I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Cat Fight: A Novel by Kit Conway Published by Atria Books on June 3, 2025
Genres: Fiction / Women
Pages: 352
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley
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Goodreads
Big Little Lies meets Tiger King in this fun and propulsive debut novel about three suburban women who, over the course of one summer, each use the growing hysteria around a big cat sighting to achieve their own agendas—some more sinister than others.
Former zoologist Coralie King now reigns over a different sort of animal kingdom as Queen Bee of Sevenoaks, a wealthy suburb of London. When her husband Adam spots a panther on the hood of his car at one of her exclusive dinner parties, Coralie is quick to reassure her guests that they’re in no real danger. She sees the sighting as the perfect opportunity to revive her career and promote her own ecological endeavors.
New neighbor Emma Brooks doesn’t believe for a second that there’s a big cat in their midst but is all too willing to use the concern as a distraction from her home remodel application that’s been facing scrutiny. Meanwhile, former punk musician Twig Dorsett doesn’t know what to believe. She never thought she’d return to Sevenoaks and be living in her childhood home, but after her daughter became sick, she and her wife traded their Bohemian life in Bali for the security of London suburbia.
As the summer heats up, the frenzy around the big cat sighting reaches a fever pitch when gnawed bones, pawprints, and scratches are discovered. But is the real predator a big cat on the prowl or is the true threat more of the domestic variety? Filled with gasp-worthy twists and turns, Cat Fight is a wickedly entertaining novel of suspense that examines the lengths to which some women will go when they feel caged.
Review
Ever wondered what would happen if you dropped a tiger into a Real Housewives episode? Kit Conway’s Cat Fight answers that question with delicious results.
This isn’t your typical suburban thriller. Sure, it’s got the usual suspects – three seemingly perfect housewives with secrets darker than their cold-brew coffee. But Conway throws a wild card into the mix: reports of a mountain lion prowling their manicured lawns. What follows is pure chaos, and I couldn’t put it down.
The story centers on Coralie, Emma, and Twig (yes, that’s really her name), three neighbors whose friendship was already hanging by a thread before the big cat showed up. As panic spreads through their gated community, each woman sees an opportunity. And that’s when things get interesting.
Conway’s greatest trick is making you care about these women even as they scheme, backstab, and manipulate their way through the story. They’re not likable – but they’re fascinating. Like watching a car crash in designer heels, you know it’s going to end badly, but you can’t look away.
The big cat mystery works brilliantly both as a literal threat and as a metaphor for the predatory nature of suburban life. Conway nails the subtle warfare of neighborhood politics: the passive-aggressive texts, the strategic party invites, the judgment disguised as concern. Anyone who’s ever been in a neighborhood Facebook group will feel seen (and slightly attacked).
The plot takes some wild turns, but Conway’s sharp writing and dark humor keep everything grounded. By the time you reach the twist-filled ending, you’ll realize the real predators were never the four-legged kind.
The bottom line is that Cat Fight is what you’d get if Big Little Lies and Tiger King had a baby and raised it in a gated community. It’s smart, savage, and seriously fun.
4/5 stars – Pour yourself a glass of wine and settle in for one wild ride.
