Well, now. It appears I did not know the end. And it caught me slightly unaware. This was absolutely amazing though, and I only wish it was longer.

4.5

Even Though I Knew the End is a historical novel set in 1940s Chicago, following Helen, a paranormal detective of sorts. Helen sold her soul ten years ago to save her brother, and now a unique opportunity presents itself for her to get it back, just before her time runs out. This would give her a chance for a life with her girlfriend Edith, but the catch is that she needs to find the most notorious serial killer in Chicago, before it's too late for her.

This book was such a captivating read, I couldn't put it down (or technically stop listening, as I listened to the audiobook). On that note, I would highly recommend the audiobook, it is narrated by January LaVoy, and it is absolutely amazing. It brings out the atmospheric feel of the book, and I really enjoyed the listening experience.

I really liked all of the aspects of the book, and I do only wish it was longer. We follow Helen, as she investigates a series of murders in an attempt to find the serial killer for one of her supernatural clients. The book features a lot of religious motives, the concept of selling your soul to the devil, angels, heaven, and hell and I really found it quite unique. Not that those concepts are unexplored, there are plenty of works dealing with the topics but the way this novel goes about it, while familiar, feels fresh and different. The way everyone talks about it in the novel is quite calm (even if they're not calm if that makes sense), with a lot of acceptance, and like it's all the usual talk like we're discussing the weather. It was a very interesting take on the topic.

The mystery aspect here is very interesting as well, the book provides just enough information at all times to keep the stakes high and keeps you guessing rather than telling you all its secrets at once. I like mysteries that are a real chase, I don't like being able to guess the twist too early in the story, and this book delivered. The added interest here is the race against time for sure, as Helen's time is limited and that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

As I mentioned this is a historical sapphic novel, and there are elements that keep this more realistic and not just romanticizing the past. Helen and Edith live together, but how they conduct themselves in the diner they visit (with fake wedding bands, and fake life stories) brings a dose of the chilling reality of the time. The glamour of a sapphic speakeasy is set against the asylum Helen visits during her investigation, and which women were deemed insane. That includes a woman Helen knows from the said speakeasy, who just stopped showing up once. The moment is brief but it is haunting enough as is, a chilling reminder of what reality could be for queer people at the time.

I really enjoyed the characters here, and I thought they were wonderfully complex as people in their actions and motivations. This is a novella, but it managed to pack in a lot in a short number of pages. I absolutely loved Helen and Edith's relationship, and I could have read a full-length novel just about them. I loved their characters separately, too, both were fascinating in their own right. Helen, who sounds cynical and jaded at times, is driven completely by the love she feels for her people, her family. I wish we got more on Helen and her brother, that is my probably biggest complaint here. I could feel how much she loved him and obviously how much she was willing to give up for him, I just wish we got to see more of him, and more of them interacting.

To end this review, I just want to say that I would highly recommend this book, and I really do want everyone to read it. If you want a captivating sapphic period piece with a paranormal mystery, this is definitely your book!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Clever, achingly sad in the best ways with a ray of hope to keep drawing the reader on. The romance was lovely, the mystery was clever, the world building delicious -- and making sure the reader would want to visit this world again. This was an utterly satsfying read.

Another Tor novella, another book I love. This was a great little historical supernatural mystery. I was given access to the audiobook from Netgalley and the publisher and loved every second! Highly recommend.

Think Crime Noir à la Dashiell Hammett and add some demons, angels and a sapphic romance. Throw in a murder in a dark alley and a disgraced private eye with shady connections. Stir and voilà! One queer Gumshoe with a dash of magic coming right up.

I picked this up, because I read Witchmark by Polk and liked it. Not enough to continue with the sequel—the setting didn‘t interest me—but enough to pick up this short Crime Noir offering.

Took me a while to unterstand the meaning of the title. Pretty obvious, once the coin drops. Potential for a sequel and a spin-off! I would read them…

Good audiobook narration by January LaVoy.

I received an advanced audiobook copy of this book from the publisher or author through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to give a positive review. Thank you!

This book had a very interesting plot. I loved the idea of angels and demons battling it out over souls. The book was short and entertaining, but was just missing more background information.

I tried, really tried, even though it kept me company while I was stuck in traffic, it just did not budge with me.
I have nothing against queer romance, love is love, but I found it difficult to empathize.
The setting and the mistery is well apreciated and intriguing, but it was not enough to keep me on board.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen this in exchange of an honest review.

This is a great novella that I had the pleasure to listen thanks to NetGalley. It follows a woman that could not be more marginalized in the 30s: she is a woman, a lesbian and a witch. But she always keeps her head held high and she does everything to save the people she loves, even selling her soul to the devil. Even if it’s very short the mystery is still very gripping, but the most impressive thing is the protagonist who is always ready to put her loved ones before herself. She is very brave and even if she knew the end, that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t get to live first!

This was such a fun historical fiction novella, I loved the 1930s magical Chicago setting. I really enjoyed listening to this as an audiobook - January LaVoy is fantastic.

This is the perfect example for me of a novella that should have been expanded into a full length novel. I really liked the characters and the world was fascinating, but it felt like there was too much plot to fit into the length and so everything was pretty rushed. It meant that we didn't get good character development in the relationship between Helen and her brother, Ted, which was a real shame because as I say, I liked both characters. I thought there was definitely more to explore in this world and the battle between angels and demons, with human hosts and the brotherhood of the compass, but again, there wasn't enough time. This is all to say that had this been expanded to a full length novel and given the space to breathe, I would be throwing it at people in the street begging them to read it. Unfortunately as a novella, it leaves too much out.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book was really good, female Sherlock Holmes and it’s queer! Quick little novella, witch witch craft and demons! I enjoyed it a lot!

Ten years ago, Helen (our MC) sold her soul to the devil to save her brother. Now, it’s the 1940s, and she knows the devil will soon be calling. Helen is a detective with magical abilities, and her new client wants her to track a notorious serial killer in Chicago known as the White City Vampire. In exchange, her new client offers to return Helen’s soul. Regaining her soul means she could live happily ever after with her one true love, Edith. But the devil may have other plans.

C.L. Polk’s writing is phenomenal. This novella packs amazing character development, a fast-paced mystery, and a beautiful sapphic love story into a world that includes demons, angels, and magic while grappling with topics of homophobia and Christianity - all very 1940s-appropriate. Ultimately, the story asks what you would do for the people you love. Simply a gorgeous story!

My only complaint - I wish it was longer.

January LaVoy is one of my favorite narrators. She is one of the reasons I selected this audiobook, so it's no surprise that I loved her narration of this novella. Her voice drips with morally gray undertones in this sapphic noir.

Even Though I Knew the End by CL Polk.

Even Though I Knew the End is a Lesbian/Queer Fantasy Noir by author CL Polk (Witchmark), in a story that takes place in an alternate version of 1920s Chicago in which magical orders, demons and angels are very real (although the public might not know too much about them). Demons/Angels-based Noir stories are not new to me - see Rebecca Roanhorse's Tread of Angels which is coming out the same month as this - but I've liked the few I've read and Polk is an excellent writer, so I was looking forward to this one, which I read in eAudiobook form over a week.*

*The audiobook reader is excellent by the way, so I definitely recommend this novella in that format.

And Even Though I Knew the End is really strong and very enjoyable noir - an excellent example of the form. The story follows a Lesbian Warlock who was cast out from her magic order - after making a deal with a devil/demon to save the life of her brother - as she begins a dangerous quest to solve a strange magic and possibly demon-influenced set of murders in her last days before her soul is forfeit, in hopes at first of helping her beloved who is ignorant of the whole thing....before everything goes to hell. It works really well with a strong voiced lead protagonist, a really well done world, and a satisfying short plot, and some strong themes of dealing with homophobia and sexism and what one would do and give up to be with the ones they love, so definitely recommended, even if I don't think it transcends the form.



Quick Plot Summary: Ten years ago, Elena "Helen" Brandt made a deal with the devil after an accident killed her entire family, sacrificing her soul and giving herself just ten years to live in exchange for bringing her brother Teddy back to life. But the act cost Helen everything, as Teddy repudiated her and her magical order cast her out to survive on her own.

Now, three days remain before Helen's time is up, and Helen just wants to spend those three remaining days with her beloved Edith, in their underground Chicago Lesbian bar and in Edith's own apartment...and perhaps to make a little extra cash to help Edith live on without her in peace and happiness. But when Helenis asked to discover the truth behind a number of supernaturally aided murders and told that the possible reward for such a job is to get back her own soul, she finds herself caught in a conflict with ties to her past, present, and future, and the lives of both the sainted and the damned of Chicago....

Thoughts: Even Though I Knew the End is a really atmospheric noir, whose main character is excellent at conveying this world, its themes, and its characters along the way through her first person narration. Helen is a woman who once cast everything away in order to get back the person she loved most even though that person is horrified at that fact (she took him away from Heaven), and would do it all again....even if she wishes that that person would still be willing to love her once again. And so with her current love, the woman Edith that society says she shouldn't love (this 1920s Chicago also condemns homosexuality and condemns such women to insane asylums and electroshock therapy, as we see in one horrifying scene), she is once again taking impulsive risks to try and ensure Edith's happiness, even if what Edith really wants is to live forever with Helen in a place where they don't need to live in the shadows and hide.

It makes her an excellent heroine as she gets involved with demons, angels, and magicians who have their own pointed views on society, humanity and everything else, and leads to a really strong plot, even if some elements are a little predictable. The themes here of what you would do to be with the one you love and whether they would want that are really well done, as is the themes of contrition and forgiveness, and Polk paints the world through Helen's narration incredibly well. Just a really enjoyable strong but short novella, and one I would expect to get some award consideration.

This audiobook immediately invoked the style and sound of an old-fashioned detective story and maintained it throughout the novella. Even though this was a very short story it was unique and multifaceted. There were angels and demons, magic and mystery, all wrapped around a great historical fiction Sapphic romance.

I'm in the low side who didn't vibe with this book. The premise was great. A magical detective who sold her soul to save her family. Sign me up. But this was so much crammed into a short story. Or not enough to hold me attention if that makes sense. The writing was great I think I would of enjoyed the story if it was a full length book.

The audio was really good


Thanks to NetGalley for sending me an Audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Sapphic fantasy noir novella……I don’t generally feel novellas are flushed out enough or complete enough for me but this was perfect. If you want a book that will get you in the feelings and like a gritty element with beautiful writing this is a good choice. The narrator for the audio book was great.

I listened to this fine novelette unaware that another read I remember fondly, The Midnight Bargain, was written bei the same author, and so I went into Even Though I Knew the End entirely unbiased - but what can I say, C.L. Polk strikes again with this piece of magical realism slash urban fantasy set in Chicago during the Great Depression.

Or is it Chicago? This world teems with secret societies, demonic maneaters, and ritual sacrifice, but remains recognizably noir. The flowing, descriptive language lends itself to the aesthetic that's tempting to lose one's self in, if only one could. I especially enjoyed the date night club scene right at the beginning, which sets the mood for mystery!

Besides, Polk really knows how to establish tender feelings even in a settled relationship between protagonist Helen and her beloved Edith, and I do so enjoy tragic love stories like theirs. Be prepared to feel unprepared for the ending of this short piece of fiction. I could have read an entire series of it, and maybe, just maybe, the story has potential to be explored in a longer, multi-book format?

Even Though I Knew the End was twisty, mysterious, and wonderful.

Helen is a magical detective in 1940s Chicago. At the beginning of the novella she has taken one last case to view a crime scene and report back to a client, but when the client asks her to investigate she refuses - she has only a few days left on earth, and she won’t deceive her client by promising what she can’t deliver. However, her client then sweetens the pot by offering her the one thing she can’t refuse - the chance to earn back her immortal soul and live a life with the woman she loves - but she only has 3 days to hunt down the serial killer who’s been terrorising Chicago.

This sapphic historical fantasy-mystery caught me immediately and dragged me in. The audio was fantastic, I particularly loved the voice of Helen which was immediately recognisable as an old-fashioned detective style.

Helen and Edith’s relationship was sweet and heartfelt, and I loved their simple acceptance of each other even as I was frustrated and saddened by the ways they had to hide their relationship. It’s mentioned several times across the novella that women at the time were often committed to asylums for being gay, and at one point Helen and Edith visit one to speak to a witness and discover an acquaintance of theirs has been quietly locked away there.

The story had twists and turns, and I loved the way we discovered these along with the characters. The mystery element was intriguing and, while I had many suspicions throughout the story, it kept me guessing until the end.

Although I would have loved more time with the characters, I felt the novella format suited this story well. The plot felt fleshed out and was well paced.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Even Though I Knew the End and would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy and mystery/thrillers.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Absolutely loved this one!

C.L. Polks Witchmark has been one the top of my underrated queer books list fo ages. So when I saw this one I was immediately excited. Sapphic Crime Noir with fantasy elements? What could be better?
And I was not disappointed, it was a great read.

A warning beforehand: It is very short. VERY short. The audiobook only took me a little over an hour to get through. So of course a lot of things aren't as fleshed put as they would be in a longer novel. The side characters are a little flat and the relationships between them could do with a bit of work but for the length it is, it's great.

It definitely has the feeling of a classic Ceime Noir novel but the supernatural twist is well implemented and makes you want to learn more about the world.
We do get an established sapphic relationship and the loveinterests behaviour leads you down a path of a whole lot of twists and false flags, it makes for a really interesting read.

I really want this to be turned into a series with like 100 entries where they solve a case every book, it would be so amazing!

If you're looking for a short read for in-between longer books, maybe give this one a try!

Well written and engaging. Found myself wishing it was longer. You quickly are absorbed into the story and the characters lives. Enough detail you don't get lost. Nice, quick enjoyable fantasy fix.

Polk has written a stunning novella in Even Though I Knew the End (title accurate) about sapphics in 1900-somethings Chicago making demonic bargains and catching murderers. I loved everything about this world, with its biblical supernatural elements, the structures of magical people, and the teased magic systems. The atmosphere, with its period setting, is so vibrant and clear that even before the city name was mentioned, I just knew this was set in Chicago. Naturally, this is a story about love, and Helen and Edith are such a lovely power couple, despite the secrets each are hiding. The emotion the audiobook narrator delivers at just the right moments made the story hit so much harder. Overall, I rate this book a 4/5.