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Susan’s Year In Books

Susan’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at Susan’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

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Susan Van Kirk’s Followers (89)

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Mark Baker

2,794 books | 892 friends

Christina

2,068 books | 17 friends

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922 books | 72 friends

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Susan Van Kirk

Goodreads Author

Born

in Galesburg, IL, The United States

Website

http://www.susanvankirk.com

Twitter

susan_vankirk

Genre

Mystery, Suspense, Memoir

Member Since

July 2011

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Susan Van Kirk's book, Death in a Ghostly Hue, has been nominated for a 2025 Anthony Award for Best Paranormal Mystery.

Susan Van Kirk was born in Galesburg, Illinois, and educated at Knox College (BA) and University of Illinois (M.Ed). She taught for thirty-four years at Monmouth High School in Monmouth, Illinois,(1968-2002), and an additional ten years at Monmouth College (2002-2012.)

She wrote a memoir of her teaching life in "The Education of a Teacher (Including Dirty Books and Pointed Looks)," published 2010.

Her Endurance Mysteries include "Three May Keep a Secret," "Marry in Haste," "The Locket: From the Casebook of TJ Sweeney," "Death Takes No Bribes," and "The Witch's Child, and "Fabric of Lies."" Harlequin Worldwide Mystery has re ...more

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Combine Editions
Susan Van Kirk’s books

Average rating: 4.0 · 909 ratings · 222 reviews · 23 distinct works • Similar authors

	A Death at Tippitt Pond 3.79 avg rating — 337 ratings — published 2019 — 9 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Three May Keep a Secret (Endurance Mysteries #1) 3.94 avg rating — 120 ratings — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Marry in Haste (Endurance Mysteries #2) 4.24 avg rating — 71 ratings — published 2014 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Death in a Pale Hue (Art Center Mysteries, #1) 4.32 avg rating — 68 ratings — published 2022	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Cliffsnotes on Steinbeck's of Mice and Men 3.91 avg rating — 58 ratings — published 1999 — 22 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Death Takes No Bribes (Endurance Mysteries #3) 4.34 avg rating — 47 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Death in a Bygone Hue (Art Center Mysteries, #2) 4.23 avg rating — 40 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Cliffsnotes on Hawthorne's the Scarlet Letter 3.80 avg rating — 35 ratings — published 2000 — 22 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Witch's Child (Endurance Mysteries, #4) 4.41 avg rating — 27 ratings — published 2021 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Locket: from the Casebook of TJ Sweeney (Endurance Mysteries #4) 4.35 avg rating — 23 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Susan Van Kirk…

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Susan Van Kirk's Blog

In Praise of Memoirs by James M. Jackson

Are you aware Susan Van Kirk’s first book-length published work was a memoir? Yup: The Education of a Teacher (Including Dirty Books and Pointed Looks). It’s out of print now, but rumor has it that may change in 2026. Given that, I’d forgive you if you think this blog is polishing the teacher’s apple to stay in her graces. That Susan used that experience to segue into becoming a best-selling m

Series by Susan Van Kirk

Endurance Mysteries (5 books)
by

Susan Van Kirk (Goodreads Author)

4.16 avg rating — 288 ratings

An Art Center Mystery (2 books)
by

Susan Van Kirk (Goodreads Author)

4.29 avg rating — 108 ratings

Susan is Currently Reading

Susan Kirk is currently reading

The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen

by Syrie James (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Dec 27, 2025 03:11PM

Susan Kirk is currently reading

The Devil Comes Calling (A Detective Honeywell Mystery #3)

by Annette Dashofy (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Dec 11, 2025 11:49AM

Susan Kirk is currently reading

At Midnight Comes the Cry (The Rev. Clare Fergusson & Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries Series, #10)

by Julia Spencer-Fleming (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Nov 18, 2025 08:13PM

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Susan’s Recent Updates

Susan Kirk is currently reading The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen by Syrie James (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 27, 2025 03:11PM · like
Susan Kirk rated a book really liked it The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall (The Audacious Sisterhood of Smoke & Fire, #1) by Syrie James (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 27, 2025 03:09PM · like
Susan Kirk and 1 other person liked John B. Marshall's review of Fabric of Lies: An Endurance Mystery 6: "Wonderful read! Couldn’t put it down. Author worth reading!"
Dec 12, 2025 04:00PM · see review
Susan Kirk is currently reading The Devil Comes Calling (A Detective Honeywell Mystery #3) by Annette Dashofy (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 11, 2025 11:49AM · like
Susan Kirk rated a book really liked it Robert B. Parker's Showdown (Spenser Book 53) by Mike Lupica	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 11, 2025 11:48AM · like
Susan Kirk is currently reading At Midnight Comes the Cry (The Rev. Clare Fergusson & Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries Series, #10) by Julia Spencer-Fleming (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 18, 2025 08:13PM · like
Susan Kirk is currently reading Craft of Writing by Christopher Hawke (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 15, 2025 08:08PM · like
Susan Kirk rated a book it was amazing Villain in the Vineyard: A Chesapeake Bay Mystery by Judy L. Murray (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Judy L. Murray’s Villain in the Vineyard is the fourth in a wonderful series of cozy mysteries starring Helen Morrisey, widow, and realtor in the Chesapeake Bay area of Port Anne. But she also snoops and investigates murders in these books, helped al ...more
Nov 08, 2025 02:28PM · 2 likes · like · see review
Susan Kirk rated a book it was amazing Murder in Fifth Position: An On Pointe Mystery by Lori Robbins (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
When Leland Vanderhof, wealthy mentor of ballet dancer Leah Siderova, plunged sixteen floors to his death at a huge, sparkling soiree of 200 guests, Leah didn’t buy the possibility that he had decided to kill himself. The celebration honored Leah and ...more
Nov 08, 2025 02:12PM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Murder in Fifth Position by Lori Robbins. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Murder in Fifth Position by Lori Robbins <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Susan Kirk finished reading Fabric of Lies: An Endurance Mystery 6 by Susan Van Kirk (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 07, 2025 08:02PM · like

More of Susan's books…

Quotes by Susan Van Kirk (?)

“Grace, where’s your watch? You never go anywhere without it,” Deb asked. Grace looked down at the white mark that circled her wrist. “That’s my celebration of retirement. I shouldn’t have to wear a watch anymore”
― Susan Van Kirk, Three May Keep a Secret

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Susan’s Quotes

“The best moments in reading are when you come across something – a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things – which you had thought special and particular to you. Now here it is, set down by someone else, a person you have never met, someone even who is long dead. And it is as if a hand has come out and taken yours.”
― Alan Bennett, The History Boys

tags: books, history, reading

3945 likes

“I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves.”
― Anna Quindlen

tags: books, children

1325 likes