Karen Kijewski (pronounced key-EFF-ski) (born 1943) is an American writer of mystery novels, known for her Kat Colorado series.^[1]

Kijewski was born in Berkeley, California, the daughter of University of California, Berkeley professor Clarence Glacken, and received B.A. and M.A. degrees from UC-Berkeley.^[1] She was a high school English teacher in Massachusetts for almost a decade before dedicating herself to writing. A resident of Sacramento, California, she made a living tending a bar while establishing herself as a novelist.

Kijewski is married and has two daughters.

• Katwalk (St. Martin's, 1989). ISBN 0312029691
• Katapult (St. Martin's, 1990). ISBN 0312046790
• Kat's Cradle (Doubleday, 1992). ISBN 0385420951
• Copy Kat (Doubleday, 1992). ISBN 038542096X
• Wild Kat (Doubleday, 1994). ISBN 0385468512
• Alley Kat Blues (Doubleday, 1995). ISBN 0385468520
• Honky Tonk Kat (G.P. Putnam, 1996). ISBN 0399141332
• Kat Scratch Fever (G.P. Putnam, 1997). ISBN 0399142452
• Stray Kat Waltz (G.P. Putnam, 1998). ISBN 0399143688

Kijewski's first novel, Katwalk, received a mixed reception from reviewers;^[2][3] however it also won the 1990 Anthony Award and the Shamus Award the same year, both for "Best First Novel".^[4][5]