Crime Debut Launches Today

Author Valerie Saul drew inspiration for the novel from her frustration with the narrow depiction of older women in contemporary fiction. She aimed to create characters who are more than caregivers and grandmothers, instead portraying them as bold, daring, and capable of anything from riding motorcycles to chasing down bad guys. The story is set in the San Francisco Bay Area and follows a former FBI agent, Beth Winstead, who, after the death of her husband, joins a rowing club. An unexpected rescue of another widow from a derelict sailboat leads to the formation of a secret crime-fighting group known as "The Badass Widows." What starts as a joke with small acts of justice quickly escalates into bolder missions, giving the women a new sense of purpose. However, their actions attract unwanted attention, and they find themselves in danger when two of the members are stalked. Saul herself has a diverse background, with degrees in audiology, speech pathology, and psychology, and has worked internationally in hearing healthcare. She is an alumna of the Stanford Continuing Studies Creative Writing program and has lived an unconventional life, including surviving cancer twice and sailing from California to the South Pacific. The novel is published by Sibylline Press, a publisher that exclusively focuses on the work of women authors over the age of 50. The publisher's mission is to feature bold storytelling and complex female characters over fifty, giving them center stage. Reviewers have compared "The Badass Widows" to popular mysteries like "The Thursday Murder Club" and "Killers of a Certain Age," praising its blend of riveting suspense and charming humor. The author has indicated that she plans to write more books featuring these characters, so readers can likely expect to see more of the badass widows in the future.