Smart, talented, energetic TV reporter has a well-established instinct for a story, but here gets distracted by career woes and hottie suspect, until the bodies and the facts begin to pile up.

First in the series, it takes several chapters to lay out Charlie McNally's work/life history and story setting. Loved reading about a dynamic working woman at the top of her game. A light thriller, great beach read. ( )

Prime Time is the first book in the Charlie McNally series that has been updated and will be re-released during 2016. Ms. Ryan is a new author for me but after totally enjoying Prime Time, I am anxious to read the rest of the books in this series and read her other books, too.

Charlotte "Charlie" McNally is an investigative reporter for a TV station in Boston. At 46, she is worried that she will soon be replaced by a younger news reporter. Sweeps week is coming up and she's being pressured to come up with a big story. Even though she has Emmy Awards and has had a successful career, she knows that the next story is always the most important. Her reporter instincts lead her to a story that may be the best story of her life if she is successful or it may cause her to lose her life if she isn't. It's a definite mystery and the ending was a real surprise to me.

What I liked most about this novel was the main character of 'Charlie'. It's so nice to read a book with an older female main character who has flaws and questions herself and her abilities like Charlie does. There are other good characters in the book but Charlie was the one that was the most real to me. I can't wait to see what happens to her in the next book in the series Face a Time that will be available in April. Air Time will be available in June and Drive Time in August.

Note: Prime Time won the Agatha Award for First Novel and the Romantic times Reviewers Choice Award.
(Prime Time was given to me by Tor/Force Publishing for a fair and honest review.) ( )

AUTHOR: Ryan, Hank Phillippi
TITLE: Prime Time
DATE READ: 01/11/14
RATING: 4.5/B+
GENRE/PUB DATE/PUBLISHER/# OF PGS Suspense/2009/MIRA/280 pgs
SERIES/STAND-ALONE: #1Charlotte McNally
TIME/PLACE: Present/Boston
CHARACTERS: Charlotte McNally -- TV Journalist
FIRST LINES: Between the hot flashes, the hangover and all the spam on my computer, there's no way I'll get anything done before eight o'clock this morning.
COMMENTS: First off, I have to say -- I've seen/heard this author twice and she is a delightful, genuine, giving, gracious person. And despite all that, LOL, she tells a darn good story -- her plot was unique and kept you very interested. Charlie is a middle aged TV journalist very aware that her job is always in jeopardy -- unless she delivers a high ratings story -- the next best young things are lined up just waiting to take her place. Charlie proves once again she has the mettle to not only maintain her position but to outshine most of them and produce another award-winning story. I look forward to reading more from this author ( )

I really enjoyed this book, even tho I found myself shouting at the principal character a few times to not be so naive about things. It was TWISTY and kept my interest. I'd definitely read something by this author again, and see that there is a series of books starring Charlotte Mcnally. I'll check into getting another one! :) ( )

If you jump for joy every time a white-collar crook like Bernie Madoff lands in the slammer, you'll cheer for Ms. Ryan's fictional TV journalist, Charlie McNally, who's assigned to cover the "accidental" death of a middle manager from Big Pharma but finds herself in the thick of murder, fraud, and greedy CEOs. I've always had trouble sticking with stories written in the present tense, but in Ms. Ryan's hands, present tense conveys the "I want it now!" environment of a journalist's double-espresso-zero-sleep world. Charlie has a bouyant sense of humor, just the right amount of snark and sophistication to make you laugh aloud. In her mid-40s and perimenopausal, she's a refreshing break from the ovulating hotties who populate so many (too many) novels. Her equally three-dimensional sidekick, Franklin, is her producer, ally, and dose of common sense. They make an invincible team for a pageturner. And don't believe the "romance" label attached to this mystery. Sure, there's the start of a romance in it -- no, not between Charlie and Franklin -- but sexual tension doesn't power the plot in this book. It's whodunit and suspense and wonderful escape. ( )