Big thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read The Professor as an ARC! While I usually enjoy academia fiction, this book fell flat for me. After researching the author a bit more I found out that this book is actually a sequel to her previous title, The Resemblance. Had I known that prior to reading my opinions may have been different. I had a very difficult time getting into this book and actually found myself being confused at time about the characters. I thought that the character development was lacking, but it could’ve just been because I hadn’t read the first book in the series. Overall I think this book has promise and I’d be interested in going back to read the first book as I did enjoy the authors writing style.

Marlitt Kaplan is no longer a detective. She is now a research assistant. But her mother has reached out to her for help. Her mother has a colleague, Professor Verena Sobek, which is now being investigated for Title IX infractions with a student. She wants Marlitt to investigate the death of Verona’s student and get to the bottom of the rumors.

This moves a bit slow, by design. This story has such a fabulous build up to the finish. I love how this author reels the reader in and then hits you with a twist. Then there is the main character, Marlitt Kaplan. She has a lot of issues from her past and sometimes she cannot help but get involved in something she shouldn’t. She is so dang real and broken in places. She just gets under the skin of the reader and she makes such a unique impression.

I have read and reviewed The Resemblance, another wonderful book by this author. Y’all need to add that one to your list as well! It is not necessary that you read it to enjoy this one. But it does have more background on Marlitt.

The narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, is wonderful. I love her smooth voice!

Need a slow burn of a thriller which will have you guessing…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I did not realize this was book two and while the story in many ways stands alone I think the first half was very slow and I felt like something was missing and if I had read that first book I feel like I might have felt differently. So I would suggest reading the Resemblance first (ironically that is one I checked one from the library but had to return before I could get to it). The main character Marlitt, or Marley, was hard to connect to and clearly stuck in half explained trauma from the first book. I think I would like her better if I had read that first book too. The mystery of this book was interesting and the second half of the book where that really picked up was good. I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did an ok job, but it wasn’t an audiobook where the narrator brought the characters to life for me. I loved the twist at the very end. Marlitt isn’t a police detective again but when her mother’s friend another college professor is accused of having a professor with a student who is found dead she asks Marlitt to help and clear her name. Marlitt can’t resist the case or the mystery and soon she goes from asking a few students some questions to immrersing herself in quite deeply, but unfortunately the concerns of an affair are the least of the concerns in the case because the student’s death appear suspicious.

"The Professor" was a solid thriller/mystery that kept me engaged while still being a little light on adrenaline or surprises. I wish I had realized that it was the second book featuring main character Marlitt Kaplan, an ex-detective who has experienced a professional disgrace and is now working independently as a research assistant. I think historical context provided in her first book, "The Resemblance," would have helped me connect more deeply with the plot, so I recommend all readers begin there!

Marlitt has been brought in by her mother to investigate the suicide of a student at a local university. Her mother is employed there, and one of her professor colleagues, Dr. Verena Sobek, is suspected of having had an affair with the student that led to his death. Marlitt's mother doesn't believe her colleague could ever have stooped to this level, and wants Marlitt to dig out the truth.

While I followed this one through to the end, I admit that it was a bit of a slow journey for me to get there. I think this is in part because police procedurals are not often my favorite — so if you're big on that genre, you're likely to enjoy this one far more than me and absolutely should give it a shot ... once you've read "The Resemblance" first.

A college student is found dead in his apartment of an apparent suicide; his female professor is accused of a romantic entanglement, and maybe more; a former police woman is roped into investigating, in spite of her own issues.

This was a great crime book. I was invested in the characters and loved the setting in Athens, Georgia, since in live in that state. The narration was spot on, too.

3.25 Stars

The mystery hidden in this book was captivating, and the story progressed quickly once the momentum got going. The issue for me was the confusion in the main character's history. I was unaware that this was a second book in a series, which makes a lot more sense now that I know. The main character has suffered multiple burns to the face, but that is not too relevant to the story nor is the back story fully explained .

Another confusing aspect (to me) was there are three POVs in this book: 2 female / 1 male. Both females are not easily identified between the two, and the narrator uses the same voice (albeit one with a slight sporadic accent) which makes it hard to distinguish.

However, if you can get past the lack of character building and slow start, this was a great listen and the mystery / detecting was very encapsulating. I really enjoyed the relationship-building portion with the two roommates.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance audio file in exchange for an honest review.

I love when a book hooks me with the mystery and this one did - I really wanted to know what happened to Ethan. The characters were interested and you have an extremely flawed MC in Marlitt who makes some really questionable choices. This is a sequel to THE RESEMBLANCE which I didn’t know until I was finished reading. It makes sense though as there are many references to a past case and how Marlitt lost her job so I would read that first if you want backstory. The narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, did a great job with various accents throughout the book.

The narration of this was well done, the beginning of this book pulled me in but then I just didn’t really like anyone! The professor, the detective… this wasn’t very suspenseful or thrilling but more of a mystery which is fine and the writing isn’t done poorly by any means, this just wasn’t for me.

Thank you MacMillan Audio, LN, and NetGalley for the ALC!

3.5ish stars

For me, this one was just okay. There were some great, quotable lines here and there, but honestly, the plot didn’t catch me the way I’d hoped it would, and my attention kept wandering. Unfortunately, a murder mystery in a university setting isn’t automatically a thriller and/or dark academia backdrop, and I just didn’t love it. There were some good pieces, but all in all, the book was a bit bland for me.

This book was layered with intrigue and as each was peeled back and new plot pints revealed, I liked it more and more. The disgruntled detective was a likable character and I was rooting for her as the disgraced underdog. The professor was frustrating, as she seemed helpless and the archetype female. The other characters were developed just enough to cast doubt on their authenticity. The twist was surprising, but not wholly organic. I liked this book and look forward to reading more by this author. Thank you to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc! The description of this book sounded so good! The start was slow, and I was leaning towards not finishing - it just wasn’t hooking me. I kept on and oh boy! The twists and shockers in the last half were so unexpected and I loved it! Definitely turned it around for me! Also, the epilogue was perfect! No cliffhangers, but very unexpected, at least for me! Overall, a slow start, but a great story!

This book kept me intrigued and guessing till the very end. And I’ll be honest - even after listening to the end a few times I’m pretty shocked. It was a great book on power dynamics and how rumors can ruin lives tied up in an interesting mystery.

The premise of The Professor sounded really great. I love a great mystery/thriller/suspense novel. I think this one was just average for me, however, it would have hit a little harder for me if I had known that it was the sequel to "The Resemblance." I went in being really confused at the character development that was already present. There was a lot of background that I didn't have because of that, overall it was an interesting read. Again, I felt like I was missing so much key information since the majority of the book references things that happened to the main character, Marlitt Kaplan, in a previous book.

I did enjoy the story, itself. It was a great suspenseful mystery set at a college in Georgia. We have a murder accusation against a professor and then there is the rumor that she was having an affair with the student. The plot highlights the mental health and self-medication issues that are often associated with students and professors. I think that there was also an interesting aspect of racism, as the professor happens to be foreign. Once I recognized that this wasn't the first novel, it started to make a little more sense and picked up for me. There were a few key hints dropped here and there that helped you to put everything together towards the middle and end of the book, and the ending was fitting. The book was engaging and interesting and the narration (I listened at 1.5 speed) was also entertaining.

Rated up for 3.5 Stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Lauren Nossett for the advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Publication date for The Professor by Lauren Nossett is 14 November 2023.

Professor Vianne is being questioned in her students' deaths. He overdosed on drugs. It is also believed that the student was sleeping with the professor as well
Marty has quit her job at the police force. However, for a favor for her mom, she has agreed to look into the case of the professor. She has rented the same room that Evan lived in before he died
Marty keeps finding things that make the professor look guilty. But was she set up, or is this professor the main suspect

I appreciate having been given advanced readers copy from the publisher and NetGalley. I wish I knew that this was a second novel in a series. it would have made the book easier to follow. I wondered why there were so many references to the tragic events that led to the protagonist (one of them anyways), Marilet, losing her job and getting severely burned in a fire. That was not a deal breaker for me though.

I listened to the audiobook version and while the narrator is good, I think this book is better read then listened to. primarily because the POV approach the author uses has the story switching two two characters and to be honest I did not find that it was immediately clear what character I was dealing with. This was a repeated problem for me.

All in all the book was ok, but did not leave me wanting more.

I didn't realize that this is the second in a series, but it works well as a standalone. The Professor slowly unfolds a story of an egomaniac, an insecure young man, an idealistic untenured German professor, and a former police detective who left the force after using bad judgment. The story meanders along with an all-too-predictable mystery but does a much better job portraying the tensions and pressures of working and studying at a public research university, always fraught with the petty politics of academic life but magnified during our current time by the imposition of new ways of interacting with students and colleagues. This will appeal more to readers who are familiar with academia but the general reader might find this a satisfactory not-quite-a-cozy yet not a hard-boiled thriller.

3.5⭐️

This one took me awhile to get into, and I’m not sure that I ever fully got there. The mystery was somewhat engaging, though the characters weren’t terribly sympathetic. And don’t get me started on that ending.

I didn’t , however realize this was the second in a series, so those who read the first book prior to this one may have had a different response.

Saskia Maarleveld did a nice job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you Lauren Nossett, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing this ALC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

4/5 stars

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy!

When UGA student Ethan Haddock is found dead in his apartment, former detective Marlitt Kaplan doesn't see what it has to do with her. That is, until her Mom, a professor at the school, asks for Marlitt's help. As it turns out, word has spread that Ethan was involved in an inappropriate relationship with his German professor, Dr. Verena Sobek, resulting in a Title IX investigation and seemingly the end of Dr. Sobek's career. Determined to protect her friend and colleague's reputation, Marlitt's mother enlists her investigative skills to clear Dr. Sobek's name and, consequently, uncover the truth behind Ethan's death.

First of all, it should be noted that is a sequel to Lauren Nossett's last book, THE RESEMBLANCE. I'm not sure why this isn't indicated anywhere, even on Goodreads! They can probably be read as standalones without much confusion, though I do think that my connection to Marlitt's character was enhanced by having read both.

That being said, this was a captivating thriller in its own right. My complaint throughout the book was that things seemed too coincidental at times (hello, "roommate wanted" sign), however all of this was explained in a manner that left me impressed, rather than uncertain. Marlitt is an extremely likeable character despite her tendency towards crossing lines and bending morality. I felt that way in book 1 and I feel that way now. I'm glad that this story ended with a sense for foreshadowing, and I hope we get more of Marlitt's character moving forward!

The Professor by @laurennossett is a dark academia novel filled with secrets and rumors. It will have you trying to decide what is fact and what is false. The main character, Marlitt Kaplan, is a former detective who is currently at the university working as a research assistant. She is drawn into an investigation of a suspected student suicide. This story will grip you and have you wondering the whole time.

Thank you @macmillan.audio for allowing me to listen to this audiobook ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

(This review was also shared on the Barnes & Noble website)

As someone who works in higher ed, I’m always such a sucker for dark academia books! I received this advanced audio copy from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio (thank you) and had no idea this was a sequel or follow up to another book until I finished. It definitely works as a standalone, as only the protagonist, Marlitt, is a continued character. I also was expecting a thriller, but this was more slow-paced mystery, which is great, just not what I was expecting. There was one kinda twist that I had guessed pretty early on, but even still I was invested and enjoyed reading the rest! Which is good because there was another little twist at the very end I did not see coming.

3.5 stars