The Critic, A Novel

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

Jessica Greer knows how to deliver a killer review. She never expected to be accused of the real thing.

As the sharpest voice at Pittsburgh's City News, Jessica is the first sacrifice when the media landscape shifts. Fired over a plate of oysters to make room for her high-profile rival, Ted Harvey, she thinks her day can't get any worse. Then the mail arrives.

When Ted Harvey collapses from a lethal dose of ricin delivered to the newsroom, the FBI doesn't see a disgruntled former employee-they see a cold-blooded killer with a motive. Trapped in a web of intrusive thoughts and a past the evening news is eager to exploit, Jessica must navigate a rain-slicked city of artistic rivalries and decades-old grudges. To clear her name, she has to stop being the critic and start being the investigator.

In a newsroom where everyone is hunting for a scoop, the real killer is busy writing Jessica's final act.

Perfect for fans of character-driven psychological suspense and 90s-era mysteries like The Girl on the Train and The Secret History.