Jolene, a fictional Emmy Award-winning Phoenix TV journalist, is the protagonist of Christina Estes’s new mystery, "The Story That Wouldn’t Die,” which comes out on Aug. 19. Readers first met Garcia last year, when Estes’s debut novel, “Off the Air,” was published by Macmillan in March 2024.
Estes’s real-life story has its own twist: The longtime Emmy Award-winning reporter covering local government on KJZZ public radio is now on the other side of the microphone. She left to become Phoenix Vice Mayor Ann O’Brien’s director of communications on March 24.
The plot thickens: The new book was written well before Estes left journalism to work for an elected official, but will it complicate her new position?
“It’s been a little weird, it’s a little terrifying and a little poetic,” Estes says while munching on a sandwich at Miracle Mile Deli, one of the many real locations she included in the novel. “I think I’ll soon find out who has a sense of humor at City Hall.”
Miracle Mile Deli General Manager Josh Garcia and journalist-turned-novelist Christina Estes will team up for a book launch of "The Story That Wouldn't Die" and lunch at the restaurant on Aug. 10.
Geri Koeppel
Josh Garcia, Miracle Mile Deli’s general manager, says that although the restaurant has had a generous amount of publicity in its 76-year history, he doesn’t believe it’s ever been featured in a book.
“To be in a novel, I think, is pretty cool,” he says. “We’re fortunate and lucky to be a part of it.”
AZFamily weekend anchor Whitney Clark, who hosts the podcast "Beyond the Next Chapter," speaks with author Christina Estes on March 26, 2024, at the launch of her first novel, "Off the Air."
Christina Estes
Perseverance key to publishing
Estes worked in the Phoenix media from the time she moved here from the Midwest in the late 1990s to take a job with ABC15 Arizona until her recent job change. She covered crime, business, education, public policy, and, as she put it, “everything in between — from a blowfish going to the dentist to witnessing an execution by lethal injection.”An avid mystery fan, Estes spent 15 years working on the novel, receiving rejection after rejection, before winning the Tony Hillerman Prize for best first mystery set in the Southwest, which yielded a contract for the first book. (The award is no longer given.)
It wasn’t easy to break into publishing, Estes says, especially one of the “Big Five” publishers like Macmillan. She adds that her stubbornness was a key factor in her success. It’s also, incidentally, integral for good reporters, as Jolene illustrates so well in the mysteries.
“The only difference between someone who is a published author and not a published author is perseverance,” Estes states.
It wasn’t easy to sell Phoenix as a setting, but Estes wanted to trumpet her love for her adopted hometown and its charms ever since she saw a reference to the I-17 freeway and Northern Avenue in J.A. Jance’s first Ali Reynolds mystery.
Her first book was often called "a love letter to Phoenix" for its many mentions of local landmarks. This one continues that theme; look for Chino Bandido, Luana’s, Organ Stop Pizza and Tacos Chiwas along with Encanto Park, Steele Indian School Park and many more.
Estes says people have been “thrilled” to read about places they recognize, though she doesn’t take suggestions for shoutouts.
“The businesses that appear in my books have special meaning to me,” she explains.
Estes shares other likes and dislikes with Jolene as well. Jolene is from the Midwest and doesn’t cook. She loves Pepsi and chips and salsa.
And, Estes says, “I created her backstory based on my personal experiences as a former foster parent.”
She also remembers what it was like to be a cub reporter in a new market.
“I interviewed in the summer, and I wore nylons,” Estes recalls. “That tells you how much of a fish out of water I was. So I still remember all of those feelings, and that helps me write Jolene, who feels different for a lot of reasons.”
"The Story That Wouldn't Die" by Christina Estes is a Phoenix-based mystery featuring locations that'll be familiar to locals.
Christina Estes
News career inspired fiction
Estes drew upon various aspects of her news experience for her fiction. Both novels offer an authentic look at what goes on behind the scenes for a community reporter, from having to kowtow to management to landing meatier stories to trying to beat the competition.However, this new book also focuses on the main character’s insider knowledge of City Hall and commitment to the community — two things Estes knows well.
As a reporter, she says, “I attended countless city and community meetings, and I … got a front row seat to how people and policies impact our daily lives, from our libraries, to our parks, to our streets, to how we get our water.”
The plot of the new book involves development and displacement, themes inspired by real-life conflicts. However, Estes swears that no one and nothing in either book is factual, except for the local landmarks and businesses she mentions (including Phoenix New Times).
Oh, and one situation: U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton did get stuck in an elevator once when he was the Phoenix mayor, which is how Estes’s first book ends and the second begins. However, she emphasizes that “Mayor Ace” is entirely made up.
Estes says she didn’t heed the advice of other writers and read some of the reviews, which sometimes stung, but she used their critiques to improve. She also says she isn’t privy to sales data, but she’s committed to continuing the series.
“Fortunately, my publisher liked 'Off the Air' and wanted to see what happened next for Jolene Garcia,” Estes says, “so they offered me a contract for 'The Story That Wouldn’t Die.'” If all goes well, she adds, the series will continue.
“I feel very blessed, and I’m really committed to continuing to write,” Estes says.
In addition to the event on Aug. 24 at Miracle Mile Deli, Estes will also appear at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 18 at The Poisoned Pen Bookstore, 4014 N. Goldwater Blvd., Scottsdale, and at 7 p.m. Aug. 19 at Changing Hands Bookstore, 6428 S. McClintock Dr., Tempe. The book is available in hardcover, digital and audio versions from various retailers.
