Closing out the month of December, I have part two of my roundup. All three books were a bit unexpected - read on for my thoughts. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with these ARCs to review.

december roundup: part two

Off the Air

Author: Christina Estes
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: 3/26/2024
Genre: Mystery/Thrillers
Rating: 4/5 Stars

Local TV reporter Jolene Garcia is one of several looking to be the first to break the facts on the murder of controversial radio host Larry Lemmon. As Jolene was the last person to interview Larry, she should have a leg up, but all her attempts to uncover new details keep getting thwarted. As more details are revealed, Jolene finds herself locked in competition with other reporters, and more than just her job is on the line.

The characters in the book have nice development. Jolene’s favorite cameraman Nate serves as the voice of reason and her friends Gina and Elena are the kind of friends everyone should have (supportive but also honest). Jolene, however, is a bit more frustrating. She tends to take on a defeatist attitude throughout the book, and her lack of accountability makes her a challenging main character to support.

This is a fun read for fans of slower-paced mysteries with minimal violence. It also provides interesting insight into TV reporting and how the changing ways news is delivered impact the medium. Ultimately, the book's most interesting form of tension lies in the competitive rush to get the story.

The Last Trip

Author: Rowen Chambers
Publication Date: 12/21/2023
Genre: Mystery/Thrillers
Rating: 2/5 Stars

Normally Beth looks forward to her annual reunion trip with her husband and their college friends, but this year is a different story. She finds herself full of dread about being stuck in the middle of nowhere with the chance of snow – especially when she realizes her friend’s younger brother Ryan will be joining them. Beth has never trusted him, so when another friend is found dead, she is convinced she knows who is to blame.

With the setting and plot, this book has the makings of a solid mystery. However, it is a bit clunky. We immediately learn that a character knows a dark secret about Beth, but it is shared so quickly it is almost jarring. From there, Beth proceeds to become increasingly infuriating. She is so exhausting as a character that you almost hope she is the next victim in the story.

Additionally, the other characters are one-dimensional, and Beth’s interactions with them are so forced and bizarre they just feel awkward and do nothing to build suspense. Additionally, the way they all handle death in their midst does not ring true as to how people would react to such a situation; being calm and holding an immediate memorial while the body hangs out wrapped in a blanket is an odd move.

Overall, the story is a bit cumbersome, and Beth is irritating; however, the plot has a few twists, which help to make it a quick read. This would be a fun choice for a snowy day read but there are better variations out there.

You’ve Been Summoned

Author: Lindsey Lamar
Publication Date: 2/27/2024
Genre: Interactive Mystery/Thrillers
Rating: 3/5 Stars

Lindsey Lamar’s interactive novel You’ve Been Summoned offers a fun, albeit somewhat clunky, approach to reading as the reader plays the role of detective. Following two different mysteries in the same house in Richmond, Virginia, the book includes interviews, articles, and chapter recaps to assist the reader in solving the present-day case.

It is a fun concept, but the book does not work as well as other similarly styled books (like Janice Hallett’s The Appeal). If the book had more texts, emails, and interviews it would likely feel more interactive. As it stands, the two narrated sections are too long, and this takes the reader out of piecing the clues together and into the narrative instead.

While this book does not fully pull it off, it is unique enough to make for an interesting book club pick or a vacation read.

Stay tuned for my January roundup. Until then - cheers and happy reading! Follow me on Instagram for more updates.