Charlotte 'Charlie' McNally, an investigative television journalist, is looking for the story to help her station clean up in November sweeps. Her job depends on it, and she is constantly reminded that she has been around the block a time or two. She has been asked twice in one morning for use of her voice, but not to be shown on camera. She knows the station puts the younger faces on camera, but is she that unappealing? The second use of her voice is to interview a recent widow. During the interview, the widow wants to ask her a question off camera. Charlie agrees but she is surprised by the question. The widow wants to know why she never responded to an email her husband, Bradley Foreman, sent to her a day or so before he died. What could be so important about the email that the widow would be asking about it?

Charlie hurries back to the station to look through her emails while her producer, Franklin, informs her about Aztratech pharmaceuticals, the company Bradley Foreman worked for. He found a lawsuit against the company, and it looks as if Brad could have been a whistle blower. Once Charlie finds the email, she has more questions for the widow. She ends up with a box of documents from several companies and several pages of spam. It also turns out that she isn't the only one to receive an email and the documents. Her investigation takes her into the office of Josh Gelston. He answers her questions, and she is more than interested in his answers. Is it professional to date someone you interview? As Charlie tries to unravel the mystery, it becomes apparent that someone is trying to tie up the loose strands. Whatever she has uncovered is far more sinister and complicated than whistle blowing. Will she be able to escape with her life?

Hank Phillippi Ryan, an investigative reporter, puts those skills into writing a fantastic debut mystery. Her knowledge about the TV world is apparent throughout the book, and makes the story that more engaging. The plot has so many twists and turns that you are kept on the edge of your seat wondering when to hold on or when the next curve will appear. The characters are witty, charming, and intense. I cannot wait for the next story with Charlie and Franklin. PRIME TIME is a fast paced read, but be warned once you start reading, you will be in for the long haul.

Book Summary

Deadlines. Desire. Deception.
(And whatever you do: Don't Delete.)

The story of the century may be hiding in her junk mail folder! Think that annoying Spam clogging your computer is just so much cyber junk- mail? Top notch TV reporter Charlotte McNally begins to suspect it may be much more than that—in fact, she discovers some of it may be carrying secret big money messages to the group of insiders with the key to decode it. Problem is, the last outsider who deciphered the truth now resides in the local morgue.

In the high-stakes high-pressure world of TV news…this could be the biggest story of Charlie's life. Or it could be the one that will end it. Charlie's also facing another dilemma: the battle of on-the- air aging. What happens when a top-notch TV reporter is married to her job—but the camera doesn't love her anymore? Will the glamorous Charlie become a media old maid? And will that dishy professor turn out to be the answer to all her problems—or the biggest problem of all?

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