Tolland Public Library Foundation

06/18/2026

Karen E. Olson, author of the Modern Tudor Mysteries series, was a fascinating guest last night in the Eaton-Dimock-King Authors Series as she spoke with the host, Tolland Public Library Foundation secretary Kate Farrish, about "A Defiant Woman."
Karen's been interested in the Tudors since she was a teenager and said it was fun and relatively easy to bring King Henry VIII and his six wives into modern times. Her focus was on the wives, each of whom was strong, intelligent and interesting in her own right.
Karen told the appreciative audience that she actually wrote the ending of the first book, "An Inconvenient Wife," first and then went back to the beginning.
Thanks to Foundation President Linda Byam and Denise Schroeder for the photos and to Library Director MaryAnne Pelletier for helping to publicize the event.

06/17/2026

About two hours to go until our free book talk with Modern Tudor Mysteries writer Karen E. Olson.
Come on down at 6 p.m. to the Tolland Public Library at 21 Tolland Green in Tolland to hear Karen talk about the latest in her 14 crime novels, "A Defiant Woman."

06/17/2026

Join us tonight, on June 17, for a free book talk with Karen E. Olson, author of "A Defiant Woman," the second in her Modern Tudor Mysteries series.
The talk takes place at 6 p.m. at the Tolland Public Library at 21 Tolland Green in Tolland. Parking is free in Lot C behind the library and town hall.
Karen, the author of 14 crime novels, is speaking as part of the Tolland Public Library Foundation's Eaton-Dimock-King Authors Series, which is now in its 15th year.
Publishers Weekly had this to say about Karen's series: “the wives, children and courtiers of Henry VIII are shrewdly reimagined as contemporary acquaintances of billionaire businessman Hank Tudor…It’s royally amusing.”

06/16/2026

We still have seats available this Wednesday, June 17 to meet author Karen E. Olson, of the Modern Tudor Mysteries series, in person as she highlights her latest book, "A Defiant Woman."
Olson, the award-winning of 14 crime novels, will speak at the Tolland Public Library at 21 Tolland Green in Tolland at 6 p.m.
The free book talk is sponsored by the Tolland Public Library Foundation as part of its Eaton-Dimock-King Authors Series that is now in its 15th year.
The book is the second in Olson’s series of mysteries in which, according to Publishers Weekly, “the wives, children and courtiers of Henry VIII are shrewdly reimagined as contemporary acquaintances of billionaire business man Hank Tudor…It’s royally amusing.” It follows Olson’s first in the series, “An Inconvenient Wife.”
USA Today bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan writes that she loved “A Defiant Woman.” “It’s not only a solid twisty mystery, but this sly tale of marital deceit, manipulation, and murder is witty and clever and completely entertaining,’’ she wrote.
Space is limited for Olson’s talk, and registration is required. Sign up here: bit.ly/4xwIjfl

06/15/2026

We still have seats available this Wednesday, June 17 to meet author Karen E. Olson, of the Modern Tudor Mysteries series, in person as she highlights her latest book, "A Defiant Woman."
Olson, the award-winning of 14 crime novels, will speak at the Tolland Public Library at 21 Tolland Green in Tolland at 6 p.m.
The free book talk is sponsored by the Tolland Public Library Foundation as part of its Eaton-Dimock-King Authors Series that is now in its 15th year.
The book is the second in Olson’s series of mysteries in which, according to Publishers Weekly, “the wives, children and courtiers of Henry VIII are shrewdly reimagined as contemporary acquaintances of billionaire business man Hank Tudor…It’s royally amusing.” It follows Olson’s first in the series, “An Inconvenient Wife.”
USA Today bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan writes that she loved “A Defiant Woman.” “It’s not only a solid twisty mystery, but this sly tale of marital deceit, manipulation, and murder is witty and clever and completely entertaining,’’ she wrote.
Space is limited for Olson’s talk, and registration is required. Sign up here: bit.ly/4xwIjfl

06/09/2026

Meet Author Karen E. Olson, of the Modern Tudor Mysteries series, in person as she highlights her latest book, "A Defiant Woman," on Wednesday, June 17 at the Tolland Public Library at 21 Tolland Green in Tolland at 6 p.m.

Olson is the award-winning author of 14 crime novels, a longtime Connecticut resident and a former copy editor at the New Haven Register. The free book talk is being sponsored by the Tolland Public Library Foundation as part of its Eaton-Dimock-King Authors Series that is now in its 15th year.

The book is the second in Olson’s series of mysteries in which, according to Publishers Weekly, “the wives, children and courtiers of Henry VIII are shrewdly reimagined as contemporary acquaintances of billionaire business man Hank Tudor…It’s royally amusing.” It follows Olson’s first in the series, “An Inconvenient Wife.”

USA Today bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan writes that she loved “A Defiant Woman.” “It’s not only a solid twisty mystery, but this sly tale of marital deceit, manipulation, and murder is witty and clever and completely entertaining,’’ she wrote.


Space is limited for Olson’s talk, and registration is required. Sign-up here: https://tollandct.libcal.com/calendar?cid=21006&t=d&d=2026-06-17&cal=21006&ct=77597&inc=0

05/28/2026

On June 17 at 6 p.m. at the Tolland Public Library, come meet author Karen E. Olson, of the Modern Tudor Mysteries series, as she highlights her latest book, "A Defiant Woman."

Olson is the award-winning author of 14 crime novels, a longtime Connecticut resident and a former copy editor at the New Haven Register. The free book talk is being sponsored by the Tolland Public Library Foundation as part of its Eaton-Dimock-King Authors Series that is now in its 15th year.

The book is the second in Olson’s series of mysteries in which, according to Publishers Weekly, “the wives, children and courtiers of Henry VIII are shrewdly reimagined as contemporary acquaintances of billionaire business man Hank Tudor…It’s royally amusing.” It follows Olson’s first in the series, “An Inconvenient Wife.”

USA Today bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan writes that she loved “A Defiant Woman.” “It’s not only a solid twisty mystery, but this sly tale of marital deceit, manipulation, and murder is witty and clever and completely entertaining,’’ she wrote.


Space is limited for Olson’s talk, and registration is required. To register, visit https://tollandct.libcal.com/event/16924185?register

05/19/2026

Author of the Modern Tudor Mysteries will speak at Tolland Public Library on June 17

Karen E. Olson, the author of the Modern Tudor Mysteries series, will give a talk about her latest book, “A Defiant Woman,” at the Tolland Public Library on Wednesday, June 17 at 6 p.m. at 21 Tolland Green.
Olson is the award-winning author of 14 crime novels, a longtime Connecticut resident and a former copy editor at the New Haven Register. The free book talk is being sponsored by the Tolland Public Library Foundation as part of its Eaton-Dimock-King Authors Series that is now in its 15th year.
The book is the second in Olson’s series of mysteries in which, according to Publishers Weekly, “the wives, children and courtiers of Henry VIII are shrewdly reimagined as contemporary acquaintances of billionaire business man Hank Tudor…It’s royally amusing.” It follows Olson’s first in the series, “An Inconvenient Wife.”
USA Today bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan writes that she loved “A Defiant Woman.”
“It’s not only a solid twisty mystery, but this sly tale of marital deceit, manipulation, and murder is witty and clever and completely entertaining,’’ she wrote.
Space is limited for Olson’s talk, and registration is required. Register at https://tollandct.libcal.com/event/16924185.

04/12/2026

Our friends at the Tolland Historical Society are hosting this interesting program on Thursday, April 16 in the library’s Program Room.

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Join the Tolland Historical Society on Thursday, April 16 for another interesting America 250 program when it hosts Kevin Johnson in "Jordan Freeman: The Fight to Set a People Free."
Freeman was an African American servant of John Ledyard and the body servant of Col. William Ledyard in the Revolutionary War.
Mr. Johnson, an employee of the State Library’s History and Genealogy Unit, has been portraying Mr. Freeman for about 17 years. His presentation is based on extensive research in the collections of the Connecticut State Library and the Museum of Connecticut History in Hartford.
The talk will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on April 16 in the Program Room of the Tolland Public LIbrary at 21 Tolland Green in Tolland.
There is a suggested $5 donation, which can be made in person or via https://tollandhistorical.org/ The Tolland Historical Society is a community-affiliated partner of the State of CT America 250 | CT Commission and will have continued programming throughout the year.