Author, Winner of the Sara Ann Freed Memorial Award and a Shamus finalist
Available now!
From Pegasus Crime
A clever and suspenseful reimagining of Tudor era betrayals
Kate Parker knows what she’s getting into when she marries billionaire businessman Hank Tudor—she’s his sixth wife, after all. But honeymoon plans go awry when a headless body is discovered near Hank’s summer home, forcing Kate to contend with two of his exes: Catherine Alvarez—the first—who lives as a shut-in with her computers, carefully following Tudor Enterprises; and Anna Klein—the fourth—who runs a bed-and-breakfast where she and her wife keep a steady eye on things—particularly Hank’s children, Lizzie and Teddy. These three women become entwined in a deadly game of cat and mouse—with each other, Hank, and Hank’s brilliant fixer, Tom Cromwell—as Kate seeks to solve the puzzle of who the murdered woman is, who killed her, and whether her death has any connection to the other headless body eight years ago.
Praise for An Inconvenient Wife
“In this clever riff on the saga of Henry VIII, Olson introduces executive assistant Kate Parker, who’s just become billionaire Hank Tudor’s sixth wife. Olson’s intelligent plotting—in which she recasts Tudor dynastic maneuverings through the lens of 21st-century ultra-wealth—make this much more than a simple in-joke for history buffs. Those willing to go along for the ride will be happy they did.” ––Publishers Weekly
“It is the wives in this story who offer glimpses of interesting backgrounds and ranges of emotions that feel more and more relatable . . . as multiple mysteries begin to unravel.”—Booklist
“Karen E. Olson achieves something wholly original with An Inconvenient Wife, which is both a crime novel and an astute study in marital relations and power struggles. While it takes its inspiration from Henry VIII and his wives, a king (and killer) who lived more than five hundred years ago, the story is thoroughly modern. At the risk of sounding impertinent: You may just lose your head over this book.”—Mystery Scene
“A complex story with a large cast that Olson masterfully weaves and develops, An Inconvenient Wife is a new take on a historical family, proving that high-class murder never gets old.” —The Big Thrill
“The Tudor monarch mystery that I never knew I needed. As a fan of the Tudor era, this book had me hooked from the start. Yet regardless of the historical parallels, I also found myself engrossed by the unique and gripping narrative. An Inconvenient Wife beautifully weaves together the past and present, resulting in a thrilling must-read.” —Criminal Element
“An Inconvenient Wife is a truly captivating and often startling ‘what if’ adventure, both eerily familiar and entirely unknown. Karen E. Olson brilliantly captures the psychological terror of the Tudor period, translating it into a vivid twenty-first century world. It is clever, captivating and oh-so-difficult to put down; the mystery deepens with every turn of the page. The book combines all the feminist fire of SIX with the dark familial murder-mystery of Knives Out.”—Joanne Paul, author of The House of Dudley: A New History of Tudor England
“By moving the story of Henry VIII to the present, Karen Olson performs magic, delivering a compulsively readable broken-marriage thriller with tons of twists and the beating heart of a historical. Intricately plotted, completely gripping and utterly original, An Inconvenient Wife is an absolute must-read.” — Michele Campbell, international bestselling author of It’s Always the Husband
“Hugely entertaining, bursting with irony and all about the women – imagine The Tudors set in the world of Succession, by way of Jackie Collins. I was swept off my feet.”—Elizabeth Fremantle, author of Disobedient and Queen’s Gambit
“Devious and delicious as a season of celebrity housewives, An Inconvenient Wife pulses with the intrigue of the most dangerous time in history to be a woman wedded to power. Beginning with an unidentified body, and at least one missing wife, the secrets and betrayals are non-stop. You’ll never see the killer ending coming!”—Laura Benedict, Edgar-nominated author of The Stranger Inside
“Twisty, sly, and utterly unique, An Inconvenient Wife is a sinfully entertaining, one-sitting read. Don’t miss it!”—Alafair Burke, New York Times bestselling author
“A Succession-esque update of Henry VIII, An Inconvenient Wife is sharp, suspenseful and deviously clever. Block out some time for this one—you’ll want to read it in one sitting!”—Alison Gaylin, USA Today and International bestselling author
“Step aside Gone Girl, An Inconvenient Wife is the new sheriff in town. Everything old is new again. Olson not only proves it; she improves it.”—Reed Farrel Coleman, New York Times bestselling author
“An entertaining modern take on Henry VIII’s six wives. A complete page-turner!”—Naomi Hirahara, Mary Higgins Clark award winning author of Clark and Division
