Endurance Mysteries books in order

Q: "How many books are in the Endurance Mysteries series?"

"There are five books in the Endurance Mysteries series, published between 2014 and 2021."

Q: "What is the first book in the Endurance Mysteries series?"

"The first book in the Endurance Mysteries series is Three May Keep a Secret, published in 2014."

Q: "Who is Grace Kimball?"

"Grace Kimball is a recently retired English teacher in the fictional small town of Endurance, Illinois, whose close relationship with former student Detective TJ Sweeney draws her into the town's murder investigations. Her teaching background gives her analytical habits and a web of long-standing community relationships — both useful tools for an amateur sleuth in a small town where most people have known each other for decades. The series draws on the social texture of the Midwestern communities Susan Van Kirk taught in for over thirty years."

Reading order

#	Title	Published	Author	Buy on Amazon
1	Three May Keep a Secret	2014	Susan Van Kirk	Buy
2	Marry in Haste	2016	Susan Van Kirk	Buy
3	The Locket	2016	Susan Van Kirk	Buy
4	Death Takes No Bribes	2017	Susan Van Kirk	Buy
5	The Witch’s Child	2021	Susan Van Kirk	Buy

Three May Keep a Secret (2014) launched the Endurance Mysteries as Van Kirk’s debut novel, drawing directly on her background in small-town Illinois life to create a setting with specific social and physical texture. The fictional Endurance borrows from the Monmouth, Illinois area where she spent her teaching career, and Grace Kimball’s world — a retired teacher in a community where everyone knows everyone — has the authenticity of long acquaintance.

The series ran to five books over seven years: Three May Keep a Secret (2014), Marry in Haste (2016), The Locket (2016), Death Takes No Bribes (2017), and The Witch’s Child (2021). The first four books were republished by Harlequin Worldwide Mystery, extending their reach to the broader cozy readership. The long gap before The Witch’s Child suggests the series paused rather than concluded, and Grace Kimball’s voice and setting proved durable enough to return.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Endurance Mysteries series?

There are five books in the Endurance Mysteries series, published between 2014 and 2021.

What is the first book in the Endurance Mysteries series?

The first book in the Endurance Mysteries series is Three May Keep a Secret, published in 2014.

Who is Grace Kimball?

Grace Kimball is a recently retired English teacher in the fictional small town of Endurance, Illinois, whose close relationship with former student Detective TJ Sweeney draws her into the town’s murder investigations. Her teaching background gives her analytical habits and a web of long-standing community relationships — both useful tools for an amateur sleuth in a small town where most people have known each other for decades. The series draws on the social texture of the Midwestern communities Susan Van Kirk taught in for over thirty years.

Reading order#

Frequently Asked Questions

Reading order