Susan Oleksiw

Susan Oleksiw is a well-known American author, particularly recognized for her mystery and thriller novels. She has written two successful mystery series, the Anita Ray series and the Mellingham series. The Anita Ray series features Anita Ray, an Indian-American photographer who lives and works in southern India, helping her aunt run a tourist hotel. Through Anita's adventures, Oleksiw takes readers into the lesser-known world of Indian life beyond the main streets and tourist hotels.

Oleksiw was born and raised in New England, which has significantly influenced her writing. She has attempted to capture the traditional New England way of life in her series. Her most recent book, "Below the Tree Line," is set on a farm in central Massachusetts, where the protagonist, Felicity O'Brien, inherits her family farm and the ability to heal from her mother and ancestors. This ability proves to be both a blessing and a burden for Felicity.

In addition to the Anita Ray series and the Mellingham novels, Oleksiw has also written a third mystery series, The Pioneer Valley series. This series features farmer and healer Felicity O'Brien, set in Central Massachusetts. The series explores the small community of West Woodbury and the challenges they face, including murder, fires, floods, and keeping the farm going. Oleksiw has also written extensively on crime fiction, with essays featured in The Oxford Companion to Crime and Mystery Writing and a selection of her favorite books in A Reader's Guide to the Classic British Mystery.