Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Katwalk | 1988 | Karen Kijewski | Buy |
| 2 | Katapult | 1990 | Karen Kijewski | Buy |
| 3 | Kat’s Cradle | 1992 | Karen Kijewski | Buy |
| 4 | Copy Kat | 1990 | Karen Kijewski | Buy |
| 5 | Wild Kat | 1994 | Karen Kijewski | Buy |
| 6 | Alley Kat Blues | 1995 | Karen Kijewski | Buy |
| 7 | Honky Tonk Kat | 1996 | Karen Kijewski | Buy |
| 8 | Kat Scratch Fever | 1997 | Karen Kijewski | Buy |
| 9 | Stray Kat Waltz | 1998 | Karen Kijewski | Buy |
The Kat Colorado series by Karen Kijewski follows Kat Colorado, a Sacramento-based private investigator who handles cases with a direct, witty approach across nine novels published between 1988 and 1998. The series won multiple awards for its debut entry, Katwalk, and sustained a loyal readership through the following decade.
Kat is a former bartender who transitions into private investigation, bringing a practical, street-level perspective to her cases. The Sacramento setting gives the series a distinctive California atmosphere separate from the Los Angeles noir tradition, and Kijewski uses the local geography and social texture to ground each case in a specific sense of place. The books develop Kat’s personal relationships and backstory alongside the investigations, making the reading order relevant to the full character arc.
The series ended in 1998 with Stray Kat Waltz, and Kijewski did not continue writing after its conclusion. The nine books represent a complete and self-contained run, and fans of 1990s female detective fiction who have not yet encountered Kat Colorado will find the series a worthwhile addition to their reading list.