Reviews tagging 'Murder'

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

87 reviews

readingtotravel's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, and Murder

jessicadoom's review

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This reminded me of playing a Call of Cthulhu game in the absolute best way. The novella progressed really nicely with just the right amount of mystery and romance. The relationship between Helen and Edith? *chef's kiss* Just beautiful and a wonderful little palate cleanser before I move on to something longer.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Violence, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Homophobia, Murder, and Sexual content

abarnakwn_ourcolourfulpages's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Death of parent, Grief, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Murder, Blood, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, and Abandonment

Minor: Vomit

littlelotto's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Murder

cleot's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Murder

Moderate: Gore, Death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Forced institutionalization, and Death of parent

Minor: Police brutality

booksbeyondthebinary's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, and Blood

Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Homophobia

fluffyreadsthings's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book was one that checked off all of the boxes for a book I'd enjoy. Intriguing religious/mythological based magic, love with a time limit, and a badass main character who's going against bigotry and the societal standards of their time period/world to do what they have to. The setting, the tone, and the descriptions of places or the magic or photography were so interesting and fleshed out. I picked this book up for the lesbian relationship, and despite how intense the plot got, it was so sweet and caring.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, Death, Sexism, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Forced institutionalization

bickleyhouse's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I was totally surprised by how good this book was! I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it exceeded all of my expectations. I had not read anything by this author before, but will certainly try more.

This story is set in the nineteen-forties, and has a definite noir feel to it. Helen is detective who has magical abilities. She's working for someone named Marlowe, who has asked her to investigate the murder of Kelly McIntyre, also known as Nightingale. What she finds is disturbing, to say the least. The crime scene is covered in the victim's blood, but magic symbols have been written in it, all over the place. And Helen doesn't recognize the language of the symbols.

The perpetrator of the crimes has come to be known as the White City Vampire. The city is Chicago, 1941. 

This story has so much in it. There's murder, magic, demons and angels, even some romantic element between Helen and her girlfriend Edith. The way it flows is remarkable, and everything simply fits together so well. I was enthralled by the story, and by the author's writing. There was never a dull moment. There were quite a few surprising moments, though, some unexpected twists along the way. Things (and people) are not always what they appear to be. 

In my opinion, this is a brilliant story, and I've been telling all of my librarian friends that they really need to read it. It's a short book, only 136 pages, and I finished it in one day, which is rare for me. Personally, I think this would make a fantastic movie! I would definitely watch it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Murder

val_theburrowofstories's review

lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I actually liked this book, not as much as I hoped but it was entertaining at least. It’s a shame all my latest sapphic romance readings are 3 ⭐ (which is not bad, just not what I expected from them) 

It’s such a short story and yet the pace of the story was a little bit slow, but I listened to this as an audiobook so it helped because the narrator does such a good job. 

I did not read the synopsis of this book before starting it (I added it to my TBR a year ago so I didn’t remember) and I did not expect to find fantasy and magic with demons and angels, but I liked that aspect of the book! 

This actually reminded me of Supernatural with the whole demon deal thing and an angel controlling a human lol it made me miss the show so much. 

This book is divided in 5 acts, and I was invested in the first 3, but by the last 2 I was falling sleep (I was very tired) and I wasn’t paying that much attention, I just know I was mad at the MC’s brother lol men have to ruin everything I swear, honestly I thought this went from being about a warlock woman with her girlfriend trying to solve a crime, to it being about him and what he wanted and he was annoying as fuck and ungrateful. Maybe I missed the point because I was falling sleep, but that’s how it felt. 

And that ending… well I’m going to accept it just because I wasn’t that invested in these characters,

I’d like to think that after ten years Edith also makes a deal with the demon so they can have 10 more years together and then they all go to Hell lmaooo

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, and Death

Minor: Death of parent, Car accident, and Grief

I don’t think these are spoilers because they’re mentioned in the first couple of chapters:

- Blood / Murder / Death: There’s a serial killer out there killing people and leaving the crime scene full of blood.

- Car accident / Death of parent / Grief: Helen’s parents die in a car accident.

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gun violence, Death, Gore, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Sexism, Grief, and Misogyny

Minor: Lesbophobia, Self harm, Sexual content, Alcohol, Car accident, Vomit, Homophobia, and Death of parent