Welcome to the NSCC Alumni Book Club
Connect through stories, ideas, and conversations — wherever you are.
Our Alumni Book Club is a free, online reading community open to all NSCC students, employees and alumni. Whether you’re a casual reader or a dedicated book lover, this is your space to share, learn and grow together.
The reading lists will feature a wide range of books by alumni and local authors. Thought-provoking books that spark meaningful dialogue. If you’d like to suggest NSCC alumni or local authors to be considered for the book club, email .
How it works
The Alumni Book Club is held entirely online using Microsoft Teams, making it easy to join from anywhere. Meetings take place every three to four months, giving participants time to read each selected book. Each virtual book club meeting is 45-60 minutes, which includes a guided discussion, lively conversations, and, when possible, an opportunity to hear from the author themselves.
Participation is free and open to NSCC students, alumni and employees.
Simply complete our quick registration form to become a book club member. We'll keep you informed about upcoming books, meeting dates, and special guest speakers.
You can register at any time and participate in the session of your choice.
Now reading
Our first book is The Treasure Hunters Club: A Mystery by Tom Ryan (Screen Arts '01). We invite you to read this adult mystery and join in the conversation on Monday, November 24, 7-8 p.m. (AST), during our next virtual Book Club meeting. You’ll get to hear from Tom Ryan himself and ask all those burning questions about what was really going through the author’s mind.
You can grab your own paperback, eBook or audio copy at various locations, or borrow a copy from a local library, including any Novanet Library - which alumni can access as an exclusive perk.
The Treasure Hunters Club: A Mystery
Instant National Bestseller | Nominated for the Lilian Jackson Braun Memorial Award
A rollicking mystery about a secret society, nautical charts, cryptic clues, and a fabulous treasure to die for — perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Benjamin Stevenson.
For nearly a century, tourists have ventured to the idyllic seaside town of Maple Bay in search of a legendary lost pirate treasure, though locals know there’s more than just gold buried in the sand. As the paths of three strangers converge in Maple Bay, the truth is about to be blown wide open.
Peter Barnett is rapidly approaching forty with little to show for his life when a mysterious letter invites him to Maple Bay and the mansion his estranged family has called home for generations.
Seventeen-year-old Dandy Feltzen is isolated and adrift following the death of her beloved grandfather until a tantalizing clue sets her on a mission to solve the mystery he spent his entire life chasing.
Cass Jones has given up on her dream of being a successful author when an unexpected opportunity lands in her lap: a housesitting gig in remote Maple Bay, where she stumbles on the perfect subject matter for her breakout book—and the handsome sailor who might be just the person to help her research it.
Peter, Dandy, and Cass have never met, but they’re on a collision course with each other and the mystery that has defined Maple Bay for centuries. None of them are prepared for the shocking truths that may still be buried there, or the fresh bodies piling up.
About the author
NSCC alum Tom Ryan (Screen Arts ’01) is an internationally best-selling, award-winning author, screenwriter and producer. His adult mystery debut, The Treasure Hunters Club (2024), was an instant USA Today, Globe & Mail, and Toronto Star bestseller and a 2025 Edgar Award nominee.
His young adult (YA) mystery, Keep This to Yourself (2019), was the winner of the 2020 ITW Thriller Award for Best YA Thriller, the 2020 Arthur Ellis Award for Best YA Crime Book, and the 2021 Ann Connor Brimer Award. His follow-up YA mystery, I Hope You’re Listening (2020), was the winner of the 2021 Lambda “Lammy” Award for Best LGBTQ Mystery.
Tom, his husband and their dog live in Nova Scotia. His latest novel, We Had a Hunch, will be released in October 2025.