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The Protégé
Jody Gehrman pits the drive for revenge against the equally vital will to survive, in this chilling psychological suspense novel in the vein of Samantha Downing and Layne Fargo.
Dr. Hannah Bryers, anthropology professor and forensics expert at the prestigious Mad River University, takes pleasure in examining corpses, but small talk and living people fill her with dread. When she’s not teaching, she analyzes the decomposing flesh of murder victims around the globe.
Winter Jones is Hannah’s most promising graduate student. She’s smart, cunning, and dedicated, but she’s got her own agenda for coming to Mad River: to bring Hannah Bryers down. She’ll stop at nothing to make her life implode. In alternating narratives, Winter systematically robs Hannah of the things she values most: her reputation, her job, and—ultimately—her safety.
When dangerous mistakes are made in her lab, Hannah has no idea who would have it out for her and would be willing to risk students’ lives. As the incidents become deadly, many suspects come to light. Hannah won’t go down without a fight. She has to figure out who is sabotaging her career and killing people; her life depends on finding answers.
Dr. Hannah Bryers, anthropology professor and forensics expert at the prestigious Mad River University, takes pleasure in examining corpses, but small talk and living people fill her with dread. When she’s not teaching, she analyzes the decomposing flesh of murder victims around the globe.
Winter Jones is Hannah’s most promising graduate student. She’s smart, cunning, and dedicated, but she’s got her own agenda for coming to Mad River: to bring Hannah Bryers down. She’ll stop at nothing to make her life implode. In alternating narratives, Winter systematically robs Hannah of the things she values most: her reputation, her job, and—ultimately—her safety.
When dangerous mistakes are made in her lab, Hannah has no idea who would have it out for her and would be willing to risk students’ lives. As the incidents become deadly, many suspects come to light. Hannah won’t go down without a fight. She has to figure out who is sabotaging her career and killing people; her life depends on finding answers.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published March 7, 2023
19 people are currently reading
998 people want to read
About the author
Jody Gehrman
15 books804 followersJody Gehrman is a native of Northern California, where she can be found writing, teaching, reading, or obsessing over her three cats most days. She is also the author of eleven novels and numerous award-winning plays. Her debut suspense novel, Watch Me, was published by St. Martin's Press. Her other adult novels are Bombshell, Notes from the Backseat, Tart, and Summer in the Land of Skin. Her Young Adult novels include The Truth About Jack, Audrey's Guide to Black Magic, Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft, Babe in Boyland, Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty, and Triple Shot Bettys in Love. Babe in Boyland was optioned by the Disney Channel and won the International Reading Association's Teen Choice Award. Her plays have been produced or had readings in Ashland, New York, San Francisco, Chicago and L.A. She and her partner David Wolf won the New Generation Playwrights Award for their one-act, Jake Savage, Jungle P.I. She is a professor of Communication at Mendocino College.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
February 2, 2023
3.5🌟
This was a bit of a mixed bag for me.
Dr. Hannah Bryers is an Anthropology professor at a small university in Northern California. Her most trusted graduate student Winter Jones, appears to be a loyal student and T.A. But Winter may not be as dedicated to her advising professor as she appears!😱
I had difficulty warming up to the lead character, Dr. Bryers. Depicted as an expert on human behavior, while completely lacking in her own ability to read social cues. It was a bit too much at times.
On the other hand, I did enjoy the devious antics of her T.A.- Winter. Well done!🙌🏼
Overall I’d say, Predictable and probably not all that memorable.
I’ve enjoyed books by this author in the past and look forward to something more from her in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books
This was a bit of a mixed bag for me.
Dr. Hannah Bryers is an Anthropology professor at a small university in Northern California. Her most trusted graduate student Winter Jones, appears to be a loyal student and T.A. But Winter may not be as dedicated to her advising professor as she appears!😱
I had difficulty warming up to the lead character, Dr. Bryers. Depicted as an expert on human behavior, while completely lacking in her own ability to read social cues. It was a bit too much at times.
On the other hand, I did enjoy the devious antics of her T.A.- Winter. Well done!🙌🏼
Overall I’d say, Predictable and probably not all that memorable.
I’ve enjoyed books by this author in the past and look forward to something more from her in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books
October 17, 2022
The Protege is Jody Gehrman's latest thriller, set to be released in a few months. I've been reading her books the last few years and enjoying the plots; when this one appeared on NetGalley, I requested a copy and was lucky enough to win one. It was a delicious mystery with a balanced perspective between the mentor and the protege. I loved Hannah, who despite some flaws, was a genuinely good professor with a bit of a strange personality. Winter, the villain, had several brilliant moments, but I also wished her anger was allowed to play out more, specifically in terms of what had happened to her as a child. I sympathized with her, but I felt like the true reasoning behind her attacks wasn't strong enough. I won't say anymore as I want others to decide for themselves. All that said, it kept me glued to the pages, and I never found myself bored or disinterested in the outcome. It's clear what will happen, maybe not exactly when and how, but that's totally acceptable in this case. This is more of a psychological thriller that makes readers think... "when will Hannah figure it out" not "who is behind this frame-up." Good pacing, no major shocker moments, and the revenge was well crafted.
April 13, 2024
Dr. Hannah Bryers is a professor trying for tenure. One of her graduate students, Winter, is determined to take her down, due to an incident in their shared past. As there isn't truly a twist, as this is revealed in Winter's POV chapters very early on, I found myself enjoying this more than most thrillers even though I found both protagonists annoying.
🎧 NetGalley
🎧 NetGalley
August 11, 2023
Revenge, betrayal, and a secret enemy prove to be a deadly combination. The Protege is a slow-burn mystery with a foreboding undercurrent. It's character-driven, original, and has moments of intensity. The narration added a layer of intrigue and suspense. Thank you, NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for my audiobook.
April 14, 2023
I don't know about anyone else, but dear Jody Gehrman, may I PLEASE have a series with Dr. Hannah Bryers?! I think half of the reason I loved The Protégé so much is because I absolutely loved her character and while she is the most awkward forensics expert/Anthropology professor ever, she is incredibly smart as well, so it totally worked for me. The book alternates between Hannah's and Winter's viewpoints, sometimes in the same chapter (with labels for 0 confusion), and I loved this method so much. While you basically know what is going on, there are still some surprises that pop up, and I was anxiously waiting to find out what Winter's deal was. The pacing was perfect and while I wouldn't call it fast-paced, I definitely wouldn't say it is slow either. Hence, perfection.
Another bonus is that the audiobook is fantastic and both Cindy Kay & Jess Nahikian really stole the show as the two MCs. I think they were 100% perfect for their characters, and it made me manage to love Hannah even more by listening to the audio. I didn't realize this, but I have read one other novel by Gehrman and apparently didn't love it, but I'm so glad I have revisited her work because I wouldn't have wanted to miss The Protégé. Winter has some deliciously devious moments which I loved, but I do wish Gehrman would have spent a bit more time on her background. This ended the way I was thinking/hoping it would and may be predictable to some, but I loved the end and even feel like I learned some things along the way!
Another bonus is that the audiobook is fantastic and both Cindy Kay & Jess Nahikian really stole the show as the two MCs. I think they were 100% perfect for their characters, and it made me manage to love Hannah even more by listening to the audio. I didn't realize this, but I have read one other novel by Gehrman and apparently didn't love it, but I'm so glad I have revisited her work because I wouldn't have wanted to miss The Protégé. Winter has some deliciously devious moments which I loved, but I do wish Gehrman would have spent a bit more time on her background. This ended the way I was thinking/hoping it would and may be predictable to some, but I loved the end and even feel like I learned some things along the way!
September 16, 2022
Dr. Hannah Bryers, is a forensics expert and anthropology professor. She is up for tenure this year and is trying her best to do everything right. She is on the spectrum, and finds small talk and social cues mysterious, but her classes are packed and she is well respected.
When a new professor joins the school, Hannah is surprised by her own reaction. She isn't sure if she is attracted to him or if he may be responsible for the many things that begin to go very wrong around her. Is someone after her? Who could it be and why?.#CrookedLaneBooks #TheProtege #JodyGehrman
When a new professor joins the school, Hannah is surprised by her own reaction. She isn't sure if she is attracted to him or if he may be responsible for the many things that begin to go very wrong around her. Is someone after her? Who could it be and why?.#CrookedLaneBooks #TheProtege #JodyGehrman
April 15, 2023
Dr. Hannah Bryers, professor of anthropology, has her life turned upside down when one of her teaching assistants seeks revenge and her reputation is sullied beyond repair. I found the plot enjoyable, if not entirely unique. I wish there had been more of a mystery or twist, but still an entertaining read.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and Jody Gehrman for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and Jody Gehrman for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
March 16, 2023
Jody Gehrman makes some interesting narrative choices in The Protégé:
1. She reveals the antagonist, and most of the antagonist's motive, at the very beginning of the book. Right away, the novel pits forensic anthropology professor Dr. Hannah Bryers against her star student and TA, Winter Jones. Winter has come to Mad River University for one reason: to get revenge on Hannah for a past wrong. Over the course of the novel, Winter systematically works towards this goal by sabotaging Hannah's relationships and tarnishing her reputation, all while pretending to be her confidante.
2. She makes her protagonist incredibly difficult to relate to and/or sympathize with. I love quirky, socially awkward characters, but Hannah's complete lack of social finesse and naïveté comes across as forced and inauthentic. Imagine Dr. Temperance Brennan -- the version from the television show Bones, not Kathy Reichs's novels -- and that's pretty much the basis for the character of Hannah. Her characterization felt derivative and too emotionally immature to be believed.
These factors, coupled with an instalove plotline and unnatural dialogue, made The Protégé a less than enjoyable read for me. Because the reader knows up front who is behind the attacks on Hannah, there is no real tension in the narrative. Winter's scheme wasn't clever enough to hold my attention and make me want to keep reading to see how it all unfolded. Additionally, it made Hannah's sections of the book -- which are largely made up of Hannah trying to figure out who's out to get her -- pointless and boring.
Unfortunately, the most interesting parts of The Protégé (Hannah's career as a forensic anthropologist, Winter's troubled childhood) are not the parts that Gehrman chooses to focus on. I toggled back and forth between listening to the audiobook and reading an electronic copy, and I preferred reading the text because I didn't care for either of the narrators. Thank you to Crooked Lane Books, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for the complimentary reading opportunity.
1. She reveals the antagonist, and most of the antagonist's motive, at the very beginning of the book. Right away, the novel pits forensic anthropology professor Dr. Hannah Bryers against her star student and TA, Winter Jones. Winter has come to Mad River University for one reason: to get revenge on Hannah for a past wrong. Over the course of the novel, Winter systematically works towards this goal by sabotaging Hannah's relationships and tarnishing her reputation, all while pretending to be her confidante.
2. She makes her protagonist incredibly difficult to relate to and/or sympathize with. I love quirky, socially awkward characters, but Hannah's complete lack of social finesse and naïveté comes across as forced and inauthentic. Imagine Dr. Temperance Brennan -- the version from the television show Bones, not Kathy Reichs's novels -- and that's pretty much the basis for the character of Hannah. Her characterization felt derivative and too emotionally immature to be believed.
These factors, coupled with an instalove plotline and unnatural dialogue, made The Protégé a less than enjoyable read for me. Because the reader knows up front who is behind the attacks on Hannah, there is no real tension in the narrative. Winter's scheme wasn't clever enough to hold my attention and make me want to keep reading to see how it all unfolded. Additionally, it made Hannah's sections of the book -- which are largely made up of Hannah trying to figure out who's out to get her -- pointless and boring.
Unfortunately, the most interesting parts of The Protégé (Hannah's career as a forensic anthropologist, Winter's troubled childhood) are not the parts that Gehrman chooses to focus on. I toggled back and forth between listening to the audiobook and reading an electronic copy, and I preferred reading the text because I didn't care for either of the narrators. Thank you to Crooked Lane Books, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for the complimentary reading opportunity.
May 3, 2023
3.25 rounded down to 3
This is a well-paced and well-written thriller told in alternating perspectives. I enjoyed the plot and was invested in the story. My issue is that I found the inconsistent personality of one of the main characters, forensics expert Dr. Hannah Byers, confusing and frustrating.
When Dr. Byers, a university professor and criminal forensics consultant, finds her meticulous professional life disrupted by questionable errors in protocol and personal behavior, she begins to suspect someone is targeting her livelihood and well-being. Though a brilliant and respected scientist in the STEM field, Dr. Byers is socially awkward and seems to have a touch of OCD, which can be a good thing for someone in a field that requires attention to detail. The character reminds me of Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan from the TV show, Bones, a renowned forensic anthropologist who’s socially inept.
While Dr. Byers is good about developing a potential suspect list of who could be targeting her fall from grace, she misses out on capturing or securing evidence to identify evidence or defend herself. In particular, there’s a lab mishap where it seems the police would want to secure the scene and investigate, but they don’t. And even if they didn’t, a scientist with particularly fastidious behavior like Dr. Byers would want to immediately take a look at the lab before it was “cleaned up” to determine what happened and have some way to document the findings. But she fails to take what seems like logical and reasonable actions. Hannah Byers is supposed to be a methodical researcher who focuses in on details, but that important trait in her personality drifts in and out, which took away from an otherwise interesting story of manic revenge.
This book is an entertaining read and will appeal to many. I thought the conclusion was satisfying, but some important levers clicked into place a little too conveniently. I’d recommend this book.
I listened to the audiobook and found the narrators, Cindy Kay and Jess Nahikian, fit the main characters very well and did a nice job with the peripheral characters too, giving them distinctive characteristics.
This is a well-paced and well-written thriller told in alternating perspectives. I enjoyed the plot and was invested in the story. My issue is that I found the inconsistent personality of one of the main characters, forensics expert Dr. Hannah Byers, confusing and frustrating.
When Dr. Byers, a university professor and criminal forensics consultant, finds her meticulous professional life disrupted by questionable errors in protocol and personal behavior, she begins to suspect someone is targeting her livelihood and well-being. Though a brilliant and respected scientist in the STEM field, Dr. Byers is socially awkward and seems to have a touch of OCD, which can be a good thing for someone in a field that requires attention to detail. The character reminds me of Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan from the TV show, Bones, a renowned forensic anthropologist who’s socially inept.
While Dr. Byers is good about developing a potential suspect list of who could be targeting her fall from grace, she misses out on capturing or securing evidence to identify evidence or defend herself. In particular, there’s a lab mishap where it seems the police would want to secure the scene and investigate, but they don’t. And even if they didn’t, a scientist with particularly fastidious behavior like Dr. Byers would want to immediately take a look at the lab before it was “cleaned up” to determine what happened and have some way to document the findings. But she fails to take what seems like logical and reasonable actions. Hannah Byers is supposed to be a methodical researcher who focuses in on details, but that important trait in her personality drifts in and out, which took away from an otherwise interesting story of manic revenge.
This book is an entertaining read and will appeal to many. I thought the conclusion was satisfying, but some important levers clicked into place a little too conveniently. I’d recommend this book.
I listened to the audiobook and found the narrators, Cindy Kay and Jess Nahikian, fit the main characters very well and did a nice job with the peripheral characters too, giving them distinctive characteristics.
March 8, 2023
A suspense thriller that discusses plot and storyline from dual PoVs. One side is the geeky researcher, who only wants to focus on her career (to be successful or hide her past - not really sure). The other perspective is of the antagonist who is inspiring her actions from revenge.
The book made it too east for me to side with the researcher who is an absolute no social filter personality 🤣. The other one however, I think she lacks depth, mostly driven by trauma but don't get much inside on her own charachter apart from what happened to her sister. So overall a decent read, but I will not put this in a psychological category.
Rating: 3/5
Genre: #suspense #thriller #mystery
Thankyou @netgalley for the Digital Review copy
#TheProtégé #NetGalley
The book made it too east for me to side with the researcher who is an absolute no social filter personality 🤣. The other one however, I think she lacks depth, mostly driven by trauma but don't get much inside on her own charachter apart from what happened to her sister. So overall a decent read, but I will not put this in a psychological category.
Rating: 3/5
Genre: #suspense #thriller #mystery
Thankyou @netgalley for the Digital Review copy
#TheProtégé #NetGalley
March 5, 2023
2 stars
The book is extremely long, dragged and repetitive. So many irrelevant details and thoughts and internal dialog. Plus, once again we have the smarter than everyone killer who is ahead of the game and commits the perfect murders. The ending was also a let down.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to read this book!
The book is extremely long, dragged and repetitive. So many irrelevant details and thoughts and internal dialog. Plus, once again we have the smarter than everyone killer who is ahead of the game and commits the perfect murders. The ending was also a let down.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to read this book!
April 26, 2023
This is a nice stepping stone for someone who likes romance and wants to get into a thriller. That person would love this. I am not that person.
March 19, 2023
A fun campus thriller centered on a forensics professor whose job seems to link her to a number of professionally embarrassing accidents. Or are they really accidents?
I’m fairly picky about thrillers, but this one is pretty good. I love a campus setting, and while this one isn’t wonderful for academic atmosphere, it still boasts a decent sense of place.
I’m not sure the comparisons to Samantha Downing are apt. There are some similarities in style and tone, but this doesn’t have much sense of humor or wink-wink stuff, which is Downing’s hallmark. This isn’t a criticism, but fair warning if that’s the reason you’re after this book.
It’s tough to keep suspense going on a novel where you know who the killer is from the jump, but Gehrman did a great job of keeping the reader tensely intrigued anyway.
The characters are better than average for a standalone thriller, and it’s a fun story. Highly
recommend the audiobook version if you’re able to read that way. It’s a good fit for that format.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
I’m fairly picky about thrillers, but this one is pretty good. I love a campus setting, and while this one isn’t wonderful for academic atmosphere, it still boasts a decent sense of place.
I’m not sure the comparisons to Samantha Downing are apt. There are some similarities in style and tone, but this doesn’t have much sense of humor or wink-wink stuff, which is Downing’s hallmark. This isn’t a criticism, but fair warning if that’s the reason you’re after this book.
It’s tough to keep suspense going on a novel where you know who the killer is from the jump, but Gehrman did a great job of keeping the reader tensely intrigued anyway.
The characters are better than average for a standalone thriller, and it’s a fun story. Highly
recommend the audiobook version if you’re able to read that way. It’s a good fit for that format.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
April 22, 2023
3.5 Rounded down
This is a story of revenge. Winter Jones, a graduate student, only came to Mad River University to bring down Dr. Hannah Bryers, anthropology professor and forensics expert!
I had a good time with this book. I thought the characters were well done and I enjoyed being able to get into both of their heads. Dr. Bryers definitely grows on you while Winter is fun in a psychopathic way. My main issue with this book is that it was very predictable. The only real mystery is learning why Winter wants to ruin Dr. Bryer's life, but I didn't feel that was always enough to keep me engaged. Overall a good time, but probably not something that will stick with me.
This is a story of revenge. Winter Jones, a graduate student, only came to Mad River University to bring down Dr. Hannah Bryers, anthropology professor and forensics expert!
I had a good time with this book. I thought the characters were well done and I enjoyed being able to get into both of their heads. Dr. Bryers definitely grows on you while Winter is fun in a psychopathic way. My main issue with this book is that it was very predictable. The only real mystery is learning why Winter wants to ruin Dr. Bryer's life, but I didn't feel that was always enough to keep me engaged. Overall a good time, but probably not something that will stick with me.
May 22, 2023
I absolutely loved this authors last book so I was so excited to get to this one. I didn't really care for it in writing so I thought audio might be a better bet, but it still didn't work for me. I just wasn't really interested or invested in the story. If you want a winner definitely check out The Summer We Buried, it's an awesome read. I still want to check out The Girls' Weekend too, I just can't recommend this one. But I will definitely read her next book as well as The Girls Weekend.
January 23, 2023
I enjoyed this dark and twisty tale set at a university and involving a strong female main character. Usually I don't like when the "bad guy" is known from the beginning but this was an exception. I loved the suspense of waiting for Holly to figure out who was behind all the disasters that were happening to her. This book had a different feel to it than the author's previous books. It was a medium fast read. Some of the scientific and medical terms might be a hindrance to some readers, but it isn't too overwhelming. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
February 25, 2023
Why does Winter hate Dr. Hannah Byers so much? This is an unusual thriller in that the reader knows who the villain is from the beginning but not the reasons for the underhand behavior. Hannah is a forensic anthropologist, a woman who has made a career answering hard questions but now things are going badly, very badly. Winter is her assistant, which gives her total access, No spoilers from me because this is a twisty one. I liked how plausible so much of this is (there was once when I thought "huh") as well as, I hate to say it both Hannah and Winter. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A very good read.
April 8, 2025
2.5/5* loved the writing style & held my attention but it just wasn’t thrilling at all :(
April 4, 2023
I I find myself sitting here thinking about this book, about the characters, the setting, the twist at the end, all of it and I like it, I like it a lot.
Hanna is a scientist, at the top of her career, teaching the next generation how to let the dead speak for themselves, training young minds on how to handle complex situations and help solve crimes, if only she had turned that insight inward with things that started happening.
While she may be brilliant she's also very awkward socially and in interpersonal relationships, with only a couple of close friends that she can truly be herself with she can't see what's right in front of her until it's almost too late.
Winter has been grieving and plotting for most of her life, faced with unexplainable terrors at the hands of her grandmother she and her twin sister only have each other. Then after the unthinkable happens there's only Winter trying to get revenge for what happened to her sister.
Through twists and turns, we watch as Hannah tries to figure out who is out to get her, why, and what she can do to stop it before she pays the ultimate price.
As I had an audiobook of this one let's talk about our narrators for a moment, Cindy Kay and Jess Nahikian did a wonderful job with this one, the voices were soothing while putting just the right amount of tension into the story where it called for it and gave individual voices to all of our characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing an advance copy Audiobook, I have voluntarily listened to it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
aracters, the setting, the twist at the end, all of it and I like it, I like it a lot.
Hanna is a scientist, at the top of her career, teaching the next generation how to let the dead speak for themselves, training young minds on how to handle complex situations and help solve crimes, if only she had turned that insight inward with things that started happening.
While she may be brilliant she's also very awkward socially and in interpersonal relationships, with only a couple of close friends that she can truly be herself with she can't see what's right in front of her until it's almost too late.
Winter has been grieving and plotting for most of her life, faced with unexplainable terrors at the hands of her grandmother she and her twin sister only have each other. Then after the unthinkable happens there's only Winter trying to get revenge for what happened to her sister.
Through twists and turns, we watch as Hannah tries to figure out who is out to get her, why, and what she can do to stop it before she pays the ultimate price.
As I had an audiobook of this one let's talk about our narrators for a moment, Cindy Kay and Jess Nahikian did a wonderful job with this one, the voices were soothing while putting just the right amount of tension into the story where it called for it and gave individual voices to all of our characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing an advance copy Audiobook, I have voluntarily listened to it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Hanna is a scientist, at the top of her career, teaching the next generation how to let the dead speak for themselves, training young minds on how to handle complex situations and help solve crimes, if only she had turned that insight inward with things that started happening.
While she may be brilliant she's also very awkward socially and in interpersonal relationships, with only a couple of close friends that she can truly be herself with she can't see what's right in front of her until it's almost too late.
Winter has been grieving and plotting for most of her life, faced with unexplainable terrors at the hands of her grandmother she and her twin sister only have each other. Then after the unthinkable happens there's only Winter trying to get revenge for what happened to her sister.
Through twists and turns, we watch as Hannah tries to figure out who is out to get her, why, and what she can do to stop it before she pays the ultimate price.
As I had an audiobook of this one let's talk about our narrators for a moment, Cindy Kay and Jess Nahikian did a wonderful job with this one, the voices were soothing while putting just the right amount of tension into the story where it called for it and gave individual voices to all of our characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing an advance copy Audiobook, I have voluntarily listened to it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
aracters, the setting, the twist at the end, all of it and I like it, I like it a lot.
Hanna is a scientist, at the top of her career, teaching the next generation how to let the dead speak for themselves, training young minds on how to handle complex situations and help solve crimes, if only she had turned that insight inward with things that started happening.
While she may be brilliant she's also very awkward socially and in interpersonal relationships, with only a couple of close friends that she can truly be herself with she can't see what's right in front of her until it's almost too late.
Winter has been grieving and plotting for most of her life, faced with unexplainable terrors at the hands of her grandmother she and her twin sister only have each other. Then after the unthinkable happens there's only Winter trying to get revenge for what happened to her sister.
Through twists and turns, we watch as Hannah tries to figure out who is out to get her, why, and what she can do to stop it before she pays the ultimate price.
As I had an audiobook of this one let's talk about our narrators for a moment, Cindy Kay and Jess Nahikian did a wonderful job with this one, the voices were soothing while putting just the right amount of tension into the story where it called for it and gave individual voices to all of our characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing an advance copy Audiobook, I have voluntarily listened to it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 15, 2023
If you're a fan of Bones, this one's a must-read. There's no way the author isn't a fan of the show, and of Temperance Brennan. Hannah = Temperance but steeped in the world of academia in a small coastal Californian town. I did have moments of pause, re: Hannah as a neurodivergent character, but nothing enough to ruin the book. I would defer, however, to autistic readers and their thoughts, re: the characterization.
Essentially this is a dualing POVs thriller: a strongly autistic-coded scientist/academic verses a clearly sociopath-coded grad student. You flip back and forth, tension and frustration building and building and building until you're ready to explode. It's frustrating in that delicious way you get in a well-crafted, taut thriller. Once I got a handle on Hannah vs. Winter, I spent every Hannah chapter on edge and horrified at the escalations against her, worrying so much for how this fictional character would come out of things. And I spent every Winter chapter SO MAD. Just YELLING. Actually out loud sometimes, luckily not in public!
There's also a dash of romance, a "dark academia"-ish vibe, and coastal Northern California small town flavor. It all adds up to an excellent psychological suspense novel, supported by vivid, voicey writing. I was already a fan of Jody Gehrman--I loved The Girls Weekend, and having read this I'm on a mission: Jody Gehrman is being slept on in the thriller world and deserves a far wider readership. This book and her writing was better than several thrillers I've read from the Big 5 and big names recently. I need to read her last one, but she's pretty much going on my "auto-buy" list.
Basically if you like academia-set thrillers, revenge/toxic relationship dualing POV stories, and sociopath POVs, it's a homerun. It isn't, however, the kind of thriller where you're reading for a twist with redding herrings, etc... you know exactly what's happening by a third in, and from there it's watching the trainwreck in slow motion and wondering how it will all end. A character driven suspense novel. I found it engrossing.
I do have two quibbles: Mad River University and Salt Gulch as the college and town names, respectively, were such head scratchers for me. They went over the edge, re: twee/cheesy/silly for me. No one in their right mind would call their brand new LAC (liberal arts college) Mad River. What? Talk about handing the admissions department a tall order, re: marketing. And it's abbreviated MRU which made me think MRI every time. But mostly... Mad River? (my brain also filled in "Moon River" a few times and played the song in my head) And there's just something kind of gutteral and awkward in Salt Gulch. Every time the audiobook narrators said it I twitched a little. Quibbles, though. Regardless, I loved the Northern California setting.
Speaking of: I loved both audiobook narrators. Each had a challenge in their character with characterization that called for a flat, logical affect the majority of the time, while still giving their characters an emotional richness and edge. I thought both Cindy Kay & Jess Nahikian were great.
Essentially this is a dualing POVs thriller: a strongly autistic-coded scientist/academic verses a clearly sociopath-coded grad student. You flip back and forth, tension and frustration building and building and building until you're ready to explode. It's frustrating in that delicious way you get in a well-crafted, taut thriller. Once I got a handle on Hannah vs. Winter, I spent every Hannah chapter on edge and horrified at the escalations against her, worrying so much for how this fictional character would come out of things. And I spent every Winter chapter SO MAD. Just YELLING. Actually out loud sometimes, luckily not in public!
There's also a dash of romance, a "dark academia"-ish vibe, and coastal Northern California small town flavor. It all adds up to an excellent psychological suspense novel, supported by vivid, voicey writing. I was already a fan of Jody Gehrman--I loved The Girls Weekend, and having read this I'm on a mission: Jody Gehrman is being slept on in the thriller world and deserves a far wider readership. This book and her writing was better than several thrillers I've read from the Big 5 and big names recently. I need to read her last one, but she's pretty much going on my "auto-buy" list.
Basically if you like academia-set thrillers, revenge/toxic relationship dualing POV stories, and sociopath POVs, it's a homerun. It isn't, however, the kind of thriller where you're reading for a twist with redding herrings, etc... you know exactly what's happening by a third in, and from there it's watching the trainwreck in slow motion and wondering how it will all end. A character driven suspense novel. I found it engrossing.
I do have two quibbles: Mad River University and Salt Gulch as the college and town names, respectively, were such head scratchers for me. They went over the edge, re: twee/cheesy/silly for me. No one in their right mind would call their brand new LAC (liberal arts college) Mad River. What? Talk about handing the admissions department a tall order, re: marketing. And it's abbreviated MRU which made me think MRI every time. But mostly... Mad River? (my brain also filled in "Moon River" a few times and played the song in my head) And there's just something kind of gutteral and awkward in Salt Gulch. Every time the audiobook narrators said it I twitched a little. Quibbles, though. Regardless, I loved the Northern California setting.
Speaking of: I loved both audiobook narrators. Each had a challenge in their character with characterization that called for a flat, logical affect the majority of the time, while still giving their characters an emotional richness and edge. I thought both Cindy Kay & Jess Nahikian were great.
March 3, 2023
Publication Date: 07th March 2023
3.7 Stars
One Liner: Good pace and premise; not really dark or twisted
Dr. Hannah Bryers is an anthropology professor and a forensic expert at Mad River University. She is most comfortable with dead and rotten bodies than living people. Socializing terrifies her.
Winter Jones is Hannah’s student and TA. However, she is out to seek revenge and destroy Hannah one step at a time. She seems to be successful too, and Hannah still has no clue who is targeting her. Of course, Hannah won’t give up without a fight.
Who will win this war? Why is Winter intent on destroying Hannah?
The story comes in the first-person POV of the main characters, Hannah and Winter.
My Thoughts:
This one has dark academia vibes sans paranormal elements though it doesn’t explore the elements. The setting feels heavy (even if it isn’t). This works well to sustain momentum and mood.
The main characters have alternating POVs (mostly), which means that the reader knows what’s going on, while the characters don’t yet have a clue. I enjoy this style of narration as it focuses on when and how the characters figure out things and what happens afterward.
The book sets the tone from the very first page. Characters are established right away, and they continue to be who they are. This can be an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on what the reader prefers.
The beginning is a little slow. The first chapter by Hannah has a lot of technical jargon. Though I like to learn new things, I almost zoned out because of the dry narration and too much technicality. Luckily, Winter’s POV set things back on track.
The second half is fast-paced as things happen one after another. I could finish the book in two days (less than 3 hours), which is always a plus. Another reason I rounded up to 4 stars.
The characters aren’t entirely likable, of course. But I couldn’t feel anything for them either. Winter is definitely more interesting, so sadly, her past and the things that affect her aren’t presented in detail. This is a kind of book that limits things to the surface level.
The climax and end are predictable but enjoyable. The steady pace keeps the reader going despite the lack of depth. This isn’t a book to read if you want something dark or twisted. It’s a Lite version of a dark psychological thriller. What you see is what you get; pretty much.
To summarize, The Protégé is a decent thriller if you want something light and fast-paced. The forensic and anthropologic details are cool to read (even if some terms are hard to understand). There are a few queasy descriptions of dead and rotten bodies, so be prepared.
Thank you, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheProtege
3.7 Stars
One Liner: Good pace and premise; not really dark or twisted
Dr. Hannah Bryers is an anthropology professor and a forensic expert at Mad River University. She is most comfortable with dead and rotten bodies than living people. Socializing terrifies her.
Winter Jones is Hannah’s student and TA. However, she is out to seek revenge and destroy Hannah one step at a time. She seems to be successful too, and Hannah still has no clue who is targeting her. Of course, Hannah won’t give up without a fight.
Who will win this war? Why is Winter intent on destroying Hannah?
The story comes in the first-person POV of the main characters, Hannah and Winter.
My Thoughts:
This one has dark academia vibes sans paranormal elements though it doesn’t explore the elements. The setting feels heavy (even if it isn’t). This works well to sustain momentum and mood.
The main characters have alternating POVs (mostly), which means that the reader knows what’s going on, while the characters don’t yet have a clue. I enjoy this style of narration as it focuses on when and how the characters figure out things and what happens afterward.
The book sets the tone from the very first page. Characters are established right away, and they continue to be who they are. This can be an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on what the reader prefers.
The beginning is a little slow. The first chapter by Hannah has a lot of technical jargon. Though I like to learn new things, I almost zoned out because of the dry narration and too much technicality. Luckily, Winter’s POV set things back on track.
The second half is fast-paced as things happen one after another. I could finish the book in two days (less than 3 hours), which is always a plus. Another reason I rounded up to 4 stars.
The characters aren’t entirely likable, of course. But I couldn’t feel anything for them either. Winter is definitely more interesting, so sadly, her past and the things that affect her aren’t presented in detail. This is a kind of book that limits things to the surface level.
The climax and end are predictable but enjoyable. The steady pace keeps the reader going despite the lack of depth. This isn’t a book to read if you want something dark or twisted. It’s a Lite version of a dark psychological thriller. What you see is what you get; pretty much.
To summarize, The Protégé is a decent thriller if you want something light and fast-paced. The forensic and anthropologic details are cool to read (even if some terms are hard to understand). There are a few queasy descriptions of dead and rotten bodies, so be prepared.
Thank you, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheProtege
October 9, 2023
Rating: 2.5/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️✨ (Rounded up to 3 stars on GoodReads/Netgalley)
•
This one was definitely interesting, but I think I have come to the conclusion that the majority of "reverse who dun its" are not for me. I find them to be incredibly boring UNLESS the story is executed in a totally "knock it out of the park" fashion. This one, this one did not have that wow factor I needed.
•
The main character - Hannah - is supposed to be socially awkward and to not understand social ques - which sometimes can be a completely endearing quirk in characters; in The Protege it was actually super annoying and really gave me no reason to like her. Within the first few chapters we are well aware who the killer is and their intentions, again this isn't my favorite kind of story, but the execution was lacking as well. It was a slower burn with a lot of information that I didn't really feel like I needed; especially all the talk about specific body parts (I'm a nurse, ususally love that shit and even to me felt incessant and became intolerable).
•
I kept reading because I wanted to know the why. Obviously, that's the point of these reverse-who-dun-its right? Well, if you plan to read this one, buckle up because you don't find out the why until the very end, literally at about 98% and I hate to say it, but it was one big, huge letdown. I was literally like "wait this is the reason?". Yeah, it's out of revenge, I get that, all who dun its usually are, but I really expected something more astounding.
•
I think listening to this one was the only reason I finished the book, narrators Cindy Kay and Jess Nahikian played their characters great. Overall this one was interesting enough to finish, but not one that I would rant and rave about. Not my favorite, but fans of the who-dun-it’s may love it! Give it a shot. Thank you to @netgalley and @dreamscape_media for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.
•
This one was definitely interesting, but I think I have come to the conclusion that the majority of "reverse who dun its" are not for me. I find them to be incredibly boring UNLESS the story is executed in a totally "knock it out of the park" fashion. This one, this one did not have that wow factor I needed.
•
The main character - Hannah - is supposed to be socially awkward and to not understand social ques - which sometimes can be a completely endearing quirk in characters; in The Protege it was actually super annoying and really gave me no reason to like her. Within the first few chapters we are well aware who the killer is and their intentions, again this isn't my favorite kind of story, but the execution was lacking as well. It was a slower burn with a lot of information that I didn't really feel like I needed; especially all the talk about specific body parts (I'm a nurse, ususally love that shit and even to me felt incessant and became intolerable).
•
I kept reading because I wanted to know the why. Obviously, that's the point of these reverse-who-dun-its right? Well, if you plan to read this one, buckle up because you don't find out the why until the very end, literally at about 98% and I hate to say it, but it was one big, huge letdown. I was literally like "wait this is the reason?". Yeah, it's out of revenge, I get that, all who dun its usually are, but I really expected something more astounding.
•
I think listening to this one was the only reason I finished the book, narrators Cindy Kay and Jess Nahikian played their characters great. Overall this one was interesting enough to finish, but not one that I would rant and rave about. Not my favorite, but fans of the who-dun-it’s may love it! Give it a shot. Thank you to @netgalley and @dreamscape_media for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.
March 22, 2023
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Jody Gehrman for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC audiobook for The Protégé. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Dr. Hannah Bryers is an anthropology professor and forensics expert at the prestigious Mad River University. She enjoys examining the bodies of murder victims, but would rather not make small talk with the living. Winter Jones is Hannah’s most promising graduate student. She’s smart, sophisticated and driven, but she has another agenda for going to Mad River: to take revenge on Hannah Bryers. She’ll do anything to ruin her life and career. In alternating narratives, Winter steals from Hannah the things she values most: her reputation, her job and her wellbeing. When mistakes are made in her lab, Hannah has no idea who would try to sabotage her and would be willing to risk students’ lives. As the incidents become deadly, many suspects come about. She has to figure out who is trying to ruin her career and killing people.
The description made it feel like it was a dark and fun revenge story on someone who probably deserved it. I usually love books set in the school setting. This one didn’t work for me. There were a lot of cringe moments with the dialogue. I’m not sure how Winter got away with it for so long. Since it was revealed early that she was the killer, there wasn’t really much of a place to go from there. I also didn’t really enjoy Hannah’s character. She didn’t seem to have much of a personality. I guess she was supposed to be meticulous and focused on her work, but something felt off and it was hard to get a sense of her character. There was only one man in the story. I can’t remember his name, but some of the dialogue between him and Hannah seemed odd. The ending felt obvious. I just wasn’t feeling it.
Dr. Hannah Bryers is an anthropology professor and forensics expert at the prestigious Mad River University. She enjoys examining the bodies of murder victims, but would rather not make small talk with the living. Winter Jones is Hannah’s most promising graduate student. She’s smart, sophisticated and driven, but she has another agenda for going to Mad River: to take revenge on Hannah Bryers. She’ll do anything to ruin her life and career. In alternating narratives, Winter steals from Hannah the things she values most: her reputation, her job and her wellbeing. When mistakes are made in her lab, Hannah has no idea who would try to sabotage her and would be willing to risk students’ lives. As the incidents become deadly, many suspects come about. She has to figure out who is trying to ruin her career and killing people.
The description made it feel like it was a dark and fun revenge story on someone who probably deserved it. I usually love books set in the school setting. This one didn’t work for me. There were a lot of cringe moments with the dialogue. I’m not sure how Winter got away with it for so long. Since it was revealed early that she was the killer, there wasn’t really much of a place to go from there. I also didn’t really enjoy Hannah’s character. She didn’t seem to have much of a personality. I guess she was supposed to be meticulous and focused on her work, but something felt off and it was hard to get a sense of her character. There was only one man in the story. I can’t remember his name, but some of the dialogue between him and Hannah seemed odd. The ending felt obvious. I just wasn’t feeling it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2023
Does anyone remember the first book that sent chills up their spine ? Mine was Girls Weekend, by Jody Gehrman. If anyone has read it they know Gehrman, set the bar for disturbing. Since, I have been chasing that feeling . I was in search of that up all night, can’t sleep, cant breathe, can’t think, kind of feeling and I found it …..
The Protege
I think i made a subconscious decision to try everything in my power to give myself nightmares for the rest of my life . I can also tell you, I have achieved such goal without evening knowing I set it .
I’m officially terrified .
If you want to know what can scare the crap out of this thrill chasing, suspense lover then roll the dice and buy yourself a copy of The Protege, You won’t regret it ….. or will you? 😏
Teaser :
Dr. Hannah Bryers, anthropology professor and forensics expert at the prestigious Mad River University, takes pleasure in examining corpses, but small talk and living people fill her with dread. When she’s not teaching, she analyzes the decomposing flesh of murder victims around the globe.
Winter Jones is Hannah’s most promising graduate student. She’s smart, cunning, and dedicated, but she’s got her own agenda for coming to Mad River: to bring Hannah Bryers down. She’ll stop at nothing to make her life implode. In alternating narratives, Winter systematically robs Hannah of the things she values most: her reputation, her job, and—ultimately—her safety.
When dangerous mistakes are made in her lab, Hannah has no idea who would have it out for her and would be willing to risk students’ lives. As the incidents become deadly, many suspects come to light. Hannah won’t go down without a fight. She has to figure out who is sabotaging her career and killing people; her life depends on finding answers.
The Protege
I think i made a subconscious decision to try everything in my power to give myself nightmares for the rest of my life . I can also tell you, I have achieved such goal without evening knowing I set it .
I’m officially terrified .
If you want to know what can scare the crap out of this thrill chasing, suspense lover then roll the dice and buy yourself a copy of The Protege, You won’t regret it ….. or will you? 😏
Teaser :
Dr. Hannah Bryers, anthropology professor and forensics expert at the prestigious Mad River University, takes pleasure in examining corpses, but small talk and living people fill her with dread. When she’s not teaching, she analyzes the decomposing flesh of murder victims around the globe.
Winter Jones is Hannah’s most promising graduate student. She’s smart, cunning, and dedicated, but she’s got her own agenda for coming to Mad River: to bring Hannah Bryers down. She’ll stop at nothing to make her life implode. In alternating narratives, Winter systematically robs Hannah of the things she values most: her reputation, her job, and—ultimately—her safety.
When dangerous mistakes are made in her lab, Hannah has no idea who would have it out for her and would be willing to risk students’ lives. As the incidents become deadly, many suspects come to light. Hannah won’t go down without a fight. She has to figure out who is sabotaging her career and killing people; her life depends on finding answers.
January 14, 2023
Dr. Hannah Bryers is a respected forensic anthropologist, not brilliant at being social, and tends to take things too literally, but she is good at her job. She works at Mad River University, and is hoping to gain tenure this term, but she has become the victim of failings, or incidents that are not of her making.
The Protégé is Winter Jones, technical assistant to Hannah. She is always early to work, doesn’t complain and seems to hang on to Hannah’s every word. She tries to help Hannah in awkward situations, but Winter is not what she appears to be. She is seeking revenge for a past childhood incident that involved Hannah.
When an unidentified male body is brought into the laboratory for Hannah to autopsy, Winter appears to know too much, and her behaviour is secretive. How is Winter connected to the body, and why does she want to go to such lengths to persecute and discredit Hannah?
I admire the medical descriptions of the corpses and the forensic investigations that are performed. Entomology seems quite creepy to be employed in that way, but the information it yields is solid gold.
Told from the viewpoint of the two females, this is a story that explains and confuses in equal amounts.
A really intense murder mystery and thriller. The reader knows what is happening long before Hannah does, the vicious and murderous intent , and the psychological aspects are used to great effect. A great read that jangles the nerves throughout.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers, Crooked House Books for my advance digital copy. This is my honest review. I will post to Goodreads and Amazon UK.
The Protégé is Winter Jones, technical assistant to Hannah. She is always early to work, doesn’t complain and seems to hang on to Hannah’s every word. She tries to help Hannah in awkward situations, but Winter is not what she appears to be. She is seeking revenge for a past childhood incident that involved Hannah.
When an unidentified male body is brought into the laboratory for Hannah to autopsy, Winter appears to know too much, and her behaviour is secretive. How is Winter connected to the body, and why does she want to go to such lengths to persecute and discredit Hannah?
I admire the medical descriptions of the corpses and the forensic investigations that are performed. Entomology seems quite creepy to be employed in that way, but the information it yields is solid gold.
Told from the viewpoint of the two females, this is a story that explains and confuses in equal amounts.
A really intense murder mystery and thriller. The reader knows what is happening long before Hannah does, the vicious and murderous intent , and the psychological aspects are used to great effect. A great read that jangles the nerves throughout.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers, Crooked House Books for my advance digital copy. This is my honest review. I will post to Goodreads and Amazon UK.
March 31, 2023
THE PROTÉGÉ by Jodi Gehrman was DEFINITELY MY KINDA STORY!
Meet Hannah, uptight, sterile forensic anthropologist and professor at little Mad River University in Northern California. This lady is seriously dedicated to anatomy; can’t even see someone smile without listing which muscles are involved. She is also in a semi friends with benefits relationship with her tenant, Joe.
Meet Lynch, a scientist involved in robotics and AI at same said college, married to an ice princess and someone Hannah really doesn’t like.
Meet Winter, Hannah’s TA who seems totally devoted in her and is in a fiery relationship with Mr. Right Now. She harbors dark secrets and hurts from long past.
Meet Brannigan, local sheriff who just seems disgusted by all of them.
Oh, and did I mention the bodies?
Hannah’s seemingly perfect life begins to quickly unravel just as she is set to attain tenure at Mad River. Things start happening…big things, dangerous things, public things. As she races to uncover what is happening, she is repeatedly called on the carpet of the college president. This puts her tenure at risk. As Hannah’s suspect list shrinks, she learns more about each of the people in her life.
When her best friend starts seeing her tenant, it seems she has no one to turn to. Then she realizes that someone has been reaching out all this time with a hand extended in help.
I REALLY enjoyed this book. I can only imagine the research that went into all the muscle, tendon, etc. descriptions. I actually looked up the author to see if she was indeed a forensic anthropologist! This will NOT be my last Jodi Gehrman title. I have found ANOTHER NEW AUTHOR! Oh boy!
Meet Hannah, uptight, sterile forensic anthropologist and professor at little Mad River University in Northern California. This lady is seriously dedicated to anatomy; can’t even see someone smile without listing which muscles are involved. She is also in a semi friends with benefits relationship with her tenant, Joe.
Meet Lynch, a scientist involved in robotics and AI at same said college, married to an ice princess and someone Hannah really doesn’t like.
Meet Winter, Hannah’s TA who seems totally devoted in her and is in a fiery relationship with Mr. Right Now. She harbors dark secrets and hurts from long past.
Meet Brannigan, local sheriff who just seems disgusted by all of them.
Oh, and did I mention the bodies?
Hannah’s seemingly perfect life begins to quickly unravel just as she is set to attain tenure at Mad River. Things start happening…big things, dangerous things, public things. As she races to uncover what is happening, she is repeatedly called on the carpet of the college president. This puts her tenure at risk. As Hannah’s suspect list shrinks, she learns more about each of the people in her life.
When her best friend starts seeing her tenant, it seems she has no one to turn to. Then she realizes that someone has been reaching out all this time with a hand extended in help.
I REALLY enjoyed this book. I can only imagine the research that went into all the muscle, tendon, etc. descriptions. I actually looked up the author to see if she was indeed a forensic anthropologist! This will NOT be my last Jodi Gehrman title. I have found ANOTHER NEW AUTHOR! Oh boy!
March 19, 2023
The Protégé
Jody Gehrman
Dr. Hannah Bryers is an expert forensics expert. She takes decomposing corpses and allows them to speak to her to guide her in solving their mysteries. She isn’t a people person or at least not live people. People make her nervous; she dreads spending time socializing and making small talk. She is a professor of anthropology at the esteemed Mad River University.
Winter Jones is intelligent, shrewd and devoted to destroying Dr. Hannah Bryers. She is a graduate student and Hannah’s teaching assistant. She has spent most of her life planning the downfall of Hannah. She will stop at nothing to destroy Hannah’s character, her career, and her life.
A corpse sent to Hannah by the local police is destroyed, a mislabeled chemical causes a near fatal accident and a glass of wine brings out a confession.
Hannah has no idea who would want to destroy her however the readers have access to the villain’s thoughts and actions. Throughout this tale the reader witnesses the antics of Winter. Author Jody Gehrman slowly brings out the reasoning behind Winter’s desire for revenge. Hannah has a quirky personality. I believe she may be on the Autism Spectrum. Winter has a deep seated hatred for Hannah; she doesn’t care who is hurt as long as she achieves her goal of destroying Hannah.
I am truly surprised this book did not receive more positive reviews. They mostly fall in the range of 2 and 3 stars; for me it is definitely a 5 star winner.
Jody Gehrman
Dr. Hannah Bryers is an expert forensics expert. She takes decomposing corpses and allows them to speak to her to guide her in solving their mysteries. She isn’t a people person or at least not live people. People make her nervous; she dreads spending time socializing and making small talk. She is a professor of anthropology at the esteemed Mad River University.
Winter Jones is intelligent, shrewd and devoted to destroying Dr. Hannah Bryers. She is a graduate student and Hannah’s teaching assistant. She has spent most of her life planning the downfall of Hannah. She will stop at nothing to destroy Hannah’s character, her career, and her life.
A corpse sent to Hannah by the local police is destroyed, a mislabeled chemical causes a near fatal accident and a glass of wine brings out a confession.
Hannah has no idea who would want to destroy her however the readers have access to the villain’s thoughts and actions. Throughout this tale the reader witnesses the antics of Winter. Author Jody Gehrman slowly brings out the reasoning behind Winter’s desire for revenge. Hannah has a quirky personality. I believe she may be on the Autism Spectrum. Winter has a deep seated hatred for Hannah; she doesn’t care who is hurt as long as she achieves her goal of destroying Hannah.
I am truly surprised this book did not receive more positive reviews. They mostly fall in the range of 2 and 3 stars; for me it is definitely a 5 star winner.
April 27, 2023
The Protege - Jodi Gehrman
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher of this book for providing this eARC.
Hannah Bryers, the main character in this novel, is an anthropology professor and a forensic expert (meaning she helps solve crimes by examining bodies at crime scenes and providing the cause of and manner of death).
Winter Jones is Hannah’s promising anthropology graduate student who becomes Hannah's teaching assistant.
Winter chose to attend Mad River for ONE reason, to destroy Hannah Bryers.
Read this novel to find out Winter's agenda and why she despises Hannah, AND to find out who is left standing at the end of this one-person vendetta.
An exciting novel, with a top-notch ot development and excellent ramp up as the tension escalates.
The only (minor) thing that I thought didn't quite fit the novel is that the cover is a bit subdued, and ths nve is pretty fast paced. The cover had me moving this towards the end of my 'reads" list, because without referring to the description, and just looking at cover, you think you are going to be reading something like a sleeper or an Agatha Christie type of a novel, not something like a Samantha Downing of a novel. Perhaps a more modern photo or an abstract rendering of an old established school would have been a better fit...
Until next time...
January 6, 2023
“The Protégé” by Jody Gehrman is a psychological thriller set on the fictitious college campus of Mad River University. The story focuses on a Hannah, a forensic anthropologist who suddenly seems to be the victim of career ruining sabotage on many fronts. What Hannah doesn’t know is that the saboteur is her best graduate student, Winter. Will Hannah figure out who is causing these dangerous incidents? Why is Winter just so focused on Dr. Bryer’s and ruining her life?
This story is told from both the perspective of Hannah and Winter. Hannah is definitely reminiscent of the character Temperance Brennan from the TV series Bones. I loved this story and I read it in two sittings. The academia setting is always a favorite trope of mine, and this book really delivers an accurate portrayal of that environment. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone interested.
There is a lot of anthropological and anatomic lingo in this story, which may be difficult for people who don’t have a background it in. All medical and scientific terminology used was accurate.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC version of this novel.
This story is told from both the perspective of Hannah and Winter. Hannah is definitely reminiscent of the character Temperance Brennan from the TV series Bones. I loved this story and I read it in two sittings. The academia setting is always a favorite trope of mine, and this book really delivers an accurate portrayal of that environment. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone interested.
There is a lot of anthropological and anatomic lingo in this story, which may be difficult for people who don’t have a background it in. All medical and scientific terminology used was accurate.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC version of this novel.
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