• Kitty and The Midnight Hour

  • Kitty Norville, Book 1
  • By: Carrie Vaughn
  • Narrated by: Marguerite Gavin
  • Length: 7 hrs and 1 min
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (2,992 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Kitty and The Midnight Hour  By  cover art

Kitty and The Midnight Hour

By: Carrie Vaughn
Narrated by: Marguerite Gavin
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $14.61

Buy for $14.61

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Editorial reviews

Kitty Norville is just your average, everyday Disc Jockey, except for the fact that she turns into a werewolf every full moon. But that werewolf bit is a secret, at least until one night she starts taking calls about the paranormal and stumbles into hosting a popular, syndicated advice show for the supernaturally gifted (or afflicted). Things are going great with the new show at least until a hitman tries to kill her on the air. But after talking her way out of being murdered, and charming the hitman to her side in the process, Kitty has to find out who's really behind the hit...while at the same time unwillingly assisting the police in an investigation of suspicious deaths which look like the work of a werewolf. Untangling these two mysteries would be complicated for anyone, let alone a DJ out of her depth, and it's all made even more complex by werewolf clan dynmaics, the vampire clan eager to get the werewolves away from their turf, and a preacher who claims he can cure supernatural afflictions.

To pull off the first-person narration of a talk show DJ in an audiobook, it's essential to capture the feel and sound of the talk show host just right. If that was a challenge for narrator Marguerite Gavin, you'd never know it; she sounds so authentic as DJ Kitty Norville, you'd think she was a DJ herself. This is partly due to Vaughn's witty dialogue and strong authorial voice, but Gavin brings a little something extra to the role that you wouldn't necessarily get when reading it off the page. The several "Midnight Hour" talk show bits in the book sound pitch-perfect in depicting both Kitty's hosting persona and the callers' personalities and neuroses, thanks in large part to Gavin's excellent pacing and injection of attitude and sultriness into the role.

For fans of Sookie Stackhouse's adventures or contemporary urban fantasies, this one is a no-brainer. But even if you don't normally go for that kind of thing, Kitty and the Midnight Hour deserves a spot in your listening queue. It's just plain fun, and Gavin's talents shine throughout the narrative, making it one of those audiobooks that'll have you wishing your commute was a little bit longer so you'll have the excuse to keep listening. John Joseph Adams

Publisher's summary

Kitty Norville is a midnight-shift DJ for a Denver radio station---and a werewolf in the closet. Sick of lame song requests, she accidentally starts "The Midnight Hour," a late-night advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged. After desperate vampires, werewolves, and witches across the country begin calling in to share their woes, her new show is a raging success. But it's Kitty who can use some help. With one sexy werewolf hunter and a few homicidal undead on her tail, Kitty may have bitten off more than she can chew.
©2005 Carrie Vaughn, LLC (P)2009 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Fresh, hip, fantastic.... Don't miss this one. You're in for a real treat!" (L. A. Banks, author of he Vampire Huntress Legends series)

Featured Article: The Best Urban Fantasy Audiobooks


Urban fantasy is a melting pot that borrows all the best elements from our favorite genres to create truly unique worlds where anything is possible. With components of paranormal, noir, suspense, mystery, thriller, romance, and (of course) fantasy, these stories are vivid and colorful, bursting with magic while remaining rooted in city settings we know and love. These titles range from romances and historical dramas to gritty noir mysteries, but they all have one thing in common: the perfect blend of reality and realms beyond, offering a sweep-you-off-your-feet story that will make your own world melt away.

What listeners say about Kitty and The Midnight Hour

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,199
  • 4 Stars
    1,027
  • 3 Stars
    550
  • 2 Stars
    145
  • 1 Stars
    71
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,200
  • 4 Stars
    677
  • 3 Stars
    274
  • 2 Stars
    53
  • 1 Stars
    37
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    967
  • 4 Stars
    709
  • 3 Stars
    402
  • 2 Stars
    103
  • 1 Stars
    58

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

BILL CLINTON WAS A WEREWOLF

AROUSED LIKE HE HAD BEEN LEAD OU OF A MONASTERY, INTO CHEERLEADING PRACTICE.
I like to read Gardner Dozier's The Year's Best Science Fiction, anthologies and Carrie Vaughn has become a regular in those collections. I like her short fiction and even though, as others have said, I am not into leather clad female werewolves, (At least I don't think I am) I was entertained and impressed again by Vaughn's talented writing. The main character is intelligent and likeable.

HE WAS PACK AND HE CARED
It was interesting that I was walking my dogs, and watching the young one constantly bump up against the older dog, when it is mentioned in the story that werewolves are always touching. It is obvious that Carrie has done her homework on the behavior of wolves, although I will admit the Briggs does an even better job in Alpha and Omega.

YOUR THIS VOICE OF REASON
An interesting concept of this book, is the radio talk show. I used to drive real early in the morning and catch some weird radio shows about paranormal stuff and I thought that was what this was going to be. It kind of starts out that way, but ends up being more of a Frazier type show with Kitty being the voice of reason to troubled Vampires and Werewolves. Normally I like more plot, but Vaughn is a superior writer and I was not bothered by the lack of not much of a plot. It was also interesting how the world finds out that vampires and werewolves actually do exist and how quickly they are to accept. Once accepted, this brought up new ideas, like what type of laws do you use to govern vampires. Vampires are immortal, so do you lock them up for life? Is a werewolf killing another werewolf, considered the same as a human killing another human?

Gavin
Narrator is above excellent and makes this book a lot better listen than a read.

Book two is in my wish list.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

53 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Pleasant Surprise!

I tried this and some other books after browsing some Amazon lists for new authors. Based on the cover art and the publisher's description I expected an OK book, but I was happy to find a book that exceeded my expectations. I really enjoyed this book the entire way through.

I adore the narrator based on listening to her read the Rachel Morgan series so that helped, but the story also deserves credit for getting my interest early and keeping it the whole way through. Ms. Gavin reads with a rhythm that's engaging and that feels like someone actually talking versus the fake, repetitive, sing-song rhythm some narrators use. She does a fabulous job of defining each character with her voice, which I don't think is an easy thing to do well.

I agree with another reviewer about some characters being somewhat derivative, but I didn't find it so blatent that it bothered me. That said, I'd like to see a unique, quirky, interesting character or two added as the series progresses.

There was enough going on in the plot to keep things moving and the main character was realistic and likeable. I was happy that the author stayed away from some of the trite characteristics for the main character that I've seen in some books of this genre.

I'd stretch things and give the book a 4 rating instead of a 3.5, mostly for managing to catch my interest so well with the first book in a series, but I decided to give this a 5 overall because of the narration. I've already downloaded the next book in the series and can't wait to listen!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

38 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Love Kitty

Well, I thought I'd be embarrassed or at least bored reading a book about a DJ wolf named Kitty, but it was on sale and I figured, why not?
It was hugely surprising. The writing is funny. The main character is... well, actually she starts out the kind of girl you really want to hit, but grows into someone you'd want to hang out with, except that everything that could go wrong, does around her.
I've finished the series, and just like her more and more in every book. Among other things, she has this... O.K., I realize the whole world is falling apart around me and hitmen/demons/crazed religious zealots/whatever else could possibly be horrible in the world is after me, but I've still got to do the show, attitude that makes you shake your head and smile.
Some people don't seem to like the narrator, but I do. I understand the complaints, but think her narration makes Kitty funny, if a bit older than she is supposed to be. I'm even thinking of getting other books from this narrator based on her appeal.
Can't wait for Kitty's next adventure.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

23 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A main character who actually has some growth!

I know.... I know... Kitty's tolerance of physical and sexual abuse was an intentional part of the story and, to be fair, Vaughn did this very well - i.e. unlike many (too many) other writers in this genre who write abuse/coercion like it's romance, the abuse in this story was certainly presented as abuse, not romance. But it was still a bit frustrating at times and I just wanted to shake Kitty and tell her to smarten up.

Someone compared Kitty with Rachel Morgan and, surprisingly, I have to agree. If you liked Harrison's Morgan series, you'll probably like this book too: the tone is similar, the main characters are similar, even the plot is sort of similar (well, not the plot so much as the theme of "main character trying to find herself and her place among her peers/friends as she grows in strength/awareness")

And that sorta sums up the plot. It's about 2/3 an exploration of Kitty's life/growth and 1/3 an investigation into what might happen in (our current) world where werewolves are discovered to be real. We are not left hanging at the end of the book, but there is enough left unresolved that you'll be curious to see what Kitty gets up to in the next installment. I quite liked it and plan to read the rest of the series.

The narration is very good. There is violence and sex but it's not graphic and I don't recall much in the way of swearing.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Good first book

If you have enjoyed Carrie Vaughn's book in print, this is an EXCELLENT audio version. If you didn't, this may still be worth it, because of the reader.

The plot is a little piece meal, as it is a novel created around at least one short story (the meeting of Kitty and Cormack). Still, it is a good story, and unlike a lot of the urban fantasy, the paranormal isn't the main focus of the book. The characters are, and Kitty is a likable heroine who is finally growing up, starting the journey from cub to mature adult. She doesn't arrive at maturity here, but she makes some strong steps.

Still, except for Kitty most of the other characters aren't memorable. Some of them are derivative. For example, Cormack is Edward from Laurell Hamilton's Anita Blake series, and the local police detective is Jim Butcher's Lt. Karen Murphy from the Dresden Files, TJ is Patricia Brigg's Warren from the Mercy Thompson Series, and so on.

The narrator, Marguerite Gavin, is excellent. She also does most of Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan Series, and as with those, she reads the main character in a strong, spirit filled way without sounding silly, simpering, or bitchy. The speaking is clear, characters easily identified, and convincingly emotional.

Based solely on the story, this is 3.5, but Ms. Gavin makes it closer to 4.5 for me.

I hope all of the Kitty Books make it to audible, and I hope Marguerite Gavin reads them.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Terrible.

From the discription I thought this might be good, but I could barely finish an hour of listening. I hated the main character she was whinney and snively. And to me the sex scene was basiclly rape. Not my idea of a good story. After only one hour I have vetoed this auther for life.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Good enough if you like werewolves

I am generally not a huge fan of post-Buffy urban fantasy, particularly the "hot chicks in leather" genre. The only reason I decided to try the first book in the popular "Kitty Norville" series is that I've heard good things about the author, Carrie Vaughn, and also it was on sale on Audible.com.

Well, Kitty and the Midnight Hour is well-written and not as schlocky as I feared, but it did not change my mind about the genre, nor am I likely to continue following the series. I found the story entertaining mind candy, but it's certainly nothing that stands out from the crowd. Also, I got so tired of Kitty groveling, whining, submitting, etc. By the time she finally did grow a pair -- sorry, grow some claws -- I just wanted to see the designated Love Interest werewolf hunter shoot her. I wanted to see more vampires and werewolves and learn more about how their world works, not listen to endless tedious angst about how much it sucks to be a lycanthrope. Shades of White Wolf!

The story is split into several different threads: Kitty's renegotiating her place in the supernatural world (and in her pack), a rogue werewolf who's killing people, and an evangelical preacher who claims he can "cure" the supernatural. None of these plot threads are completely resolved by the end of the book, so obviously you're meant to read the next installment. I wish I could say that the strength of Kitty's character was enough for me to want to find out what happens next, but it's not. The most entertaining bits were Kitty's on-air advice to lovelorn (and/or seriously delusional) supernaturals and supernatural-wannabes, but this was also too thin a premise by itself to keep me engaged with the series.

Not a bad read, certainly, but I'm becoming increasingly judgmental about well-trodden genre novels, and this just didn't have enough Win to overcome my aversion to "hawt vampire-boinking chick" series. (Okay, in fairness, Kitty doesn't boink any vampires... at least not in this book.)

The performance by Marguerite Gavin was fine, and she gave Kitty in particular plenty of personality and a snarky attitude, and handled what must have been a difficult job of narrating two and three-way on-air conversations quite well. She did seem to like giving every male character a European accent, though.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Really enjoyed it!

When I first saw the listing, the title led me to think this would be "fluff" - I am glad I took another look and decided to listen, as I really enjoyed this book! Don't let the title fool you - this is a great supernatural Sci Fi read!

Maguerite Gavin is a great narrator - love her on the Kim Harrison "Witch for Hire" series - and she didn't let me down as Kitty.

I just finished The Midnight Hour, and I am already downloading the second book! Looking forward to Kitty's next adventure!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Great narrator, almost literature

Almost Chick Lit. Has sociological study value. The narrator is perfect for this reading. I think one of the better values available in audible.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Book... Horrible Reader

I like to listen to books at work and I was excited to see unabridged recordings for some of my favorite urban fantasy books. However, I have found myself fighting to stay in the story as it is read because of the formality and lack of character matching on the part of the reader. The publishers could not have found a more inappropriate reader for these books if they tried. All the wit and humor is lost with her stiff and formal delivery, and the action sequences are dry and lifeless...nothing like the book itself which is filled with tension and excitement, broken up with just the right amount of biting wit.

I certainly hope there is a better reader for the rest of this wonderful series.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful