Off the Air

by Christina Estes

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Off the Air is a standalone mystery (first volume in a series?) featuring a local reporter in the main role by real-life reporter Christina Estes. Released 26th March 2024 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 320 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. 

The longstanding advice to authors to "write what you know" is certainly applied here. The author is an Emmy award-winning journalist in real life, and the depth of background and verisimilitude are impressive. At some points, there might be a bit too much nuts-and-bolts description of getting the news to viewers, but overall it's interesting and engaging (mostly). There's a *lot* of backstabbing, competition, and elbow jabbing taking place between competing reporters for exclusives and sources which is exhausting to read (and undoubtedly to live as a day job also). 

Most of the main character's colleagues are whiny, superficial, catty, and unpleasant. She's not a whole lot better in some ways, and her main police background source was an unpleasant rude boor (and should be punched in the face). The constant mistakes and frustrating coincidences were distracting and largely unnecessary.

The length is surprising for a modern mystery, and immersion isn't overall even throughout. The writing and dialogue are very good, the author can definitely write. Her descriptive prose is spare and smooth; her characterizations are well rounded and believable, and the dialogue is rapid fire and not clunky. 

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 8 hours 30 minutes and is capably narrated by Marcella Black. She does a good job of delineating the large cast of characters which span a range of ages, both male and female.

Three and a half stars. Worth a look for fans of journo-mysteries. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.