Once again Gregg Olsen has brought us another true life crime story. This time the book centre's on Sharon Nelson aka The Black Widow. A thoroughly dislikeable woman who was involved in the death of two husband.
The author gave a good insight into the events of the day. The narrator brought the story to life.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to see an ARC

I thought this book was really well written. The narrator did a great job portraying the different characters, and made me feel like I was watching a Netflix documentary.

Sharon Nelson is definitely not your average minister's wife. She is out for every man who has money and is attractive. When a couple of her husbands turn up dead or missing, it looks very suspicious, and Sharon becomes the prime suspect. This book was good, and it kept me interested. The narrator was great.

Thank you to Net Galley, Bookouture and Greg Olsen for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book "American Black Widow" and all opinions expressed are my own. I listened to the audio book. Sorry but this is a DNF at 20%. I just couldn't keep thing straight and I was becoming uninterested.

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!

I don't wanna be dramatic, but this book was effing brilliant. Could not recommend it more! Have never read a book so fast!
So gripping and so dark. Had to stay up very late to finish it - I inhaled it. Narrated fantastically well! Top marks!

I’ve recently started listening to true crime stories and this is an excellent author for it. He has a way of storytelling that also includes emotions and intrigue. The narrator was great too!

3⭐️ Sharon Miller/Nelson/Harrelson, the Black Widow who manipulated her lover to kill two of her three husbands, was straight up non-apologetic for everything she did. She was a former preacher's wife, mother and "operator" as I liked the book's description for her, who made her way to manipulate husbands and men to be at her every call.

Gregg Olsen did a great job portraying all the events that led to her conviction. The fact she confessed in a Pizza Hut makes it somehow even more realistic to me. One thing that's interesting to me was that Gary Adams didn't seem to get quite as bad of a reputation as she did as a result, when he did the actual murdering. Obviously, she's the mastermind behind it all, so I get it, but still.

I enjoyed the audiobook, but I definitely recommend always paying attention because of the alternating timelines.


Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for providing me with the opportunity to listen to and review this ARC.

I tried listening to this book but sadly I'm DNFing it. I guess I'm just not a True Crime reader. Rating it 3 stars because while this book wasn't for me it might be the perfect book for you.

Book Releases July 13, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ALC

All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

This is my first book written by Gregg Olsen and I will definitely be seeking out more of his work.

This was an enthralling and interesting true crime story about a woman named Sharon whose husbands just seem to keep dying in strange ways. This was a well written, investigative look at the key players in these deaths as well as interwoven interviews and statements from people who knew Sharon and her husbands - and lovers.

The author really takes the reader into the story and I found myself just wanting to read one more chapter to see what happened next. The story does bounce back and forth a bit and at times I wished it was more of a linear story so that I would be able to easily follow the trajectory of the story, but overall it was an incredibly engrossing story.

The entire time, I kept thinking - where's the mini series of this story?? It would make such a great true crime doc or miniseries and the minute I got done with it, I was googling to find out more.

The audiobook was awesome - the narrator really did a great job with different voices and really taking you on a journey with the story.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Thread Books, and Bookouture Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this true crime book by Gregg Olsen and wonderfully narrated by Karen Peakes - 4 stars!

Sharon Nelson was a minister's wife, but soon embarked on an affair with a local optometrist, Perry Nelson, which ended both their marriages. She married Perry but he soon disappears. When his body is found and she is able to collect his life insurance, she marries firefighter Glenn Harrelson. When he too is found dead by a gunshot in a house fire, police can't help but look at Sharon.

I love Gregg Olsen's book and this was no exception, with the caveat that I would have liked it more if it would have been in a sequential timeline. I mostly listened to the audiotape and it took me awhile to adjust to the back and forth in time periods. But it is always amazing how some women can get men to do their bidding, no matter what. Another gripping true crime story from Olsen!

Another great read & listen by Gregg Olsen. He seamlessly retells the events of Sharon's life while including things from her past to give you a clearer picture of who she is.

Another story that completely blows my mind how one person can manipulate so many people and get away with causing so much grief and chaos. Knowing that it's a true story breaks my heart for the kids involved. I just can't imagine living and going through everything they all faced.

I so enjoy his clear retellings of events, and the narrator did a fantastic job with the audio!

American Black Widow is the true story of Sharon Nelson, a woman who was involved in the murders of two of her husbands. The book reads like a Desperate Housewives soap opera which a tinge of Oxygen network style true crime. The story unwound dramatically, as Olsen foreshadowed the crimes and reputation of our black widow, while building the psychological profile of Nelson. Her relationships are chaotic and her magnetic effect on men moves the action of her life story forward.

I thought the book read well, with a section for each husband. The detail is incredible and immerses the reader in the time and place.

I’d highly recommend American Black Widow to anyone who likes fascinating domestic crime with sultry female vixens.

I listened to the audiobook and thought the narration was excellent.

I don’t read a lot of true crime books but I was so wrapped up in this one, it was so crazy! Very well written, highly recommend. Thanks NetGallery!

American Black Widow by Gregg Olsen (Audiobook)

Hatchet UK - Thread
Audible Release: July 13, 2023
Listening Length: 10 hours 23 minutes
Narrator: Karen Peakes
Genre: Biographies of Serial Killers
KKECReads Overall Rating: 5/5
KKECReads Rating for Performance: 5/5
KKECReads Rating for Story: N/A (True Crime)
I received a copy of this audiobook for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Gregg Olsen lives in rural Washington State (about a mile as the crow flies from Dr. Linda Burfield Hazzard's infamous Starvation Heights sanatarium). His thriller, THE LAST THING SHE EVER DID was an Amazon Charts bestseller. LYING NEXT TO ME was a reader favorite, charting at No. 1 in the Kindle store and the bestseller's list at the Washington Post. His true crime book, IF YOU TELL, found a home on Amazon Charts for more than 140 weeks. In fact, it was the bestselling Kindle ebook of 2020 (and the second-bestselling of 2021). I've been a guest on Dateline NBC, NPR, Good Morning America, The Early Show, FOX News, CNN, Anderson Cooper, Entertainment Tonight, Inside Edition, Extra, Access Hollywood, 20/20, Snapped, Deadly Women, William Shatner's Aftermath, and A&E's Biography. You can find out more about Gregg at www.NotoriousUSA.com.

“She started her story from the beginning.”

Secrets lies, and Pizza Hut.

This lady was a piece of work- wowza. How I had never heard of Sharon before getting this audiobook is bananas.

In a way that only Gregg Olsen can, this tragic true story was thoroughly researched, detailed, and respectful to the victims and families.

I appreciate how Olsen tells these stories. The research he does is so passionate about bringing the truth to the surface. He also writes these stories in a way that makes listening to them feel like you’re listening to a favorite podcast.

The narrator was fantastic. She had a pleasant voice and brought the various characters to life. Despite being a hoodie story about greed, selfishness, and murder, the narrator held my attention.

As devastating as these true crime stories are, the way Gregg brings them to light is remarkable. He presents his findings with such care.

The tagline immediately caught my attention and I was ready to dive in. This book is at times fascinating and just flummoxed. I honestly cannot fathom how Sharon’s behavior wasn’t brought to attention at church, especially considering she was a preachers wife. Alas, the story continues and while at times it dragged it was interesting and to hear what family members and neighbors thought of Sharon and the men she entertained and dated. This story is just proof that no matter what someone portrays them to be, deep inside they could be a monster. Trust your gut instinct.
The narrator, Karen Peakes was fantastic. She portrayed a variety of charachter and very well and I felt like she kept me engaged till the very end. The variety of tones and inflections were spot on.

Listened on audio. Liked the narrator's different accents and voices, but I don't think that it was one of my favorite Gregg Olsen books on record especially when I learned that it had been published before.

This was just ok for me, I’m a true crime junkie and was excited to dive into this but I found myself bored.

Absolutely chilling recounting of a woman in Colorado who threw away one husband after another, each in a more senseless, terrifying and cold-blooded manner. I've watched countless true crime documentaries and read tons of true crime books and articles and often feel like I've heard it all but this woman took everything she did to a whole new level and she had Satan's little helper for a boyfriend to carry out her evil plans. I'm quite shocked she pled guilty but not at all surprised that even with her plea she continued to deny responsibility for everything that happened.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

True crime is always good when dramatised. The American accent adds to the emersion. I like the way the story is nonlinear and we are given info about the history of the main characters interwoven into the story. Once the confession was done the ending was bish bash done. This did disappoint me as I would have liked to have heard more about the trial etc. However I oi appreciate this is a long story and this may have been a choice to keep the liatener engaged.
I enjoyed the narrator but at times felt tge atory could have benefitted from multiple narrators to enhance the characters.
I loved this audio. Thank you so much to net gallery and the publisher for my arc. Highly recommended 5 atars