Every book I’ve read by C.L. Polk is better than the last. I liked Witchmark. I enjoyed The Midnight Bargain. But Even Though I Knew the End entertained me and got me right in the feels; I loved this book. Even Though I Knew the End opens in a wintery, magical Chicago in 1940. Irregular investigator and thwarted magician Helen Brandt is quietly tying up the loose ends of her life when her best client sends her to a crime scene that Helen instantly wants to run from. The only thing that keeps Helen on the job is the promise from this client that she might be rewarded with the impossible: her soul and the chance to live a full life with her lover, Edith.
Events move quickly in Even Though I Knew the End. It’s astonishing how much characterization Polk is able to pack in while Helen investigates a series of sorcerous murders across the city, learns that Edith has been hiding a divine secret the entire time they’ve known each other, and avoids the interference of the antagonistic Brotherhood of the Compass. An unexpected reunion with her brother just makes everything that much more complicated. Polk also finds room for small scenes between Helen and Edith that establish the depth of their feelings for each other—as well as the fact that they have to hide those feelings from the rest of the world. In one scene, Helen reminds Edith to put on a faux wedding ring while she puts one on her own finger before they go into a diner. I have friends who wear fake rings to ward off male attention at work so I knew exactly how Helen and Edith managed to “date” out in the open. That detail just killed me.
I loved watching the plot unfold in this magical noir. There are twists and turns and betrayals and unexpected allies galore in Even Though I Knew the End. I hate to say much more for fear of ruining any part of the mystery, so this review is going to have to be shorter than usual for wordy old me. Suffice it to say, readers who love historical fantasy, LGBTQ+ romances, and genre blends will find a lot to love here. I plan to buy a copy of this book for my library and then badger everyone who asks for a book recommendation into reading it.
I am really looking forward to whatever Polk comes up with next!