I missed the first book in this series; but I’ll be seeking it out. Adam Oyebanji has created such an amazing character. At first thought, he sounds almost implausible; black, multi lingual, multi national and a brain that works outside the box. But I invested in him immediately. This is such a clever story with a diverse range of characters and multiple plot lines which are very carefully crafted making this a complex and ultimately satisfying murder mystery. Oyebanji’s writing is fresh and original. Reading is effortless and with a pace that keeps you turning the pages, this is an absolute cracker. I loved it and I’m looking forward to much more from this author.

torture, interrogation, threats, abduction, defected, teacher, spy-thriller, contemporary, suspense, Russian-intelligence, Russian-mob, ruthless, murder-witness, murders, investigations, local-law-enforcement, FBI, verbal-humor, fraud*****

Greg left Africa, escaped from his Russian handler, and believed that his position teaching Russian at Calderhill Academy, a private school in Pittsburgh was safe for him. Not so much.
He speaks fluent Russian, Latin and French, has one eye, and was a general in the Russian GRU. He also has an inventive mind and a dramatic ability to think "outside the box" and be adaptable while implementing planned scenarios and outcomes. He really gets the job done. A Pittsburgh cop from a previous case asks for his help with what seems to be a murder of a Russian national, and he asks a computer geek student for her help (in exchange for help applying for a job she really wants. That's not the only death that is not what it seems and wants investigating. The story is complex comminuted, the characters are totally believable, and most of the humor is muted but definitely there. Great story! Wish I could have read it straight through. Want to go read the first one!
According to Goodreads "he (Adam Oyebanji) recently took the big step of moving east to Edinburgh, by way of Birmingham, London, Lagos, Nigeria, Chicago, Pittsburgh (go Penguins!) and New York: a necessary detour, because the traffic otherwise is really, really bad."
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Severn House via NetGalley. Thank you!
#AQuietTeacherMysteryBk2 Avail Nov 05, 2024

Writing: 4/5 Plot: 4.5/5 Characters: 4.5/5

Greg Abimbola is a multi-racial Russian with British citizenship who is trying to stay under the radar by teaching Russian at a small private school in Pittsburgh. But the book would be pretty dull if he managed to achieve that goal! He’s got an interesting and twisted history that unwinds slowly in response to the events brought to his doorstep despite his reluctance to accept them. There are several independent but connected plot lines — an apparent suicide, an unidentified body tossed in the river, and a DEI triggered clash at a neighboring elite school — all leading down some pretty engrossing paths. The writing is clean, the characters are diverse (in more than color) and have depth that is both quirky and sometimes inspiring, and I appreciated the (fairly) unbiased inclusion of a specific instantiation of the DEI/woke culture war.

This is the second book in the “Quiet Teacher” series. I look forward to reading future installments and will try to go back and catch up on whatever I have missed. I’ve seen the series labeled as “Agatha Christie meets John le Carre” and that’s not a bad tag line!

Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the copy of Two Times Murder by Adam Oyebanji. I loved A Quiet Teacher, so I was excited to read this sequel. Greg was still intriguing, and I loved how his humanity and intelligence was on full display. This was beautifully written, and drew me right into the story, and I loved how it was multifaceted and complex. If you’re looking for a fast, compelling read, this is for you! 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.