Tabitha Tomala
Mar 72 min
This review is part of the Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship (SFINCS). SFINCS, pronounced “sphinx”. This is a yearly competition to recognize, honor, and celebrate the talent and creativity present in the indie community. It’s a sister competition to both SPFBO and SPSFC, and it highlights greatness in the novella format in all areas of speculative fiction (fantasy, science fiction, horror, etc.).
To see more information on my team Behind the Musings check out this post!
Detective noir meets The Witcher in a post-apocalyptic city reminiscent of Victorian London.
New London is protected by a stone shelter to keep out the rainwights--the monsters that tore down civilization. It is a dark city, choked with soot and crime. On these perpetually lamplit streets, Kade Blackcap was once a famous detective.
Overburdened with guilt at sending a man to the noose, Kade can't bear to take a case for fear of the consequences. But with the taxman breathing down his neck, he has to find work soon, or he'll lose the house his father left him.
He has one hope left.
Instead of chasing criminals, he turns to hunting the monsters of myth his peers refuse to believe exist.
Kade is a complex and troubled character. While he is talented with sleuthing, he is also embodied by guilt when his job causes death. Kade chooses to leave the life of sleuthing after people behind and drowns his guilt with alcohol. But drinking will not save his father’s legacy, and it is all Kade has left.
Redefining his talents, Kade decides to hunt monsters instead of people. But it is easy to label something as a monster when reading folklore and myth. While some monsters are well known to the populace such as rainwights, Kade must research and find answers in relation to his case for others. When Kade comes face to face with his first tooth drinker, he will realize the decision to call someone a monster isn’t as clean cut as he imagined.
Blackcap is a great read for those looking for characters who struggle with their inner thoughts and emotions. Watching Kade evolve as a character is extremely satisfying. Throughout the course of the novella, he will rise and fall, engaging readers with his decisions and path forward.
To Purchase: Amazon | Author's Website
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