Review: “The Kitten”
A unique vigilante women’s fiction thriller with a twist of dark comedy
This was my thirteenth book I chose via the Reedsy Discovery program, for which I am the single approved reviewer for this new book. I was intrigued by the preview and also in the mood for a short thrill of a read. This review also appears on Reedsy.
The Premise
After surviving traumatic abuse by her grandfather as a child, Chelle is now in her twenties and working in the Sheriff’s Department in the Crime Statistics Division — the perfect spot to monitor nearby pedophiles. With the help of her best friend Parker the mortician, she tracks, kills and disposes of predators that have eluded justice. She considers herself to be doing a public service, and it all goes well — until she comes across the wrong pedophile.
The Pros & Cons
This was a unique vigilante women’s fiction thriller with a twist of dark comedy.
As a survivor, Chelle knows that unfortunately, far too many of these sadistic criminals never get to see the full brunt of justice. Using her access at her job, she makes it her mission to follow up on those that slip through the cracks, and wipe them off the face of the earth — literally. Luckily, she has the wits and the means, thanks to her partner in crime Parker, who runs a mortuary and has a handy cremator she can use.
The novel’s writing style swings from a whimsically comedic image of Chelle belting out rock songs post-kill, to a low-swinging gut-punch of a reality check when she sees a pedophile’s shrine:
I grieve for each freckled and rosy-cheeked innocent face. These girls will never be the same. Their futures have been irrevocably changed, and their spirits often damaged beyond repair… I imagine the power of their nightmares and mourn for them.
The plot is filled with memorable characters that compel you to keep reading. I enjoyed Chelle’s interaction with her kidnapper, and her cunning methods to outsmart him. Despite the grave subject matter, there is a good balance of humour and entertainment, interlaced with a constant reminder that she is not a bloodlust killer, but imbued with purpose and mission:
I am not a crazed, homicidal maniac. I’m not some sicko looking to rack up a long list of kills. I don’t save trophies. I get no pleasure from what I do. I simply do what needs to be done. I’m a protector; a defender of the innocent.
My only qualm with the novel is that it has some non-linear moments and some cutaways that distracted me from the plot. For instance, we learn the kidnapper’s motives before Chelle actually does (though she is the narrator), which was a bit disappointing for me personally as I would’ve liked to see that moment unfold in real-time. The novel also felt a bit short, and I would have liked more, but I could see it being developed into a longer series.
Conclusion
Overall, there seemed to be a tenuous precariousness between “must entertain readers” and “must provide assistance” — and I think the author achieved a fair balance of the two. I appreciated that resources for reporting and coping with abuse were provided, and that therapy was included as a plot device. Even as we smile and breathe a sigh of relief at Chelle’s close calls, at no point do we forget that child abuse is a very real and pervasive issue in society.
Chelle was an engaging protagonist, and there was enough suspense interlaced with the humour and the drama to propel the novel forward to its satisfying climax. If you like TV shows like “Dexter” with a women’s fiction twist like the dark comedy of “Dead To Me”, this would be a good pick.
