Gregg Olsen (born March 5, 1959, in Seattle, Washington) is a New York Times, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal bestselling author of nonfiction books and novels, most of which are crime-related. The subjects of his true crime books include convicted child rapist and school teacher Mary Kay Letourneau, product tampering killer Stella Nickell, fasting specialist Linda Burfield Hazzard, and former Amishman and convicted murderer Eli Stutzman.
Gregg Olsen | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 5, 1959 Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Genre | True crime, Thriller |
| Website | |
| greggolsen notorioususa | |
Career
editOlsen has received awards and acclaim for his writing. The Deep Dark: Disaster and Redemption in America's Richest Silver Mine was selected as Idaho Book of the Year in 2006 by the Idaho Libraries Association and was a finalist for a Spur Award for best contemporary historical nonfiction book by the Western Writers of America. In 2007, The Deep Dark was also selected by Boise State University as its first-year read for incoming freshmen. Starvation Heights was selected by Washington State Library and the Washington Secretary of State for its annual Everybody Reads literary program for books that contribute to the culture of the state.
Starvation Heights, a crime novel, was adapted for the stage by Portland, Oregon playwright Ginny Foster and debuted as a part of the National New Play Festival in July 2008. It was announced in January 2009 that the book was optioned by producer Jason Fogelson and Pulitzer Prize-winner Tracy Letts for a film adaptation with Letts named as writing the script.[1] It also was listed as a New York Times bestseller at number 7 on December 28, 2014, in e-book nonfiction.[2]
In 2012, Envy, a novel by Olsen, was Washington State Library's choice to represent Washington in the Pavilion of the States at the 2012 National Book Festival.[3]
Olsen has appeared on Good Morning America, The Early Show, Court TV, Entertainment Tonight, CNN, FOX News, 48 Hours, and other US and international TV programs discussing criminal cases.
Awards
editStarvation Heights, originally published in 1997, reached number 9 on The New York Times bestseller list in the crime-and-punishment category on February 14, 2016.[4]
Victim Six debuted on USA Today's bestseller list on October 2, 2014,[5] with Closer Than Blood debuting the week of April 14, 2011, on USA Today's bestseller list, where it remained for three weeks.
Bodies of Evidence, the first in a book series titled Notorious USA, which Olsen wrote with co-author Rebecca Morris, debuted the week of September 22, 2013, at number 16 on The New York Times bestseller list in e-book nonfiction[6]
If Loving You is Wrong, one of Olsen's Crime Rant Classics releases, made The New York Times bestseller list in e-book nonfiction at number 4 the week of August 18, 2013,[7] and USA Today's bestseller list on August 8, 2013.[8] It also made The Wall Street Journal's list, debuting at number 7 in the nonfiction e-book category the week of August 8, 2013.[9]
A Shocking True Story, released in 2013, was number 9 for two weeks on The New York Times bestseller list in e-book nonfiction the weeks of June 5 and June 16, 2013.[10]
His first New York Times bestseller was Abandoned Prayers, which was number 11 for two weeks beginning the week of July 6, 2003, in paperback best sellers.[11]
Personal life
editOlsen lives in rural Olalla, Washington, with his wife, a graphic designer.
Bibliography
editNonfiction
edit- If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood, (2019) about Michelle Knotek
- A Killing in Amish Country: Sex, Betrayal, and a Cold-blooded Murder, (2016) about the murder of Barbara Weaver by her husband Eli.
- A Twisted Faith, (2010) about Nick Hacheney, a philandering minister who killed his wife[12]
- The Deep Dark (2005), about the 1972 Sunshine mine fire in Kellogg, Idaho[13]
- Starvation Heights, about Linda Burfield Hazzard[14]
- Cruel Deception, aka, Mockingbird, the case of Munchausen Mom Tanya Reid
- If Loving You is Wrong, the story of Mary Kay Letourneau
- Abandoned Prayers, about the Eli Stutzman case
- Bitter Almonds, the story of Stella Nickell
- Black Widow, about Sharon Lynn Nelson
- The Amish Wife, about Ida Stutzman, Eli Stutzman case
- If I Can't Have You: Susan Powell, Her Mysterious Disappearance, and the Murder of Her Children
Novels
edit- A Wicked Snow (2007) (ISBN 0786048468)
- A Cold Dark Place (2008) (ISBN 1988812712)
- Heart of Ice (2009) (ISBN 1607517620)
- Victim Six (2010) (ISBN 1616641770)
- Closer Than Blood (2011) (ISBN 1611295610)
- Envy (2011) (ISBN 1402789572)
- The Bone Box (2012) (ASIN B0063KB2OO)
- Betrayal (2012) (ISBN 1402789580)
- Fear Collector (2013) (ISBN 1780332904)
- Shocking True Story (2013) (ISBN 1489502793)
- Run (2014) (ISBN 1940610699)
- The Girl in the Woods (2014) (ISBN 1629532800)
- Now That She's Gone (2015) (ISBN 147210949X)
- Just Try to Stop Me (2016) (ISBN 0786029986)
- The Sound of Rain (2016) (ISBN 1503941965)
- The Boy She Left Behind (2017) (ISBN 1943818312)
- The Last Thing She Ever Did (2018) (ISBN 1683248414)
- Lying Next to Me (2019) (ISBN 1542040515)
References
edit- ^ Administrator. "IMPRINT and VIGILANTE ENTERTAINMENT TO BRING STARVATION HEIGHTS TO FILM - PRBuzz Press Releases". vee2.net. Archived from the original on 2014-12-28. Retrieved 2013-09-14.
- ^ "Best Sellers". New York Times. 4 January 2015.
- ^ "- WA Secretary of State - Office". wa.gov.
- ^ "Best Sellers". New York Times. 14 February 2016.
- ^ "Victim Six". 21 June 2013.
- ^ "Best Sellers (e-book nonfiction) - The New York Times". Nytimes.com. 2014-01-22. Retrieved 2014-04-10.
- ^ Best Sellers - The New York Times
- ^ "If Loving You is Wrong". 21 June 2013.
- ^ "WALL STREET JOURNAL BEST-SELLERS". U-T San Diego.
- ^ Best Sellers - The New York Times
- ^ PAPERBACK BEST SELLERS: July 6, 2003 - New York Times
- ^ "Local News - The News Tribune".[permanent dead link]
- ^ "'The Deep Dark' Chronicles Deadly 1972 Mine Fire". NPR.org. 21 May 2005.
- ^ MARA BOVSUN (6 June 2010). "Starvation death diet: Doc was hungry for patients' loot". NY Daily News.