Praise for An Artful Dodge
“A brilliant historical mystery . . . Odden matches vivid details of the hard-knock life in Victorian London with complex backstories for her large cast. Readers will be rapt.”
–Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
EXCLUSIVE: Read the opening chapters of An Artful Dodge
Praise for Karen’s Books
Under a Veiled Moon, 2023 Lefty Award Nominee, Best Historical Mystery Novel
“Engaging characters, unusual story, and impeccable research make An Artful Dodge a thoroughly engaging novel. The icing on this cake is Odden’s beautiful prose. Here’s a writer who cares about her craft. Brava.”
Odden keenly evokes the physical as well as cultural milieu of Victorian England, and peoples her setting with fully realized and intriguing characters. This book will delight readers who like their mysteries cloaked in well-researched history. 2023 Lefty Award Nominee
Beautifully Written and Deeply Engaging
Fully Realized and Intriguing Characters
Karen’s Previous Novels
About Karen
Karen Odden received her Ph.D. in English from New York University in 2001, writing her dissertation on Victorian literature. Subsequently, she taught at UW-Milwaukee and edited for the academic journal Victorian Literature and Culture. When she finally turned to writing fiction, she set all her novels in her beloved 1870s London. Her first mystery, A Lady in the Smoke, was a USA Today bestseller. Her fourth, Down a Dark River, was an Oprah Daily pick; and the sequel, Under a Veiled Moon was nominated for the Lefty, Agatha, and Anthony Awards for Best Historical Mystery. Her sixth novel, An Artful Dodge, about an all-women thieving gang in 1879 London, is forthcoming from Soho Crime in June 2026.
Since 2019, Karen has offered over 40 writing workshops for libraries, professional groups, and conferences, and she has received awards and grants for her work to promote literacy and support the writing community. Karen serves on the national board of Sisters in Crime, reviews books for Publishers Weekly, and divides her time between Arizona and Utah, where she loves to hike while plotting crimes. Read More
Latest Blog
- My Secrets to Publishing Six BooksInspired by Andre Louw & Brendan Flaherty Karen Odden (Originally published on Substack/Murder is Everywhere on May 28, 2026) Last week, Michael Sears invited Andre Louw … Continue reading “My Secrets to Publishing Six Books”