Run Time - by Catherine Ryan Howard (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Lights

Feeling her stardom fading, struggling soap-actress Adele Rafferty is ready to give up on her dreams when she gets a last-minute offer to play the lead in upcoming horror film Final Draft. Could this be her big break? Will she have redemption for what happened the last time she was on a film set? Adele doesn't think twice before signing the dotted line.

Camera

Adele quickly makes her way to set, deep into the isolated and wintry woods of West Cork, Ireland, miles away from civilization and cell service.

Action

When real life on set starts to somehow mirror the sinister events portrayed in the script, Adele fears the real horror lies off the page. Isolated and unsure who in the crew she can trust, is there anywhere or any time left to run?

Review Quotes

"Run Time is a mind-twisting story about the filming of a horror movie. Compelling doesn't do it justice, this book is flat-out addictive. Catherine Ryan Howard never fails to write something that's inventive, creative, and captivating."

-- "Samantha Downing, internationally bestselling author of My Lovely Wife"

"A new master of the genre."

-- "CrimeReads"

"A story, within a story, within a story. Nobody writes thrillers like Catherine Ryan Howard. I was hooked from the first page. An original, clever, and unputdownable thriller. I highly recommend running to get a copy. I loved it!"

-- "Alice Feeney, New York Times bestselling author of Rock Paper Scissors"

"An entertaining read. The twists and turns of Adele's sordid tale are interesting, and the narrative is well written. If you're just dipping your toe into horror, Run Time is a good place to start."

-- "Washington Independent Review of Books"

"Catherine Ryan Howard is a master thriller writer and Run Time is up there with the best, as the movie set of nightmares she so evocatively conjures starts to turn on its lead actress. The twisty, ingenious plotting and atmospheric location make for a deeply chilling and unputdownable read. I didn't want it to end!"

-- "Sarah Pearse, New York Times bestselling author of The Sanatorium"

"Dizzy and dazzling, Run Time offers enough tricks and treats to fill a dozen Halloweens. Movie lovers and thriller fans will devour it."

-- "Riley Sager, New York Times bestselling author of The House across the Lake"

"Howard makes her lead's experiences feel fresh and immediate as she breathes new life into tired horror tropes. Riley Sager fans will be riveted."

-- "Publishers Weekly (starred review)"

"This is the best book you will read in 2022 and you can quote me on that...One of the most riveting books I've read in a long time. Adele is a wonderful main character, both dynamic and unreliable. The story is exactly what I've come to expect from Catherine Ryan Howard, and that is well-written, full of twists, and symbolic of the world around us...This story is powerful, creepy, and extremely meta in the best way. I haven't read a book that truly creeped me out like this in a long time. The setting was dark and slimy and had all the right elements to make me keep the lights on while reading. I could never quite put my finger on what was really going on, and I think that's what makes for an exceptional story. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone as one of the biggest successes of the year."

-- "Mystery & Suspense"