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The Professor: Book 0
Following the mysterious disappearance of her history professor, Nicole Costello discovers that her prestigious university is home to an elite secret society with questionable moral standards. Can Nicole crack the case of her missing professor and finish her thesis paper, or will Nicole herself crack under the pressure?
164 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 1, 2016
355 people are currently reading
284 people want to read
About the author
Alexandria Clarke
219 books273 followersAlexandria Clarke is a writer, cat lover, and all-around optimist. She loves to immerse her readers in mystery and intrigue, meaningful friendships, and the worlds of characters who learn by doing. When she's not writing, Alex enjoys playing guitar, watching Wynonna Earp, and spending time with her family. She currently lives in Orlando, Florida with her partner and their four pets.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
February 26, 2020
This is book twelve in the Riveting Kidnapping Mystery series and covers the disappearance of a college professor, after he leaves a message late at night to his teaching assistant. The missing history professor was quite distracted over the last few weeks and his assistant Nicole Costello has had to cover and teach a lot of his classes, when she should really be finishing off her thesis. She hasn’t actually decided on a topic for her thesis and only had this last semester to finish it if she wants to graduate on time. He has left a desperate sounding message for her and tells her to get the contents of his office safe and put them somewhere safe.
Nicole’s boyfriend of some nine years, Wes, is a police officer and moved to the local station when she went back to college to do her masters. Nicole looks over all this paperwork that her professor left for her and starts to discover that there is a secret society hidden in the depths of the college, which has been kept secret for decades. It seems that this society, BRS, the Black Raptor Society, has also been ensuring that the founding family descendants are well placed in the college and get well paid jobs in good locations. Even if they are not getting their grades, the society will pull the records and amend them to get the student into the right place. They have even committed murder to cover up their tracks and keep the society secret.
What Nicole doesn’t know is that her own parents past hides some pretty dark secrets. She has been raised by her aunt after her parents died by the time she was two. She only has faint memories of her mother and had been told nothing of either parents past, no matter how much she questioned her aunt. She has no ended up at the same prestigious college her parents went to, but knows nothing of this. One of her first discoveries is of a female student, who just a semester away from graduating at the top of her class, has a breakdown and fails loads of classes. She tracks this student down and she looks a mess. What happened to her has had a drastic effect, but there is no evidence yet of what happened.
There are two main families behind the BRS, the Lockwoods and the Davenports. Add to that some other families added on over the years, such as the Dean of the college and contacts within the local police station, this society has influence in lots of areas throughout the college, with surrounding companies, the police and local power families. Nicole has a lot of hoops to jump through to make sense of the clues left behind for her and to work out how to open the puzzle box that was also in the professor’s safe. There is also a power struggle going on for the leadership of the BRS, between a brother and sister. One has been building up recruits to follow their hard line membership and the other is possibly having a change of mind about the direction the society is heading into.
Nicole’s determination to uncover the location of the BRS and find out the truth behind her professor’s disappearance, places her in grave danger. Even having a police officer boyfriend, does not keep her safe from harm and there are some that don’t care what they do and who they do it to, so long as their agenda is kept safe and the society’s presence is kept hidden. Fiddling academic transcripts and exam results, ruining people’s lives, nepotism and murder, by accident or on purpose, are all parts of the society’s recent past. There are some characters you can’t figure out quite where they stand, but some of the others are very easy to judge from their actions. People from the past are hiding in plain sight and bring some surprises to the storyline, late on.
A book with a deep secret to be uncovered and lots of intrigue and history to be dealt with. Some unusual surprises come in what seems to almost be a second book, as the book is such a long one! The past is never quite as clear cut as you may believe and there are lots of hidden secrets, put in place to keep others safe, and others being used for blackmail. Definitely a book to give yourself enough time to read. I read it straight through, but then I have the time to be able to do that. Just as you think it might be coming to a close, there is another twist that throws a new spanner into the works! A fantastic and deeply involved read, with elements of history, investigation and power hungry elitists. I love reading anything from this author and still have lots of their books still to read. I would recommend this to one and all! I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
Nicole’s boyfriend of some nine years, Wes, is a police officer and moved to the local station when she went back to college to do her masters. Nicole looks over all this paperwork that her professor left for her and starts to discover that there is a secret society hidden in the depths of the college, which has been kept secret for decades. It seems that this society, BRS, the Black Raptor Society, has also been ensuring that the founding family descendants are well placed in the college and get well paid jobs in good locations. Even if they are not getting their grades, the society will pull the records and amend them to get the student into the right place. They have even committed murder to cover up their tracks and keep the society secret.
What Nicole doesn’t know is that her own parents past hides some pretty dark secrets. She has been raised by her aunt after her parents died by the time she was two. She only has faint memories of her mother and had been told nothing of either parents past, no matter how much she questioned her aunt. She has no ended up at the same prestigious college her parents went to, but knows nothing of this. One of her first discoveries is of a female student, who just a semester away from graduating at the top of her class, has a breakdown and fails loads of classes. She tracks this student down and she looks a mess. What happened to her has had a drastic effect, but there is no evidence yet of what happened.
There are two main families behind the BRS, the Lockwoods and the Davenports. Add to that some other families added on over the years, such as the Dean of the college and contacts within the local police station, this society has influence in lots of areas throughout the college, with surrounding companies, the police and local power families. Nicole has a lot of hoops to jump through to make sense of the clues left behind for her and to work out how to open the puzzle box that was also in the professor’s safe. There is also a power struggle going on for the leadership of the BRS, between a brother and sister. One has been building up recruits to follow their hard line membership and the other is possibly having a change of mind about the direction the society is heading into.
Nicole’s determination to uncover the location of the BRS and find out the truth behind her professor’s disappearance, places her in grave danger. Even having a police officer boyfriend, does not keep her safe from harm and there are some that don’t care what they do and who they do it to, so long as their agenda is kept safe and the society’s presence is kept hidden. Fiddling academic transcripts and exam results, ruining people’s lives, nepotism and murder, by accident or on purpose, are all parts of the society’s recent past. There are some characters you can’t figure out quite where they stand, but some of the others are very easy to judge from their actions. People from the past are hiding in plain sight and bring some surprises to the storyline, late on.
A book with a deep secret to be uncovered and lots of intrigue and history to be dealt with. Some unusual surprises come in what seems to almost be a second book, as the book is such a long one! The past is never quite as clear cut as you may believe and there are lots of hidden secrets, put in place to keep others safe, and others being used for blackmail. Definitely a book to give yourself enough time to read. I read it straight through, but then I have the time to be able to do that. Just as you think it might be coming to a close, there is another twist that throws a new spanner into the works! A fantastic and deeply involved read, with elements of history, investigation and power hungry elitists. I love reading anything from this author and still have lots of their books still to read. I would recommend this to one and all! I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
June 5, 2017
The Professor: Book 0, Book 1, and Book 2 felt like they should have all been one book, hence I'll write one review for them all.
So I'll mark this as having spoilers as I can't keep track of what happened when. And as I said, they are really one book that the author seemed to randomly split. Even time wise, all three books were about as long as the average book I read.
With that out of the way ...
Nicole Costello is a graduate student at the prestigious Waverly University. She's not quite sure how she got in, to be honest, but feels close to her thesis advisor, Professor O'Connor. One day he mysteriously disappears, but not before leaving a cryptic half-voice mail on her phone. Despite knowing she shouldn't, she dives in to try to figure what is going on and what has happened to her professor.
As she digs, Nicole realizes her university is a hotbed of secrets and cover-ups and a mysterious secret society. And of course, once she figures it out, she is now the target the missing professor was.
This book wants to be the DaVinci code ... if the DaVinci code was one a college campus, about the studend and not the professor, and no worldwide secret organizations are involved. But there are secret messages everywhere, coded clues, and local secret societies. People who will help you or turn on you or both. Nicole must race to get the answers before it costs her her life and that of her husband's.
Just when you think you can't handle another plot twist - SURPRISE! Another plot twist. Somehow, Nicole's family is connected to this whole thing. Now Nicole really wants answers and is willing to stop at nothing to get them.
The book wasn't horrible. It wasn't super great either. It was okay. I read all three books - mostly because all three were available through kindle unlimited.
I am annoyed with Clarke for trying to break the book up into three books. Just put it all in one and be done. Your readers will thank you, I promise.
So I'll mark this as having spoilers as I can't keep track of what happened when. And as I said, they are really one book that the author seemed to randomly split. Even time wise, all three books were about as long as the average book I read.
With that out of the way ...
Nicole Costello is a graduate student at the prestigious Waverly University. She's not quite sure how she got in, to be honest, but feels close to her thesis advisor, Professor O'Connor. One day he mysteriously disappears, but not before leaving a cryptic half-voice mail on her phone. Despite knowing she shouldn't, she dives in to try to figure what is going on and what has happened to her professor.
As she digs, Nicole realizes her university is a hotbed of secrets and cover-ups and a mysterious secret society. And of course, once she figures it out, she is now the target the missing professor was.
This book wants to be the DaVinci code ... if the DaVinci code was one a college campus, about the studend and not the professor, and no worldwide secret organizations are involved. But there are secret messages everywhere, coded clues, and local secret societies. People who will help you or turn on you or both. Nicole must race to get the answers before it costs her her life and that of her husband's.
Just when you think you can't handle another plot twist - SURPRISE! Another plot twist. Somehow, Nicole's family is connected to this whole thing. Now Nicole really wants answers and is willing to stop at nothing to get them.
The book wasn't horrible. It wasn't super great either. It was okay. I read all three books - mostly because all three were available through kindle unlimited.
I am annoyed with Clarke for trying to break the book up into three books. Just put it all in one and be done. Your readers will thank you, I promise.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2022
( Format : Audiobook )
"Figure it out. Or don't."
A college campus set mystery thriller which starts well with George O'Connor, in the dark and in pouring rain, trying to drive his little car to some sort of safety ahead of pursuing, more powerful vehicles. His terror is justified.
When George fails to keep an appointment with a student to discuss her overdue thesis, Nicole is at first annoyed, then fearful for him. She starts to investigate aided by her policeman boyfriend. This is the launch book for a series and so is incomplete - no ending. This is annoying, frustrating and although enjoyable, the book is neither good enough for me to wish to continue to books one and two to discover an ending, hence the three star rating.
Narration is by Tia Rider Sorenson, who interprets well the character of Nicole, who is central to, and telling, the story in the first person. She is clear, well modulated and has reasonable voice differentiation for the different protagonists. Her reading adds to the building of characteriseation.
My thanks to the rights holder who, at my request, freely gifted me with a complimentary copy of the book via Free Audiobook Codes. With a plausible ending this book would have been investedenjoyable but without one, or the intention to continue the series, sadly isn't worth the time .invested.
"Figure it out. Or don't."
A college campus set mystery thriller which starts well with George O'Connor, in the dark and in pouring rain, trying to drive his little car to some sort of safety ahead of pursuing, more powerful vehicles. His terror is justified.
When George fails to keep an appointment with a student to discuss her overdue thesis, Nicole is at first annoyed, then fearful for him. She starts to investigate aided by her policeman boyfriend. This is the launch book for a series and so is incomplete - no ending. This is annoying, frustrating and although enjoyable, the book is neither good enough for me to wish to continue to books one and two to discover an ending, hence the three star rating.
Narration is by Tia Rider Sorenson, who interprets well the character of Nicole, who is central to, and telling, the story in the first person. She is clear, well modulated and has reasonable voice differentiation for the different protagonists. Her reading adds to the building of characteriseation.
My thanks to the rights holder who, at my request, freely gifted me with a complimentary copy of the book via Free Audiobook Codes. With a plausible ending this book would have been investedenjoyable but without one, or the intention to continue the series, sadly isn't worth the time .invested.
June 25, 2020
The strange disappearance of a history professor.
Nicole was one of his grad students and his TA, both with “a mutual dedication to research and stories of the past.” She received a frantic message from him on that horrible, rainy night, directing her to some evidence he has. What evidence? She searches through his findings, trying to make sense of it. Why did he collect all this sordid info on faculty and students? Nicole was determined to find out. In the midst, she must write her thesis or she won’t graduate.
Unveiling a prestigious university’s secrets and shady dealings (teachers that got tenure; average C-student that became valedictorian.)
I liked the easy-going narrative as well as the follow-through and fierce tenacity of the main character. Nicole is an inquisitive researcher and a fearless solver. She had taken up the professor’s quest and now she worried that her fate was sealed by the secret society. Would they kill her to keep her quiet?
With the society turning her world upside down, then kidnapping her boyfriend, Nicole concluded: If it’s a fight they want, it’s a fight they’ll get.
Full of twists and surprises. A gripping read! Wonderfully exciting!
Nicole was one of his grad students and his TA, both with “a mutual dedication to research and stories of the past.” She received a frantic message from him on that horrible, rainy night, directing her to some evidence he has. What evidence? She searches through his findings, trying to make sense of it. Why did he collect all this sordid info on faculty and students? Nicole was determined to find out. In the midst, she must write her thesis or she won’t graduate.
Unveiling a prestigious university’s secrets and shady dealings (teachers that got tenure; average C-student that became valedictorian.)
I liked the easy-going narrative as well as the follow-through and fierce tenacity of the main character. Nicole is an inquisitive researcher and a fearless solver. She had taken up the professor’s quest and now she worried that her fate was sealed by the secret society. Would they kill her to keep her quiet?
With the society turning her world upside down, then kidnapping her boyfriend, Nicole concluded: If it’s a fight they want, it’s a fight they’ll get.
Full of twists and surprises. A gripping read! Wonderfully exciting!
March 6, 2020
A missing professor, a web of lies, a one hundred year old mystery.
Following the mysterious disappearance of her history professor, Nicole Costello discovers that her prestigious university is hiding a dark secret. In a race against the clock, Nicole uncovers the dark secrets of her parents' pasts, but can she come to terms with the truth in enough time to solve the mystery?
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Can't wait to read more from this author!
Recommend reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Following the mysterious disappearance of her history professor, Nicole Costello discovers that her prestigious university is hiding a dark secret. In a race against the clock, Nicole uncovers the dark secrets of her parents' pasts, but can she come to terms with the truth in enough time to solve the mystery?
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Can't wait to read more from this author!
Recommend reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Read
February 12, 2019Reader in group–I just finished reading Yannick Murphy's new novel, "The Call", a bizarre and lovely book narrated by a large animal veterinarian in rural inland New England (the author is from Vermont). When I say "narrated" I mean that the narration is broken up into categories: "The Call" (in which the vet gets called to, for instance, castrate a draft horse), "Action" (in which the vet goes to do, or try to do, just that), "Thoughts on the Drive Home" (fairly self-explanatory), and, when he gets home, "What I Heard from the Children/Wife When I Got Home." I'm especially fond of this last category, and my favorite of favorites being, "What the Wife Cooked for Dinner: Nut Loaf. What I Ate For Dinner: Not Nut Loaf." And this says nothing about the plot, which includes a catastrophic hunting accident, possible UFOs, and organ transplants. As I said, a bizarre book. But also a beautiful one--keenly felt, with a light touch than ends up reaching deep.
February 22, 2020
Secret society. Death. Secrets. Betrayal. Hidden past. Nicole is a graduate student at Waverly Univsersity. Her faculty advisor and mentor has been acting strangely for weeks and then he disappears, but not before leaving a voice mail for her which leads to a mystery and possible deaths. As she tries to solve the mystery she finds out that a secret society has been at Waverly for years, and they have been involved with so much illegal activity. She will uncover secrets about her past, put herself, her boyfriend Wes, and friends in danger. But she must stop this society. For everyone’s sake. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review
June 18, 2018
Because of information that he has discovered about a secret society, history professor O'Connor disappears. But he passes his information to student Nicole Costello to continue the investigation. Found the scenario slightly unbelievable, and the story is not resolved in this book but continues, which I found annoying.
September 7, 2018
Again a very good read from Alexandria Clarke. If you're looking for an emotional roller coaster, you might want to jump on. A missing professor, a student filling in and trying to figure out what's going on. Criminal activities galore, selfishness galore and even some selflessness. Now for me to see the final battles of right and wrong. We'll see.
February 26, 2020
This is one of my very favorite authors and I love this book as much as the others I have read by her. This story features Nicole and the mysteries surrounding her university. Lots of twists to keep you guessing and a great, compelling story that will keep you glued to the book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 4, 2023
The Professor: Book 0, The Professor: Book 1, and The Professor: Book 2, while divided into three books, they are really just one unified plot. A graduate student in history (and her police officer boyfriend) becomes involved in investigating the disappearance of her Masters advisor, who has investigating the campus evil secret society.
January 21, 2020
This started out pretty slow for me but picked up near the end. Hoping the next book holds my attention. Typically I hate books with an open ending but fortunately I already own the second book in the series so here we go.
May 29, 2017
Good Read
Good book, hated it ended to finish in another book. Keeps interest, and suspense. Thriller and suspenseful all in one
Good book, hated it ended to finish in another book. Keeps interest, and suspense. Thriller and suspenseful all in one
June 5, 2017
Not a good ending. It's only 100 pages long and a quick read but right when the story picks up and starts to get good, it ends. A very typical book with no real twists or turns.
July 10, 2017
Loved it
August 30, 2017
A little unbelievable! The main character was a little stupid. Not a bad book, but kept you saying "What is she doing?!!"
October 10, 2017
I really liked the writing in this book, but was disappointed that I need to go to the next book before I get a resolution.
July 3, 2018
Thoroughly Entertaining
Nice read, suspenseful and fast paced. Totally relatable. This one would be a great beach read, good for the airplane!
Nice read, suspenseful and fast paced. Totally relatable. This one would be a great beach read, good for the airplane!
June 6, 2020
Great beginning to a series.
December 31, 2016
Nicole Costello is in her graduate year at Waverly University. She is having trouble coming up with a theme for her thesis when her favorite professor goes missing.
This story starts out with a bang and pretty much keeps it going throughout.
Nicole receives a cryptic text from her favorite professor that leads her to his office and some very interesting files. It seems he has been doing some research into some of the previous graduates of the school and found some discrepancies in their files, like changed grades. As Nicole continues the investigation she finds that one student who should have been valedictorian at her own graduation was replaced by someone who was not a good student at all. Now the former valedictorian is thought to be mentally unstable and it is all made up.
The staff and faculty at Waverly have a lot to answer for but when she gets too close to the truth Nicole finds her own life on the line as well as that of her policeman boyfriend.
I was very disppointed when I discovered I had to read another book to get to the answers here but I am quite willing to continue on as this one was so suspenseful and interesting.
This story starts out with a bang and pretty much keeps it going throughout.
Nicole receives a cryptic text from her favorite professor that leads her to his office and some very interesting files. It seems he has been doing some research into some of the previous graduates of the school and found some discrepancies in their files, like changed grades. As Nicole continues the investigation she finds that one student who should have been valedictorian at her own graduation was replaced by someone who was not a good student at all. Now the former valedictorian is thought to be mentally unstable and it is all made up.
The staff and faculty at Waverly have a lot to answer for but when she gets too close to the truth Nicole finds her own life on the line as well as that of her policeman boyfriend.
I was very disppointed when I discovered I had to read another book to get to the answers here but I am quite willing to continue on as this one was so suspenseful and interesting.
January 3, 2017
It started off well and didn't have any of the boring romances that a thriller shouldn't have. It remained a mystery from start to finish and was really good. But the book ended abruptly and I was surprised by it. But I am looking forward to read the second book, which has the same title as the first.
I'm really looking forward to read if Nicole rescue Wes from Donovan and also if she can finally expose the society.
I'm really looking forward to read if Nicole rescue Wes from Donovan and also if she can finally expose the society.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2017
Great read
I initially started reading this late last year (2016); I became distracted and frustrated because I felt it was dragging. So when 2017 rang in, I decided I would try again. I'm glad I did. Parts of the book had me so engrossed that I did not want to stop reading. I hope to learn moire about Wes and Nicole and the RMS, there's something interesting going on here!
I initially started reading this late last year (2016); I became distracted and frustrated because I felt it was dragging. So when 2017 rang in, I decided I would try again. I'm glad I did. Parts of the book had me so engrossed that I did not want to stop reading. I hope to learn moire about Wes and Nicole and the RMS, there's something interesting going on here!
January 5, 2017
I knew there had to be a sequel
...by the time I got a few pages from the end of the book. There weren't enough pages left to tie up the loose ends. In fact, there were more loose ends than there had been a few pages earlier. But I enjoyed the story line and I plan to read the next one.
...by the time I got a few pages from the end of the book. There weren't enough pages left to tie up the loose ends. In fact, there were more loose ends than there had been a few pages earlier. But I enjoyed the story line and I plan to read the next one.
December 21, 2016
Captured from the beginning
From the beginning, the suspense have you turning the pages to see what happens next. The characters are all intriguing and hAve you guessing how they fit into the equation. The ending have you ready for the next book. A great read from start to finish.
From the beginning, the suspense have you turning the pages to see what happens next. The characters are all intriguing and hAve you guessing how they fit into the equation. The ending have you ready for the next book. A great read from start to finish.
December 26, 2016
Great book!
Great book. Although it ends abruptly, it has a great plot. Very excited to get started on the second part. I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in a good mystery book. Thumbs up!
Great book. Although it ends abruptly, it has a great plot. Very excited to get started on the second part. I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in a good mystery book. Thumbs up!
January 17, 2017
The Professor: A gripping, edge of your seat mystery
Very good book, but I didn't like that I would have to get the next book to continue for the ending. If I had known this was the case I wouldn't have picked it to read!!!
Very good book, but I didn't like that I would have to get the next book to continue for the ending. If I had known this was the case I wouldn't have picked it to read!!!
December 31, 2016
Mindbogglingly
This mystery kept me at the edge of my seat! I could not seem to put The Professor novel down!
This mystery kept me at the edge of my seat! I could not seem to put The Professor novel down!
Read
January 4, 2017very good read, I really hope there is a third book coming
January 9, 2017
Great read
Highly recommend this novella. It's a gripping story that will leave you in suspense. It's a must-read by a talented author.
Highly recommend this novella. It's a gripping story that will leave you in suspense. It's a must-read by a talented author.
February 8, 2017
Writing is good, but I was frustrated by the "ending." In a series, I don't mind some unanswered questions, but this is too much.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews