The Scour is a prequel novella to the Empire of the Wolf series, written by Richard Swan, published by Grimdark Magazine. A murder mystery set fifteen years before the main novels, following the earlier experiences of Konrad Vonvalt in a really atmospherical and full of intrigue story, while putting the emphasis on the nature of justice and if those that are in charge of administering it are also under its control.

Sir Konrad Vonvalt, Emperor's Justice, and his bondsman, Bressinger, hear rumours about a fellow Justice being imprisoned for the killing of a six-year-old boy in the coastal town of Gdansburg; what they find is a city where nobody is willing to assist in the investigation and a seemingly haunted lighthouse. However, there's more behind the appearances, and our duo will have to work hard to untangle this mess, especially to determine if the Justice is guilty, and how justice can be applied to an individual that already represents a powerful institution.

Despite this being a prequel, the reader can already expect Vonvalt to be a really proficient character, intelligent and with already access to gifts such as the Emperor's Voice; however, being fifteen years before the main series, he lacks the experience and the resolve, with his confidence sometimes showing cracks in this specific situation. His duo with Bressinger is already delightful, especially how the trust between both leads to wit and banter; Bressinger is the perfect complement to Vonvalt, even if sometimes you can see how their methods might clash.
The secondary cast is also well fleshed, supporting the plot and sometimes giving our characters a nudge in the correct direction.

The setting excellently fits this kind of dark fantasy novella, touching gothic elements, building an atmosphere that greatly immerses the reader while they follow the build-up, the investigation and the more tense moments. Swan's prose is really sharp, and combined with a heavy dialogue factor gives us a really adequate pacing to such a plot.
And the ending is simply perfect, really fitting of Sova (can't say more without spoiling).

The Scour is a perfect taster of what readers can find in the bigger Empire of the Wolf series, an excellent prequel novel that successfully mixes together murder mystery and gothic horror into a fantasy setting; if you haven't already, Richard Swan is an author that should be in your TBR.