By Christina Estes
A Clever and Entertaining Story of Broadcast Journalism
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SUMMARY
Jolene Garcia is a local TV news reporter based in Phoenix, Arizona. Recently, she had conducted an interview with a conservative radio talk show host, Larry Lemons. When a death occurs at Lemmon's radio station, journalists rush to the scene, vying to be the first to break the news. When the body is identified as Lemmon’s, Jolene initially has the advantage, but it quickly diminishes as she is shut out of every opportunity for a scoop. Pressure from her station causes her to do whatever it takes to get the story.
REVIEW
OFF THE AIR is a clever and entertaining story about a TV news reporter and the pressure she faces to get the story. This perspective is illuminating, and the pacing is snappy. Jolene must not only be the first to report her story with breaking news but also provide two sound bites for three news time slots and continuously tease the story on social media platforms as it is developing.
Jolene's character is colorful and determined, and readers can feel her stress and angst on every page. Jolene spent many years in foster care before going to live with her grandmother at the age of twelve, so she knows a little bit about determination.
Author Christina Estes draws on her own professional experience as a reporter and her personal experience as a foster parent. She says both worlds bring joy and pain. Estes has been an award-winning reporter for more than twenty years in Phoenix, Arizona. Her debut novel just may even have you hankering for another story about the intrepid reporter Jolene Garcia.
Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books
Published April 9, 2024
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
