Kathleen Mallory

Kathleen (Kathy) Mallory is a fictional New York City police detective featured in nine dark mystery novels by author Carol O'Connell. The novels in the series include "Mallory's Oracle," "The Man Who Cast Two Shadows," "Killing Critics," "Stone Angel," "The Shell Game," "Dead Famous," "Crime School," "Find Me," and "Winter House."

Mallory is described by her creator as a sociopath. Emotionally scarred as an 8-year-old after she witnessed the murder of her mother in a small [Louisiana] town, Mallory flees to New York City, where she lives as a street child. She is caught trying to steal by police officer Louis Markowitz, who takes her home and becomes her foster father.

From age 10, Kathy, a "baby sociopath," grows up surrounded by Markowitz and his colorful circle of friends, including his partner, Sgt. Riker, who later becomes Kathy's partner and friend. Genius Charles Butler assists Kathy in her side computer technology business and is in love with her, though she remains oblivious. Mallory is a tall, green-eyed blonde in her mid-twenties at the start of the series. She is often compared to a cat toying with its prey.