Jolene is a local tv reporter in Phoenix. When a controversial talk show host suddenly dies, news reporters swarm to get to the story first. Jolene is determined to find out the truth behind the radio show host’s death and maybe earn an Emmy while doing it.

OFF THE AIR by Christina Estes is advertised as a mystery, but felt more like a “I’m going to tell you a whole bunch of facts and stories unrelated to the mystery to the point that you forget there even is a mystery” kind of mystery.

So much of this story focuses on our “controversial talk show host’s” opinions (read: very unsettling, problematic, far-right ideas) and on random facts and histories of things brought up within the story, that I lost the thread many times.

Our main character Jolene, who always spouted on about being a reporter of integrity, still seemed to do some unethical things and was extremely power hungry…it was hard to root for her.

I’m sure there is an audience for this book, but it just happened to not be me.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Minotaur Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: March 27