Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read this advanced copy. I love true crime but many true crime books are not written as good as this one. I was right in the story, like Sharon was my neighbor. She sleeps with any man she can, cheats on everyone, makes sure she marries the ones with money. Then she gets her lover to kill them so she can have the money. The whole time she is playing all of these men, they are enamoured by her. No matter what she does, they are taken by her and let her get away with anything. I love Gregg Olsen's books, he is an amazing writer.

Before Sharon had even commited a crime, she was already vilified by her community for being a curvy, confident woman!! People she encounters say they get a bad feeling from her but it seems directly related towards her flirtatious nature. Even when she starts on her affairs, the attitude towards the men is boys will be boys whilst she is thought of as an absolute disgrace! The misogyny in this book is outrageous! I know it’s a different time but it even spills over into descriptions of the female detective investigating the case.

Sharon does a lot of despicable things and there is no doubt she is an awful person whose morals were non existent but it feels like even every minor, irrelevant thing she does is twisted into something of a devious nature. It seems like there is an inability to be entirely objective which then makes you wonder about everything else featured in the book. Her actions were heinous, they don’t need embellished upon and I feel like the author should not try to influence how the reader feels so heavily.

This book was original released in 1998 as ‘Confessions of An American Black Widow’ and then re-released again under the Title ‘A Bitch On Wheels’ which says a lot of you ask me. Here we are again with a new release on 13th July 2023.

Do I recommend this book? It’s a book of its time making it an interesting insight into society’s views, perceptions and attitudes from back in the day and how sensationalised true crime books could very often be. So it could make for an informative read in that regard. In terms of facts and reporting of the case, it carries too many opinions so I would not.

If you meet a woman like Sharon Nelson Harrelson, run! Sociopaths come in all shapes and sizes, those that come packaged as an attractive woman that only really had sex and money on her mind, are hard to resist. But, she is not one that you should get entangled with as she will chew you up and spit you out. Her first husband, Reverend Michael Fuller, while coming off as a real SOB in his own right, was the lucky one as he made it out of his marriage to her alive. Her other two husbands, Perry Nelson and Glen Harrelson, who were by all accounts two very friendly and helpful men, were not so lucky. Her longtime lover, Gary Starr Adams, was a male her and once they met, they did not let anyone or anything stand in their way. You have kids? Pawn them off on someone else or ignore them as though you didn’t have to take care of them. You are broke, need a large infusion of cash and have a husband who has served his purpose? No problem, that is remedied is in short order with no nasty divorce required. Sharon Nelson Harrelson only tolerated anyone for as long as they were useful to her own ends. Once she no longer saw your value in her life, she would discard you and leave you to clean up the fallout of a relationship with her. This book is truly a wild ride that is well worth the read.

American Black Widow tells the true story of Sharon Harrelson, a woman who ends up with 2 dead husbands in a short time span. I found this interesting and thought the author really painted a good picture of Sharon, her actions, and her motives. I had never heard of her prior to reading this, but it was definitely an intriguing story. I found it really interesting how polarizing Sharon was, even before it was found out that she was involved in the murders of two of her husbands. It seemed that people either loved her or hated her, and there wasn't much in between. I did think that this spent a little too much time talking about Sharon's looks, but that was really my only qualm with the story. I definitely recommend this if you like true crime!

Thank you Gregg Olsen, Thread Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC e-book. First off Gregg Olsen's books are always phenomenal, The research and the unbias quest for truth in all of his books is so evident and it is why I will always be a fan. This book did not disappoint and it was story I had not ever heard either. What a wild ride that book was. To think this spanned decades is incredible and that she had gotten away with it for so long due to everyone either turning a blind eye or her just knowing how to play the system. As always an excellent read and highly recommended for anyone who is a fan of true crime.

Oh Gregg Olsen....you always keep us on the edge of our seats and American Black Widow was no different! I absolutely love true crime books, shows, etc so this was right up my alley! Definitely recommend this to my true crime folks, I hadn't heard of this story before!

This book was super interesting and I loved the detailed account of witnesses that were unfortunate enough to experience Sharon in their lives. So many women were able to see right through her bullshit, but the men only thought with their lower heads. Not surprising, but still disappointing. While most men found her super attractive, a lot of them still thought she was cuckoo nuts. Which she was....clearly.

If you're looking for a true crime read that is quick and informative, while also entertaining then I highly recommend this book!

I heard of this author the first time a few weeks ago when I read If you tell. I became really invested in that story and found that the author could really capture the story. So when I saw this book on Netgalley right after finishing the other book I was excited! The blurb sounded intriguing and if the storytelling was the same as the other book, then it was going to be a great book. I also want to say that these two books are the first books I read in the true crime genre, so I’m a newbie to that. I was also in a slump while reading this so it might affect how I rate this book, unfortunately…
So on to my thoughts about this book. The storytelling was like I expected by this author, very intriguing and a lot of details and information about the case. The author does a great job getting all the details while still keeping the story interesting and engaging. It’s a really horrible story and I think the author captures the right amount of emotions. It amazes me how people can be so manipulative and how some people can’t see that. I didn’t get as attached to the story as the other book though but that might’ve been because of my book slump. I still think it’s a solid good book and I would recommend it to anyone who likes true crime.

A true crime book that tells the story of Sharon Nelson, whose two husbands end up dead under suspicious circumstances. She had a way of attracting attention from men and she used that power to catch her husbands, luring then away from wives, friends, etc. to get what she wanted. This is a woman that never was content with what she had. She used scheming, manipulation, stealing, or any means possible to get more for herself. Sharon also carried on with affairs, often more than one at a time. She truly is a despicable human being. I found the story somewhat interesting and fairly well written, although to me not as well done as the author’s previous works. I felt there was too much time spent on what Sharon was wearing and not enough time trying to explain the mindset of the characters involved. Maybe it was just my intense dislike of the character that put me off a bit. I couldn’t fathom how her kind husbands were so blinded by her. This wasn't one of my favorites. We really didn't gain any insight into why the people did what they did. I can't really recommend this book for those reasons. I give it 1.5 stars out of 5.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

SYNOPSIS:
- Sharon was raised in very religious family. Her parents pressure into a marriage at a young age that she’s not interested in from day one.
- Sharon marries a few different men, and two of her husbands die. Sharon and an accomplice confessed to the crimes, and the book is about her & her husbands.

MY THOUGHTS
- The author spends quite a bit of time slut-shaming. He focuses on how Sharon dresses, who Sharon sleeps with, how Sharon moves, how Sharon’s body looked, etc. At the same time, the author depicts her male lovers as victims, despite willingly sleeping with Sharon & enjoying sex with Sharon. Super misogynistic. For this reason,
- Likewise, the author even describes Sharon’s male accomplice as a great guy under Sharon’s spell.
- Obviously, no one should have died, but the author doesn’t offer any insights into the crime. It’s almost laughable. Every character is written in a good light, except Sharon. She feels cartoonish.
- I am not convinced this was a story that needed to be told, at least not by this author.
- I would have been more interested in a story about Sharon’s accomplice, Gary. Gary wouldn’t even leave his wife for Sharon, and he was the one who got his hands dirty. He is the more psychologically interesting human to analyze.
- I don’t care about Sharon’s sex life. Even if she slept with 1,000 men, who cares? That doesn’t impact if she’s a good or bad person. Also, given her extremely religious upbringing, her sex life is the most understandable thing about her.
- The title?! When I was approved by Netgalley to read this, it was titled Confessions of an American Black Widow. But, I did some googling & apparently, it was previously titled: “Bitch on Wheels” — what?!?!
- I wasn’t a fan of the formatting/structure of the book. It jumps around a lot, and doesn’t flow well.

TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️Very misogynistic writing.

This story, set largely in the 1980s, focuses on the unscrupulous and formidable Sharon, a character who consistently stands out as a puzzling enigma. Olsen brilliantly captures her complex persona, which is captivating and disturbing in equal measures. One can't help but be amazed by the alarming naivety of the men drawn into her web, a point that truly stood out for me as I navigated through the book.

"American Black Widow" offers a deep and intriguing dive into the life and crimes of a true black widow. Olsen's storytelling skill makes for a riveting read, despite the exasperating naivety displayed by several characters. A solid choice for true crime aficionados looking for a mix of intrigue, suspense, and human psychology.


Thank you to NetGalley and Thread books for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

This was an interesting case I had never heard of. I do love me some true crime! The problem I had with this book is that it didn't read much like true crime. It was okay and I look forward to reading more by the author.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was about woman named Sharon who had three husbands and two of the were murdered. It was an okay book but it was not the that I have read reacently. Thank you for the author and netgalley giving me this ARC and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.

I really wanted to like this one. I've loved everything I've read from Gregg Olsen until now. The story itself had so much promise but like many others I found it too slow in parts. The time lines jump around a lot too without any warning which made it hard to follow in parts. Just not for me unfortuantely. I stuck it out hoping things would get better

Man oh man! Can Gregg write a book or what!! I loved this book! This was a shocking read but I loved every minute of it! I could not put this book down, read it in two days.

"American Black Widow," tells the chilling true story of Sharon Nelson, a woman whose web of deceit, greed, and murder left a trail of destruction in a small Colorado town. Set in 1976, the book explores Sharon's dark secrets and shocking crimes and the aftermath that unfolded.

When Reverend Mike Fuller and his wife Sharon arrive in Rocky Ford, their presence raises suspicion among the locals. While the minister appears cold and distant, Sharon's charismatic nature quickly captivates the community, including married optometrist Perry Nelson. The affair between Sharon and Perry leads to the dissolution of their marriages and their subsequent marriage to each other.

However, Perry's sudden disappearance raises questions. When his body is found at the bottom of a canyon, Sharon can claim his life insurance by portraying his death as an accident. Moving on, Sharon marries fireman Glenn Harrelson, but tragedy strikes again when Glenn's burned remains are discovered with evidence of foul play.

The police are left to unravel the mysterious deaths surrounding Sharon, leading to suspicion that she may be involved in the murders of both her husbands. The book delves into the investigation, exposing Sharon's manipulative and deadly nature as the truth begins to unravel.

With its shocking twists, sensational elements, and gripping narrative, "American Black Widow" captures the true story of Sharon Nelson, a woman driven by greed, sex, and murder. Fans of true crime will find this book to be a riveting and captivating read.

Gregg Olsen's meticulous research and engaging storytelling bring the chilling events to life, leaving readers both fascinated and disturbed by the depths of human deception and the consequences it brings. American Black Widow offers a chilling look into the mind of a killer and the impact their actions have on an unsuspecting community.

This book follows a black widow, Sharon, who is about as unlikeable as they come. First, she married to a Seventh Day Adventist minister. Although he seemed like a less than stellar partner, he definitely dodged a bullet by getting out with a divorce. If only her next two husbands were so lucky. Sharon is a woman I won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

I’ve read several Gregg Olsen true crime books and this one is consistent with his story telling in his others. He jumped around on the timeline in this one that was hard to follow at times and would’ve been helpful to have the timeline outlined in the chapter, but you pick it up as you go.

Olsen’s choices of analogies always bring a smile to my face. It’s kinda like listening to your dad tell you a really good story. And what a story this was! If you like true crime that is easy to digest without all the graphic details, this one is for you.

Gregg Olsen tells the crazy story of Sharon Nelson aka The Black Widow. Sharon seemed to manipulate most everyone around her, especially the men she set her eyes on. Her first husband, a preacher, ended in divorce. Her second and third husband ended up murdered. During all three marriages she had multiple affairs. The affair that seemed to last the longest was Gary. Gary didn't have a chance when it came to Sharon. He loved her so much he would do the unthinkable.

This story was nuts. How so many men were so taken with her blows my mind. All the games she played and how many times she cheated on each husband...it made me sad how they stayed. She was truly a bitch on wheels. It surprises me though how easy the Pizza Hut scene went down.

I thought the book was well researched. Gregg Olsen does a great job at going into detail about what is going on. I feel like some parts seemed a bit repetitive and I wish I got a bit more out of the ending. I listened and read the book. I thought the narrator did a good job! She kept me engaged. Overall I thought it was great and if you are a true crime fan, I would suggest the book! Thank you to NetGalley, Thread Books and Bookouture Audio for the copies of the book, in exchange for my review!

Thank you to Thread and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. I love true crime and was not familiar with this story. It was a very thorough description of what happened. Certain parts I felt like were long, but overall it was a quick fun read.

An unfortunate tale for the men in Sharon Nelson’s life. Sharon grew up in an extremely religious home and marries a minister who somewhere along the way she decides she can’t be faithful to and has much more fun with a rebellious spirit. Book describes her clothing, walk and talk very well and you truly visualize the seductive black widow in your mind. Very detailed descriptions of her extramarital affairs with numerous men, to me focused heavy on the sexual aspects more than the murders.

Thanks to Netgalley for my electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.