When Helen, a former warlock turned private investigator, comes across the trail of the White City Vampire, she's doing a contract job and not looking to get involved. But when her brother turns up at the scene and her employer insists on more information, she's dragged into a world of supernatural crime on Chicago's underbelly in the 1940s.

One part noir, one part Supernatural, Even Though I Knew the End is a quick, thrilling read filled with murder, mayhem, angels, demons, spells, and a smattering of sapphic romance. The plot is tight and well-paced, with surprises and thrills coming at the reader with every chapter. Come for the murder mystery and moody setting, stay for the occult thrills and heart-aching sweet relationship.

Magical, queer, private detectives but make it 1930's noir.

Rich and velvety, Even Though I Know the End is a delicious tale of a woman sacrificing everything, even her salvation for love.

While this novella was short, honestly too short, I want several books set in this world, it manages to expertly develop characters that are fully fledged and a relationship that I'd do anything to defend.

Without giving away any spoilers, the supernatural baddie showdown was fantastic!

The way so much lore was woven into such a short story was truly masterful and added so much more to the mystery.

Read by my favourite audiobook narrator, January LaVoy, this audiobook was so easy to lose myself in. I was truly transported.

If you liked Veronica Mars, The Diviners, and specifically Season 5 of Supernatural than this novella is about to become your new favourite thing. Seriously get ready to be obsessed.

4.5 stars!

Thank you RB Media and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

La tendencia actual es publicar obras más cortas, que se ajustan mejor al estilo de vida ajetreado que llevamos porque nos exigen menos tiempo para disfrutarlas. Tor.com fue de las primeras editoriales en ver esta tendencia y reforzarla, así que no es de extrañar que haya publicado Even Though I Knew the End, una novela corta que reúne todas las virtudes del formato, permitiendo una lectura ágil, entretenida y que encima deja poso. Poco más se le puede exigir a una obra que no llega a las 150 páginas.


Ya habíamos comentado con anterioridad varias obras de C.L. Polk, pero en esta ocasión la escritora deja de lado la fantasy of manners para escoger otro escenario menos trillado, más actual y muy pero que muy atractivo. La acción transcurre en Chicago, en los años 40. La protagonista es una augur con ciertas capacidades mágicas que trabaja como detective en asuntos mágicos, en busca del mejor postor. Poco imagina cuando acepta estudiar una sangrienta escena del crimen que los pecados de su pasado volverán a por ella y que se verá envuelta en la búsqueda del Vampiro de la Ciudad Blanca.

Mi primer consejo es no leer la contraportada de libro, porque destripa un poco el primer giro de la novela corta y es mejor entrar en la lectura sin tener este conocimiento de causa. También os diré que como yo escuché el audiolibro, no puedo certificar que la lectura de la prosa sea tan atractiva como la narración de January LaVoy, que consigue sumergirte en este mundo de ángeles y demonios, pero que creo que sí lo será porque Polk ya ha demostrado con creces su maestría con la pluma.

Aunque los pactos fáusticos fueron moneda corriente en la fantasía de hace algunos años, es cierto que los sistemas mágicos más imaginativos y originales han ido reclamando su lugar dentro del imaginario colectivo, dejando un poco atrás el típico enfrentamiento entre el bien y el mal y la lucha por la posesión de las almas en el más allá un poco en segundo plano. Pero el eterno conflicto entre la oscuridad y la luz persiste, y la autora hace un uso muy acertado de todo este conocimiento cultural para que sirva de apoyo a la estructura de la novela corta, sin necesidad de tener que pararse a explicar cada detalle.

En este libro hay asesinatos, posesiones, ángeles caídos que pugnan por volver al cielo y aunque todo resulta atractivo, es quizá el relato del amor entre dos mujeres y los sacrificios que están dispuestas a hacer lo que más nos conmueve. Recomiendo encarecidamente la lectura en el formato que sea, porque merece la pena.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me an eARC of this book for an honest review.

This was a brilliant book and I enjoyed reading (listening) it a lot. The premise was very interesting, the plot was just the right pacing and the romance!!! The romance was so good even though it's already underway when the book starts so we don't get to see how it got there but ah, it was still brilliantly written and the yearning came through wonderfully!
My only complaint is that I wish it were longer and some of the side characters were more developed.
Highly recommend to all queer fiction lovers, and fantasy lovers with a bit of a mystery woven in!!

Even Though I Knew The End by C. L. Polk

I’ve been hearing good things about C. L. Polk for a while, but I just wasn’t able to read the Kingston Cycle when it was nominated for the best series Hugo this past year. I was curious when I saw a new (presumably) stand-alone coming out from them on NetGalley, and I got an audio eARC in exchange for an honest review. And I’m so glad I did!

Even Though I Knew the End is sort of a historical noir urban fantasy. It’s set in 1940s Chicago in a world where magic is real and devils will make you a bargain if you ask them. The protagonist, Helen, used to be an official magic user from a hierarchical organization, but she got kicked out and is now a warlock/private eye. The worldbuilding is excellent, the use of language is amazing, and the characters feel real immediately. I kept being surprised by where the book was going in the best of ways. The audiobook narrator was a bit slow for my taste, but did s good job differentiating the characters. I listened to it at 1.75 speed.

I highly recommend this book. It was exciting, sweet, moving, and both lovely and loving.

3 stars

I picked this up because, sapphic 1940’s noir thriller/fantasy? Hell yeah! This story definitely delivered on the atmosphere & setting, & to some extent the romance, though I have some issues with the ending.

[What I liked:]

•The setting, the noir atmospheric feel, the fashion, the everything, is great! The writer also does a decent job of world building on the magical/fantasy end for such a short novella.

•Helen & Edith are lovely together! I wish we had more of their interactions, since Hanadriel or however you spell it interrupted things a bit. I’m really happy they figure out a way to trust each other despite the myriad secrets & bad decisions.


[What I didn’t like as much:]

•Teddy & Helen do not get enough time to reconcile; in fact they have no time to do so, but they just instantly get over decades of feelings of betrayal anyway.

•Helen is an incredibly selfish person. She could’ve been with the people she loves forever, but noooo, she trades that possibility for instant gratification that dooms the people she loves to be abandoned within a few short years, & forces them into a worse living situation. & then has the audacity to say she did it for love!

•Suffice it to say, I hate the ending!

CW: homophobia, sexism, murder, ableism

[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]

In this novella, we follow a detective with magical powers who will do anything for those she loves. Years ago she sold her soul to save her brother, and with three days left before she is sent to hell, she’s offered one last job; the succession of which will guarantee that her life & soul will spared so she can live our the rest of her days with the love of her life, Edith. The stakes are high, but she is determined to find the serial killer known as the ‘White City Vampire’ to secure her future.

This atmospheric is set in mid century Chicago, featuring a sapphic relationship facing the very real prejudices of that time. It was an emotional, fast paced, high stakes story that was the perfect amount of pages to have the intended impact. I won’t be forgetting this one.

A story with very likeable characters and a good story plot. I guess I missed that it was LGBTQ. I don't normally read those. Overall, very great writing and a great story all around. Thank you for the ARC.

I'm not usually a fan of the hardboiled detective / noir genre, even though I always feel like I should be? But this was just gorgeous. I should have realized that if anyone could, CL Polk would be able to write a queer noir that would tug at my heart and keeep me riveted.

There was so much story here, for such a short book. I loved how specific a place and time it was set. Everything about it just screamed noir prohibition-era Chicago. Aside from the angels and demons, I suppose. But even they fit right in and didn't feel at all out of place. It's short but does a great job building the atmosphere. I was immediately hooked.

Helen presents as a typical noir detective (only a woman, and a queer one at that) except that she isn't an awful person at all. She's a bit rough around the edges, but she loves her girlfriend and her brother deeply and her decisions throughout the novella revolve around that. I think that's what I love the most about this as opposed to more 'typical' noir - the amount of love and heart.

There is, of course, more to everything than it at first seems - so much more I'm surprised it all fits into this novella and the story isn't bursting at the seams. It's the perfect length, and yet I would read so much more of Helen and those she loves. And crime-solving, of course. Longer books, more books, a whole series of books.

The narrator was excellent and really brought the characters and story to life. It made the story even better, and her voice was very pleasant to listen to. I was fully immersed in the story for the entire time I was listening.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Recorded Books for providing an audio arc for review.

This audiobook was delightful. A very quick read and an intriguing premise with a lot of exciting action. It’s a very sweet love story as well.

I really loved the narrator as well which is always a plus!

C.L. Polk’s Even Though I Knew the End is fantastic. A 1940’s noir supernatural tale? Heck yes! I want more and I want it now. Though she is not sick, Helen knows she has only three days left to live. In fact she’s known her ‘expiration’ date for 10 years now and has come to accept it, her biggest regret is having to say goodbye to Edith, the love of her life. But suddenly she’s offered a second chance. A chance to regain everything she is about to lose. All she has to do is catch the White City Vampire, a serial killer that’s been terrorizing Chicago. This blending of classic noir detective fiction with magic, angels, and demons works wonderfully, and packs a surprising amount of heart. I don’t know if the C.L. Polk was influenced by the show Supernatural, but I have no doubt fans of the show will absolutely love this story. January LaVoy does a great job with the narration, and I’d have gladly listened to a dozen more hours of this. I really hope Polk brings us more of this world. I’d like to thank RB Media and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advanced audio copy of Even Though I Knew the End.

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It’s new to me getting an arc from audiobook because i love the excerpts and the covers! It’s a fantasic yet wonderful read somehow sad in the end 😔💗 Thank you netgalley for this arc! I will probably listen to it again for breaking my heart 🙌🏼

4.5 stars The only minor issue I have with this fantastic noir novella is a slightly obvious antagonist and that it wasn’t full length. Other than that, this is exquisitely written, great 40s Chicago vibes and a gorgeous lesbian romance. Plus summoning magic and angel/demon lore. Good stuff.

A story with angels, demon and a Sapphic romance. I was hoping to enjoy this more than I did, but maybe it wasn't long enough to enjoy the story or maybe it was due to the low likeability of the main character and her stubbornness to keep the people she loves alive. was this done out of love or selfness? that's open to debate I think.

Thank you RB media and NetGalley for the audiobook.

Thank you so much to the fine folks at RB Media and NetGalley for granting me access to a copy of the audiobook in exchange for a fair and honest review.

4.5/5 stars it would be a perfect 5/5 if it werent for the ending which i felt was personally lack luster and I felt like it didn't hit the type of ending that I like for noir stories. But overall i can not recommend this enough, especially for someone who normally isn't a fan of novellas this one is fantastic.The writing is mesmerizing and impossible to put down. The characters are complex and are all hiding secrets that build and add to the mystery. I would love to see more in this world the C.L. Polk built.

I don’t know why, but I have the hardest time reviewing books that I loved. I wished this was longer, but not because it felt rushed or like things were missed. I just wanted more story. I loved the characters (please let me date Helen?). Reimaginings of religious story lines are one of my favorite types of fiction when done right. This was fast paced, plot driven, with not much world building. Thank you to Net Galley & Tor for the ARC.

Mix noir fiction and the supernatural, add a dash of sapphic romance, and prepare to enjoy this charmer of a novella. Someone is committing ritual murders, and our main character is on the case. But with angels and demons lurking around every corner and a shadowy magical society determined to interfere, solving this mystery was never going to be easy or safe.

This entire story is a delight, from the strongly stylistic writing to the traditional settings. My limited experience with noir fiction says Polk nails the vibe while seamlessly incorporating more modern attitudes. The length is pleasant, short and sweet with a hint of wishing for more story. All in all, fantastic.

C.L. Polk has yet to write anything I haven’t become immediately obsessed with. Even Though I Knew the End, a supernatural sapphic thriller novella, is no exception.

A richly noir fantasy setting, 1940s Chicago with magic, provides the background for a riveting and genuinely heartbreaking story of love, sacrifice, and courage. Helen is a wonderful protagonist and narrative voice - and speaking of narrative voices, the audio is splendidly read by January LaVoy, who is rapidly becoming one of my favorite audiobook readers.

Stark, haunting, exquisite, and everything you could possibly want it to be based on the words “supernatural sapphic noir thriller.” I absolutely loved it.

I loved this so much. I was so invested in this story. Yes I cried. Yes I laughed. I enjoyed this historical mystery with magic. I was rooting for Helen the whole time. She made a choice but wouldn't change it for anything. I got lots of supernatural vibes. I will be checking out more from this author. Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the audio arc in exchange for my honest review.

I really loved this, the characters were compelling, I could really visualize everything within the noir lenses and the story surprised me in a couple moments. The audiobook was delightful as well.

Thank you to RB Media and NetGalley for the ARC