Even Though I Knew the End

A USA Today Bestseller!

Winner of the Nebula Award!

A World Fantasy Award Finalist!

A Locus Award Finalist!

An Ignyte Award Finalist!

A New York Times Best Romance!

An NPR Best Speculative Fiction Book!

"Eerie, sharp, and fiercely bittersweet." -The New York Times

"Noir and fantasy often seem to go together, but those two elements seldom uplift each other quite as well as they do in Even Though I Knew the End" -The Washington Post

"Bracing as a slug of bourbon, with a twist of pain on the drop-or is that hope? Polk's back with a cold-eyed winner." -Max Gladstone, New York Times bestselling co-author of This Is How You Lose the Time War

"Stylish supernatural noir with a heart and a thrumming pulse. I devoured it." -Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author

"This is a must-read for those who like their queer fantasy with a little grit and a lot of soul (pun intended)." -Booklist, starred review

"Even Though I Knew the End rockets along from the very first page, with the details of author C.L. Polk's alternate Chicago revealing themselves exactly when required." -BookPage, starred review

"Powerful, emotional, stylish and smart, Polk proves themself yet again to be a talent not to be ignored." -Locus

"Even Though I Knew the End is Polk at the height of their considerable powers: romance, enchantment, tragedy, and courage to the bitter end." -Elizabeth Bear

"Readers who fell into recent Jazz Age urban fantasies...will love Polk's latest." -Library Journal, starred review

"C.L. Polk twists the hardboiled detective subgenre into something new and fresh and enticingly queer. ...[Even Though I Knew the End is] a thrilling, charming novella." -Reactor

"Vivid and charming with a touch of noir edge, but way more heart." -Rebecca Roanhorse

"A layered exploration of love and power with genuine emotional stakes and a soaring, perfectly bittersweet payoff. It's another winner." -Publishers Weekly