Blackcap (A Rainfallen Novella), by Benjamin Aeveryn
The Book
Synopsis:
Kade Blackcap was once a famous detective. Overburdened with guilt at sending a man to the noose, he finds himself unable 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.
Long has he suspected the myths of old were creeping back into the world, and with his detective background he has all the skills to hunt them. But once he finds himself on the trail of a monster, he realises how out of his depth he is.
He might have the skills to track such a creature, but what will he do when he catches up with it?
My Review
Blackcap is a standalone noir detective novella set in the world of the Rainfallen series, written by Benjamin Aeveryn. Using his imaginative world, Aeveryn weaves a supernatural detective story with a magnificent created main character and which explores other aspects of the world he created.
Kade Blackcap is a highly regarded detective, but he can't deal more with the guilt provoked by sending a man to his noose; without his job, he can't afford to pay the taxmen to live in New London. There's only one hope, and with that in mind, he decides to try his luck with a new ad in the newspaper: offering his services to deal with the creatures that come from the old myths.
When he has almost given up, decided to abandon the city and look up for a new refuge, the case finds him, as a widow that wants to catch the creature that has killed her husband. However, once he's on the investigation, he realizes that while he has the abilities to track down the creature, he's doubtful of what he will do when in front of it.
Kade's internal struggle makes an excellent central point of the plot, a base that helps to build a new conflict when the creature is found; at the end, Kade is just questioning if the creature itself deserves the same punishment that provoked his guilt sentiment. Outside of this aspect, it's quite interesting to see how Blackcap applies his detective skills to a case of supernatural proportions; you can see him in his element, a hunter following its pray.
The worldbuilding picks your curiosity in this novella, showing some bits of how New London works, and the creatures that appeared after the rains; while less developed than in the main novels, Aeveryn explores an aspect that didn't appear in other places (and even one could argue that is an excellent example of a world that moves without waiting for a main character). Props also because this agency is included as an Easter Egg in the second novel of the series.
Blackcap is a great standalone novella, perfect for those that want to try this world, but prefer an appetizer; if you like detective procedural and a main character you can empathize with, this one is a great choice.
Disclaimer: This novella has been read as part of the SFINCS. This review/rating only represents my personal opinion and it might differ with what the team decides.
The Author/s
Benjamin Aeveryn
Benjamin Aeveryn is an author of SFF from Cambridge, UK, where he lives with his beautiful fiance and a grumpy old cat. Salt in the Wound is his debut novel. People say his work is grimdark fantasy, but for a vision of England where it’s always raining, infrastructure is crumbling, and nobody trusts their neighbours, he only has to look out of his window.