Caitlin Kittredge’s dark cities
It’s human nature to be scared of the dark. Maybe that’s why urban fantasy writers have such fun describing the fantastical events that take place in the hidden corners of modern cities. Caitlin Kittredge is one of the latest novelists to mine this rich territory. Kittredge burst on the scene in 2008 with her novel Night Life, the first entry in her increasingly popular “Nocturne City” series. The main character, Luna Wilder, is both a werewolf and a police officer, tasked with tracking down a serial killer. Fans of Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake novels will definitely be interested in checking out this series. Kittredge followed this debut up with Pure Blood and Second Skin before introducing her next series, “Black London.” The later novels Witch Craft and Daemon’s Mark are also part of the “Nocturne City” series.The first “Black London” book, Street Magic, introduces the female Detective Inspector Pete Caldecott and the haunted punk rocker Jack Winter. Together, the two unravel the mysteries behind a series of missing children. Some reviewers have commented that Kittredge (an American) doesn’t have as great a grasp of British slang as one might hope for, but this doesn’t prevent the “Black London” series from being another great read for fans of gritty city fantasy. Street Magic was followed by Demon Bound and Bone Gods. A fourth title, Devil’s Business, is set to be released in late 2011.Kittredge has also written two collaborative novels with Jackie Kessler (author of another urban fantasy series, Hell on Earth). Black and White and Shades of Gray center on best friends turned mortal enemies Jet and Iridium. While it’s not uncommon for friends to be torn apart, there’s one small fact which makes the dynamic more interestingboth characters, and many of the people they meet, have superpowers. The storyline starts with the pair’s friendship at a superhero training facility and then details the falling out between the pair.Fantasy noir and superheroes may seem like an unlikely pairing for an author, but I’ve got a feeling that Caitlin Kittredge has even more ideas that we’ve yet to see. If you’ve got an interest in digging into the darker sides of your favorite fantasy genres, check out one of Kittredge’s books. The gritty cities of her imagination could make your list of new favorite destinations.