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Susan Van Kirk
300 ratings | 119 reviews | avg rating:4.38

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Susan Van Kirk

Goodreads Author


Born
in Galesburg, IL, The United States
Website

Twitter
susan_vankirk

Genre
Mystery, Suspense, Memoir

Member Since
July 2011


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, and an additional ten years at Monmouth College.

She wrote a memoir of her teaching life and revised it in April 2026. "Mr. Vonnegut and Me (And Other Incredible Tales from a Teaching Life."

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

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What are you currently working on?
Susan Van Kirk My second book in the series, "Marry in Haste," is finished, and I'm starting to consider ideas for the third Endurance Mystery. I'm also doing interv…moreMy second book in the series, "Marry in Haste," is finished, and I'm starting to consider ideas for the third Endurance Mystery. I'm also doing interviews of other authors for a newsletter of a subgroup in the Sisters in Crime organization. SinC is a group of readers, writers, publishers, and editors of mysteries. I'm writing on my own blog at my website, and I'm writing guest blogs to promote "Three May Keep a Secret."(less)
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Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?
Susan Van Kirk A long time ago, someone I knew died in a fire. I was very young at the time, and so the incident stayed in my head. When I decided to write my first …moreA long time ago, someone I knew died in a fire. I was very young at the time, and so the incident stayed in my head. When I decided to write my first novel, I created a main character whose life was impacted by such a fire.(less)
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Combine Editions

Average rating: 4.01 · 938 ratings · 239 reviews · 26 distinct works • Similar authors
A Death at Tippitt Pond
3.79 avg rating — 342 ratings — published 2019 — 9 editions
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Three May Keep a Secret (En...
3.95 avg rating — 122 ratings — 7 editions
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Marry in Haste (Endurance M...
4.26 avg rating — 73 ratings — published 2014 — 7 editions
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Death in a Pale Hue (Art Ce...
4.27 avg rating — 71 ratings — published 2022
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Cliffsnotes on Steinbeck's ...
3.91 avg rating — 58 ratings — published 1999 — 22 editions
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Death Takes No Bribes (Endu...
4.37 avg rating — 49 ratings — 4 editions
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Death in a Bygone Hue (Art ...
4.23 avg rating — 40 ratings — 2 editions
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Cliffsnotes on Hawthorne's ...
3.80 avg rating — 35 ratings — published 2000 — 22 editions
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The Witch's Child (Enduranc...
4.43 avg rating — 28 ratings — published 2021 — 4 editions
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The Locket: from the Casebo...
4.38 avg rating — 24 ratings
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More books by Susan Van Kirk…

237 posts
Susan Van Kirk's Blog

Review of Charles Finch’s “Midnight in the House of Commons” by Susan Van Kirk

I’ve read all of Charles Finch’s Lenox series and even interviewed the author years ago, and while An Extravagant Death is my favorite, Midnight in the House of Commons is right up there. Set in Victorian London, this latest Lenox mystery delves into a scandalous murder in Parliament, a case with a missing fiance, and problems on the home front. Never a moment’s rest.

It is 1881, and Charles Le

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Published on July 06, 2026 09:34
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Series by Susan Van Kirk

Three May Keep a Secret Marry in Haste Death Takes No Bribes The Locket: from the Casebo... The Witch's Child
(5 books)
by
4.18 avg rating — 296 ratings

Death in a Pale Hue Death in a Bygone Hue
(2 books)
by
4.25 avg rating — 111 ratings

Susan is Currently Reading

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by Nora Roberts (Goodreads Author)
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Aug 25, 2026 09:22PM
All the Queen's Men
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by S.J. Bennett (Goodreads Author)
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Jun 15, 2026 08:35PM
3rd Degree
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by James Patterson (Goodreads Author)
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Jun 01, 2026 03:42PM

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An Occupied Grave by A.G. Barnett
An Occupied Grave (Brock & Poole #1)
by A.G. Barnett (Goodreads Author)
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The Law Student by John Grisham
The Law Student (The French Illusion #.5)
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An Occupied Grave by A.G. Barnett
An Occupied Grave (Brock & Poole #1)
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The Law Student by John Grisham
The Law Student (The French Illusion #.5)
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God's Country by William Kent Krueger
God's Country (Cork O'Connor #21)
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Genuine Lies by Nora Roberts
Genuine Lies
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Genuine Lies by Nora Roberts
Genuine Lies
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The Lawyer's Husband by Robin James
The Lawyer's Husband
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All the Queen's Men by S.J. Bennett
All the Queen's Men (Her Majesty the Queen Investigates, #2)
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Jun 15, 2026 08:35PM  ·   ·  preview book
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Quotes by Susan Van Kirk  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“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
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“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
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220 Goodreads Librarians Group — 341441 members — last activity 0 minutes ago
Goodreads Librarians are volunteers who help ensure the accuracy of information about books and authors in the Goodreads' catalog. The Goodreads Libra ...more
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This is a group for readers AND/OR authors who would like to share books that can be downloaded using Kindle Select OR Kindle Unlimited. WE ALSO HAVE ...more

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