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Quiet Teacher Mystery #1
A Quiet Teacher
A teacher trying to hide in the shadows finds himself embroiled in a murder investigation in this compelling and fresh read from a new unique, contemporary voice.
Greg Abimbola is a language teacher at the prestigious Calderhill Academy in Pittsburgh. Only that's not his real name . . . or the only secret he's hiding. Greg has a closetful.
When the murder of a wealthy parent on school premises shines an unwanted spotlight on Calderhill Academy, Greg is determined to avoid attention.
That is until the closest person to a true friend Greg has is arrested for the murder. To prove her innocence, Greg will reluctantly emerge from the shadows. But doing so will put him in danger. His past is determined to find him . . . and his past is full of bad things.
Greg Abimbola is a language teacher at the prestigious Calderhill Academy in Pittsburgh. Only that's not his real name . . . or the only secret he's hiding. Greg has a closetful.
When the murder of a wealthy parent on school premises shines an unwanted spotlight on Calderhill Academy, Greg is determined to avoid attention.
That is until the closest person to a true friend Greg has is arrested for the murder. To prove her innocence, Greg will reluctantly emerge from the shadows. But doing so will put him in danger. His past is determined to find him . . . and his past is full of bad things.
224 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2022
101 people are currently reading
504 people want to read
About the author
Adam Oyebanji
5 books123 followersAdam Oyebanji is an SF/Crime novelist whose work blends thrilling plots with thought-provoking ideas, often exploring themes of identity, belonging, and the occasional whodunnit. His work has been praised for its originality, rich world-building, and sharp storytelling. Born in the United Kingdom but having spent much of his time in the United States and West Africa, Adam draws on a global perspective shaped by a career in law and a lifelong passion for speculative fiction and murder mysteries. He is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association, the British Science Fiction Association, and the Crime Writers’ Association.
When not writing, Adam works as a lawyer specializing in counter-terrorist financing. A profession that has taken him to places significantly stranger than fiction.
When not writing, Adam works as a lawyer specializing in counter-terrorist financing. A profession that has taken him to places significantly stranger than fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
February 18, 2023
I wish I liked this book more than I did, but I found some errors and inconsistencies. I did like the characters of Greg and Andrea, who actually were the only decent characters at the school. However, the author had the American characters use "Britishisms". For example, an American character used the word "row", when Americans instead use "fight" or "argument". Why did a character go out openly to a bar and kiss another man there when he wanted to hide that he was gay, particularly when he wants to run for public office? I thought the Witness Protection Program was for people who testified in US courts, not for spies from other countries. Why did a character help another character find Greg, when the first character supposedly was on his side? Also, I guessed the murderer early on. Why did that person take care to carry away their bloody gloves, but left the incriminating ashtray behind? I would like to see Greg and Andrea in another novel. If the author writes another book featuring them, I hope he gets an American editor who would ferret out the Britishisms from the Americans' mouths.
September 11, 2022
There are some writers who never do the same thing twice. Two books is probably not enough to say there is a pattern, but it was a surprise to find the follow up to Adam Oyebanji’s space opera debut Braking Day is a contemporary murder mystery with a bit of spy thriller thrown in for good measure. A Quiet Teacher is an amateur detective mystery set in an exclusive Pittsburgh school, where the detective has more than one skeleton in his closet and plenty of good reasons not to get involved.
The cold open of A Quiet Teacher is not the murder itself. Rather, the book opens on a man running from some pursuers, who seem to have tortured him, by jumping into the harbour in Djibouti. Cut to the present day and Greg Abimbola is teaching Russian to entitled teenagers in Calderhill Academy, a high end Pittsburgh secondary school. He is also being hauled over the coals by one of the more vocal mothers at the school for daring to give her daughter a B in Russian. It is that mother who will the next morning, be found stabbed in the school’s maintenance room. Greg, who can’t seem to help himself, agrees to help Andrea, one of the school maintenance workers who has been accused of the murder, clear her name. In doing so he calls on an old contact and brings himself to the attention of Morosov, the GRU agent who he escaped from three years before and who is bent on revenge.
This is a strange amalgam of two genres. The murder mystery itself is fairly standard but well handled. There are plenty of suspects, well placed clues and a clever reveal. Along the way, Oyerbanji gets to explore issues of class, racism, entitlement, ambition (of parents for their children) and sexuality. The spy thriller element adds an interesting layer to Greg’s story, gives him some insight through a hacker that he might not otherwise be able to get but it does not really impinge or interact with the main story. It is almost there just to give Oyerbanji a bit more to work with in Greg’s character.
Through his background, which is really only lightly sketched out Abimbola seems to at least have some interrogation skills and connections that give him the capacity to work on this murder. As one of only two Black teachers at the school, Abimbola also has to deal with casual and systemic racism. He has plenty of secrets, including a repressed sexuality which is the element that is dealt with in a fairly heavy handed way as it conflicts with his seemingly deep faith.
In the end, Oyerbanji manages to keep all of his balls in the air. This is an engaging mystery with a fascinating, conflicted but versatile main character. And while it may be that Oyerbanji will pivot again to something completely different there is still more to discover about Greg, his history and his world, and the door has been left open for more.
The cold open of A Quiet Teacher is not the murder itself. Rather, the book opens on a man running from some pursuers, who seem to have tortured him, by jumping into the harbour in Djibouti. Cut to the present day and Greg Abimbola is teaching Russian to entitled teenagers in Calderhill Academy, a high end Pittsburgh secondary school. He is also being hauled over the coals by one of the more vocal mothers at the school for daring to give her daughter a B in Russian. It is that mother who will the next morning, be found stabbed in the school’s maintenance room. Greg, who can’t seem to help himself, agrees to help Andrea, one of the school maintenance workers who has been accused of the murder, clear her name. In doing so he calls on an old contact and brings himself to the attention of Morosov, the GRU agent who he escaped from three years before and who is bent on revenge.
This is a strange amalgam of two genres. The murder mystery itself is fairly standard but well handled. There are plenty of suspects, well placed clues and a clever reveal. Along the way, Oyerbanji gets to explore issues of class, racism, entitlement, ambition (of parents for their children) and sexuality. The spy thriller element adds an interesting layer to Greg’s story, gives him some insight through a hacker that he might not otherwise be able to get but it does not really impinge or interact with the main story. It is almost there just to give Oyerbanji a bit more to work with in Greg’s character.
Through his background, which is really only lightly sketched out Abimbola seems to at least have some interrogation skills and connections that give him the capacity to work on this murder. As one of only two Black teachers at the school, Abimbola also has to deal with casual and systemic racism. He has plenty of secrets, including a repressed sexuality which is the element that is dealt with in a fairly heavy handed way as it conflicts with his seemingly deep faith.
In the end, Oyerbanji manages to keep all of his balls in the air. This is an engaging mystery with a fascinating, conflicted but versatile main character. And while it may be that Oyerbanji will pivot again to something completely different there is still more to discover about Greg, his history and his world, and the door has been left open for more.
June 9, 2024
I picked this one up because of the plot, it seemed like something I would enjoy; for the most part I did. But the racial slurs, the use of the word “boy” in a derogatory manner…was just too much. And right underneath all of that sits the homophobia. It had me going back and trying to figure out what year the story was set in.
In my opinion all of that “extra” took away from what could have been a decent story. I don’t know if I’ll read this author again.
In my opinion all of that “extra” took away from what could have been a decent story. I don’t know if I’ll read this author again.
December 15, 2024
Looks can be deceiving. Greg Abimbola, a language teacher at the exclusive Calderhill Academy, seems like a genial, intelligent, well spoken and quiet man.
He has a pleasant relationship with the school’s administrator, Emily Pasquarelli, who knows everything about everything at the school, and a friendship with the younger of the two custodial staff, Andrea Velasquez, who is attending night school to get her IT degree. He also has conversations with the intense chemistry teacher, a black man whose career is stalled, thanks to a white parent’s nastiness.
Greg does his best to keep a low profile, preferring to not be photographed or get into altercations, which is unavoidable when a snobbish mother, Lindsay Delcade, calls him out for a grade he assigned her daughter.
When this same noxious, racist person turns up dead in the custodial office, Andrea is seen as the prime suspect (instead of literally everyone else whom Lindsay has bullied and demeaned). Greg decides, somewhat reluctantly, to investigate. Instead of this seemingly like a totally random decision, he knows Andrea could not have committed murder, and, his past as a spy means he has interesting skills and abilities he can bring to bear. Unfortunately, flexing old muscles, so to speak, brings him to the attention of an old enemy, who has been looking, until now, fruitlessly for him, intent on revenge.
There are plenty of suspects, including the dead woman's husband who's hiding a pretty big secret about himself, which, if it came to light, could hamper his political dreams.
Author Adam Obeyanji not only successfully melds a spy novel to a standard whodunnit, but he does it well. He also explores class, race, privilege, and sexuality; the casual racism he, as one of two Black teachers at the school, is subject to is minimized by others, including Greg. He is a man with some deadly skills and fairly open minded, but is also a deeply religious person riven with guilt for his sexual leanings.
This was an enjoyable mystery, and Oyebanji creates an interesting protagonist, whose intelligence and personality had me interested in the outcome, and a desire to read the author's
He has a pleasant relationship with the school’s administrator, Emily Pasquarelli, who knows everything about everything at the school, and a friendship with the younger of the two custodial staff, Andrea Velasquez, who is attending night school to get her IT degree. He also has conversations with the intense chemistry teacher, a black man whose career is stalled, thanks to a white parent’s nastiness.
Greg does his best to keep a low profile, preferring to not be photographed or get into altercations, which is unavoidable when a snobbish mother, Lindsay Delcade, calls him out for a grade he assigned her daughter.
When this same noxious, racist person turns up dead in the custodial office, Andrea is seen as the prime suspect (instead of literally everyone else whom Lindsay has bullied and demeaned). Greg decides, somewhat reluctantly, to investigate. Instead of this seemingly like a totally random decision, he knows Andrea could not have committed murder, and, his past as a spy means he has interesting skills and abilities he can bring to bear. Unfortunately, flexing old muscles, so to speak, brings him to the attention of an old enemy, who has been looking, until now, fruitlessly for him, intent on revenge.
There are plenty of suspects, including the dead woman's husband who's hiding a pretty big secret about himself, which, if it came to light, could hamper his political dreams.
Author Adam Obeyanji not only successfully melds a spy novel to a standard whodunnit, but he does it well. He also explores class, race, privilege, and sexuality; the casual racism he, as one of two Black teachers at the school, is subject to is minimized by others, including Greg. He is a man with some deadly skills and fairly open minded, but is also a deeply religious person riven with guilt for his sexual leanings.
This was an enjoyable mystery, and Oyebanji creates an interesting protagonist, whose intelligence and personality had me interested in the outcome, and a desire to read the author's
August 15, 2022
This is a story of a man who, on a surface, indeed appears to be just a quiet teacher. Of languages. In a posh Pittsburgh school. The readers, of course, know he is no such thing, because the novel starts with a fairly dramatic action/survival scene.
But at any rate, in so much as any man can choose his own fate, Greg Abimbola, the protagonist, has chosen his and it is a quiet one. And it would have probably remained quiet had it not been for a corpse of a particularly unpleasant mother of two of his schoolkids turning up dead in the school’s basement. In fact, even after that, it still had a chance of remaining quiet until Greg’s friend, a young janitor’s assistant, got accused of the murder.
The cops are doing their middling best and so it is up to Greg to solve the murder and save his friend, even if it means attracting the exact sort of attention he’d been hiding out from in Pittsburgh in the first place.
A decent debut, a decent mystery thriller/spy thriller with an interesting sort of (dual natured in many ways) protagonist. Nothing great, but solidly average and reasonably entertaining. Reads quickly. The mystery worked pretty nicely, though at some juncture (sooner than ideal) it became pretty easy to guess at the murderer/ The spy side of it…well, that was fine too, isn’t my preferred genre but it was ok. Guess it’ll work different for different readers. Like most things. Thanks Netgalley.
But at any rate, in so much as any man can choose his own fate, Greg Abimbola, the protagonist, has chosen his and it is a quiet one. And it would have probably remained quiet had it not been for a corpse of a particularly unpleasant mother of two of his schoolkids turning up dead in the school’s basement. In fact, even after that, it still had a chance of remaining quiet until Greg’s friend, a young janitor’s assistant, got accused of the murder.
The cops are doing their middling best and so it is up to Greg to solve the murder and save his friend, even if it means attracting the exact sort of attention he’d been hiding out from in Pittsburgh in the first place.
A decent debut, a decent mystery thriller/spy thriller with an interesting sort of (dual natured in many ways) protagonist. Nothing great, but solidly average and reasonably entertaining. Reads quickly. The mystery worked pretty nicely, though at some juncture (sooner than ideal) it became pretty easy to guess at the murderer/ The spy side of it…well, that was fine too, isn’t my preferred genre but it was ok. Guess it’ll work different for different readers. Like most things. Thanks Netgalley.
April 29, 2023
I picked this one up for the plot. Greg Abimbola is a language teacher at an academy in Pennyslvania. Except that is not his real name. He has loads of secrets, which the
readers learn during the course of the book. When a student's parent is murdered
on school grounds, Greg does what he usually does: Try to avoid attention. But then
his best friend is arrested for the murder and the only way to prove her innocence
is for Greg to step forward, which may mean having to reveal his secrets.
This novel, the author's first mystery novel, is a good, engaging book with lots of twists.
I give it an 8.
readers learn during the course of the book. When a student's parent is murdered
on school grounds, Greg does what he usually does: Try to avoid attention. But then
his best friend is arrested for the murder and the only way to prove her innocence
is for Greg to step forward, which may mean having to reveal his secrets.
This novel, the author's first mystery novel, is a good, engaging book with lots of twists.
I give it an 8.
December 29, 2024
I picked this up as I ran out of Hoopla credits and this was listed as a bonus borrow - I hadn’t heard of bonus borrows and I thought eh worth a try - I’m really glad I picked it up. This could be considered an international thriller with a bit of a cozy mystery or the opposite. Greg Abimbola is working as a teacher of Russian and French at a fancy prep school in Pittsburgh. Hints of his international spy past come though throughout his investigation into a murder at the school. Very well written and well woven. I’d recommend it
August 21, 2024
6 / 10 ✪
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
Meet Greg Abimbola: he’s black, British, and fluent in Russian. He’s a smart dresser, arguably sexy, and undeniably suave. A private-school teacher in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Greg arrives to school early, stays late, and never skimps on lesson-planning. He also refuses to pander to the school’s rich parents, which makes him incredibly unpopular with them, while meanwhile very popular with his students and the other teachers—particularly the female ones.
And when one of the same parents Greg has clashed with ends up dead in the basement, you’d think he would be suspect numero uno, but it turns out that this particular parent was wildly unpopular among everyone—even with her husband and children. While the police hone in a one suspect, Andrea Hernandez, the assistant custodian, Greg opens his own investigation—at Andrea’s own request.
Can this seemingly innocent teacher crack the case? There’s certainly more about Greg Abimbola than meets the eye…
—
If I were to TL;DR this right here, it’d be: “lovely atmosphere, setting, and good storytelling, but blows the mystery waaaay too soon via a misstep in writing”. But hey, this is the first in a series, and the author’s first mystery novel besides, so they’ll learn. I really can’t get into any more specifics than that because of spoilers, but sufficient to say that the mystery was spoiled (for me, at least) with a couple chapters of the actual murder, by a matter entirely separate from the main plot. Or the secondary plot.
A secondary plot, I might add, which did distract a little from the murder, but also fed into Greg’s own personal mystery; who is this teacher, and what makes them so intriguing? All in all, the secondary story was good, going on right alongside the murder mystery while (as I’ve said) not distracting from it too much. It is also wrapped up quite nicely at the end, but there’s still more to Greg than this story can tell, which I imagine will come up in pieces down the line.
Greg is also into men, but—a product of a strongly religious orthodox upbringing—in complete denial about being bi. Something that—while I’m personally a Kinsey of around 0—I understood a bit of, being brought up super religious. It does mean that Greg separates his personal and private lives to a truly dramatic degree, in addition keeping several aspects of both (and more, filthier secrets) separate. Makes for a good read, even with the plot spoiled.
Which again, was clear to me, but not to others I’ve talked to about this book, so… don’t let it put you off entirely. There’s still more than enough to like about this initial mystery, such that I’m quite interested in returning to its world, maybe, say, for a second installment—out November 5th, 2024.
TL;DR
Okay, you knew this was coming, but here it goes. Lovely atmosphere, setting, and overall decent storytelling, but the plot was spoiled fairly early on by a detail secondary to both the main- and sub-plots. But I still enjoyed it, and recognize the potential for the future. This was only Book 1, see. And with Book 2 coming out later this year, time to give it a shot, maybe? Plus it’s included in an Everand subscription, should you have that.
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
Meet Greg Abimbola: he’s black, British, and fluent in Russian. He’s a smart dresser, arguably sexy, and undeniably suave. A private-school teacher in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Greg arrives to school early, stays late, and never skimps on lesson-planning. He also refuses to pander to the school’s rich parents, which makes him incredibly unpopular with them, while meanwhile very popular with his students and the other teachers—particularly the female ones.
And when one of the same parents Greg has clashed with ends up dead in the basement, you’d think he would be suspect numero uno, but it turns out that this particular parent was wildly unpopular among everyone—even with her husband and children. While the police hone in a one suspect, Andrea Hernandez, the assistant custodian, Greg opens his own investigation—at Andrea’s own request.
Can this seemingly innocent teacher crack the case? There’s certainly more about Greg Abimbola than meets the eye…
—
If I were to TL;DR this right here, it’d be: “lovely atmosphere, setting, and good storytelling, but blows the mystery waaaay too soon via a misstep in writing”. But hey, this is the first in a series, and the author’s first mystery novel besides, so they’ll learn. I really can’t get into any more specifics than that because of spoilers, but sufficient to say that the mystery was spoiled (for me, at least) with a couple chapters of the actual murder, by a matter entirely separate from the main plot. Or the secondary plot.
A secondary plot, I might add, which did distract a little from the murder, but also fed into Greg’s own personal mystery; who is this teacher, and what makes them so intriguing? All in all, the secondary story was good, going on right alongside the murder mystery while (as I’ve said) not distracting from it too much. It is also wrapped up quite nicely at the end, but there’s still more to Greg than this story can tell, which I imagine will come up in pieces down the line.
Greg is also into men, but—a product of a strongly religious orthodox upbringing—in complete denial about being bi. Something that—while I’m personally a Kinsey of around 0—I understood a bit of, being brought up super religious. It does mean that Greg separates his personal and private lives to a truly dramatic degree, in addition keeping several aspects of both (and more, filthier secrets) separate. Makes for a good read, even with the plot spoiled.
Which again, was clear to me, but not to others I’ve talked to about this book, so… don’t let it put you off entirely. There’s still more than enough to like about this initial mystery, such that I’m quite interested in returning to its world, maybe, say, for a second installment—out November 5th, 2024.
TL;DR
Okay, you knew this was coming, but here it goes. Lovely atmosphere, setting, and overall decent storytelling, but the plot was spoiled fairly early on by a detail secondary to both the main- and sub-plots. But I still enjoyed it, and recognize the potential for the future. This was only Book 1, see. And with Book 2 coming out later this year, time to give it a shot, maybe? Plus it’s included in an Everand subscription, should you have that.
November 1, 2022
This is a very readable, fast paced crime fiction novel with many layers. it starts off right away with a scenario that lets the reader know that Greg, our protagonist and quiet teacher, has a secret past. The story then transitions into present day where Greg is a language teacher at a prestigious school in Pittsburgh where entitlement runs rampant. Greg keeps his head down and keeps a low profile but when one of the wealthy parents is found murdered in the basement of the school, he feels obligated to help Andrea, a maintenance worker who he has befriended when she is accused of the murder. at a risk to his own personal safety he investigates on his own and even uses contacts from his past to help prove her innocence.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and was always anxious to get back to it. I liked Greg’s character but there are others that are not as likable and some that are just plain distasteful. But all of that lens to a very interesting and believable plot. I read through this one very quickly and was satisfied with the ending. I would definitely read more from this author.
Many thanks to the publisher and #netgalley for my advance copy and exchange for a fair and honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and was always anxious to get back to it. I liked Greg’s character but there are others that are not as likable and some that are just plain distasteful. But all of that lens to a very interesting and believable plot. I read through this one very quickly and was satisfied with the ending. I would definitely read more from this author.
Many thanks to the publisher and #netgalley for my advance copy and exchange for a fair and honest review.
December 19, 2024
As a murder mystery, this was just okay…neither the crime nor its solution made a whole lot of sense to me…but the main character has an interesting (however unlikely) backstory that gives the novel a bit more depth and texture. I’ll check out the next installment in the series…whether it has the legs to go any distance is an open question.
February 3, 2025
While I enjoyed it, I didn’t feel the suspense and felt lost at times.
July 11, 2025
Positives:
A new perspective- you don’t get many books featuring Orthodox Christians, Black Russian language teachers, and the Black community in Pittsburgh.
Intriguing mystery.
Negatives:
Tired racial tropes accepted as fact (instead of as an opinion help by many but not supported by evidence), unneeded profanity, mischaricterization of Christian doctrine (no, Christians don’t earn God’s forgiveness, and yes the Holy Spirit in a Christian gives then the ability to resist temptation joyfully & live in victory) and especially a totally unnecessary emphasis on the main character’s temptation towards homosexuality. Yes, homosexuality is wrong, no your sexual attractions don’t define your identity, so no, they don’t have to be permanant & unchanging.
It would have been great to see a Christian character actually act in accordance with their stated beliefs, which means rejecting sinful habits & not obsessing about them— moving on with life— finding joy and peace in their faith. It would also be nice to see characters interact with common assumptions (like the race card) and find them to be true or false, not just assumed and given.
A new perspective- you don’t get many books featuring Orthodox Christians, Black Russian language teachers, and the Black community in Pittsburgh.
Intriguing mystery.
Negatives:
Tired racial tropes accepted as fact (instead of as an opinion help by many but not supported by evidence), unneeded profanity, mischaricterization of Christian doctrine (no, Christians don’t earn God’s forgiveness, and yes the Holy Spirit in a Christian gives then the ability to resist temptation joyfully & live in victory) and especially a totally unnecessary emphasis on the main character’s temptation towards homosexuality. Yes, homosexuality is wrong, no your sexual attractions don’t define your identity, so no, they don’t have to be permanant & unchanging.
It would have been great to see a Christian character actually act in accordance with their stated beliefs, which means rejecting sinful habits & not obsessing about them— moving on with life— finding joy and peace in their faith. It would also be nice to see characters interact with common assumptions (like the race card) and find them to be true or false, not just assumed and given.
January 3, 2025
*claps*
June 18, 2024
Annoying good second novel - apparently Oyebanji has found a successful second career.
February 9, 2023
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September 3, 2024
Went back to read this first book in the Quiet Teacher series and liked it almost as much as book 2. Excellent characters, writing, and plot.
February 21, 2025
**Audio book**
I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I did not read the synopsis, and so I had no idea what to expect when I dove into it. That being said, I found it a fun read with a cast of truly diverse characters (even if they were cliché, a little vulgar, and mostly racist). I also liked the way the author was able to work in surprises to the storyline when you weren’t expecting them or even thinking about them. I would definitely read more from this author!
I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I did not read the synopsis, and so I had no idea what to expect when I dove into it. That being said, I found it a fun read with a cast of truly diverse characters (even if they were cliché, a little vulgar, and mostly racist). I also liked the way the author was able to work in surprises to the storyline when you weren’t expecting them or even thinking about them. I would definitely read more from this author!
August 12, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the copy of The Quiet Teacher. The characters are so well drawn and you will either love them or hate them because they are so distinct. I loved the contemporary story that unfolded slowly and the lovely writing kept me reading, even though I wasn’t sure where it was going. I was a little taken aback by some of the racial epithets, but they did (sadly) fit the characters who uttered them. If you’re looking for a great mystery you should read this book! 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
November 3, 2024
A genuinely good read, and a fair bit more.
Peel back the layers of most modern crime fiction novels - especially the gritty Nordic Noir popularized by Stieg Larsson and Henning Mankell - and they almost all have a twisted darkness at their hearts. Their detectives embody a trudging sense of duty, combined with a nihilism, and a lack of appreciation for the beauty of the world, as they try to solve disturbing crimes against a backdrop of long, dark winters and isolated landscapes. They're well-written, but they leave you with a sense of bleakness and futility, a sense of despair about the world and the terrible people that populate it.
This modern tenor is in sharp contrast to the world views of the classic Christie characters I grew up reading - Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple - who seem to radiate a sense of lightness at their core, almost like they're a step removed from whatever terrible crime they're trying to solve. They aren't tarnished by it, nor do they want to solve it out of some sort of internal, unguided compulsion.
Despite being set in a bleak city with a small cast of characters and having a protagonist who is wrestling with some demons of his own, A Quiet Teacher is far more Christie than Larsson. The protagonist, Greg is a charming character - intelligent, cultured and kind. It's hard to not like him, to not sense the essential goodness radiating from him, despite a shady past that is gradually revealed.
The A-plot, such as it is, is very barebones and relatively low stakes. A murder, a wrongfully accused friend, a few red herrings, all nicely wrapped up in a very Poirot-like gathering of the suspects and revelation of the killer. Very nicely done, with all the hints that were gradually dropped over the course of the book coming together neatly and tied up in a way that makes sense.
The B-plot, which has to do with Greg's secret identity, seemingly as some sort of Russian defector in Witness Protection is more interesting. The villain, a henchman from Greg's past, is deliciously evil - a racist, sexist murdererous Russian ex-spy who uses Novichok as a weapon of choice and steals from pensioners while calmly stroking a furry white cat. His comeuppance is deeply satisfying and character-appropriate, in an almost comical way.
If I were to find something that I wish were dealt with better, it would be the too-light explorations of why Greg's faith is important to him, and the heavy-handed despair that he has about his sexuality.
Some blurb-writer described this as Christie meets LeCarre, and they couldn't be more right.
A fun and satisfying read, and I can't wait for the sequel.
Peel back the layers of most modern crime fiction novels - especially the gritty Nordic Noir popularized by Stieg Larsson and Henning Mankell - and they almost all have a twisted darkness at their hearts. Their detectives embody a trudging sense of duty, combined with a nihilism, and a lack of appreciation for the beauty of the world, as they try to solve disturbing crimes against a backdrop of long, dark winters and isolated landscapes. They're well-written, but they leave you with a sense of bleakness and futility, a sense of despair about the world and the terrible people that populate it.
This modern tenor is in sharp contrast to the world views of the classic Christie characters I grew up reading - Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple - who seem to radiate a sense of lightness at their core, almost like they're a step removed from whatever terrible crime they're trying to solve. They aren't tarnished by it, nor do they want to solve it out of some sort of internal, unguided compulsion.
Despite being set in a bleak city with a small cast of characters and having a protagonist who is wrestling with some demons of his own, A Quiet Teacher is far more Christie than Larsson. The protagonist, Greg is a charming character - intelligent, cultured and kind. It's hard to not like him, to not sense the essential goodness radiating from him, despite a shady past that is gradually revealed.
The A-plot, such as it is, is very barebones and relatively low stakes. A murder, a wrongfully accused friend, a few red herrings, all nicely wrapped up in a very Poirot-like gathering of the suspects and revelation of the killer. Very nicely done, with all the hints that were gradually dropped over the course of the book coming together neatly and tied up in a way that makes sense.
The B-plot, which has to do with Greg's secret identity, seemingly as some sort of Russian defector in Witness Protection is more interesting. The villain, a henchman from Greg's past, is deliciously evil - a racist, sexist murdererous Russian ex-spy who uses Novichok as a weapon of choice and steals from pensioners while calmly stroking a furry white cat. His comeuppance is deeply satisfying and character-appropriate, in an almost comical way.
If I were to find something that I wish were dealt with better, it would be the too-light explorations of why Greg's faith is important to him, and the heavy-handed despair that he has about his sexuality.
Some blurb-writer described this as Christie meets LeCarre, and they couldn't be more right.
A fun and satisfying read, and I can't wait for the sequel.
June 13, 2023
I really liked this book. It was original and surprising. The main character, Greg Abimbola, is a Russian language teacher in an exclusive prep school in Pittsburgh. He happens to be a tall black man with an eyepatch and has an upper class British accent. He is exacting and has high expectations of his students. The parents of his students pay enormous tuition bills for their kids to attend this prestigious school but there is an unspoken guarantee that these students will go on to attend very exclusive universities, whether or not they are actually qualified to do so. Mr. Abimbola runs afoul of a parent obsessively determined that her daughter will attend a university she herself wanted to attend before she left her career ambitions to become the wife of a rising politician. The daughter's strengths are not academic and she doesn't want to go to college. She would prefer to become an actress. The teacher was encouraged to change the grade for this student and he refused incurring the wrath of the mother and the disaproval of the administration. I found the descriptions of the politics within a school organization very true. The teacher also refused to let an incident involving vandalism and hate speech directed at him just slide because the administrator did not want to offend the parents. All of this tension between the teacher and the very entitled parents and a corrupt administration seemed very plausible and familiar and would have made an excellent story on its own. However, there was a whole other aspect of this teacher who has a past from which he was hoping to hide. When a murder occurred in the school's basement, a young custodian who was Hispanic seemed to be the perpetrator of choice of a not very diligent police force. Though she wasn't even in the building when the murder happened, she was arrested and the prosection was going relentlessly forward despite the lack of tangible evidence. Mr. Abimbola felt this young person was a kindred spirit, charged because of her race and her lack of resources, and he decided to help her defense. To do this, he had to call on people from his past to help him find evidence and in asking for this help, he revealed his own existence and location to nefarious foes from his former life.
January 9, 2025
This is a real spy-lover’s gem for those who want both excellent CH development, spycraft details, and Setting in a unique package. Greg Abimbola teaches Russian at a private Pittsburgh prep school and while navigating academic politics and US cultural expectations, he is actually someone very different from who he is portraying—the reader knows that fairly soon—that there is a dark secret and that he is in witness protection. His British accent and his proficiency in Russian are huge clues; however, the underlying truth does not come out until almost the very end. This is a good Spy novel but it is also a murder mystery which is deftly solved as well, also with good investigation details, and an assortment of diverse CHs that add flavor to the well-drawn Pittsburgh Setting, cultural and socially thematic issues revolving around race, sexual preference, and economic status. The winter months in Pittsburgh add to the chilling and isolating Tone as Greg investigates from the inside, deals with the police’s animosity, and uncovers some formidable scandals. When he realizes he is in real danger from his past, it is almost too late. Oyebanji uses the climate, technology, and readers’ expectations well as the mounting Tone, increasing Pace, and thematic content pushes the CH forward. The author has each chapter start with a a day, a date, and a time to add to the urgent Pace. Nice find—and there is a sequel which is welcome after a bit of a straggling Plot point in an otherwise satisfactory ending to the first novel. RED FLAGS: Vulgar & Racist Language; Graphic Violence. Readalikes may be Margot Douaihy’s Sister Holiday series—PI with an interesting backstory and New Orleans academic setting, Walter Mosley (especially King Oliver for the mystery, African-American, gritty NYC elements), and, for the espionage and under cover angle, A. J. Chambers’s The Vicar.
October 22, 2022
Part Murder mystery and part spy thriller this book has a bit of everything and it held my attention right from the very first page.
Greg Abimbola is a teacher in a private school in Pittsburgh in the USA. He teaches Russian and other modern languages at the school. However it becomes apparent early on that he has secrets although the reader is not quite sure in what direction the secrets will lead. He seems to be British but speaks fluent Russian, Latin and French which makes him difficult to categorise.
When a murder occurs on the school premises and the police arrest someone with whom Greg is friendly he makes a decision to help prove her innocence. This unfortunately leads to his past finding a way to catch up with him.
The fact that Greg is black means that has suffered casual racism both through his job in the school and also in his previous career. Some of the words used in the novel were very upsetting but they were obviously a necessary part of the plot and emphasised that racism is present the world over.
I really liked the mystery aspect of the book- I was as eager as Greg to find the murderer but I was also enjoying trying to piece together the clues to his past and work out why someone with his specialist skill set was a teacher in a school.
I thought that this book was both entertaining and cleverly plotted which meant I raced through it in a couple of days. I’d definitely be happy to read more about the life of Greg in the future should the author decide to write a sequel.
Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for my advance copy.
Greg Abimbola is a teacher in a private school in Pittsburgh in the USA. He teaches Russian and other modern languages at the school. However it becomes apparent early on that he has secrets although the reader is not quite sure in what direction the secrets will lead. He seems to be British but speaks fluent Russian, Latin and French which makes him difficult to categorise.
When a murder occurs on the school premises and the police arrest someone with whom Greg is friendly he makes a decision to help prove her innocence. This unfortunately leads to his past finding a way to catch up with him.
The fact that Greg is black means that has suffered casual racism both through his job in the school and also in his previous career. Some of the words used in the novel were very upsetting but they were obviously a necessary part of the plot and emphasised that racism is present the world over.
I really liked the mystery aspect of the book- I was as eager as Greg to find the murderer but I was also enjoying trying to piece together the clues to his past and work out why someone with his specialist skill set was a teacher in a school.
I thought that this book was both entertaining and cleverly plotted which meant I raced through it in a couple of days. I’d definitely be happy to read more about the life of Greg in the future should the author decide to write a sequel.
Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for my advance copy.
March 30, 2025
This is a murder mystery and spy story. Greg Abimbola is a teacher of Russian at an ultra exclusive private school in Pittsburgh. He is a black Brit and is soft spoken. What no one knows is that he is a spy hiding from the Russians who want him dead. The wealthy white students and their parents are privileged and mostly unpleasant. Greg is one of two black teachers. The other, a chemistry teacher, is openly hate-filled for the white people he is forced to endure. When one particularly horrible parent is found murdered in the school's basement Greg shouldn't get involved. But the young custodian who is initially the main suspect begs for his help and he acquiesces. That could be his downfall. He uses the dark web to help him find information and that leads the Russian who is looking for him to find him. Greg solves the crime, but then learns that the fact he is alive and in Pittsburgh has become known to the killer bent on finding him.
There are several things that are problematic about the story. Greg should know that reaching out to old contacts was a sure way to found. Greg lays out evidence and information to the sympathetic police detective even though there is no way she should mildly accept that he "happened" upon information he should not have been able to access. He is a closeted gay man who hates himself for his urges yet sees a high profile parent at a gay bar. Why would the parent risk being seen in public? It is overall a decent read but not great.
There are several things that are problematic about the story. Greg should know that reaching out to old contacts was a sure way to found. Greg lays out evidence and information to the sympathetic police detective even though there is no way she should mildly accept that he "happened" upon information he should not have been able to access. He is a closeted gay man who hates himself for his urges yet sees a high profile parent at a gay bar. Why would the parent risk being seen in public? It is overall a decent read but not great.
December 24, 2022
Having read Oyebanji’s debut Braking Day earlier this year, imagine my surprise when I saw what his follow up was about!
A Quiet Teacher is a fairly straightforward murder mystery (not set it in space, as I would’ve expected from the author lol) with the added wrinkle that the main character Greg is a former spy living quietly under an assumed identity.
I feel like the book is a bit caught up between different extremes: between novella and novel, both lengthwise and story wise, and between Cold War inspired spy story and current day amateur detective mystery.
On the second point, I feel like the entire vibe would’ve been much more fitting if it was set in the 60s-90s (especially considering the reason Greg ended up where he is), and in general I would’ve loved to get a lot more of Greg’s backstory, easily the most interesting aspect of the narrative which we unfortunately only hear about vaguely in the first chapter and then again during the reveal at the very end.
I’ll still round it up from 3.5* because I blew through this in one day and really enjoyed the writing. Also think it’s great that Oyebanji is willing to cross genres and will definitely pick up his next book.
A Quiet Teacher is a fairly straightforward murder mystery (not set it in space, as I would’ve expected from the author lol) with the added wrinkle that the main character Greg is a former spy living quietly under an assumed identity.
I feel like the book is a bit caught up between different extremes: between novella and novel, both lengthwise and story wise, and between Cold War inspired spy story and current day amateur detective mystery.
On the second point, I feel like the entire vibe would’ve been much more fitting if it was set in the 60s-90s (especially considering the reason Greg ended up where he is), and in general I would’ve loved to get a lot more of Greg’s backstory, easily the most interesting aspect of the narrative which we unfortunately only hear about vaguely in the first chapter and then again during the reveal at the very end.
I’ll still round it up from 3.5* because I blew through this in one day and really enjoyed the writing. Also think it’s great that Oyebanji is willing to cross genres and will definitely pick up his next book.
August 11, 2025
Greg Abimbola looks like your run-of-the-mill English teacher with an eyepatch and an accent that has everyone guessing its origin — British? Australian? Nope, just a master spy gone incognito, hiding more secrets than the school’s sprawling library.
Oyebanji serves up a deliciously layered narrative that mixes a classic whodunnit with a dash of espionage and a sprinkle of social commentary. When the particularly unbearable racially entitled mother of one of Greg’s students turns up dead in the school’s basement, the investigation’s focus falls on Greg’s janitor friend Andrea — and naturally, Greg can’t just sit this one out quietly. His reluctance to get involved crumbles faster than a stale biscuit, and out come his spy skills, pulling readers through a maze of campus scandals, political ambitions, and toxic privilege.
The book dances expertly between sharp, witty observations on race, class, and identity — with Greg navigating racism not just from the entitled parents but also within himself, torn between his past and his strict faith. The characters are compelling, even if occasionally too good to be true (because who doesn’t enjoy ignoring basic police procedures when the hero’s in town?), and the plot twists are satisfying though sometimes veer into the realm of “this-can-only-happen-in-books.”
A Quiet Teacher is a clever, entertaining concoction of mystery, drama, and spy thrills that keeps you guessing while making some pointed cultural commentary — all with a delightful tongue-in-cheek charm. Four stars, because while the improbable setups are a bit much, the sharp writing and engaging protagonist more than compensate.
Oyebanji serves up a deliciously layered narrative that mixes a classic whodunnit with a dash of espionage and a sprinkle of social commentary. When the particularly unbearable racially entitled mother of one of Greg’s students turns up dead in the school’s basement, the investigation’s focus falls on Greg’s janitor friend Andrea — and naturally, Greg can’t just sit this one out quietly. His reluctance to get involved crumbles faster than a stale biscuit, and out come his spy skills, pulling readers through a maze of campus scandals, political ambitions, and toxic privilege.
The book dances expertly between sharp, witty observations on race, class, and identity — with Greg navigating racism not just from the entitled parents but also within himself, torn between his past and his strict faith. The characters are compelling, even if occasionally too good to be true (because who doesn’t enjoy ignoring basic police procedures when the hero’s in town?), and the plot twists are satisfying though sometimes veer into the realm of “this-can-only-happen-in-books.”
A Quiet Teacher is a clever, entertaining concoction of mystery, drama, and spy thrills that keeps you guessing while making some pointed cultural commentary — all with a delightful tongue-in-cheek charm. Four stars, because while the improbable setups are a bit much, the sharp writing and engaging protagonist more than compensate.
October 24, 2023
A most intriguing mystery by a relatively new author (his first book, published earlier this year was science fiction). A reserved and very proper teacher of Russian language at an upscale private school in Pittsburgh, PA helps to reveal the killer of a much-despised parent in order to help the staff member accused of the crime. The main character provides much of the intrigue: "Greg Abimbola" is described as having "caramel colored skin", is given no ethnicity, and yet speaks fluent Russian and English with a British accent. We learn early on that he is in hiding from Russian "bad guys" and get glimpses of a hair-raising escape from them in the past. His origin story never becomes clear, however, and that was the one truly dismaying aspect of the tale. The basic mystery is handled crisply and well: the author gives us a protagonist with a sharp mind who is quick to notice key details. The "whodunnit" is wrapped up as neatly as any Agatha Christie tale, but the Russian mob aspect of the story is grimmer and a whole lot less tidy, leaving the two parts of the story to rub along just a bit oddly. Overall a very engaging effort.
December 28, 2024
I decided to read this mystery because it is set in Pittsburgh, (my hometown) and the premise sounded intriguing. Greg Abimbola teaches languages at a prestigious Pittsburgh Academy. He is a bi racial Ex-pat Brit (or is he) trying to teach Russian to high schoolers and deal with the subtle and not so subtle tones if racism that come his way. Handsome, sophisticated, one eyed; our quiet teacher has a past as a spy that he is trying to put far, far behind him. When the murder of a wealthy parent in the school's boiler room occurs, Greg just can't help himself - he starts investigating. Soon alarm bells are ringing as far as Moscow. This is a great mix of mystery and spy novel with a dashing, intelligent hero, good characters and our great city as another character.
Favorite line - "He didn't want to move again. He'd grown to not dislike the so called Steel City, with it's ridiculous hills, and claustrophobic neighborhoods, and dark slow-moving rivers. If life allowed him to put down roots, it might as well be here.
The author is well traveled and has lived in Pittsburgh. His affection for the city shines through the pages.
Favorite line - "He didn't want to move again. He'd grown to not dislike the so called Steel City, with it's ridiculous hills, and claustrophobic neighborhoods, and dark slow-moving rivers. If life allowed him to put down roots, it might as well be here.
The author is well traveled and has lived in Pittsburgh. His affection for the city shines through the pages.
December 30, 2024
4.5 stars rounded up😊
an unexpected surprise! by this, i mean i wouldn’t have known about this book had it not been for the starred Kirkus review of the *sequel* to this book.
the premise caught my attention: Greg Abimbola is a Russian and French language teacher with a British accent at an exclusive high school in Pittsburgh (it is revealed to the reader to actually be a Black Russian defector currently in witness protection). on a seemingly regular day, he finds himself part of a murder investigation when a parent of one of his students is found murdered in the school’s basement.
the case is multilayered but the police think they have the right suspect in a young assistant custodian, Andrea Velasquez. needless to say, Mr. Abimbola gets involved as discreetly as he can but unintentionally exposes himself to a very scary villain determined to get even.
this was part mystery, part spy thriller, and completely in my wheelhouse of books i typically love— so excited to read the next book of the series!!
an unexpected surprise! by this, i mean i wouldn’t have known about this book had it not been for the starred Kirkus review of the *sequel* to this book.
the premise caught my attention: Greg Abimbola is a Russian and French language teacher with a British accent at an exclusive high school in Pittsburgh (it is revealed to the reader to actually be a Black Russian defector currently in witness protection). on a seemingly regular day, he finds himself part of a murder investigation when a parent of one of his students is found murdered in the school’s basement.
the case is multilayered but the police think they have the right suspect in a young assistant custodian, Andrea Velasquez. needless to say, Mr. Abimbola gets involved as discreetly as he can but unintentionally exposes himself to a very scary villain determined to get even.
this was part mystery, part spy thriller, and completely in my wheelhouse of books i typically love— so excited to read the next book of the series!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 29, 2024
At the beginning, the book had promise. The setup for the murder mystery was interesting, and I was curious about Greg's background and secrets. However, the execution was subpar. I figured out the mystery halfway through the book because the important clues were given too soon. After a bit, the spy story became comical with all the broken English and Russian stereotypes. As for Greg's deep dark secret, it was very disappointing and felt insensitive to modern issues, especially when compared to the huge emphasis put on racism.
By the way, why would the media not care about a wealthy parent being murdered at a prestigious private school? This was mentioned a few times, and it made zero sense. The media would have been all over this one, especially since there were links to political ambitions.
And another thing, the dialogue was so bad and cringeworthy that I had to skip over some sections. Who uses the word "biatch" in the 21st century?
By the way, why would the media not care about a wealthy parent being murdered at a prestigious private school? This was mentioned a few times, and it made zero sense. The media would have been all over this one, especially since there were links to political ambitions.
And another thing, the dialogue was so bad and cringeworthy that I had to skip over some sections. Who uses the word "biatch" in the 21st century?
November 1, 2022
Greg Abimbola is the sun of a Russian mother in Nigerian father. He lives in Pittsburgh and teaches foreign languages at an elite private high school that routinely gets kids in to Ivy League colleges he also is harboring a big secret. When he shows up to school Monday morning it’s one thing after another the heat is off the principal wants to see him and when he goes to her office Lindsay DeKalb is in there yelling at her. She is the mother of Victoria and isn’t his biggest fan either and on the way out of principal Ellis’s office she lets him know in racist and hateful terms. He blows it off with his cool manner but the next day when she is found murdered in the janitors room the next day, he doesn’t know what to think. There were a lot of people at the school that dislike this tyrant of a woman starting with the chemistry teacher, but it’s the assistant janitor Maria who gets brought into the station. When she asked Greg to help her investigate who the murderer is he’s reluctant but ultimately agrees to do it and is it finding a murderer wasn’t a big enough Task but he also has someone from his past coming to try and make him a murder victim as well. I really liked Greg and thought him to be a great character and the chemistry teacher made me laugh but I do think Morozov used too many racial slurs I get that you want the character to be authentic but that was just entirely too much. Having said that I would definitely read another book by this author and about this teacher. I found a charming all except the horrible racial slurs. I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
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