boeklogboek: ARC Review: Gini Koch

The seventh book in the Katherine 'Kitty' Katt series, to be published May 7, 2013.
Genre: alien romance
Cover: Kick ass Kitty, loving it, even though it is different from the rest of the series.

Jeff and Kitty Katt-Martini have learned the ins and outs of Washington politics, not to mention how to prevail in intergalactic war and foil dangerous plots. But, in the aftermath of Operation Destruction, the Gower girls’ power burned out, the entire A-C population has been “outed” as the aliens living on Earth that they are, and, worst of all, ACE is nowhere to be found.
Then murder and mayhem are served up at an important dinner party at the American Centaurion Embassy, and when the dust settles, Alpha Team and the Diplomatic Corps have more problems than just a dead Congressman.
Is there a single criminal mastermind – or multiple enemies – behind all the conspiracies that want Kitty dead and the A-C’s gone of co-opted to become the War Division?
The return of the best assassins in the business, the reappearance of two individuals long-presumed dead, Agent Malcolm Buchanan felled by something no one can identify or cure, and new technology that can block even the most powerful empath on Earth … all this means the game’s officially afoot. Then Vance Beaumont comes to Kitty with a wild theory that someone is systematically killing off the House of Representatives …
It’s up to Kitty and the rest of the gang to find out what’s really going on and why. But will they be able to stop the killer or killers before the rest of he U.S. House of Representatives become casualties? And will the replacement Representative for New Mexico’s 2nd District, who happens to be Jeff Martini, be the next to die?

In the previous book, the Alpha Centaurians were outed to the Earthlings when they saved the earth from hostile invaders. Of course the population is divided, those who want them gone from Earth, and those who want to suppress them, to use them as soldiers and study them in a lab. Of course, there are also neutral people, but their voices are not heard.
Jeff Martini and his wife Kitty, to co-ambassadors for American Centauri (yes, they are all official US citizens, the government knew of their existence ever since they landed here) are busy learning the ropes and making friends and allies. They are hosting an important dinner, and are also busy with preparations for their daughter Jamie’s first birthday! Which is also a political event, instead of a family and friends affair. To Kitty’s dismay, they will have to invite the Cabal of Evil as well, and she really dislikes those people. But she will have to learn to smile and pretend to be nice, that is the life of a politician. It doesn’t matter that she did never want this job, and that she misses being in the heart of the action.
Jeff is a natural though, and he even enjoys following all the news and reading the boring reports and such.

That afternoon, the mailman returns with a new package for Kitty, and tells her he had to do almost his whole round again, as his load was knocked over, and he forgot to deliver that one when he came around first. But something is just not right about the package, and when Kitty sees an old enemy looking at her from across the square, she goes after him. Only to loose him at the cemetery, when she runs into some other old acquaintances. But her honorary uncle the Dingo assures her they come as friends, and are there to protect her. That package she is still carrying, holds a bioweapon and she really should give it to them to dispose off.
Going back home, she walks into Buchanan, her favourite bodyguard, but apparently he did not see the package. He only saw her chasing someone.

A very unsuspected visitor makes Kitty late for dinner, and again it is Buchanan who takes over for her. Until they can find out if this visitor is to be trusted, he will have to stay in the basement.
Kitty has to hurry back to the dining room, and she has to be nice to all the people waiting for her at the other tables. Her former friend Eugene, who sits at the table behind her, insists on helping her get seated, even though her two neighbours are perfectly capable of helping her. And he is very clumsy doing that, even bumping her into the table. When later their new friend Reyes (and Representative for New Mexico, their own district), gets sick, Kitty and Camilla help him to the bathroom, where it becomes clear he has been poisoned.

When Reyes dies on their soil, they have a murder on their hands, and Kitty is determined to find him or her. With the help of her favourite K-9 squad, that is not difficult. But when the killer is murdered while Kitty is questioning him, there are only more questions left they need to find the answers for. Especially if Vance tries to be her new best friend and wants to share his conspiracy theories with her.

What happens next is a lot of running around, talking theories and searching for clues in various politicians’ offices. Who can they trust, how will they find out the truth, and how do you make friends with your political enemies?
I liked the bits with the Peregrines and the Poofs, but I am sad that the Poofs did not have to come into action. The visitors from out of space are cool, and I hope they get to stay for a while, and help Kitty in her adventures. I was really glad to see a bit more of Reader in this book, as he was sorely lacking in the previous one. He and Kitty together are some of my favourite scenes.

Chuckie/Charles is getting married! His fiancée is turning into some kind of Bridezilla though, until Kitty gives her a piece of her mind about it all.
I also enjoy the parts with the hackers, the bantering with Kitty and those guys, and especially the obscure references to comic books and such.
And Amy is fighting to become the new director and manager of Gaultier Enterprises, as her fathers’ sole heir. He was evil to the bone and a lot of plots against the A-C’s lead back to Gaultier. With her at the helm, they will be able to find out more, and how to fight it.

But I have to admit, as I am really not interested in politics, and think they are all a bunch of liars and out to fill their own pockets instead of doing as they promised to their voters, I was not enjoying this book as much as the previous ones. Jeff as the new representative? Leaving Kitty as the sole Ambassador?
I am glad though, that I picked some clue up in the previous book, which was important for this one. My suspicions came true. And following a brilliant though chaotic mind like Gini Koch in one of her plots, is not easy. She keeps throwing surprises and twists as her readers, and it does keep you engaged.

I love the action, the main characters, all the different animals who all help out in their own way (except Belly) and the fun and weirdness of the plots. It is just, well, politics that I dislike.

I do recommend you to start this series with the first book, there are an enormous lot of secondary characters in those books, and you want to be introduced to them all gently. Otherwise, you have no idea of who is who and why are they doing what they are doing.
And I have to agree with Kitty, I miss the action from the first books, when they were the heads of the divisions, and could just go and fight the fuglies, instead of being polite to people you dislike. Music on loud, get the flyboys and go!

But now you know what the title means: Alien in the House!

8 stars.