St Martin’s Press, $6.99, ISBN 978-0-505-52750-9
Fantasy, 2007
Confessions of a Werewolf Supermodel is released at around the time that I hear about the passing of the author, so this is the author’s final book. You may want to consider this when you pick up this book, because this one is clearly the first book in a planned series around our werewolf supermodel heroine Lou Kinipski’s life and loves. In other words, this is the first book in a series that will never be finished. Still, in a way, I’m glad as well as a little heartbroken to read this book because this is the first book by the author that I enjoy.
Lou Kinipski is a werewolf. She doesn’t know how she came to be in her condition, but being that she was adopted, she suspects that she may learn the answer when she locates her birth parents. She first learned that she is a werewolf, a big time one, on the day of her high school prom when her date tried to rape her and she ended up making mincemeat out of him. Terrified at what she had done, she fled town. One things led to another, and she is now a famous supermodel. If only she had to deal with unexpected fur and fang sprouts during photo shoots, she’d still be happy. No, when the story opens, Lou realizes that she is also somehow “seeing” another werewolf murdering his victims. She is understandably worried that she may be the killer, since she’s the only werewolf she knows, heh. When a cop begins showing up to ask questions, poor Lou realizes that her problems are only beginning.
Terry Shay is arguably a pretty bad detective as he ends up spilling more details about the crime to Lou, more than he should have. She’s a civilian, after all, and he has no reason to believe that she is not a suspect. Still, this isn’t his story. He’s just one of the many potential beaus in this story for Lou. Yes, Lou has probably the most obvious romantic ties with Terry in this story, but there are two other men vying for Lou’s affections here, and nothing romance-wise is resolved by the last page of this book.
This is Lou’s story, first and foremost, and she’s such a doll. Lou is a tough heroine who can take care of herself. Ms Thompson has done a fine balancing act here in making Lou a sarcastic heroine who is at the same time likable rather than insufferably bitchy. Lou is not perfect, mind you, and there are moments when she behaves like a queen bee, but at the same time, Lou is adorable as she sticks by her friends and she has enough self-awareness to make me like her. The murder mystery and the mystery of Lou’s parentage and werewolf traits are also nicely balanced with the more conventional chick-lit moments in this story.
The packaging of Confessions of a Werewolf Supermodel is quite misleading in that it may lead someone to believe that this is a screwball bimbo comedy when it actually isn’t. Lou is far from a bimbo – she has the smarts to kick rear end and she knows it. My only complain in this story is the anticlimactic scene that deals with the villain. I mean… that’s it? If I blink, I could have missed that moment!
Should I ask you to read this book? Well, since the mystery is wrapped up neatly by the last page, leaving only the romantic possibilities up in the air, I’d say, yes, go give this book a try. It’s a fun and entertaining lighthearted read, perfect for whiling the blues away.
