Kitty Goes to Washington - Carrie Vaughn

Kitty Goes to Washington
Carrie Vaughn
Warner Books

Paranormal - Thriller

Kitty Norville is a werewolf. And don’t think that little bit of irony is lost on her. She’s become famous through her radio talk show, answering the questions and concerns of other supernatural beings, humans on the fringe, and the sadly deluded. Until recently, she was based in Colorado, but she was expelled from her pack and has spent the last couple of months moving from city to city. Not just a rogue wolf, a rogue DJ.

Her feelings of being directionless change in a big way when she’s summoned to Washington DC to testify in Senate hearings regarding paranatural biology. Kitty is stunned to learn that she’s considered some kind of expert. Think werewolves are scary? Meet the guy who’s chairing the hearings: Joseph Duke, a Senator with evangelist tendencies. He sincerely believes in witches, vampires, werewolves, et al. He also sincerely believes that these beings should be destroyed and sent to the fiery pits of Hell. And there’s Elijah Smith, self-proclaimed faith healer who declares that he can “cure” vampirism and lycanthropy. Only problem is, no one who gets that “cure” ever manages to leave his side.

While in DC, Kitty manages to have a bit of fun, too. She unself-consciously does the tourist thing. She buys her first-ever Little Black Dress. She meets a were-jaguar whose human form is a very attractive man attached to the Brazilian Embassy. It’s the juxtaposition of Kitty’s human and were natures that makes her so interesting and deep as a character. This second novel is darker and more complex than KITTY AND THE MIDNIGHT HOUR, and that complexity makes this one the better of the two. That’s hardly a criticism, though, since the first installment was a standout, as well.

Readers looking for the latest in paranormal romance may be disappointed with this. The emphasis here is on action, intrigue, and the further development of Kitty’s character and the world she inhabits. And that is definitely not a criticism. By the way, if you haven’t read the first novel, it’s not absolutely necessary to enjoy this one. But I’d definitely recommend it. As a much-appreciated bonus, the author includes a great short story called “Kitty Meets the Band” and a little taste of the next Kitty novel. It can’t appear soon enough for me.

Rating: 9
Available: July 2006
isbn# 0-446-61642-7 (paperback)

Rating Scale = 1-10