Even Though I Knew the End

by C.L. Polk

C. L. Polk turns their considerable powers to a fantastical noir. A magical detective dives into the affairs of Chicago's divine monsters to secure a future with the love of her life. This sapphic period piece will dazzle anyone looking for mystery, intrigue, romance, magic, or all of the above.

An exiled augur who sold her soul to save her brother's life is offered one last job before serving an eternity in hell. When she turns it down, her client sweetens the pot by offering up the one payment she can't resist - the chance to have a future where she grows old with the woman she loves. To succeed, she is given three days to track down the White City Vampire, Chicago's most notorious serial killer. If she fails, only hell and heartbreak await.

• ISBN10: 1250849454
• ISBN13: 9781250849458
• Publish Date: 12 December 2022 (first published 8 November 2022)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: St Martin's Press
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 144
• Language: English
• URL: http://melia.co.uk/page/detail/?k=9781250849458

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

Book Summary:

Helen is an exiled augur – she traded her soul and her career to save her little brother and has spent the last ten years paying that price. Yet she's made a decent life for herself. She runs a little magical detective gig and has found the love of her life, even if society would never approve.

So when a case dropped on her lap, Helen had full intentions of turning it down. She knows danger when she sees it. Yet there are other forces at play, which means it is officially her problem, forcing her to find the killer in her city before her time runs out.

“I never told her how she had saved me. I never told her how she became the dearest friend I’d ever had. I told her I loved her, but never enough. My Edith of the sparrows. My heart. My world.”

My Review:

Wow. I knew that C.L. Polk could write a fantastic novella, but Even Though I Knew the End blew me away. I could read this novella a million times and never risk getting sick. It's so complex and beautiful. I'm certain I would find new details with each reading. (Now I want to go back and do exactly that).

It's easy to root for Helen, even though she tries so hard to come off as stoic and abrasive. Her personality lent to the noir detective vibes, and I'm here for it. It didn't take long for her whole story to unfold, making me want to bundle Helen up and protect her with all of my heart.

Unfortunately, protecting her is easier said than done with a killer on the loose. On that note, so many little surprises spring up over the course of her investigation. Each twist fits in perfectly with what we know of the world while further fleshing out other details. It's masterfully done.

All things said and done, Even Though I Knew the End is a brilliant novella. I would love nothing more than to see a dozen more stories from this world. Please?

Highlights:
Sapphic
LGBT
Romance
Historical Fiction
Angels & Demons
Noir Detective + magical murders

Trigger Warnings:
Family Death
Homophobia

Thanks to Tor.com and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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[Terri M. LeBlanc]

My Supernatural inner-fangirl rejoiced. The depth this novella had was extraordinary! I loved every minute of it and honestly, I would love to read more books set in this alt-Chicago.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.