Early Reviewers

In the 24-hour news cycle, the first casualty is the truth.

Jessica Greer is a veteran theater critic for Pittsburgh's City News, but her life is upended when her new editor replaces her with her high-profile rival, Ted Harvey. The "coup" for the paper turns into a catastrophe on Harvey's first day when he is rushed to the hospital, the victim of a suspected ricin poisoning delivered through the U.S. mail.

As an FBI investigation descends on the newsroom, Jessica finds herself transformed from a disgruntled freelancer into a prime suspect. Plagued by intrusive thoughts and a past that local news is all too happy to weaponize, Jessica must navigate a landscape of artistic rivalries, university secrets, and her own "sleep-baking" anxieties to clear her name.

Set against the rain-slicked backdrop of 1995 Pittsburgh, Steel City Critic is a sharp-witted mystery that explores the thin line between reporting the news and becoming it. In a city where everyone has a grudge, Jessica must find the real killer before her own story reaches a permanent "final curtain."

“A great whodunit—I haven’t read one this good in quite a while.”

“Twisted plot, strong characters, and answers that deliver.”

“This intriguing mystery with its unexpected twists will keep readers guessing till the very end.”

Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell’s None of This is True, Ember Scott's First Night, and Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects.