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Permanent Position
“Stark remains a brilliant observer of the academia scene”—The Prairies Book Review
If you like Stephanie Plum’s wit, Kinsey Millhone’s grit, or Spenser’s wry take on academia, you’ll love the Doctor Rowena Halley series!
Loves hurts. Sometimes it kills.
After the tumultuous events of the previous semester, Russian professor Rowena Halley has found a new job. This time it’s a one-semester adjunct position in Charlotte, North Carolina. Not ideal, but better than no job at all. At least that’s what she’s telling herself.
Rowena loves what she does, but love isn’t always kind. Her job is keeping her broke AND three states away from her best candidate for serious boyfriend material, her ex is sending her cryptic messages from the war zone in Ukraine, and her brother has come back from Afghanistan even more messed up than before. And if that isn’t enough, students are trying to draw her into their family dramas—with dangerous consequences. Everyone knows that “publish or perish” is the rule in academia, but if Rowena isn’t careful, she may perish before she gets the chance to publish.
Combining humor, romance, and suspense, Permanent Position gives an insider’s view of the gritty backstage of higher education, where words do more than cut and all the testing is high-stakes.
*Content warning: Adult language*
If you like Stephanie Plum’s wit, Kinsey Millhone’s grit, or Spenser’s wry take on academia, you’ll love the Doctor Rowena Halley series!
Loves hurts. Sometimes it kills.
After the tumultuous events of the previous semester, Russian professor Rowena Halley has found a new job. This time it’s a one-semester adjunct position in Charlotte, North Carolina. Not ideal, but better than no job at all. At least that’s what she’s telling herself.
Rowena loves what she does, but love isn’t always kind. Her job is keeping her broke AND three states away from her best candidate for serious boyfriend material, her ex is sending her cryptic messages from the war zone in Ukraine, and her brother has come back from Afghanistan even more messed up than before. And if that isn’t enough, students are trying to draw her into their family dramas—with dangerous consequences. Everyone knows that “publish or perish” is the rule in academia, but if Rowena isn’t careful, she may perish before she gets the chance to publish.
Combining humor, romance, and suspense, Permanent Position gives an insider’s view of the gritty backstage of higher education, where words do more than cut and all the testing is high-stakes.
*Content warning: Adult language*
- GenresMystery
330 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 15, 2019
About the author
Sid Stark
17 books20 followersUnder her other name, Sid lives a life very similar to that of her characters, although with more tedious grading and fewer exciting chase scenes.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 5, 2025
Rowena Halley's new job might be on track for her career as a Russian language professor, but the salary certainly isn't. Packing up her irascible cat and moving to Charlotte, NC has dwindled her bank account alarmingly. Now, because the temporary position is for only one semester, Rowena is back on the applications/interview treadmill. To add to her stress, a student has guilt-tripped her into acting as a go-between with his Russian wife who has left him, taking their child to Belarus. Life is difficult for Rowena and it's only going to get worse.
3.5 Stars
Though the book felt true to life, I wanted the action to move a little more quickly. The first book in the series Campus Confidential had more zing, whereas this story was rather depressing. The peak into the main character's bedroom was more than I wanted to see as I prefer a complete fade-to-black during adult moments. I will continue with this series after a break.
3.5 Stars
Though the book felt true to life, I wanted the action to move a little more quickly. The first book in the series Campus Confidential had more zing, whereas this story was rather depressing. The peak into the main character's bedroom was more than I wanted to see as I prefer a complete fade-to-black during adult moments. I will continue with this series after a break.
June 14, 2019
Another excellent book from Sid Stark. The only draw back was that I felt from halfway through the book that we were waiting for exactly what happened in the final few pages. Maybe just a little too obvious. This might be the problem with the slightly shorter form in that having any sub plots or red herrings would just need more time and space. Still I want to read more about the problems Rowena faces in academia, so it is by no means a gripe, just a feeling that I wanted more. So please keep these coming.
February 6, 2020
Rowena Halley leads a life of poverty while trying to get a long term teaching job - 4 stars
Rowena struggles to find a college professorship with benefits while working on three month contracts for less than minimum wage. She teaches Russian around 2015 in an era in which Russia is struggling to be relevant. Here $1000 per month apartment takes about half of her disposable income. She eats lentils and drinks a lot of coffee. Life is marginal.
For the most part, her students at a southern east coast school are not motivated. The school has new buildings still under noisy construction with no administrative presence, no signs and lots of mud. It seems that the buildings are more important than the faculty.
Rowena realizes that most of her students are over 25 and consider school to be of secondary importance to their day to day lives. One student, Jason, requests that Rowena contact his wife who has fled to Belarus with his child; Jason wants his son back. It becomes evident that Jason was an abusive husband. The sub plot about trying to get Jason's wife and son to return is a significant part of the book.
There is a lot of what Rowena does when she is depressed and trying to get the next job, hopefully with adequate pay and benefits. Running is Rowena's primary stress relief.
It is hard not to feel sympathy for this highly educated, kind hearted woman trying to get a good academic job. I found that reading Campus Confidential followed by Foreign Exchange helped my understanding of Rowena. Each of these books has guns fired near or even at Rowena. A number of ancillary topics are presented including family, romantic relationships at a distance, women's issues, apartment living, unrest in Russia and Russian literature. Clearly written with humor; it is upbeat as best as can be given the overriding economic distress that freshly minted PhDs face in the United States.
Rowena struggles to find a college professorship with benefits while working on three month contracts for less than minimum wage. She teaches Russian around 2015 in an era in which Russia is struggling to be relevant. Here $1000 per month apartment takes about half of her disposable income. She eats lentils and drinks a lot of coffee. Life is marginal.
For the most part, her students at a southern east coast school are not motivated. The school has new buildings still under noisy construction with no administrative presence, no signs and lots of mud. It seems that the buildings are more important than the faculty.
Rowena realizes that most of her students are over 25 and consider school to be of secondary importance to their day to day lives. One student, Jason, requests that Rowena contact his wife who has fled to Belarus with his child; Jason wants his son back. It becomes evident that Jason was an abusive husband. The sub plot about trying to get Jason's wife and son to return is a significant part of the book.
There is a lot of what Rowena does when she is depressed and trying to get the next job, hopefully with adequate pay and benefits. Running is Rowena's primary stress relief.
It is hard not to feel sympathy for this highly educated, kind hearted woman trying to get a good academic job. I found that reading Campus Confidential followed by Foreign Exchange helped my understanding of Rowena. Each of these books has guns fired near or even at Rowena. A number of ancillary topics are presented including family, romantic relationships at a distance, women's issues, apartment living, unrest in Russia and Russian literature. Clearly written with humor; it is upbeat as best as can be given the overriding economic distress that freshly minted PhDs face in the United States.
November 27, 2021
I’m more than halfway through but don’t plan to finish this. Disappointing, because I enjoyed “Campus Confidential”, an earlier book in this series. The author seems to think all women want children, because Rowena, the main character, describes being childless as “something to mourn.” I found this heavy handed and condescending, especially since Rowena complained that she should buy a new car but couldn’t afford it. The constant moping over Dima, her former boyfriend, and not having a man in her life is tedious. There is way too much angst between her and her older brother. “Campus Confidential” was more entertaining and less whiny. This book almost reads like a soap opera script. Reading about the travails of the academic world is interesting, which is why I’m not giving it one star. There is quite a bit of adult language, which doesn’t bother me but may turn off other readers.
June 14, 2019
Stark takes a quirky, humorous look at the gritty backstage of higher education in America in the third installment of Dr. Rowena Halley series.
Rowena is in Charlotte, North Carolina for a semester long teaching position and struggles to make ends meet. The life is complicated enough with teaching assignments, tedious grading, her ex’s cryptic emails, and her brother’s troubled condition, but after a student draws her into his family matters, things take a turn for a worst with dangerous consequences for Rowena.
Stark remains a brilliant observer of the academia scene. The narrative tinged with sly humor is utterly engrossing. The characters are easy to connect to and sharply drawn. A stellar addition to Stark’s remarkable list. Highly recommended!
Rowena is in Charlotte, North Carolina for a semester long teaching position and struggles to make ends meet. The life is complicated enough with teaching assignments, tedious grading, her ex’s cryptic emails, and her brother’s troubled condition, but after a student draws her into his family matters, things take a turn for a worst with dangerous consequences for Rowena.
Stark remains a brilliant observer of the academia scene. The narrative tinged with sly humor is utterly engrossing. The characters are easy to connect to and sharply drawn. A stellar addition to Stark’s remarkable list. Highly recommended!
June 2, 2019
Who knew academia could be so dangerous?
Written by an academic, the book authentically captures the challenging (horrifying?) lifestyle of an adjunct college professor in the U.S.. Dr Rowena Halley’s chosen field of Russian linguistics lends an interesting background to the shenanigans that follow her over-involvement in her students’ lives. I enjoyed Rowena’s sly humour, and contorted relationships with the man of her past (a Russian dissident/journalist/activist she yearns for) and present - a fellow sufferer on the college circuit. I recommend reading Foreign Exchange and Campus Confidential before this book – it will deepen the experience.
Written by an academic, the book authentically captures the challenging (horrifying?) lifestyle of an adjunct college professor in the U.S.. Dr Rowena Halley’s chosen field of Russian linguistics lends an interesting background to the shenanigans that follow her over-involvement in her students’ lives. I enjoyed Rowena’s sly humour, and contorted relationships with the man of her past (a Russian dissident/journalist/activist she yearns for) and present - a fellow sufferer on the college circuit. I recommend reading Foreign Exchange and Campus Confidential before this book – it will deepen the experience.
June 22, 2019
Very entertaining, humorous. While Rowena has lots of struggles in her professional and personal life, she still wants to help others and has quite the adventures.
August 20, 2019
Slow advancing story but it develops the characters and storys more deeply and it helps to know a little bit about other culture
October 8, 2019
It was an interesting book, however the job search parts were a little drawn out. The ending was exciting. I feel that Summer Session was a tighter book.
April 4, 2020
Ggggggg
Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrr grrr reg grrr grrr grrr grrr grrr grrr grrr grrr grrr grrr grrr rrrr
Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrr grrr reg grrr grrr grrr grrr grrr grrr grrr grrr grrr grrr grrr rrrr
October 9, 2019
Oh the life of an adjunct professor
This book brought back so many memories of Russian class in high school and of my brief time in academia. I love the HEA too.
This book brought back so many memories of Russian class in high school and of my brief time in academia. I love the HEA too.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews