"Meta" seems almost inadequate to describe the plot of Run Time, about a book called First Draft within a movie called Final Draft within a story narrated here by actress Adele Rafferty, formerly a regular on an Irish soap opera, now failing to make it in LA.

I knew from the start I was going to enjoy this, with Adele's narrative alternating with excerpts from the script of Final Draft, the Irish low budget horror film she is unexpectedly offered the lead role in. Of course, her dreams of a triumphant comeback don't go entirely according to plan. Low budget is one thing but the crew are both few in number and weirdly unprofessional, and it's not longer before things turn sinister - or do they? Deep in the countryside with few means of contacting the outside world, who, if anyone, can Adele trust?

It did all get a bit convoluted towards the end, but this was a cracking read which I thoroughly enjoyed. Many thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

Catherine Ryan Howard is a must read for me. Whatever she comes up with I am in! Even if it is a book about a horror movie film. I am neither into horror nor into movies. But if CRH writes it? Well it left me no chance!
What I love so much about her writing style is, that you can hardly stop at the end of a chapter. You always will want to know what comes next.

Twisty, addictive, clever, on the edge of your seat, compelling, choose any- they'll all fit!
Thanks #NetGalley #Atlantic Books, Corvus for this ARC

This is the second Catherine Ryan Howard book that I have read, after 56 Days and I was immediately hooked when it came to this story.
As a big fan of horror movies the whole idea of Run Time was a particularly interesting one.
I liked how the script/novel was interwoven with the current day and found Adele to be a good protagonist, even if I didn't always agree with her decisions.
The tension that was created once things start to mirror the book was fantastic. It definitely gave me those creepy horror movie but happening in real life vibes. It also made it hard to put down.
Like the book even refers to itself, the reveal at the end is pretty much never as exciting or good as what has led up to it in horror movies and that's definitely how I felt about this.
There were too many reveals/twists all going on at once that I had to take a second to stop and think what was actually going on. I also feel like when we find out who is behind everything it wasn't as interesting a person or reason as I thought it was going to be.
Admittedly, I didn't work out who was behind everything but then when you find out that several different people are doing different things that result in what is happening to Adele, it felt like a bit of a stretch.
However, I did love the scenes in which creepy things were going and Adele was running through the forest. Those were so strong that I don't think I can give this anything less than 4 stars.
I'm also always now intrigued when I see a new Catherine Ryan Howard release so I will certainly be keeping my eye out for what she does next.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks to @CorvusBooks and Netgalley for the chance to read @CathRyanHoward's latest, excellent thriller.

This is a novel about a book in a film, the making of the film, and the... No, hang on, it's about an actress given a chance to resurrect her career, making a creepy horror film about an incident that reflects the narrative of a book, which features in the film she's making. Actually both of the above apply, and more.

When you think you've got handle on what's going on, a further development will have you scratching your head again. It's original, clever and compelling.

This is seriously meta, stories within stories, characters within characters, memories & experiences all constructed into a creepy, thrilling, gripping novel. This construction could easily have fallen to pieces in less capable hands, but it's from a writer at the top of her game, easy 5 stars for me. I devoured it.

I was beyond excited to get an advance copy of this book - as I have loved all of Ryan Howard's previous books!

Now, I'm a sucker for a horror film - or should I explain, reading the wikis for various horror films and sometimes never getting round to watching them - so I really really liked the premise of this novel.

This is an enjoyable ( yes, really) ride through the production of a horror film where all is not quite as it seems. Really liked how the books switched between screenplay/real life/novel within a film - very clever!

Recommend this :)

I loved the idea of this book but unfortunately upon reading I just couldnt get into it.

I didn't really like the main character Adele or the film script placements which were dotted throughout the book as I personally found it didn't flow well with the story.

Adele Rafferty eagerly takes up a last-minute offer of a starring role in an independent Irish horror film, hoping that her performance will counteract an incident which derailed her thriving acting career. Scattered throughout the novel is the script for the film Final Draft which Adele will be acting in, and tells the story of Kate and Joel who are staying in an isolated cottage in West Cork for a romantic weekend away. Creepy things start happening in the cottage and Kate begins to worry that these events mirror things that are happening in a thriller book she found and started reading there. These three layers all link together, culminating in the terrifying realisation for Adele that her blind ambition to get her career back on track has ultimately put her life in real danger.

When I read the synopsis for Run Time it quickly jumped to the top of my wishlist. On paper it sounded absolutely perfect for me and as soon as The Mothman Prophecies was mentioned only a few pages in, I knew we were on the same wavelength.

As a lifelong horror film, thriller novel and murder mystery fan, this book is everything I could have wanted. I had a smile plastered on my face the entire time I was reading and it gave me a buzz of excitement at every twist or reference to a classic horror trope (of which there were many!).

I have to say that I love metafiction and I thought that the format of the story and techniques used to reflect this type of narrative really worked well. It did make the story quite complex and I’m still not 100% sure I grasped how it all linked together, but the idea of a book, within a film, within a book was really interesting and a fresh way to explore a cabin in the woods style horror thriller.

Full of atmosphere, tension and an uneasiness that isn’t easy to portray in these types of stories - I was gripped from the start and loved every second of Run Time.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for the opportunity to review an ARC.

Having read all of Catherine Ryan Howard’s previous books I knew I would be in for an interesting journey and I wasn't far off, this was a wild ride almost from the start right to the end trying to work out what was really going on!

Once I got used to reading the script within the book it became so much easier to figure out the layers that events were happening on, the similarities between the levels, the script & book, made for quite a disturbing read that I just couldn't put down.

The ending I didn't really see coming although I felt I should have once it was revealed but I just didn't put the hints together which is the magic of this book, it's surprising but once you know where it's going, you can see the steps which takes the story there and they were staring you in the face!

I wasnt a fan of the movie script being inserted into the book. It was a tad repetitive n ruined the flow of the narration for me. I really wanted to love this since I love horror films but I was a bit underwhelmed. It all all a bit movie magic and not very realistic or believable. The characters were well written and 3d. They were all very distinct and unique characters. It maybe just was a bit slow and lacked action for me? I was expecting a lot more eerie vibes and sneaky murders and so kn and so forth but this kind of fell short for me. If you like a slower pace and a book that focuses more on the who dun it and not actual action then you'd prob enjoy it. Anyone who is used to reading film script style writing will love this! My brain just doesn't compute with it lol

Adele is an out of work actress pining for her big break when out of the blue, the perfect opportunity presents itself. She is offered the lead role in a horror film as the original actress has dropped out at last minute. This is exactly what Adele needs to reboot her career. Or is it?..

I was really enjoying Run Time till around the 80% mark, when the reveal just left me feeling disappointed. The build up was great, I was constantly questioning where things were going and what the events where leading to. Sadly I’d hoped for more in terms of the horror / murder aspect of the book. I would still recommend it to readers looking for a suspense filled story without gruesome deaths!

I really enjoyed this book and found it be gripping, fast paced and hard to put down. A clever plot that would make a good scary movie. Definitely kept me on the edge of my seat.

I’ve read all of Catherine’s books so I always eagerly look forward to a new release of hers. Run Time sounded like a great idea for a novel, and while I wanted to love it, I found I just couldn’t get into it the way I have done with previous novels by CRH. That being said, as usual, it’s a clever concept and written in typical CRH style, but this one just missed the mark for me.

Catherine Ryan Howard is one of the most inventive writers around. No two novels are the same. I have previously enjoyed Distress Signals, The Nothing Man and 56 Days. This time she's gone for plenty of tongue-in-cheek humour in a story within a story about the dangerous goings-on during the making of a horror movie. It is ideal for fans of slasher movies and those who like reading sections of film script within novels. It will make a good film.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an independent review.

Catherine Ryan Howard is a talented author and I have thoroughly enjoyed all of her books to date. This book is a continuation of impressive form. She has set this book in rural Ireland instead of Dublin or another town. She does a great job of setting the scene and making something seemingly ordinary, a film set, become claustrophobic and creepy.
I don't want to spoil any element of the plot for anyone so all I can do is recommend, recommend, recommend. And when you're finished with the book, ensure someone else reads it. Catherine Ryan Howard has quickly become one of my auto-buy authors.

This is a highly anticipated read for me after loving the authors last two books and the premise is good with a sort of life imitating art concept. A psychological horror movie is to be made deep in the remote forests of West Cork directed by Steve Dade of Cross Cut films. Cast in the lead role is Adele Rafferty formerly a successful soap star but currently working in a seedy LA motel. A phone call out of the blue summons her back to Ireland to hopefully get her career back on track. The filming and the narrative is interspersed with extracts of the movie script “First Draft“

First of all first of all, the positives. The atmosphere created in the filming location is really good with a claustrophobic feel especially with the encroaching woods and the adverse weather adding to Adele‘s feeling of isolation. In addition, the film crew are unprofessional and there is one member that gives you the creeps. It is very slow to get going but after about 30 to 40% it ramps up and does for a time become an intense, tension fuelled mystery of the “what the? is going on here” variety as all kinds of dupery, trickery and manipulation are evident.

Unfortunately the momentum keeps falling off and that’s due to the format with the insertion of the film script which not only interrupts the flow but it inevitably leads to some repetition. There is a lot of hurtling through the forest in panic mode and some of this is after a miraculous recovery from injuries caused in the first flee. I wish I had Adele’s powers of recovery!

The ending isn’t great, it’s very underwhelming and just sort of fizzles out out after all the buildup. Maybe this is meant to be a parody of a slasher movie but if that’s the case it doesn’t quite work. This is definitely not my favourite book by this talented author but I do look forward to whatever she comes up with next.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Atlantic Books/Corvus for that much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

I'm so disappointed, this was so dull and tedious. None of the characters were likable, Adele coming across whiney and repetitive. The plot was non-existent; still at 37% waiting for something to happen. For a thriller this was terribly slow and even by the end nothing major had really happened. The monologue felt awkward and stilted and the end was just so flat.

I don’t read a lot of thrillers because honestly I don’t love a lot of thrillers.

This was exactly what I love and exactly what I don’t love about thrillers.

I do really like Catherine Ryan Howard although I don’t think her last couple of books have lived up to have brilliant The Nothing Man is.

This is fast and pacey and engrossing. I absolutely loved the cuts of the movie script they were working on alongside the plot and I found Adele engaging and believable as a character.

Maybe because I read and watch a lot of horror I wanted it to be scarier and in the end I found it barrelled towards a disappointing ending.

But I had great fun along the way!

4 stars

Another great book from one of my most favourite authors. This book was an attention grabber from the very first page. It has plenty of twists and turns in it.

Many thanks to netgalley and Catherine Ryan-Howard for the advanced copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.

Catherine Ryan Howard triumphs again! This is the fourth book of hers I’ve read, having thoroughly enjoyed her previous one (the first novel set in lockdown that I read). What I like about her writing is that it is so realistic, and here that realism actually makes for a darker horror story than anything supernatural would. This post-#MeToo novel is gripping, complex and very meta (a novel in a screenplay in a novel). The insight into the film industry reminded me of Elizabeth Little’s Pretty as a Picture, but CRH has definitely put her own stamp on it!

Whatta 5 star read this sure was!!! An absolute blast of a novel. I loved the script within the novel and the whole meta feel of this. Catherine Ryan Howard is such a consistently ace writer.

This follows Adele, an actress in her mid twenties who is hiding in LA following a horrible acting experience in Ireland which left her traumatised. She gets a call for a movie - the actress has dropped out last minute and they desperately need someone who can start tomorrow. Adele agreed, but then strange things start happening on the movie set that parallels the script...

This was a page-turner and Adele was an intriguing character. Vulnerable yet relatable and resilient, Adele is just the perfect heroine. I found her observations on movie making and the world around her on point. My only issue was some of for twists were a bit confusing. One twist I really liked, the one that comes around in the 70% mark, but the final twist in the climax was a bit too much - it lost me. However that aside it was a solid read.