Stories That Stir the Soul – By Valerie Kossew Dunn

Experience Valerie Kossew Dunn’s gripping tales—where history and mystery intertwine. From Under the Acacia to Unjustified, her stories leave a lasting impression.

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About Author

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The Author Valerie Kossew Dunn grew up in South Africa

He graduated from the University of Cape Town before emigrating to America where she raised her daughter. She earned a doctorate in History from the University of Massachusetts, was awarded a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship, and worked in education for most of her career. Unjustified is her third book

He is passionate storyteller whose work spans historical fiction and mystery. With a keen eye for human emotion and social dynamics, her novels explore complex characters and compelling themes that resonate across time and place.

Buy the Books

Unjustified

There is no question about it: Professor Godfrey Mitchell is dead. His body is slumped behind his desk. His upholstered chair is splattered with blood and bits of brain. Immediately below the lifeless fingers of his right hand, a gun lies on the Oriental carpet. No one knows who murdered the professor and why.

Detectives Jackson Blaustein and Dina Barrett of the Connecticut Major Crime Squad have their work cut out for them as clues seem to lead nowhere. Far from beloved, the best-selling author was estranged from his wife and son, resented for his publishing successes by his fellow faculty members at Whitney University, reputed to be a philanderer, and known to be an exploiter of his graduate teaching assistants. Despite investigating alibis and probing clues from the campus to a casino finally to a ski lodge, the detectives come up empty-until a second professor is found murdered. As the victim's telephone record leads Detective Barrett out on her own without backup, the plot unravels in a dark, empty house where a killer lurks in the shadows.


Under the Acacia

A novel set in South Africa in the 1960s.. Characters from different racial backgrounds interact during the drama-filled years of Apartheid.

Detectives Jackson Blaustein and Dina Barrett of the Connecticut Major Crime Squad have their work cut out for them as clues seem to lead nowhere. Far from beloved, the best-selling author was estranged from his wife and son, resented for his publishing successes by his fellow faculty members at Whitney University, reputed to be a philanderer, and known to be an exploiter of his graduate teaching assistants. Despite investigating alibis and probing clues from the campus to a casino finally to a ski lodge, the detectives come up empty-until a second professor is found murdered. As the victim's telephone record leads Detective Barrett out on her own without backup, the plot unravels in a dark, empty house where a killer lurks in the shadows.

Blog

Under the Acacia

Writing Against the Grain: Exploring Apartheid Through Fiction in Under the Acacia

Dive into how Valerie Kossew Dunn uses fiction to illuminate the personal and political struggles of apartheid-era South Africa, and why historical fiction matters today.

Unjustified

When Justice Isn't What It Seems: The Psychological Depth of Unjustified

Analyze the moral ambiguity and emotional layers of the mystery in Unjustified, focusing on how Dunn blurs the lines between guilt, truth, and redemption.

Get in Touch with Valerie Kossew Dunn

Have a question, want to share your thoughts on the books, or invite Valerie for an event? Fill out the form below—we’d love to hear from you!

info@valeriekdunn.com
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