Campus Confidential: An Academic Thriller

by Sid Stark

Doctor Rowena Halley needs a job. But it may cost her more than she’s bargained for.

During one of the worst years on record in the academic job market, newly-minted PhD Rowena Halley has, against all odds, gotten a job. For one semester. At poverty wages. In New Jersey. But with so many of her fellow PhDs bagging groceries—or worse—instead of teaching Russian, this is the best chance she has.

New jobs come with a lot of stress, everyone knows that. But Rowena has more problems than just learning her way around a new campus and convincing all these Yankees that yes, she really is from Georgia. Tensions in the department are high, her family wants to know when she’s going to get a decent job and a decent man, and her ex-boyfriend is as usual persona non grata with the Russian government. It’s when students start coming to her for help that she really gets into trouble, though. Rowena got where she is because she wants to help people and save the world, but if she’s not careful, her idealism may get her killed.

Witty and suspenseful in the vein of the Stephanie Plum novels, "Campus Confidential" is an insider’s look at the gritty underbelly of academia, where the struggles are so vicious because the stakes are so small. Only sometimes, they’re a matter of life and death.

*Content warning: Adult language*

Genres: Fiction, Mystery

387 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 30, 2019

About the author

Under her other name, Sid lives a life very similar to that of her characters, although with more tedious grading and fewer exciting chase scenes.

Reviews

[Charles van Buren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow as molasses

There are some biting zingers at the beginning which enticed me to continue reading. Alas, Ms Stark does not go on to really skewer the silliness of modern woke higher education. As she is employed by the system, perhaps that is understandable.

[Lise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rowena Halley's new life in academia is not what she thought it would be. After securing her PhD, she found a temporary position as a Russian language professor at a small liberal arts school in New Jersey. Barely able to make ends meet, she's further challenged by some rather severe problems faced by her students.

This book took me back to my own trials at university. Rowena was such a sympathetic character. I could feel her pain as she tried to reach her students and live her life. The book gave me a new respect for my old profs as well as a slight shamefaced realisation that we as students took them for granted.

At first, Campus Confidential gave too much. That's not to say that the author padded her story, but it was a slow burn to get to the action. I hesitate to call this a mystery, but that element was in there - along with personal conflicts, philosophy, political science, and a reordered worldview.

I did enjoy this book because I had shared some of the main character's experiences. It will not please every palate, of course, but for those of us who have lived this life, the dark humour is a treat.

[Sandee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story takes us into the world of academia. A little bit like Dilbert for college politics and red tape. I am not from that world but someone familiar with it will likely find it quite funny. Add in interesting characters, challenging relationships, mystery and the mob and you have a quirky but interesting book. I received a free ARC of this book but this is my voluntary review.

[Geoffrey Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an entertaining read exploring the nitty gritty of academia. As a former professor, department chair, and dean, it read all too true! Just ordered the second in the series!

[BG of RC · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really good novel about academic life. Although there is definitely a mystery element to it, the real charm is in the characters. They're all very well-written and believable. Even the villains are human and relatable.

I highly recommend this book. Anyone familiar with the inner workings of modern academia will especially enjoy it. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

[Samantha Henthorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rowena Halley starts a new job as a Russian language professor in New Jersey. The plot follows her navigation of a new state and a new job. Jogging in blue trainers and suffering excruciating administration and organisation bureaucracy where fools and red tape run rife in an amusing way that will resonate with anyone who has had an email address (in a large organisation!) The plot is largely a fiction-drama, with satirical and amusing overtones such as Rowena’s colleagues overuse of abbreviations and acronyms. The characters are believable, stretching from the student to professor generation. I enjoyed how the plot finished, there had been mentions of a Russian ex-boyfriend, missing professors, murder and mysterious death of a student, those blue trainers came in handy...

[T.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Campus Confidential introduces the gutsy Doctor Rowena Halley, a new PhD professor who gets a temporary teaching job at poverty wages in New Jersey. While the job doesn’t help her with her quickly dwindling finances, it puts her in the path of some very dangerous people.

Stark writes with the self-assurance of a veteran author: her writing is witty with a healthy dose of dark humor, her characterization shines, and the dialogues are unusually clever. The narration flows effortlessly, and readers will find it hard to put the book down once they start reading it.

With her easy-flowing narrative and the intelligent prose laced with a tinge of wry humor, Stark proves herself as a suburb storyteller. A series to watch for.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good combination of a mystery and a look at the world of academia. Having worked at a university, in administrative jobs, I could definitely relate to some of Sid Stark’s observations about clunky internal software systems, and how what appears on the surface and what really occurs beneath it can be quite different. The story dragged a bit during some of the chapters about the classes that were taught by the main character, Dr. Rowena Halley. I did, however, enjoy reading about her life in general, including family issues. Planning to read the next book in the series.

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This seemingly innocent tale of a new lecturer on a campus in New Jersey, is as gritty and detailed as a Sue Grafton thriller. Our hero Rowena is from the southern American states but has lived in Moscow and now teaches Russian, having almost bankrupted herself getting a Ph.D. Any lecturing job seems better than none, but a temp job for one semester brings all kinds of back-handed insults from permanent staff and admin workers. And it pays minimum wage, no benefits. Same as the cleaners.

The neighbourhood is barren and grimy, the college at the farthest end of suburbia. Some Hurricane Sandy damage payments have been used to build a splendid new classroom building; despite that, Rowena is teaching Russian in the basement. Her predecessor had to step aside because last semester, a student in his class died unexpectedly. The ripples are still spreading through the small class. Why the young man died, whether it had anything to do with drugs, vanishing e-mails and threats, are all part of what Rowena uncovers during the semester.

The characterisation is excellent, with many wry reflections on what this looks like to an outsider, comparisons to life in Russia, and the ongoing search for other work. Other college work, that is. With the possibility of bagging goods at the store being also present. We do, very quickly, start asking why American colleges, and no doubt colleges elsewhere, take advantage of trained lecturers in this way, and we agree that the college body seems set up to process as many students as possible through as swiftly as possible. While using as few dry-erase markers as possible. All this and a nail-biting crime story too. I found Campus Confidential addictive, and I'm both glad and sorry that I delayed reading it while I was in college myself. Some things I was probably better not to know. I see there is now a series. Good wishes to author Sid Stark, I hope writing crime pays better than writing academic articles.

I read an e-ARC in my own time. This is an unbiased review.

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC from the author. As I first started reading this book I wondered who in the world would want to read all this gobbledygook. Why did the reader need so darn much information about the academic world and the people involved. I almost quit reading. However, I am not generally a quitter when starting a book so kept reading. I’m really glad that I did because by the third or fourth chapter I was hooked on this story. Ms Stark has written some strong characters into this story. These teachers of academic education in International languages are strong willed and moved by the students whom they believe will be better for having studied their chosen language.
Academic teaching in universities involves a great deal of political standards. In the time of this story teaching was at an all time low. Jobs were scarce and pay was minimal. If you could get a job doing just about anything teaching you were wise to accept it. That’s exactly what Rowena Halley did. Little did she realize that the mafia backed this small college. Helping her students with their studies was her main concern but she was very involved with helping them with their lives as well. Unfortunately this may lead to more problems. This ended up being a great read!!

[Philip Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

Temporary college professor gives lessons for living - 4.5 stars

Professor Rowena Halley is underpaid and still succeeds even when the college locks her out of her classroom and cancels her campus email account before she can enter her student's grades.

Rowena (Professor H) is supportive of her students and her school in spite of the barriers that have been established. She reaches out to a drug-addicted student and befriends many people in the community.

Sid Stark paints a dark picture of colleges that heedlessly cut costs. What makes this book special is Rowena's drive to her help students.

Debt is a big part of Rowena's life. Even so, she gives strong support to her students; she recognizes drug dependence, listens well and gives good advice.

The end of her 90-day job comes with a scheduled meeting with the Provost and a student that gets interrupted with a gunfight and a car chase on snow-slicked roads and a garbage truck that makes an exciting rescue.

This imaginative story is entertaining with a credible heroine. Highly recommended.

[Scott Woodard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Really Good Story, But a Thriller?

I really enjoyed Campus Confidential. Good story and description of the travails of young academics trying to make their ways in their chosen professions. Although, God knows why they would choose such a demeaning profession. What they have to endure to try and land a tenure track role at a university seems to defy logic.

I enjoyed the story though; and the characters, especially Dr. Rowena Halley, a newly-minted PhD in her first "real" teaching job.

But a "thriller"? I would hardly call Campus Confidential a thriller. Sure there was a chase scene where Rowena had to escape from some New Jersey Mafioso, but that occurred basically at the end of the book. And there was hardly any suspense leading up to it.

So, no. I would not label Campus Confidential a thriller. I will, though, read other books in the series to see how Dr. Halley survives academic life. Perhaps subsequent books will fit the thriller genre more than this one.

[Avid · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+ stars 🌟

It's not a 5 star, but a great story mix that kept me completely hooked from start to finish.

I normally listen to all my audio books at a faster speed. However, this is one I would suggest everyone speed up. Otherwise, it is agonizingly slow.

There's so many hot topics in this book. As a recently graduated PhD, struggling to pay bills, and scrounging to figure out how to eat until she gets paid from her new position at the university, Rowena has walked into a landmine of complex issues and the explosions begin on day one. Instead of staying in her lane, she lands up right in the thick of things facing danger not taught when studying for a PhD.

"Run!"

Now, why would she be yelling this to another person as she is in a flat run herself? I'll just say it wasn't for exercise.

Recommended 👍
📚📚📚📚

[Erin-Joi · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG! I know this wasn't supposed to be funny, but as someone who has spent most of her career in academia this book was a fountain of black humor! I have taught as an Adjunct and was paid by the class, significantly less than the protagonist.

Adjunct professors and lecturers are, unfortunately, in the category of writers for average salary. If you don't have another job or hit it big, you will starve. And that is if you are single. Add in being from another country and you are screwed unless your institution is willing to apply for an H1B visa for you.

My main reason for dropping one star is that there was a lot of stereotyping in the characters. By career, by gender, by state of residence, by race. Some of these were cringe-worthy; some were shortcuts in character building.

[Emily Higgins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Rowena Halley has just finished her PhD program and is ready to teach at the college level. However, the only job she could find was a one semester temporary job at wages so low that she shops for food at the dollar store. If is truly this difficult to find a teaching job at a college or university and the pay is so bad, it is a wonder to me that anyone does it. I was surprised at the ending, but the book overall gives a cynical impression of academic life.

[Carôle Ceres · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF! 🤯😵‍💫

Some authors should not narrate their work - this author is one of them! She reads too fast, which of course, can be remedied in the app, but is tedious.

Then, she storylines are unconnected, they just do not flow. I’m at chapter 7 & I have no idea of what’s going on!

I have the book, so may come back to this, but it’s unlikely.

There is nothing remotely humorous (much less funny) about this book, comparing it with top quality characters in literature is just plain deceitful!

[ebsTx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story - not fluffy

If this is a true picture of academia, wow! Cutthroat! I enjoyed Rowena and her connection to her students. Right at the the end was some pulse pounding excitement that I had not expected. Nice touch. I will be reading the next book in the series, it was that good.

[Bea · Rating 4 out of 5]

got the parts about academia right

Interesting story about the life of a relatively new academic professor of Russian. Liked many of the characters. The overall pace of the story was not enough real action, and too much of the backstory; would have liked to have seen more action earlier on in the story.

[Govno Nichevo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that this was an okay read. I found it surprisingly engaging and entertaining. Not really a thriller in my mind, the first eighty percent (more or less) of the book is about the protagonist and her life as a new lecturer in a shabby college with pretentions. The last few chapters introduce a thriller element, but ultimately this did not feel like a core part of the story.

[Jacquelin K. Reeves]

Well written but action a little late in the story.

Clearly the point of this book is life in academia because the action started in the few last chapters. It was good though. Well written.

[Patra Reiser · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a college instructor myself, i understood the struggle. But seriously, this book had me laughing out loud in parts. The ending seemed very quick; maybe that is because I was not ready for the book to end?

[Leslie Nagel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this fast-paced, funny mystery. Filled with familiar characters from my days as an underpaid, overworked college adjunct, Rowena's courage in the face of idiocy and organized crime is diverting from beginning to end.

[Chandra Smellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wholesome Read

As a master student certain experiences in academia mentioned in this novel rings true. Scarily so. It is a slow read but I would definitely read the follow-up to this.
The real gem here is the behind the scenes view on deans, professors, teaching assistants etc.

[Darin Hocking · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decently written but I didn't personally find it very relatable. It was 300 plus pages on the soul sucking poverty of academia followed by about 30 or 40 pages of barely related action and a rather lackluster denouement.

[Carl Strohmenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved the book. As a former non-faculty staff member at a university, I recognize many situations described. Funny, but poignant. 5 stars. I am looking forward to more from this author.

[Cindy B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intriguing plot, LGBA content (unlisted & unnecessary to plot, characters and intrigue are interesting...

[Maura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Would have been an okay (albeit slow) read if there weren't some weird tangents that demonstrated a clear lack of intersectionality in the main character's feminism.

[patricia sendelbach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Academics are very political. This story was a little thin on intrigue.

[Cynthia D Biggs · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring. Read at night to put me to sleep. Only the last couple of chapters had any excitement.

[James Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

A different kind of story

The author has created an unusual and unique plot to go with an interesting group of characters making this hard to put down