The Professor of Eventide

by Meredith Allard

Perfect for readers of The Secret History and Mexican Gothic. A haunting literary mystery that explores the thin line between intellectual obsession and madness.

At Eventide College, the past is never buried—it is exhaled through the ivy and etched into the stone.

Professor Jonathan Ferrars lives in the shadows of academia, a man tethered to a history he cannot outrun and a present he must make peace with. The sanctity of the autumn term is shattered when three of his students are found murdered in a manner that feels less like a crime and more like a ritual.

As the police circle and the college's halls begin to close in, Jonathan realizes the deaths are part of a meticulously crafted architecture of guilt—one designed to make him the centerpiece of its tragedy. To preserve his sanity and his freedom, Jonathan must untangle the rot at the heart of Eventide College before the darkness he’s spent a lifetime avoiding finally claims him.

A story of isolation, the power of story, and the ghosts we carry with us.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery

354 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 7, 2026

About the author

Meredith Allard is an award-winning author known for the bestselling Loving Husband Trilogy and the Victorian novel When It Rained at Hembry Castle, which IndieReader named a Best Historical Novel. Her prequel, Down Salem Way, earned the B.R.A.G. Medallion and was a semi-finalist for the Chaucer Award in Early Historical Fiction.

A recognized authority on the craft, Meredith is the author of Painting the Past: A Guide for Writing Historical Fiction, a #1 Amazon New Release in Authorship and Creativity Self-Help. For over twenty years, she has mentored writers of all ages, helping them find their voices while honing her own signature blend of meticulous research and haunting prose.

When she isn't unearthing the secrets of the past, she can be found in the hills of Southern Nevada with her cats and a cup of coffee. Discover more at
www.meredithallard.com.

Reviews

[Cathie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like Edgar Allan Poe, but the convoluted plot and preposterous weirdness of this story left me flat. I was surprised to see how many books the author has written, as some of the prose seemed amateurish. At times it was unclear which character was speaking. College students in 2010 don’t use phrases like “he popped his cork” or “Mr. Moneybags.” And my pet peeve with mysteries is on full display here, with a long explication in dialog of everything right at the end, disrupting the action in what should be a climactic scene.

[Caitlynn Akin · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The Professor of Eventide” is an engaging story for fans of literature and mystery. The tale follows an accomplished professor specializing in the work of Edger Allen Poe, who takes on a new position at an uncanny college in Maine. However, the new opportunity soon becomes an unsuspecting challenge when the competitive world of academia is shaken following the deaths of two of his students in unusual manners. Paralleling the literary works of Poe, the professor starts to experience his own symptoms of madness as he digs into the mysterious forces at play around the college. While a bit heavy on a narration style of detailed descriptions, the mystery element and weaving of the puzzle pieces throughout help keep the reader eagerly anticipating the next chapter. Certainly a unique work of literary fiction, especially for fans of Poe!

[The Sassy Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review: The Professor of Eventide by Meredith Allard

Rating: 5 Stars

As an ardent admirer of Edgar Allan Poe’s brooding tales, I found The Professor of Eventide to be a perfect literary companion—an atmospheric mystery that dwells in the shadows of obsession, memory, and the dark corridors of academia.

Set within the ivy-clad walls of Eventide College, this story unfolds like a slow-burning enigma where history is not just remembered but palpably alive, etched deep into stone and whispered through rustling leaves. Professor Jonathan Ferrars, a man haunted by a concealed past and tethered to the weight of his own secrets, steps into this labyrinthine world only to find the autumn term shattered by a chilling series of ritualistic murders involving his students.

What captivated me most was how the narrative weaves intellectual obsession with the creeping madness that memory can inflict. The mounting tension as Jonathan becomes entangled in a meticulously orchestrated design felt like a dance on the razor’s edge between sanity and despair. The college itself takes on a sinister character, its ancient halls closing in—a perfect setting for anyone who revels in Poe’s signature blend of isolation and creeping dread.

From the very first page, I was hooked. The atmosphere was so richly crafted that I could almost hear the echoes of footsteps in those shadowed corridors and feel the weight of history pressing down on every character. The unexpected twists kept me guessing, and the haunting meditation on how our personal ghosts linger with us long past their time resonated deeply.

And I must say—the cover alone is a masterpiece, a haunting invitation that perfectly mirrors the book’s mood. For fans of The Secret History or The Historian, or anyone who delights in stories where the past refuses to stay buried, The Professor of Eventide is a must-read.

Two thumbs up from this Poe enthusiast. A truly spellbinding journey into darkness and obsession!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

[CharlieJLZ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a dark academia, meets murder mystery, meets the macabre world of Poe.

"A dark literacy mystery with paranormal elements" describes this book well. It is a slow atmospheric burn that I got thoroughly lost in.

I'd like to add that if you like fast paced books with lots of twists and turns, this might not be for you. I love reading a book such as The Haunting of Hill House and just getting lost, page after page, walking through eerie corridors, whispering woodlands and subtle atmospheric events.
Some people get frustrated, yet it's my jam.

I did not mind the supernatural element and twist. I LOVED the Poe vibes, the quotes and the literacy debates throughout.... Just beautiful. But again, my friend and I debate for hours on human behavior, psychology and the macabre.

There was clearly a lot of research that went into this book. But I can see why this may not be for everyone. I, however, now have a page in my journal full of gorgeous quotes.

Thank you to Meredith Allard, Netgallery and Lemon Moon Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. #netgallery #TheProfessorOfEventide
My words are my own ✌🏻

[Tony Heck · Rating 4 out of 5]

“A deep fatigue tormented me, a mournful, soul-crushing exhaustion I hadn’t felt in some time. You can only carry the burden of sorrow for so long before it overwhelms you. Like the moon, I have weaved in and out of phases of my life. Sometimes I was in control. More often, I was not.” The novel, The Professor of Eventide, by Meredith Allard, drops you into the eerie, cultivated atmosphere of Eventide College. We follow Jonathan Ferrars, a new professor navigating a world where academic ambition and the supernatural start to bleed together. Between a sudden murder and mounting psychological pressure, Ferrars’s term quickly spirals into a mix of Gothic tension and existential dread. The story is a modern nod to Poe, blending melancholy and suspense as Ferrars’s fears intensify with the ever-gnawing sense of being watched.

I received an advance complimentary copy and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

[Jan Matthews · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dark Gothic story, straight from the woodsy campus of a Maine college and the very heart of Poe scholar Jonathan Ferrars. The story is haunted by the mind and voice in Edgar Allan Poe’s poetry, and if you like deeper studies and literary allusions and themes, this novel is well steeped in them. The plot moves quite slowly but it’s a deep dive into the professor’s graduate students’ lives and studies. As first one student and then another is murdered, Professor Ferrars, who feels as if he himself is on the edge of madness at times, is determined to find out who is murdering the young people. He fears it might be himself.
Atmospheric and original, I did struggle with the pace, but ultimately, the story paid off.
Recommended for readers of all things Gothic.
Thank you BookSirens and the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is happening to the college?

A professor from Yale moves to a small town in Maine, where a murderer is lurking. He is a professor of Poe and the students seem to enjoy and challenge him at the same time then the murders start. Is it a student who feels threatened, a teacher trying to play out his favorite author, or something more sinister? I was on the edge through this whole novel. Just when I thought I had the answer, something else happened to change my mind. When I found out the truth in the end I was shocked! Glad the author explained why it had to happen the way it did, cause I was upset that students were involved as a parent. 😂 This is a novel of suspense definitely and good for anyone teen and above, that likes horror, suspense and mystery.

[Katharine Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was never a huge fan of Edgar Allen Poe to begin with. However, after reading this book, I almost wish I was. I really truly believed that the Professor was who he appeared to be...someone quite knowledgeable about the Gothic poet. I couldn't understand why someone would want to leave the prestigious job they had until the pieces of the puzzle started to fall into place for me. It was rough at the beginning.
But, the farther I got, the more I felt like I was part of Poe- the mini- series!! Or maybe like someone had taken pieces if several of Poe's works and threw them in a blender just to see what would fall together. Definitely worth reading!! And definitely a nail biter story!!

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I began this book with delight! The prose is beautiful, emulating the moody, organic atmosphere of the early 19th century American literature movement. The professor, an expert on the works and life of Edgar Allen Poe moves to a small town in Maine to begin teaching at a small private college. The references to Poe and others of the period, Emerson and Thoreau, placed me in an academic world of discovery and knowledge. As a mystery of murder and horror unveils, I expected to be enthralled with a unique storyline and final solution. But alas, the revelations were mundane and overly used.

[Harry Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

'The Professor of Eventide' is a dark academia in the style of 'The Secret History' and 'If We Were Villains'. Somewhat pretentious academics with an unhealthy obsession with their studies, a dark foreboding animosity between them, and ultimately death and disaster for some or all. As opposed to the Classics or Shakespeare, the field of study here is the works of Edgar Allan Poe.

I do think a dark, sinister Poe-esque vibe is achieved and the tone is definitely fitting of the dark academia tag, something that is all too common misapplied to books. Here it is certainly deserved though. I do feel that the first half of the book massively outshone the second half. Whilst I was completely invested coming on half way, over the back end of the book that investment began to waver as I feel the plot started to unravel.

I enjoyed the atmosphere, the tone, the ambience, but I don't think it was tightly written enough and it just began to fall apart.