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Street Magic (Black London #1)

by Caitlin Kittredge

3.52 · rating details · 1,231 ratings · 189 reviews

Her name is Pete Caldecott. She was just sixteen when she met Jack Winter, a gorgeous, larger-than-life mage who thrilled her with his witchcraft. Then a spirit Jack summoned killed him before Pete's eyes--or so she thought. Now a detective MSOffice2], Pete is investigating the case of a young girl kidnapped from the streets of London. A tipster's chilling prediction has l...more

Mass Market Paperback, 326 pages

Published June 2nd 2009 by St. Martin's Paperbacks

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Jun 18, 2010

Suzanne the Mighty ~Satin Seductress~ rated it

Shelves: urban-fantasy, author-caitlin-kittredge, 1-series-i-am-rabid-about, paranormal-creature-menagerie, demons, crazy-interesting-character

Pete Caldecott was 16 when she thought Jack Winter died. She unwittingly helped him summon best left dead and he died from it, and she has been denying what she saw that day every day and night since. 10 years later she is an Police Inspector, working on a case where children are getting snatched. This leads her to Jack, who says he can tell her where the missing children are. But the supposedly long dead Jack is not how she remembers, he is 10 years older, a heroin addict and living on the stre...morePete Caldecott was 16 when she thought Jack Winter died. She unwittingly helped him summon best left dead and he died from it, and she has been denying what she saw that day every day and night since. 10 years later she is an Police Inspector, working on a case where children are getting snatched. This leads her to Jack, who says he can tell her where the missing children are. But the supposedly long dead Jack is not how she remembers, he is 10 years older, a heroin addict and living on the streets. But he does help her, bringing her into the world of the Black, where the line between the normal and the magical is thin and the dark things in the corner of your eyes are waiting for a chance to ensnare you.

I can't state how much I loved this book. It was dark and gritty and nothing was ever quite as it seemed. The world of the Black, was a nightmareish place, things were always on the look out to rip your throat out and take your power. In Jack Winters world it was kill or be killed. The whole book had a sense of forboding and darkness about it that made it a fast paced and exciting read.

I have seen Jack Winter described like Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And I think maybe appearence wise that may be the case, but I think Spike would be a pale shadow next to Jack. Jack was an interetsing and absorbing character, he was selfish, remorseless, and utterley charming, but also a complete bastard at the same time. He was neither truely good, nor truely bad, he isn't the kind of character that would always do the right thing, but rather the right thing for Jack Winter. Having said that you could see especially towards the end that he cared for Pete alot, she gave him a reason to live. Pete was also a good character, although she didn't have Jacks twists, turns and contradictions, she was still interesting. We saw the book through her eyes, and so was introduced to the different elements of the Black through her. What I liked about their relationship was that in most cases it was Pete, the female protaginist, coming to Jacks rescue. She was a fierce protector, even when trying to save Jack from himself. Although there isn't really a romance per se between the two, you can see that Pete loves Jack, and probably has since she was 16, but it isn't said out right, it is more a feeling you get from the actions and thoughts that she has, as for Jack I think he also felt the same. I imagine that the romance element will grow through out the series.

The writing style might not be to everyones taste, I thought it quite lyrical, it uses a lot of metaphors and can be quite abstract, but for me how she wrote this was wonderful and absorbing. I think that it adds to the air of being somewhere out side the normal world and helps to create this shroud of darkness and ambivlance that surround not only the Black, but also Jack's life.

So I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, and for those who like their books dark. Also people who like dangerous heroes will also find someone truely dangerous in Jack Winters.

I actually got this book from the library but it is one that I am going to buy as for me it is definately a keeper.(less)

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Jul 15, 2009

Mistress ~ ♠ Mistral's Kiss ♠ ~ (Mist) rated it

Shelves: urban-fantasy, painful-to-finish, authors-voted-off-the-island, abandoned-series-graveyard, sucktastic-the-writing-it-burns

I'll keep this review completely positive. I liked the cover. That is all.

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Jun 06, 2009

Angela rated it

Shelves: urban-fantasy

I was already aware of Caitlin Kittredge via her excellent Night Life, and so when I got the chance to check out an ARC of Street Magic, I leapt on it with enthusiasm. And I was not disappointed in the slightest.

Street Magic is set in a London that's every bit as dark and gritty as Night Life's Nocturne City, with the advantage of a certain lyricism of style that wasn't present for me in the other book. A great deal of this comes out of Kittredge getting back to the basics of what ma...more

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Feb 02, 2009

Anna rated it

Shelves: reviews, urban-fantasy

Street Magic is an exciting fast paced read. Prior to reading this new book I read Ms. Kittredge's first two books in her Nocturne City series and just loved her writing voice. Her characters take you on a journey of non-stop action. The writing isn't bogged down with unneccesary dialouge that you find in some dark fantasy books. I always find that refeshing. Pete and Jack are quiet interesting and havegreat chemistry. Their back and forth nagging at each other was amusing. The onlyproblem I had...more

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Oct 08, 2011

Fangs for the Fantasy rated it

When Pete Caldecot was 16 she saw something magical. With her sister's boyfriend, Jack Winter, they conjured something, a man of shadows and smoke, a creature Jack couldn't stop or hold within his circle. And Pete saw it kill him.

She's 28 now and a police inspector with the MET – and investigating a string of child abductions. The children go missing and the return, damaged and blinded, their energies drained. And there to help her is Jack, back from the dead, but driven to the edge by...moreWhen Pete Caldecot was 16 she saw something magical. With her sister's boyfriend, Jack Winter, they conjured something, a man of shadows and smoke, a creature Jack couldn't stop or hold within his circle. And Pete saw it kill him.

She's 28 now and a police inspector with the MET – and investigating a string of child abductions. The children go missing and the return, damaged and blinded, their energies drained. And there to help her is Jack, back from the dead, but driven to the edge by drug addiction and the pressures of his magic.

Pete now faces a whole new world to deal with, the world of Black London with ghosts and fae and monsters and magic and Sorcerers kidnapping children for their own cruel purposes. Pete must rescue the children, stop the predator and confront the memories she has buried for 12 years – not least of which the memories of Jack and his death. Meanwhile she has to work with Jack, the mage and her one guide to this confusing and horrendously dangerous world which means negotiating Jack's addiction and the bitter memories he has.

This book was probably one of the darker and grittier urban fantasies I've read. Jack is not a nice person – he's harsh, ruthless, cold and merciless when he has to be. And Pete isn't much better – the minute she sees how brutal the Black is, she has no compunctions about charging in and beating the shit out of anything in her way. They're both very powerful, very no-nonsense characters, they're both dangerous, they're both not afraid of being dangerous and they both put violence very high on their lists of actions to resort to. When they kill people they don't weep over the corpses, they don't fret over it, they don't navel; gaze or have emotional breakdowns. They kill them, dispose of the bodies and move on. There was a brief time when Pete had some issues being a police detective and leaving bodies around but she's practical and ruthless and is quick to realise when her rules don't apply. It's actually very interestingly done, because she does stop Jack shoplifting. To get it done, she'll pile up bodies in the Black because there's no alternative, but she doesn't flagrantly disregard the law either. It's an interesting balance.

It does make for a very strong and very edgy pair. Both have their vices and Jack is a full blown drug addict. They're both willing to fight and they've both cursed each other out on a regular basis. Ok part of that is the English accent – I don't know why American writers of British accents feel the need to cram as much “authentic” British profanity into every line. No-one says “bugger” and “buggering” this often. Really. In fact, no-one swears that often – seriously it's ridiculous. Also what's with all the mohawks? Even when punk was in I don't think there were that many (frankly you need to take some great big suspension of disbelief pills to believe this is set in London – or even England. It probably won't be so bad to read if you're not British. But at least because you've concussed yourself to believe English people actually talk like that, believing that Pete is even remotely a police officer will be much easier).

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Aug 01, 2011

Mlle. X rated it

Shelves: awful-do-not-read, paranormal-urban-fantasy

The best thing I can say about STREET MAGIC is that I finished it because, uh, it was touch and go there for a while. This book seems to consist entirely of the sort of drama drama drama nonsense that gives reality TV such a bad name. If I had to do an elevator pitch for this novel, I think it would go, "It's like the Real Housewives of London, starring Sid Vicious the junkie mage, an annoying groupie, and set in a Hot Topic...."

In the prologue we find out that when Pete was...moreThe best thing I can say about STREET MAGIC is that I finished it because, uh, it was touch and go there for a while. This book seems to consist entirely of the sort of drama drama drama nonsense that gives reality TV such a bad name. If I had to do an elevator pitch for this novel, I think it would go, "It's like the Real Housewives of London, starring Sid Vicious the junkie mage, an annoying groupie, and set in a Hot Topic...."

In the prologue we find out that when Pete was a starry-eyed teenager she accompanied Jack Winter to perform a magic ritual. From what I could tell, he was dating her older sister at the time and they didn't know one another very well. The ritual goes awry and Pete is left with the impression that Jack died. Twelve years later, they meet up again. Pete is a cop, Jack is a junkie. Kittredge goes all out with the descriptions, so we find out how skinny, wrinkly and ruined Jack is...and yet the second Pete sees him, she reverts to reverts to dreamy-eyed teenage behavior. It's actually embarrassing to read. For his part, Jack is supposed to be sexy, I guess? Except that all he does is smoke and pose and mouth off.

The whole book felt like an endless succession of ridiculous declarations, "Why did you leave me there to die, Pete!" and "I never stopped thinking of you, Jack!" The plot (about a ghost that kills children) only exists in order to give Pete and Jack the opportunity to storm out on one another (this time for good!), or else dramatically insist that they'll die for one another, or maybe for one of them to declare that he/she doesn't care about the other, only to dramatically put his/her life on the line anyhow.

Also, another reviewer here commented about the annoying Britishisms. But the reviewer was British and I figured that would make him/her particularly sensitive to a false vernacular. Now that I've read the book I can say: the annoying Britishisms are just as annoying and weird to an American. Every page is so cluttered slang that the writing - which is otherwise of a pretty good quality - becomes outright ridiculous. If you took a drink for every time Kittredge uses the word "bloody" in this book you would die of alcohol poisoning before reaching the halfway point. And not just "bloody": Kittredge also tosses in "bloke" and "telly" and "lift" (instead of elevator - and MAN are there are lot of elevators that need mentioning in this novel), "git" and "bint" and "luv" and "dodgy" and "sodding" and on and on and on, scattering them liberally throughout the text at a rate of three or four per page. It's silly. It doesn't sound British, it sounds like a Saturday Night Live sketch.

So, yeah, I did finish STREET MAGIC but by the time I got to the end I hated Jack, I hated Pete, and I hated the book.(less)

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Jul 23, 2011

Kathy Davie rated it

Shelves: fantasy, paranormal

First in the Black London urban fantasy series set in contemporary London.

The Story
Something is kidnapping children in London. When they are found, the children are blind. With no memories. Inspector Pete Caldecott is desperate to find the latest victim and when a clue takes her to a hotel room. She goes. Discovering her nightmares have all been for naught. Jack Winter is alive. A junkie but alive.

Jack only laid the information to get it out of his head. If he'd known i...more

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Jun 02, 2011

Joseph Teller rated it

Shelves: fantasy-urban-horror

The first book, evidently, in a new series 'Black London', this is the dark-magical-mystery-tour kind of story. Female London Police Inspector "Pete" is dealing with a missing children's case and gets a tip from an unlikely source, a punk musician sorcerer-wanna be she met in her teenage years that she thought had died twelve years before before her eyes with a failed summon in a graveyard....

Before she knows it he becomes her main lead to find a series of kidnapped childre...more

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Jan 31, 2011

Day rated it

You know that feeling you get when you finish a book and all you want is more? It's a wonderful high that every booklover is familiar with and one that once it gets it's hooks in you turns an average reader into a full on series-junkie. That is what happened to me with Kittredge's Black London series...it is like crack to me.

Not only is the series intelligent, but it looks at the typical Urban Fantasy set up in a very different way. The heroine is a well-bred, smart woman who, despit...moreYou know that feeling you get when you finish a book and all you want is more? It's a wonderful high that every booklover is familiar with and one that once it gets it's hooks in you turns an average reader into a full on series-junkie. That is what happened to me with Kittredge's Black London series...it is like crack to me.

Not only is the series intelligent, but it looks at the typical Urban Fantasy set up in a very different way. The heroine is a well-bred, smart woman who, despite her run in with trouble as a teen, has made a great life for herself. Pete (short for Petunia) is on her way to a great career in Scotland Yard as a detective. She has carved a respectable path for herself and overcome several obstacles including turning a blind eye to the magical elements in her world. However, there is one ghost from her past that has the power to either help her embrace who she really is and achieve her goals or derail her intended path all together...Jack Winter.

I LOVE JACK. Jack Winter is like Buffy's Spike meets Karen Marie Moning's Barrons meets Billy Idol, and maybe a quick rendezvous with Iggy Pop. Sounds crazy right? Well it is crazy...crazy awesome!

In Jack Winter we have an incredibly tortured hero who is flawed beyond compare. A skilled mage, Jack has his own demons both literally and figuratively speaking. These demons rear their ugly mugs in the form of drugs, abuse and dark magic- making Jack a miserable almost pathetic character. Yet, despite the numerous things against Jack he has one unlikely champion and the relationship between Pete and Jack is one that keeps people guessing. Is he only interested in Pete for her raw talent and what she can offer him, or is there more to his desire to have her with him?

Kittredge does an amazing job with molding modern day London into a new, dark, magic-filled world. Her use of slang and vernacular might have been heavy in some places but I bought every word, and I think that is her real talent. Kittredge made me believe everything she wrote and transported me into her world and even though it is dark and creepy as hell...I didn't want to leave.

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Nov 22, 2010

Samantha rated it

It took me several attempts to really get into this book. I'm not sure why. I'm glad I did, though, because it's fairly good, and I may pick up the sequels.

Yes, it's basically your standard urban fantasy. Having one of the protagonists be a heroin addict is an interesting twist. Now, London having a "mysterious dark side" complete with pubs full of colorful characters is not even remotely new - Simon R. Green and Neil Gaiman are authors I can think of off the top of my head ...more

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Feb 27, 2010

Mardel rated it

Street Magic is a dark, dark fantasy. The main character is so flawed. The secondary character is extremely flawed, in fact, he's a straight up asshole. Pete (a female cop) has issues - issues that I think a lot of women have (falling for the wrong man). She's also pretty tough and in some serious denial about her abilities. This is not one of those books where the "bad" character isn't really bad, this guy has some issues and uses to self-medicate (that's all our excuses!). There is n...moreStreet Magic is a dark, dark fantasy. The main character is so flawed. The secondary character is extremely flawed, in fact, he's a straight up asshole. Pete (a female cop) has issues - issues that I think a lot of women have (falling for the wrong man). She's also pretty tough and in some serious denial about her abilities. This is not one of those books where the "bad" character isn't really bad, this guy has some issues and uses to self-medicate (that's all our excuses!). There is no sudden soberness for him either, this guy screws up a few times. Jack, her sister's former boyfriend is an addict. A strong magic wielding lost little-boy heroin addict. They end up working together, feeling strong dislike for each other to help find some missing children. Somehow, all this works. The story is full of surprises, dark fantasy figures, and bad things happen to people. There is also a nice mix of modern life, mixed in with legendary fae mythology.

There is a lot of action in the novel, and Pete begins to come to an acceptance of herself, as well as slowly learning that there's more to life than meets the eye. The dialogue between the main characters is wonderful. They say some nice things to each other, they say some horrible things to each other. There is absolutely NO sex in this book. Refreshingly, the characters aren't suddenly falling into bed with each other at an odd time, or suddenly making out with each other, although you can tell that at one time they were attracted to each other.

I was reading about very flawed people, who do some not very nice things, and I wanted to keep reading. I was really enjoying the not-so-perfect characters. I think that this book is way better than Caitlin Kittredge's Nocturne books (which I do enjoy). Even though the characters were so....broken and flawed, they still persevered. They egged each other on, and all the way through the book there was just the teeniest bit of possibility that things would work out.

The sequel to this, Demon Bound is available now, and I'm so glad that I won it in a contest, because it's sitting on my shelf right now. Until I finished Street Magic, I wouldn't have felt like buying the sequel, and I would have missed out on a very good series.

A good book to have your fantasy shelf

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Feb 24, 2010

Melissa Hayden rated it

Shelves: urban-paranormal-fantasy

I really enjoyed this book, so much so I was not able to put it down until I was through the whole thing. I really enjoyed the banter between the two main characters, Pete & Jack. They really have one heck of a love/hate relationship. The British slang was a great touch as well. It took me a little bit to get what they ment, but when I caught on to the meanings I absolutely loved it. I got such a kick out of the slang even when it was in anger.

There where a few moments I got slightly...more

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Feb 13, 2010

Cindy rated it

Recommends it for: anyonethat like Patrica Briggs, Harrison, or Paranormal

Recommended to Cindy by: Found it when shopping a buy 3 get the 4 free sale

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Street Magic By Caitlin Kittredge

Pete Caldecott is the daughter, yes daughter, of a respected former member of Scotland Yard in London. Pete's life is turned upside down when she is assigned to a very strange kidnapping case, and to interview an informant on the case. The problem is that this someone from her past was supposed to be dead for the last dozen years, and now he hates her.

Jack Winter, a former boyfriend of Pete's sister MG, a Punk Rock singer who also happens...moreStreet Magic By Caitlin Kittredge

Pete Caldecott is the daughter, yes daughter, of a respected former member of Scotland Yard in London. Pete's life is turned upside down when she is assigned to a very strange kidnapping case, and to interview an informant on the case. The problem is that this someone from her past was supposed to be dead for the last dozen years, and now he hates her.

Jack Winter, a former boyfriend of Pete's sister MG, a Punk Rock singer who also happens to be a powerful mage. Jack and Pete first meet when she is sixteen (and he much older). Jack recognizes in Pete a hidden power or magic, which Pete herself is totally unaware of. Jack takes the young Pete to a cemetery to try to raise the ghost of a long dead Sorcerer. Things go terribly wrong when Jack looses control of the summoning, and ends up dead (or so Pete thinks and has been lead to believe) and Pete barely escapes.

When Pete, who had followed in her fathers footsteps and becomes a detective, is assigned the task of interviewing an informant in the kidnapping cases New Scotland Yard is working on, she gets the shock of her life. Pete is so desperate to stop these kidnappings, she is willing to accept Jacks help despite his acrimony towards her and his heroine habit. Desperate because these youngsters, turn up blinded and drained of their essence but alive. Not only does Pete have to clean up Jack, so he can help her and not hinder her in trying to solve these bizarre disappearances, but try to overcome his seething hate of her.

This one has a little bit of everything for Paranormal fans (sorry no romance)Mages, Sorcerers, Banshees, Unseelies , Ghosts and Shades, and a healthy dose of Celtic mythology. Pete is a kick butt heroine, who walks the line leaning more to the straight and narrow, but willing to try questionable tactics to get the job done. She is stubborn but not rigid, and though not thoroughly sure of all the supernatural awakening within her life and self, but willing to accept it and figure out how it can benefit her.

I give this a 4.5 out of 5 not only because Kittredge's writing has matured so much in this book, but also her character development and their relationships are complex and yet believable despite the the nature of the subject matter.(less)

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Jan 24, 2010

Jess rated it

Shelves: 2010, urban-fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 10, 2009

Rachel rated it

Shelves: supernatural, fiction

I first read a Pete and Jack short story in one of the multi-author supernatural fiction collections, and liked it enough to pick up this book. I have to say, this is the first attempt I've seen to do "grim and gritty" supernatural fiction that's actually succeeded. It has what looks to be an interesting magic system, sympathetic characters, believable motivations, and an engaging setting.

The book starts with the event that ended Pete and Jack's association when they were...more

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Aug 09, 2009

Ascexis rated it

Shelves: neverreadagain, cop, magic, urbanfantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Not impressed. This is clearly written by an American, and possibly one who's watched Buffy and a certain amount of UK police procedurals. The language is self-consciously Briticised, Jack in particular sounding like he fell out of the Spike school of English slang. The main character, a woman DCI dealing with child abductions appears to also get handed other cases, and be based at Scotland Yard. She refers to the cells there. I can't even begin to enumerate the things wrong with that scena...more

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Aug 08, 2009

Michelle rated it

Shelves: 2009, fantasy

When Pete Caldecott met the irresistible Jack Winter when she was 16 years old, she knew her life would never be the same again. Older and wiser with magic at his fingertips, Jack seemed to charge the very space his lived in. That is until Pete watched him get killed by a shadowy form he tried to summon from a graveyard. Flash forward 10 years and Pete is now a London detective with a string of cases involving missing children. After receiving a mysterious tip about their location, Pete discover...more

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Jun 05, 2009

Writtenwyrdd rated it

Shelves: urban-fantasy, wiccan-pagan-witch

I read this in one evening because I enjoyed the story so much. Actually, I enjoyed the voice so much. Pete (short for a horrible first name) and Jack Winter are opposites who attract. Both are foul-mouthed and take-no-prisoners personalities, but Jack is an asshole and Pete is a cop who is tough enough to do the job. Together their dialog and interactions are highly entertaining.

I was really impressed by the quality of writing in this book and intend to read the rest of the seri...more

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Apr 13, 2009

Ashley rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This review contains slight spoilers.

Pete Caldecott is a Detective Inspector with the Metropolitan Police Department in London. (Pete's a strange name for a girl, by the way, even if it is a nickname). She takes care of all the missing children cases, and the cases haven't been tragic in her experience, until a young girl named Bridget gets kidnapped. A person has information on Bridget's whereabouts, and requests Pete meet with him to exchange the info. When Pete goes to collect...moreThis review contains slight spoilers.

Pete Caldecott is a Detective Inspector with the Metropolitan Police Department in London. (Pete's a strange name for a girl, by the way, even if it is a nickname). She takes care of all the missing children cases, and the cases haven't been tragic in her experience, until a young girl named Bridget gets kidnapped. A person has information on Bridget's whereabouts, and requests Pete meet with him to exchange the info. When Pete goes to collect, she discovers the tipper is Jack Winter-and he's still alive. True to Jack's word, Pete finds Bridget, and the poor girl has been brutalized, including being blinded. Pete teams up with the reluctant Jack, and together they try to discover who's behind the kidnappings-before it's too late.

Pete Caldecott is a heroine anyone would love. She's tough, sassy, and can take care of herself. She does some soul searching in this book as well. Most of her life, she's denied a part of herself that has long awaited to be recognized. In recognizing that side of herself, she is able understand things about the paranormal that others can't. She continually beats herself up over the "death" of Jack in the beginning of the novel because she believes it's her fault, and has never really gotten over the love and affection she had for him. Our hero Jack, on the otherhand, is a sort of enigma. We don't know what happened to him in the twelve years of his disappearance, and we are gradually brought to light on what made him become a heroin addict. His dislike and hatred for Pete is mysterious as well, because for awhile it's not revealed why he feels this way towards her when we saw that he liked her before his "death." Kittredge does a good job of drawing out the mystery that is Jack Winter. He continuously and deliberately battles with drug use because he has the "sight"- he can see the world of the dead-and taking drugs helps to dilute what he sees so it doesn't drive him insane. Pete helps him gets sober (somewhat at least :P) and although he is bitter and ungrateful at the start, as the plot builds and the deeper he and Pete get into things, he starts to appreciate what she's done for him and a kindling of the old attraction starts to rise up. (It's a very subtle thing, not a BAM in your face thing). Jack is my favorite person in the book, because under all the mystery and tough guy demeanor, you can see that he's a good guy, and he cares about what happens to Pete and the abducted children, although he shows differently.

Street Magic is definitely a book I'll recommend highly to anyone, and is in a series I look forward to following. It's a fresh take on the paranormal world. For those of you who love books with romance, I'm sorry to say, this book is devoid of anything heavy like that. I'm not saying books are useless if they have no romance in it, not at all, so please don't get that picture. It does have hints at attraction, but it's a very gradual thing since Jack totally hates Pete at the beginning. The gradual buildup of attraction is enough to want readers to continue the series and sees what happens next. There is significant plot development and growth in the characters. Nothing is out of place or seems like a grinder grinded up bits of words and sentences and threw them up on the page. I literally didn't want to stop reading, although it would have went beyond reason to do so, since sleep is very important for the human body :P The only thing that irked me was the fact that the attraction between Jack and Pete didn't go anywhere. I understand why; it would have messed the book up if the attraction did go somewhere, when there were/are obstacles that Pete and Jack have to overcome before that can be possible. I can't wait for the next book in the series, although it will be a very long wait, since this one isn't even published yet.(less)

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Aug 29, 2009

K. Bird rated it

Caitlin Kittredge is from "Team Seattle" , a group of urban fantasist authors who reside in and around Seattle.

She's the one I knew least, (I tried the first in her Nocturne City books and wasn't hooked) but her newest series (Black London) set in a modern London with magic looked right up my alley.

And it was. Street Magic the first in the series, rocked. And rolled.

I loved it. For a jaded palate such as mine (too much urban fantasy, paranormal roma...moreCaitlin Kittredge is from "Team Seattle" , a group of urban fantasist authors who reside in and around Seattle.

She's the one I knew least, (I tried the first in her Nocturne City books and wasn't hooked) but her newest series (Black London) set in a modern London with magic looked right up my alley.

And it was. Street Magic the first in the series, rocked. And rolled.

I loved it. For a jaded palate such as mine (too much urban fantasy, paranormal romance, etc in the past year) it was a delicious, spicy feast.

First of all, although real Londoners may say the slang and dialogue isn't true, for this USAian, it totally felt true. I loved all the "bollocks" and "git" and all that. I loved that the tea they drank tasted of minerals in the water and there weren't references to lattes. Take away curries instead of burgers.

I also loved the characters. And for me, the main characters can make or break a book. Pete, the Detective Inspector, tough, caring, and trying desperately to forget the day Jack Winter took her to a graveyard and used her to summon a ghost resulting in his death. Jack Winter, the punk rocker (an amazon reviewer accused the author of channling spike from Buffy the vampire slayer, and I have to say Jack does resemble him a bit) with the sight who should have died that day, but lived and has spent the intervening years using heroin to control the overwhelming presence of ghosts and fae revealed by his sight.

Jack is also tough and caring and irredeemable and extremely likeable. You end up completely understanding why Pete keeps hanging out with him although he's exactly what should be wrong for her. He's magic, she's terrified of what she saw years ago during that summoning. He's a criminal and a heroin addict. She's the police.

And while there is an understated romantic element there, it is never brought out to the foreground. Which should have frustrated me as a romance junkie. However, what Kittredge does so well is portray how these two characters interact with each other and need eachother (all without getting into Jack's head, so kudos. Although a lot of darkening of the eyes, etc is used so we can get his emotions)and in the portrayal of that information, all my hunger for relationship is satisfied.

So you would think this would be a slow paced book, wouldn't you? But not at all. The story is pretty much non stop breaking into places, fighting to get out, and smoking Parliaments and drinking tea.

I loved it. I'm totally looking forward to the next book in the series. I totally recommend it for people who read urban fantasy. (less)

· see review

Jun 01, 2009

Brooke rated it

A Blurb:

Pete Caldecott has a dark past, a past that she has vowed to keep buried in the darkest depths of her memories, but her nightmares are getting worse making it difficult to sleep. Pete is a detective and her current case is finding children that are disappearing. When she receives a request from an informant to meet him, alone, she is shocked to find out that it's Jack Winter, a huge part of that dark past that she thought was dead and gone. The once punk rocker who mesmerized...moreA Blurb:

Pete Caldecott has a dark past, a past that she has vowed to keep buried in the darkest depths of her memories, but her nightmares are getting worse making it difficult to sleep. Pete is a detective and her current case is finding children that are disappearing. When she receives a request from an informant to meet him, alone, she is shocked to find out that it's Jack Winter, a huge part of that dark past that she thought was dead and gone. The once punk rocker who mesmerized her when she was 16 is there in the flesh and strung out on heroin. He might be screwed up, but his tip leads her directly to the missing girl. When more children go missing, she finds herself going back to Jack for help. They will have to face some dark powers that may very well get them both killed, but Pete knows that working with Jack is the only way to save the kids (and themselve) before it's too late.

The Review:

Pete Caldecott, our heroine, is tough as nails, but not in an overly done annoying way. She can stick up for herself, and isn't the type that needs rescuing, nor does she want it. Jack Winter, the hero, is rough around the edges and extremely powerful. The two have great chemistry and the tension between them could bring grown men to their knees. Fans will love this new duo, and will be left sitting on the edge of their seats waiting for more. Street Magic is a gritty, dark, and thrilling addition to the Urban Fantasy genre. Being based in London gives the book a gloomy feel with it's foggy streets and shadows lurking in every corner. Kittredge not only has a way with words, but a way with worlds. She's a master at creating new and edgy places for her characters to dwell in. Making both of her series a pleasure to read. For Street Magic , she does a terrific job of using British slang without overdoing it, and this makes the book even more enjoyable. You'll probably have learned a few new words for daily use after reading
this one!

So how about it? Get your sodding arses out to the bookstore and pick this one up! :)(less)

· see review

Sep 09, 2010

Styles rated it

I presume you know what the book is about. I'm letting you know what I liked or disliked about it.

Edgy. It's an overused adjective used to describe, well. You know. Everything. BUT I seldom use it as I tend not to be in a position to need to sell anything. And, so it is with much surprise that I choose to use this most appropriate word to describe this read. It is edgy, and it is awesome.

The book, it's tone, and it's story are much darker than a typical "urban fantas...more

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Jul 11, 2011

Joy A. Ball rated it

Caitlin Kittredge is a great writer. And this was a good read, but she seems to have a common thread in all her writing (at least the ones I've read so far). It seems she likes to give her male protagonists a major character flaw. The result is a character that isn't quite as savory but you end up liking him anyway, for the most part. I was hoping that in this new series we'd see a large variation from her Nocturne City Series. It wasn't. Oh there were differences. The obvious being a change of ...moreCaitlin Kittredge is a great writer. And this was a good read, but she seems to have a common thread in all her writing (at least the ones I've read so far). It seems she likes to give her male protagonists a major character flaw. The result is a character that isn't quite as savory but you end up liking him anyway, for the most part. I was hoping that in this new series we'd see a large variation from her Nocturne City Series. It wasn't. Oh there were differences. The obvious being a change of continents. Not so obvious was the slightly darker world she's created and beings that the her male protag is a mage magic is much more prominent in this series. The part that didn't change was the main character. Another female detective. She's tough. She's had the same not so shiny past and the same weak spot for the not so perfect male protagonist.

This series is based in London and she does a wonderful job of passing along a European flavor to her characters through their speech and daily action. The pacing of this book was good and there was plenty of action and conflict. In the form of interpersonal and addiction issues as well as finding children that are being abducted for nefarious magic purposes.

What I had a hard time with: Pete, the main female character, came across as bland to me. I never really felt a connection with her. The book was written in third person, but Kittredge never utilizes a change in point of view and neither does she delve too deeply into the emotions of her character. Neither does the character endear herself to the reader with a stellar sense of humor or an odd personality quirk.

Also, there was a very apparent draw between the male and female main characters but both of them seemed to settle for avoiding what Kittredge obviously wanted the reader to take note of. By the end of the book, Pete moves in with Jack on a purely platonic level even though she learns of his master plan to use her for her developing magical abilites.

The main thing that kept me reading was the authors ability to write.(less)

· see review

Oct 22, 2010

Dawn rated it

Shelves: urban-fantasy, witches-mage-magic

I really wanted to like this book. In the end it was just ok and I had to force myself to finish it.

I had two major issues and that is Pete and Jack I could not really figure out why I should care or rather why they are working together. It is one thing to have a childhood crush but really why the verbal abuse as adults? It is supposed to be banter but personally it felt like torture. Furthermore Jack is a junkie who is for the most part clean in about 24 hours...really? Come on and th...more

like 1 like

· see review

Sep 21, 2009

Cheryl rated it

When Pete Caldecott was sixteen years old, she and wild, bad boy Jack Winter conjured up an evil spirit by accident. Jack is a mage. The spirit was after Pete. Jack saved Pete but be doing so he sacrificed himself.

Pete has tried to put those moments behind her and has done a pretty good job so far. She is now a Detective Inspector for the Scotland Yard. Children have gone missing. It is up to Pete to figure out what has happened to the children. There is only one person that Pete ca...more

· see review

Sep 02, 2010

Alan rated it

I had been following Caitlin Kittredge on Twitter for a while and what she had to say or rather the way she said it had me intrigued and made me want to read some of her books. So I bought Street Magic. The book left me with mixed feelings. I found the story gripping and read it with passion but at the same time the main character, Pete, and her often gratuitous violence didn't convince me that she really was a detective inspector. It may just be my imagination but I always saw her as somewhat y...more

· see review

Aug 22, 2010

Rex rated it

Shelves: urban-fantasy, series

I struggle rating this book. It was not absolutely horrible, but it was not that good either. I purchased it and the sequel because the cover looked interesting and I like urban fantasy a la Butcher, Hamilton (excluding her recent work), Harris, etc. Seldom do I start reading books that I actually wind up contemplating not finishing. Unfortunately, this book was one of those. I struggled through the first 80 pages or so and continually asked myself if I should not just set this book aside. ...more

· see review

Jan 11, 2012

Allison rated it

Shelves: urban-fantasy

I read this book because it was compared to Stacia Kane's Downside series. While it does have some of the same aspects of that series the writing does not begin to compare.

It is an okay book and I am glad I read it but I can't say for sure that I will read the next in the series. There was a tendency to resort to using the same phrases, etc. (a constant need to "kick" other characters for example that became extremely annoying to me) and while people do tend to do that in...more

· see review

Dec 05, 2011

Laurel rated it

Shelves: paranormal, urban-fantasy

I have a confession. I am a skimmer. I skim a book to get the meat of the story and gloss over the details, so I can get to the plot. This book did not let me skim, but honestly, I didn't mind a bit.

Pete Caldecott went for an adventure into a crypt with her sisters boyfriend that resulted in nightmare of ghosts, black magic, and a dead Jack Winter on the floor a tomb. Twelve years later she discovers Jack Winter didn't die, and he is very angry with her. To stop someone or somet...more

· see review

Sep 22, 2011

Robi rated it

Shelves: urban-fantasy, fantasy, fantasmi

Street Magic is a nice urban fantasy, but I am not sure I liked it enough to read the following novels of the series.

Pete and Jack had tried to conjure a ghost once and the result was Jack death.
Twelve years later Pete is a DI in London and she is investigating the disappearance of a little girl.
When she goes to meet an informant she discovers that Jack is not dead after all. When other children are kidnapped she manages to convince him to help her find them.

Pete is...more

· see review

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About Caitlin Kittredge

Caitlin started writing novels at age 13. Her first was a Star Wars tie-in. Fortunately, she branched out from there and after a few years trying to be a screenwriter, a comic book writer and the author of copious amounts of fanfiction, she tried to write a novel again. Her epic dark fantasy (thankfully) never saw the light of day but while she was struggling with elves and sorcerers she got the i...more

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Quotes from Street Magic

“Pete squeezed Jack's hand, hard as she could. "You're not alone," she told him. "If you've made up your mind to die, then I'll be with you here, until the end. I'd follow you into death if that's what you asked, Jack. Heaven, Hell. Anywhere at all.” — 15 people liked it

“How can you be dour when you have a tiny duck?” — 6 people liked it

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