Beyond the Headlines takes readers into the fast-paced world of investigative journalism, following veteran reporter Clare Carlson as she tackles the murder case of billionaire Charles Hollister. The story’s premise is captivating, weaving together themes of celebrity, domestic abuse, and a decades-old mystery tied to the Vietnam War. The author’s newsroom expertise is evident, providing an authentic glimpse into the relentless pressures of breaking news.
The novel kicks off with an emotional jailhouse interview with Laurie Bateman, a former supermodel and actress accused of killing her husband. As Clare digs deeper, the case becomes more tangled, spanning multiple murders and unsettling family secrets.
While the plot promises suspense, the execution left me underwhelmed. The author’s writing style, particularly the sentence structure, felt clunky at times. The audiobook didn’t enhance the experience either, as the narrator’s mispronunciations distracted from the flow of the story.
However, the book delivers some thought-provoking moments about justice and the cost of truth. I rate it 3 stars.
** Thanks to the publisher for a comp of this book for review purposes. The opinions are my own.