Ground Truth

Pittsburgh Murder Mystery #1

by Rebecca A. Miles

Kate Chambers knows that cold cases are almost always a lost cause. So when two skeletons are discovered in Pittsburgh and Kate believes that she has insider information about the crime, she joins Chief Detective Stefan Jablonsky in his investigation. She's determined to find justice for the family.

It doesn't take long to identify the victims: two siblings who had gone missing twenty years ago. As Kate digs into the neighborhood and Jablonsky starts chasing down leads, the list of suspects grows.

With the cold case reopened and witnesses dying soon after coming forward, it's clear that someone has a lot to lose. Kate and Jablonsky must work together to unravel the mysteries and make sure that whoever killed the siblings doesn't get away with murder a second time.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

278 pages, Paperback

Published May 24, 2022

About the author

Rebecca A. Miles is the best selling author of the Pittsburgh Murder Mystery trilogy, "Ground Truth," "Broken Glass," "Locked Box." Across these three novels she explores the themes of love and loss, two states she considers to be universal in human experience.

Miles was awarded the prestigious "National Indie Excellence Award" 2026 for her novel "Locked Box."

"Mysteries of the Heart: A Collection of Seasonal Stories" is available for preorder June 23, 2026 and will be published July 4th, 2026.

Immerse yourself in a heartwarming collection of short stories set during US holidays that celebrate hope, love, forgiveness, and personal growth. Many of the stories are set against the picturesque backdrop of Florida's Gulf and Atlantic beaches, with charming towns like St. Augustine and Sarasota. These stories bring the beauty of nature and the magic of holidays to life.

Perfect for fans of thoughtful, women-focused storytelling, this collection explores personal challenges and interpersonal conflicts during holidays such as Christmas, Easter, Rosh Hashanah, the 4th of July, Thanksgiving. Each tale is filled with inspiration, discovery, and the spirit of transformation.

Whether you're looking for a meaningful gift or a choice to elicit lively discussion in your book club, this collection is sure to delight and inspire.

Rebecca holds a Doctorate in Psychology from Duquesne University where she was briefly an Assistant Professor. Her work at the University of Pittsburgh's cancer center and her private practice focused on the medically ill patient and the physicians and nurses that treated them.

Reviews

[Robyn Arner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good local mystery

I really enjoyed this murder mystery based in Pittsburgh, PA. I enjoyed reading about settings from 20 some years ago up to present day. The author developed the characters. I almost DNF this book though when she called a Pittsburgh stable "catsup".

[Marcia Mccracken · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a Pittsburgher, I was excited to read this book set in my hometown. It was pretty good, but could have been excellent with better editing. There were typos, occasional missing words, and occasional gaps between words. On one occasion, someone left the room and in the next sentence his mother told him to make himself scarce. There were repeated references to the protagonist being an amateur sleuth and getting involved in previous cases - why? I stopped and looked to see if this was a later book in a series (it's the first). I found this annoying. It's almost as if the author is setting up a chance to write prequels. There are 2 later books in the series which I'll probably read at some point, but I really hope someone did a better job of editing them.

[AngelaGay Kinkead · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kindle - and read aloud with my brother after shared meals. We grew up outside Pittsburgh and enjoyed the story, setting and tidbits of the culture that were woven into the story. I found the writing clumsy and the editing abysmal which kept it at a "2". Otherwise it could have been a "3." I read in comments that the editing of this first in the series was re-edited. Don't know if my copy was re-edited or not. I "might" give the next one a chance, but not soon.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️. I found and picked this book for our book club to read something based in Pittsburgh. I enjoyed it. It’s not the best written book I’ve read but I enjoyed the mystery, the characters and that it was all in the ‘Burgh! Although so many Pittsburgh references (Steelers, Pirates, cardiac hill, Southside slopes, Heinz ketchup, the Grotto, Phipps, the Frick, Kielbasa, pierogies- just to name a few), not one character said Yinz😆

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this ebook as part of a giveaway. Overall, great book. There was never a dull or slow moment. Miles hits the ground running from the start! I got confused with keeping the characters straight and some of the minor characters were stereotypical, such as Thomas the arrogant, rich guy, which is the only reason why it’s 4 stars instead of 5. I would love to read book #2 in this series.

[D.L. Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

20 yr old cold case

Very enjoyable story from start to finish. Intriguing characters. Some funny moments & parts that brought tears. Also, I'm from Pittsburgh & it was cool to recognize places in the story.

[Julie Swartzentruber · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 for inexcusably-deficient editing, rounded up for all the Pittsburgh connections!

[Steph Dewar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice who-done-it based in Pittsburgh.