesn’t bother you and you actually like that kind of stuff, this is for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Press for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

Off the Air was a cozy murder mystery with very detailed descriptions of behind the scenes television journalism and life in Phoenix, AZ. The story follows Jolene Garcia, a field reporter for the local news. Jolene is desperate to gain notoriety in her field and ends up taking extreme risks to do so. Those risk start to push away her co-workers and friends. But after her life is put on the line, all her friends quickly return to her corner.
3.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

“Ah, Facebook. The modern newsroom’s source for story ideas.”(Jolene) Thank you Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Christina Estes for this free early book.
“Off the Air” by Christina Estes ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Investigative Journalism Mystery. Location: Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Time: Present.

Jolene Garcia, 29, is a local TV reporter covering dry cleaners to gluten-free bakeries, and sometimes the stories she really wants to tell. When KFRK’s ultra-conservative talk show host Larry “Never Surrender” Lemon is murdered, journalists fight for the story. Jolene conducted his final interview, and she’s determined to solve his murder. But other reporters and stations keep beating her to the important scenes and interviews.

Although this book is a murder mystery full of red herrings, I think it’s more a commentary on the “multimedia journalism” that is today’s news, with old-style journalists pushed out of their comfort zone as newsrooms go digital. It’s adapt or die, and that’s another way to say backstabbing, sneaking, and sexy shots.
As a knowledgeable local reporter herself, author Estes adds real world news and names to the mix. This was a niche read for me. I live on Phoenix’s west side, and I loved reading about places I know and enjoy. I watch local TV news, and wonder about some TV reporters. If you enjoy stories focused on journalism where a relentless reporter blunders around trying to make her boss happy by scooping other reporters, this might be your book. Just be aware, Estes gives you a lot of local history and background (A Lot!) It’s a fast and easy read, it kept my attention, and it’s a solid 3 stars from me🌵📚💁🏼‍♀️

This was a fun and quirky mystery! It’s set in Phoenix Arizona and there is a lot of background on the state. I liked the time spent on regional topics but it makes a lot of sense since the main character, Jolene, is a reporter for a local news station. I will say that this story has a lot of random information about the characters that do not add to the story. Every time a character gets introduced, there’s a page or two about them as a person (what they wear, where they are from, etc) that ended up not being very relevant. I also found myself frustrated with some of the storylines. Oliver, for instance, feels unnecessary. I wish more would’ve come out of that. I was also so annoyed with Jolene for her actions towards the resolution of the mystery. I will say this book was fast paced though and it didn’t linger on the parts that I was annoyed about. Overall a really good read. Rating rounded up from 3.5 stars.

Being a reporter in this day and age is a cut throat profession. When potentially-problematic radio host Larry Lemmon dies suspiciously, local and national news outlets clammer to get the exclusives.

Jolene is desperate to make a name for herself in the industry. Having the last interview with Lemmon gave her an edge, but not for long.

Jolene crosses a lot of lines, makes some questionable decisions, and her personal morals are tested constantly.

I really enjoyed this book. While touching on many current events and Phoenix society, Christina does a bang up job setting the scene for this fast-paced media-centered mystery.

Thank you NetGalley, Minotaur, and Christina Estes for the advanced copy!

There was a lot to appreciate about this mystery by Christina Estes. Firstly was the authenticity she portrayed Arizona which made it seem like a very important side character.

The inside look at the making of a news story was also interesting. The main tension of the book was the main character fighting against deadlines and the rush to be first.

I was invested throughout and look forward to her next tale. A Ve_y _ood Re_d!

A fun mystery debut! Estes takes the inherent chaos of the 24 hour news cycle and crafts a great mystery. Definitely grab this one when it releases.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books

This is a fun mystery story set in the world of news reporting. Jolene is a reporter who ends up trying to solve a mystery close to home. This book has a great set of characters and really interesting premise. There were a few parts of the story that dragged a bit for me but overall this was a well-done story and I am looking forward to Estes' next work. I think this could be a great series to follow. Thanks to Christina Estes, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of Off The Air in exchange for an honest review.

What a snooze fest. I hate to say it but I was not a fan.

The premise of this book had so much promise. A murder mystery from a reporters point of view? Who wouldn't be interested?

What we got, however, was so incredibly shallow. What was the point of this book? The characters introduced how no depth to them, including our main character Jolene. Her motivations were purely for pride as a journalist with nothing underneath them. The amount of times I rolled my eyes because she was so desperate for an "exclusive interview" was astronomical. There was no humanization of any one person. The murder mystery was so lacking I solved it in a matter of pages. There were so many unnecessary facts provided that had nothing to do with the actual story. The dialogue was vanilla. The relationships between the characters was blander than a saltine cracker.

The only reason I won't give this a one star is because I wasn't offended by it. I didn't hate it so much that I wanted to throw it against a wall. Instead I felt nothing.

If anything, this reminded me why I don't like reporters and why I hate local news.

Christina Estes did not disappoint when she wrote this novel. It had so many twist and turns. When I read a book about journalist, mystery and murder, I’d expect anything but the best and Christina did her thing with this book. I loved it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book. Thank you!

The premise for this sounded so great! A cozy mystery with a reporter being our main character, sign me up. Well unfortunately I think the author's advanced knowledge of all things radio station/reporting became overwhelming for this one The characters were well developed but the story wasn't attention grabbing enough due to all the extra details. I made it to 34% ( a little over 100 pages) and am calling it quits. Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.