Koefod’s protagonists include a brilliant, but troubled detective and an obsessed, fashionable social worker; a con artist; a dorky 1970s era young woman; a “lost” 16 year-old girl; and the unlikely crepe.
Whether you like mystery, literary fiction, or something else, Susan Koefod has books for you. Interested in her other works? Check the Publications tab.
Escapes and Other Stories (Calumet Editions – 2025)
In Susan Koefod’s short story collection Escapes and Other Stories, characters take flight to break free from their troubled pasts, murky presents, and uncertain futures. The collection introduces Arvo Thorson, a detective who later becomes the protagonist of Koefod’s mystery series. Thorson’s early appearances showcase his sharp mind, unwavering determination, and personal demons.
Escapes and Other Stories is a captivating read for fans of short fiction—offering reading getaways for busy readers who enjoy mysteries, ghost stories, and an excuse to ignore life’s frustrations for a good read.
“Escape and Other Stories is an anthology to carry wherever you go and read in those moments when you need a lift or a laugh or a fright or a little drama to relieve the humdrum. It’s really good!”
—David Housewright
Edgar Award-winning author of Them Bones
“Susan Koefod’s new book of short stories, Escapes and Other Stories, is an engaging and compelling collection that spans genres from the mysterious to the mystical to the meditative. Koefod has shown herself to be a talented writer who can bring her characters to life on the page and make you ponder. Escapes is the kind of book that invites you to brew a cup of tea, sit down, and enjoy.”
—Allen Eskins
Barry, Rosebud, and Silver Falchion Award-winning author of The Life We Bury and nine other best-selling novels.
Albert Park: A Memoir in Lies (Calumet Editions – 2025)
Abandoned child of genius scientists? Proprietor of the Emporium of the Future You? World-famous brain surgeon? Exactly who is Albert Park? Told through Albert Park’s singular—albeit entirely unreliable—point-of-view, Albert Park: a Memoir in Lies is a thrice-told story of how ghosts haunt the present.
“Koefod’s masterful tale is a portrait of our times: a modern picaresque novel that examines the nature of truth, lies and memory.”
— Carla Hagen, author, Hand Me Down My Walking Cane and Muskeg
Naming the Stars (Curiosity Quills Press)
What if everyone acted as if you had never existed?
16-year-old Mary-Louise comes home from swimming lessons one day to find she is absent from family photographs, her bedroom has turned into a linen closet, and all of her possessions have disappeared. More troubling, her family goes on as if she never existed. The only person in town who can actually see her is a boy she calls Fish, a YMCA swimming instructor, but Fish is hiding from a troubled past and the person he sees is entirely different from who she thought she was.
This coming-of-age story explores the important and often fragile connection between the roles we play in others’ lives—as siblings, children, friends, and partners—and the unique identity we must find in ourselves.
Mystery
Burnt Out (North Star Press)
Christine Ivory is reluctantly caught up in the suspicious disappearance of a world-famous geologist, who was about to announce a discovery that would have a huge environmental and economic impact in the small town where she has inherited potentially shale-oil-rich, property. Christine finds crucial evidence and may have to contact someone she never wanted to talk to again – detective Arvo Thorson, her former lover. But she has nowhere else to turn: she’s already had trespassers on her property and fears not only for her property, but her life.
“Prickly-but-principled social worker Christine Ivory is feeling burned out on the job, and retreats to the family place in Minnesota’s north woods. Burnt Out, the third in a richly realized series from Susan Koefod, captures the complex push-pull of home and family, not to mention the dark underbelly of idyllic small-town life. Add a missing geologist and a ripped-from-the-headlines clash over oil and gas rights, and Koefod hits a gusher of motives for murder.”
— Erin Hart, award-winning author of The Book of Killowen
“Koefod skillfully captures the many layers of drama and tension underlying small town life.”
— Brian Freeman, international bestselling author of Spilled Blood
Broken Down (North Star Press)
In Broken Down, the death of a swing bridge operator is clearly no accident and a troubled 15-year-old boy and the aging bridge are both under suspicion for murder.
Detective Arvo Thorson is having a breakdown of his own: a drinking binge makes him all too vulnerable to his ex-wife’s treacherous charms, and may put the cork in his romance with social worker Christine Ivory. Meanwhile Christine is burnt out from too many years working with Mendota County’s youngest crime victims and she’s ready for a change, even if that means leaving Mendota County, and Arvo, for good.
Book includes discussion group guide.
|
“Koefod fulfills the promise of her debut novel Washed Up with this fast, fresh and smart follow-up. Broken Down is the next step in what promises to be to be a first-rate series. — David Housewright “In Broken Down, Susan Koefod delivers a splendid sequel to Arvo Thorson’s adventures in life and law. This book oozes with originality regarding murder, plot and character.” — Julie Kramer, best-selling author of Riley Spartz thrillers, including Minnesota Book Award winner Stalking Susan “Koefod’s Broken Down is filled with vivid detail, complex relationships, and a remarkable insight into the human psyche.” |
Ebooks available at Amazon.
Washed Up (North Star Press)
The shocking discovery of a drowned newborn washed ashore on the banks of the Mississippi River forever changes 11 year-old Abatha Cox and Somerset Hills, the small Minnesota community she calls home.
Lead investigator Arvo Thorson is the only person trusted enough to investigate the baby’s murder, but he’s drowning too — in a toxic cocktail of whiskey, vodka and gin — and his career will be dead in the water unless he can solve the crime. Christine Ivory, the brainy, fashionable and compulsively organized social worker caring for the girl has never been more intent on thwarting Arvo.
The chemistry between Arvo and Christine is undeniable, but neither will admit to it, and their clashes are threatening the investigation, the safety of the witness, and Arvo’s career.
Ebooks available at Amazon.
Interested in the real story that set the series in motion? Read all about it here.
|
“A smashing debut with astute observations and gorgeous prose.” –Library Journal “A bold new voice in the crime genre!” –William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author of the Cork O’Connor novels ” My kind of detective… washed up and on the case. Readers are going to like this guy.” –Steve Thayer, New York Times bestselling author of The Weatherman, Silent Snow, and The Wheat Field “Susan Koefod is a writer to watch!” –Jess Lourey, author of the Lefty-nominated Murder-by-Month Mysteries |
FORTHCOMING
Escapes: Short Stories (Calumet Editions, 2025)
Susan Koefod’s debut short story collection “Escapes” showcases her mastery of the short form, offering a tantalizing glimpse into the darker side of human nature. Each of the fifteen stories delves into the complex motivations driving her characters to escape their troubled pasts or present circumstances. From mysterious crimes to haunting secrets, Koefod explores a wide range of themes that resonate with readers.
Haunted characters include an ice sculptor who, year after year, carves the same enigmatic woman; a grieving widow seeks solace on a westward journey; and a former nun finds salvation and vengeance on a motorcycle. These are just a few of the unforgettable characters that populate Koefod’s world.
Two of the stories introduce Arvo Thorson, a detective who would later become the protagonist of Koefod’s mystery novel series. Thorson’s early appearances offer a glimpse into his development as a complex and compelling figure. We witness his sharp mind at work, his unwavering determination, and his moral compass, catching glimpses of his personal struggles and the toll his work takes on him.
With its rich characterizations, suspenseful plots, and unexpected twists, “Escapes” is a must-read for fans of short fiction and mystery alike. Koefod’s ability to craft compelling narratives in a limited word count is truly impressive. Each story leaves a lasting impression, making the reader eager for more.
Frozen Out (Book #4 in Arvo Thorson Series)
Disgraced Mendota County detective Arvo Thorson heads north to his hometown of Tofte, Minnesota to help his elderly aunt, Lois Benson. For years, the widow lived with Tom Benson, her late husband’s brother. Arvo knows Lois has been experiencing memory issues and has kept in touch with Tom regarding his aunt’s welfare. Arvo’s deceased mother Lisbeth Thorson, Lois’ sister, left him her house, one near to Tom’s, and Tom has kept that house in good condition, keeping his eye on the renter, Harley Borg, a handsome, healthy 70-year-old retiree of the US Forest Service.
Tom died the month before after slipping on his ice covered roof while stringing up Christmas lights. Lois introduces Arvo to Harley, claiming he was a close friend of Tom’s. While Lois finds Harley’s attention charming, Arvo does not feel the same warm fuzzies. In fact, Harley has been involved in Lois’ finances and Lois tells Arvo that the two of them were about to elope and his arrival thwarted their plans.
Arvo moves in with his aunt, preparing her to move to memory care and helping her to manage her finances. Her husband’s passing left her a wealthy widow due to his long, successful real estate career selling fine lakeside homes all along the north shore.
Christine Ivory and her adopted daughter 16-year-old Abatha relocated from Somerset Hills to Duluth, Minnesota, five years earlier. Though she and Arvo have a romantic history, the two broke it off due, in part, to Arvo’s inability to stay sober. Christine decided that her recently adopted daughter needed a fresh start after the trauma Abatha experienced when she discovered the body of a dead infant on a Mississippi River bank. In moments of clarity, Christine knew that perhaps she needed the fresh start, too.
Arvo is also hoping for a fresh start in the new year. Unbeknownst to Christine, Abatha has kept in touch with Arvo, and encouraged him to make it a dry January. Abatha’s birth family were drug- and alcohol- dependent and she has made it her mission to support Arvo’s hard path to sobriety. He secretly meets with Abatha whenever he is in Duluth to meet with Lois’s financial planner, Riley Rigg.
Needless to say, Arvo and Riley do not hit it off. Riley’s condescending manner toward the ex-detective, his risky financial recommendations, and the fact that he has been dating Christine do not bode well. Does Riley have his eye on Lois’ wealth? Meanwhile, Arvo grows steadily suspicious of Borg’s romantic intentions towards his vulnerable aunt.
Arvo immediately suspected Tom Benson’s death was not so accidental. Prior to his death, Riley had been making regular visits to Tofte as he was also Tom’s financial advisor. There were recent changes to both Tom’s and Lois’ estate planning. He finds only one area where he agrees with Harley: both detest Rigg and don’t trust his financial judgement.
Arvo learns that Lois was the sole heir of childless Benson. And Arvo knows he is sole heir to Lois’ fortune. He survives a close calls of his own on the icy northern Minnesota roads when he is run off the road by a mysterious driver. Will Arvo survive to solve Tom Benson’s murder and ward off the threats to his life?
Other Books
Let Them Eat Crepes: stories featuring the French Pancake
(With Melissa Doffing)
|
A treat to read! —Kate St. Vincent Vogl, two-time honoree in Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition and author of Lost & Found: A Memoir of Mothers “Set in Paris, the Catskills, Colombia, Helsinki, Spain, and elsewhere, Let Them Eat Crêpes is a graceful and mouth-watering read.” —Biloine W. Young, author of numerous books, most recently My Heart It Is Delicious and The Dutiful Son – Louis W. Hill “This enchanting collection explores life and love through the exquisite staple of French cuisine, the crêpe.” —Jill Jepson, author of Writing as a Sacred Path, and transformative writing coach |
Susan Koefod 