Albert Park: A Memoir in Lies

by Susan Koefod

Step into the mind of Albert Park, an unreliable narrator who turns his guilt-ridden journey through life into a surreal, thrice-told fairytale of tragic misadventures, haunting memories, and elusive truths. This darkly humorous and deeply moving novel offers a kaleidoscopic view of one man’s attempts to outrun responsibility and wrestle with the ghosts of his past.

From abandoned orphan to scheming life coach to world-famous neurosurgeon (or so he claims), Albert’s ever-shifting narrative is filled with contradictions, dubious memories, and an unrelenting denial of his role in a string of calamities. Through it all, his charm and wit captivate readers even as his distorted recollections raise questions about the nature of guilt, identity, and redemption.

Albert A Memoir in Lies is a masterful blend of humor, heartbreak, and psychological depth that will leave you questioning the stories we tell ourselves—and the truths we refuse to see.

Perfect for readers of Ottessa Moshfegh, Patrick deWitt, and Kazuo Ishiguro.

200 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 9, 2025

About the author

A native Minnesotan, Susan Koefod spent much of her girlhood taking long bicycle rides and walks through hilly Dakota County and along the Mississippi River. Such excursions typically filled her imagination with poetry and story ideas. She invariably thought of herself in the third person and was the first character in her early stories. Ultimately, she relegated herself to the background as she could always invent more interesting characters to play the starring roles.

Susan Koefod is an award-winning novelist. Her Arvo Thorson mystery series debuted with Washed Up [North Star Press], which was praised by Library Journal as “a smashing debut with astute observations and gorgeous prose.” The series includes Broken Down and Burnt Out. Her short stories have been published in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and other place. Her latest novel is Albert Park: a Memoir in Lies. Susan won a Loft McKnight Artist Fellowship for Writers, a distinction of excellence and a $25,000 award open to Minnesota fine artists and writers.

She lives in West St. Paul, Minnesota, with her family.

Reviews

[Lin Salisbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

Susan Koefod is the award-winning novelist of the Arvo Thorson mystery series and the young adult novel, Naming the Stars. The title of her new novel, Albert Park, A Memoir in Lies, signals the narrator's unreliability.

The outrageous life of Albert Park is revealed through a series of extraordinary stories that belie his earnestness. At times surreal, the reader will feel as though they are viewing his tale through heavy gauze, not sure of what they are seeing, nor his interpretation of it.

A interesting take on the unreliable narrator – one that declares himself from the first page – and entices the reader to continue reading to discover the motivation and woundedness that drive him.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Albert Park: A Memoir in Lies by Susan Koefod is an exploration of memory, denial, and trauma. The same 4 names resurface over and over in different storylines as the details of Albert’s life are revealed. Or are they? Written in gorgeous, deliberate prose, the stories become increasingly unbelievable the further we progress into his psyche. In the end, the reader is left with more questions than answers along with a reflection on the meaning of life and what we leave behind. Highly recommend.