Run Time - Catherine Ryan Howard

Reading Challenge Category: Free ARC from NetGalley

Official Blurb:

Movie-making can be murder.
The project
Final Draft, a psychological horror, being filmed at a house deep in a forest, miles from anywhere in the wintry wilds of West Cork.
The lead
Former soap-star Adele Rafferty has stepped in to replace the original actress at the very last minute. She can't help but hope that this opportunity will be her big break - and she knows she was lucky to get it, after what happened the last time she was on a set.
The problem
Something isn't quite right about Final Draft. When the strange goings-on in the script start to happen on set too, Adele begins to fear that the real horror lies off the page...

My Thoughts:

I took a chance on this author after her last book got rave reviews. I had requested that one on NetGalley but was rejected, so when this latest one came up and I was approved, I was excited to give her a go. I’m so glad I did, as this was brilliant!
The first few chapters were hard to get to grips with as they felt like three separate stories. We first meet Donal and Steve on location for their new film. We then have what appears to be a screenplay with Kate and Joel, who meet at a bookstore. Finally, we have Adele, a struggling actress in LA with a past in Ireland, wanting to catch up with her.
I found the screenplay section quite challenging to read, but then I’ve never been very good with them and struggled with the Harry Potter and the cursed child one. However, as the book progressed and I got used to the writing style, it got a lot easier.
The book is terrifying, and I found my heart racing on more than one occasion. It was way too dark, and Adele was stumbling around in it way too much. I just wanted her to barricade herself into her cabin with a load of food and ride it out. Instead, she was here, there and everywhere with the obligatory no phone signal and low battery!
However, the tension was just right, and I was on the edge of my seat reading it.
I did think the ending was a little obvious; however, I found it hilarious that one of the characters agreed and said just that. So it was obviously intentional and, in that regard, felt just right. Without a doubt a five-star read!