To be without her would be hell on Earth, Helen thinks.Please be aware that the sidebar in 'old' Reddit is no longer being updated with information about Book Clubs and AMAs as of October 2018. Helen’s past choices weigh heavily upon her, and we see how tightly she clings to Edith, especially in the gripping final chapters. Helen and Edith’s tender relationship is immediately compelling, and, as befits a noir, Edith’s importance to the story grows as Helen’s investigation deepens. Mortals aren’t defenseless, especially if they can wield magic (enchanted bullets make more than one appearance), but there’s still a constant sense of danger, and humans often end up as collateral damage.ĭespite the aforementioned fantastical elements, Even Though I Knew the End is, at its heart, a love story. With corrupt motivations on both sides, it’s often unclear which is more dangerous.

A sense of mystery and discovery is ever present, which is quite fitting for a detective story.įans of John Constantine, the occult PI of DC comic books and film fame, will find a lot to like in Polk’s fantastically rendered depiction of a celestial war. Their alternate Chicago reveals itself efficiently, each detail woven into the narrative exactly when it’s required.

and your soul.” As it turns out, Marlowe is a demon, and this job can give Helen the thing she thought she’d never have: salvation and a chance to live a full life with her lover, Edith.Įven Though I Knew the End rockets along from the very first page, and Polk’s ability to enrich the story while upping the pace is impressive. Marlowe wants Helen to find the vampire and is willing to pay handsomely. Marlowe confirmes what Helen already suspects: The murder is the work of the White City Vampire, the most dangerous villian in the city. 13, 1941-Helen’s last day on Earth.Īfter taking photographs of the crime scene of a horrific murder that she’s investigating, Helen brings her evidence to Marlowe, an underworld crime boss and bona fide femme fatale. Helen Brandt, a brilliant wizard who was exiled by her order and now works as a detective, has a terrible secret: She offered her soul to a demon to save her family from a car crash. Polk’s stylish magical noir Even Though I Knew the End is distinctly and heartbreakingly human.

Despite being a book about augurs and warlocks, angels and demons, C.L.

Even though i knew the end cl polk