Here, Kitty

by Hays Blinckmann

Here, Kitty

2023 American Fiction Awards Finalist in General Fiction

Hillsdale, Massachusetts, is a small town brimming with secrets. Unfortunately for its residents, they don't stand a chance once they meet sixteen-year-old Kitty Kittrick. As subtle as a thunderstorm, Kitty barrels through life in bright tracksuits, armed with cheeky questions and disarming honesty. Without the usual teenage insecurities-or any sense of social boundaries-she somehow wrangles the town's most troubled citizens and drags them out of the hot mess they call lives.

But this isn't just Kitty's story. It's about the people caught in her orbit. Peter, the twenty-five-year-old Yale dropout turned reluctant tennis coach, realizes maybe dosing his parents with pot brownies and mocking his brother aren't exactly healthy hobbies. Nina, Kitty's older sister and guardian, fears Kitty will uncover their darkest family secret-and that she herself will spend every Saturday night alone. Dave, Peter's best friend, hides his Tinder hookups, gambling debts, and oh yeah, the fact that he's gay, from his neurotic parents. Kitty's neighbor Mia, freshly divorced, is battling a book-banning coworker, an ex-husband now dating her sister, and her own barely concealed loathing. Meanwhile, her ten-year-old son Adam hacks his dad's Amazon account to send the family self-help books on narcissism. They're all liars, but lovable ones.

The catch? Kitty has one never lie-especially not to the people you love. But even she's tested when a stranger with a bad dragon tattoo rolls into town in a beat-up Corolla and manages to piss off the Starbucks barista.

Here, Kitty is a heartfelt, hilarious story about growing up, taking risks, confronting the past, and learning when to own your mistakes. never go to Costco high. Duh.

Genres: Family, Book Club

Audible Audio

Published August 28, 2026

About the author

About the Author
Hays Trott Blinckmann is a writer, journalist, teacher, and recovering painter. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Tufts University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. She lives in Key West, Florida, with her husband and two sons. Her other novels include In the Salt, Where I Can Breathe, Here, Kitty, and the young adult novel Yell Out Loud. They are available on Amazon and at bookstores throughout Key West. If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review on Amazon.com. As this is a published novel, your reviews and recommendations on social media help Tiny Little Earthquakes reach a wider audience. Thank you for spreading the word—places, people. Places!

Reviews

[Joanna Goldin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! The characters are quirky but so likeable. It’s a fast read that I kept wanting to go back to and just all around good writing. With some tennis thrown in!

[Annis Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book! It is just what I needed during these times!

[Denise Patri · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thought provoking wonderful book. The characters while complex, were simple. Everyone who reads this should strive to be their best Kitty & understand the subtleties of Mia (p. 279). Well done Hays! I hope she will continue the story of Hillsdale & it’s characters.

[Maria Korfioti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I needed to read something funny, intelligent and heartwarming and Kitty ticked all the boxes. I enjoyed the character development and found the protagonists relatable and extremely likeable. Fantastic story telling that makes me want to invite the author to dinner.

[JJ Hicks · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a small town where everyone knows everyone’s backstories and secrets, strengths and foibles 16 year old Kitty Kittrich interacts with many of the towns citizens and her unique manner affects all. A delightful story reflecting very current topics of 2024 America.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kitty Kittrick lives in the quaint town of Hillsdale, Massachusetts. It’s the kind of community where charming Netflix series are set, everyone knows your name and what you did in the third grade. Kitty walks into the local country club one day intent on playing tennis. This blue eyed blonde appears tall and strong and has never picked up a racket in her life. But Kitty is filled with a remarkable confidence at 16 years old that Peter has never encountered. To everyones surprise (except Kitty’s), she is spectacular and Peter, with his retired high school coach immediately begin training her for an upcoming tournament. Kitty isn’t the only one with a curious personality. Peter’s best friend Dave - whose parents own the club - manages the pro shop and will comfortably describe his autism spectrum to you along with his likes and dislikes, honesty that most find brutal and refreshing. While Kitty’s older sister Nina has dedicated her life to caregiving, a long buried secret returns to Hillsdale that may destroy them. At the same time, Dave’s parents announce they are retiring to the rat’s mouth and the race is on to win the tournament and save the club. This quirky cast of characters endure dysfunctional parenting, neurodiversity and online hookups - they will steal your heart and have you laughing out loud from the very first page. Highly recommend this dazzling new novel by local Key West author Hays Blinckmann. I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!

[Aliyah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here, Kitty is the kind of novel that makes you cheer for its characters from page one. Kitty is a character you can’t help but root for. She is hilarious and fiercely human. The story is edgy yet heartfelt with sprinkles of humor to keep you engaged. A real page turner that keeps you hooked from start to finish.

📚This is a story of a teenage girl named Kitty who lost her mom at a very young age. She now resides with her older sister Nina. Their neighbors, friends and Kitty’s tennis coach assumes pivotal roles in Kitty’s life. Kitty is quite a free spirited girl and her only pet peeve is that she absolutely detests lying.

As the story progresses she comes to the stark realization however that her entire life was built on a lie. She was too young to remember what her life was really like when her mother died and the circumstances surrounding her passing. A strange man confronts her with this truth but his visit turns out to be an unwelcome one. “Here, Kitty” is a real page turner that will have you hooked from start to finish.

[Tricia Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hays always has the power to create compelling characters and in Here, Kitty she has woven a story together around one girl, Kitty who is the touch point (and strong point of view) to the rest of the supporting characters. It is fun, it is funny, it is focused and a quick read. Perfect for vacation or an escape after the kids go to bed. You are endeared to the whole cast that each bring their world to life and have you rooting for them all. A couple of surprises keep you flipping pages quickly as you can since you want to know what is about to happen. Loved the book and the witty commentary about society.

[Marianne McGinnis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Independence Day

A quirky, laugh-out-loud, surprisingly sweet, story about life in a small urban community. Kitty, a high schooler, cares nothing about fashion, or other people's opinions, and her sister Nina, a nurse, cares everything about Kitty, her younger sister. Throughout the story, Kitty keeps popping up, but it is the other people in the story that help Kitty discover who she is.

[Sherrie Kubis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never lie

I was attracted to this story by its Foreword -- it was going to include all the bases for a banned book list. I love that, stand up to those controlling strong arm people. But then Kitty is introduced and my heart opened wide for her. When the remaining characters showed up, I jumped on this ride and was sad that it ended. Give this book a try, you won't be disappointed.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here, Kitty, a self published novel by Hays Blinckmann, introduces you to an interesting and lovable assortment of characters all with their own distinct personalities and flaws living in the small town of Hillsdale, Massachusetts. I found it difficult to categorize this book in a single genre. It is part family drama, mystery, crime drama, thriller, comedy and more. It concludes with a feel good ending that just seems to work. At times strange and quirky but I have always been a fan of quirky and offbeat. Different from most books I have read in a while which I enjoyed.

[lily curtis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Needed better editing

The story was entertaining and pretty well-paced. Unfortunately, it was so poorly edited that I got frustrated an put it down twice. Any high school graduate could have done a more professional job of editing for grammar and punctuation. This writer and this story deserve a better editor.

[Judy kay luttrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breath of fresh air

I really enjoyed this book it was lighthearted, funny,but also serious at times, it covered a range of issues that our country is facing today ,also it had a few surprises like Ken was actually Charlie. It was a joy to read.

[Katie S Mitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet, easy-to-read story with a cast of lovable characters. I enjoyed how they all seemed to weave themselves into each other’s lives- supporting and showing up when it mattered most. Sometimes you need a book with a happy ending, and this one delivered!

[dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read!

This book was inspiring! It has great life lessons from a 16 yr old that most adults could learn from. Loved it!

[Teresa Lynne Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

The interactions between characters were very real (heartfelt and funny). Definitely had some laugh out loud moments all the way through.

[Sherri · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a gem so unexpected!

Terrific writing amazing character development just what the doctor ordered in these crazy times ! Thank you so much for writing this book!

[Astra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic!

Loved everything about this book! I hope every small town school in the United States has a Kitty to set them right.

[laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved this book! story flowed, great chatacters that showed development....a feel good book !

[Kellyf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was funny, smart, and touching. Kitty is an incredible character. I hope we hear more from her in the future.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a character Kitty was! She made me laugh & wish more young girls were like Kitty.
A page turner, i was hooked from the start. A great story that felt so real to life.

[Tina Dobson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple, enjoyable read. Lots of quirky characters. A few morsels of sage advice. And it all ends happily ever after.
What’s not to love?

[Angela Bellander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining

I really enjoyed the characters and how they were woven together throughout the story and revolved around Kitty. Fun read!

[Deborah K Kiel · Rating 5 out of 5]

awesome read

Good inspirational read with a touch of secrecy in a small town. I would recommend this to anyone. I really enjoyed it 😊

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The narrator was not great on the audiobook

[Nancy Merrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feel good fun

Here Kitty, is breath of fun, fresh air. I found this book to be funny, quirky and just a light hearted read. Full of family and friends sticking together.

[Jen N · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't understand why authors take on the role of narrators. That ruined this audiobook for me. She doesn't have the voice for reading.

[John Maclean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here Kitty is a hoot! Funny and even irreverent, author Hays Blinckmann somehow also manages to make some very telling points about who’s great and who’s not in this convoluted country of ours. Buy it for the laughs, pass it on to those you think need to look in the mirror more closely. Hays Blinckmann takes a step up every time she writes another of her novels. Can’t wait to read the next one!