Susan Meissner

Susan Meissner is a highly accomplished American author, best known for her work in historical fiction. She has received numerous accolades for her writing, including being a RITA finalist, as well as a Christy Award and Carol Award winner. Meissner has had more than half a million books printed in fifteen languages, making her a truly international success. Her novels have been praised by critics, with several of her works appearing on lists such as Publishers Weekly’s annual roster of 100 best books, Library Reads Top Picks, Real Simple annual tally of best books, Goodreads Readers’ Choice awards, Booklist’s Top Ten, and Book of the Month.

Meissner was born in San Diego, California, and from a young age, she showed a keen interest in writing. Her second grade teacher recognized her potential and encouraged her to pursue a career in writing, an encouragement that Meissner has always cherished. In high school, she found another supportive teacher who helped her develop her writing skills and offered much-needed encouragement. Meissner went on to study at Point Loma College, where she met and married her husband, Bob, who is an Air Forces Reserves chaplain and pastors a San Diego church.

Meissner is a prolific writer, with several highly successful series and standalone novels to her name. One of her most popular series is the Rachel Flynn Mysteries. In addition to her work as a novelist, Meissner is also an engaging and warm public speaker, frequently appearing at women’s groups, literary organizations, libraries, and learning institutions. She is a dedicated volunteer for Words Alive, a San Diego non-profit dedicated to helping at-risk youth foster a love for reading and writing. When she is not working on a new novel, Meissner enjoys spending time with her family, music, reading great books, and traveling.
Rachael Flynn Books
# Title Year
1 Widows & Orphans 2006
2 Sticks & Stones 2007
3 Days & Hours 2007
Children's Books
# Title Year
1 Pumpkin Day at the Zoo 2023
Standalone Novels
# Title Year
1 Why the Sky Is Blue 2004
2 A Window to the World 2005
3 The Remedy for Regret 2005
4 In All Deep Places 2006
5 A Seahorse in the Thames 2006
6 The Shape of Mercy 2008
7 Blue Heart Blessed 2008
8 White Picket Fences 2009
9 Lady in Waiting 2010
10 A Sound Among the Trees 2011
11 The Girl in the Glass 2012
12 A Fall of Marigolds 2014
13 Secrets of a Charmed Life 2015
14 Stars Over Sunset Boulevard 2016
15 A Bridge Across the Ocean 2017
16 As Bright as Heaven 2018
17 The Last Year of the War 2019
18 The Nature of Fragile Things 2021
19 When We Had Wings 2022
20 Only the Beautiful 2023