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
You can smell the water of the Thames and hear the cries of the cormorants in Karen Odden’s newest, vividly set in Victorian London. This twisty-turn-y mystery introducing a new and charismatic detective will delight readers also looking for well-researched history.
“Dickens fans—if you ever yearned for Nancy to kick Bill Sykes to the curb and go off thieving with Bet and the Dodger, this is your new favorite book. Vibrant with the authentic sights and sounds of Victorian London, An Artful Dodge is the riveting tale of a gang of female thieves and what one clever dodge artist must do to survive when the gang's old boss returns seeking power—and revenge. A crime novel that centers the power of family bonds both natural and chosen, this thrilling adventure will have you frantically turning the pages."
A densely imagined anatomy of Victorian skulduggery with a heaping side of Irish troubles. Well-researched History
A Bold Twist on Dickens
A densely imagined anatomy of Victorian skulduggery
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
July 2026
Thursday July 16
- 2:00 pm – 2:45 pm
- Meet & Greet with Maine Authors at Elements Books
- 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
- Author event for AN ARTFUL DODGE at McArthur Library, Biddeford, ME
Wednesday July 22
- 5:45 am – 6:45 am
- NEWSLETTER: guest Jen Collins Moore
Friday July 24
- 8:00 am – 9:00 am
- Guest appearance on A MIGHTY BLAZE, discussing An Artful Dodge with Jenna Blum (virtual)
Monday July 27
- 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
- Cathy's Bookclub for AN ARTFUL DODGE (private)
October 2026
Friday October 16 – Saturday October 17
- Desert Nights, Rising Stars Conference
Friday October 16
- 9:00 am – 10:15 am
- Grand Openings: Writing the All-Important First Page, at DNRS Conference
Sunday October 18
- 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
- Intrerview with Tim Schooley, author of *Circus of the Vanishing Elephant* at the Poisoned Pen, Scottsdale (in person)
Wednesday October 21 – Sunday October 25
- Bouchercon, Calgary
November 2026
Thursday November 5
- 7:00 pm – 8:55 pm
- PCDS Bookclub AN ARTFUL DODGE (private)
Thursday November 12
- 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
- Scribbled Hollow Bookstore Event
April 2027
Thursday April 1 – Sunday April 4
- Left Coast Crime, Santa Fe
Friday April 9 – Sunday April 11
- Malice Domestic Conference, Bethesda
Latest Blog
- Why Writers Shouldn’t Look at Goodreads Reviews (for very long)One thing I didn’t know until I published my first book is that Goodreads, like Netgalley and Edelweiss, will post reviews prior to pub day; the … Continue reading “Why Writers Shouldn’t Look at Goodreads Reviews (for very long)”