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Hi there!
Eww, like I know he's a vampire but the idea of just keeping blood around ready to be warmed up is quite minging.
I suppose there must be a lot of different, new theories now that the internet has picked up pace. Especially considering that wasn't a thing then, and people wouldn't have even dared to start questioning what has happened, never mind investigating the murders during that time.
I'm glad he's getting paid for his work though, and that he'll be able to buy his office and do it up properly. I hope they're able to solve it, I can't wait to see what you come up with for the way they solve it and what answers they may find along the way.
Shaza
Written for the winter in fairyland review event.
Hi there!
Oh, this story just gets even more interesting. So it's set in the human world but all the magical things that exist in stories do exist in this world too, but most people don't know about it.
I liked the introduction to Edmund, he's got a very interesting family (I feel like I'm using that word a bit much but it just fits so well) and I think his motives for becoming a P.I are admirable. It's sad what happened to his dad, but I can see why that would motivate him. I'm glad they found his father's killer though, for the family's sake.
Shaza
Written for the winter in fairyland review event.
Hi there!
This is such an interesting idea for a story, a vampire exploring the mystery behind Richard III and the tower. I remember learning about that in school, and when that headline came about as well so I'm really interested to see where you go with this.
I also think it's fascinating that you've chosen a vampire as your protagonist, it's definitely an interesting choice. But i suppose he has the benefit of having been around for a few hundred years,and it's probably easier to solve the mystery if you were around when it happened. Also, loving the description of danger and what vampires are not, notably sparkly things haha.
A really intriguing first chapter, I'm excited to see where you go with it.
Shaza
Written for the winter in fairyland review event.
richard iii telling leander and edmund the real story of the murdered princes had me very wide eyed - i can definitely imagine that duke buckingham could have acted in that way, he seemed like a really shady character back when leander and edmund were tlaking about him, but this is awful, richard iii must have been devastated when it happened. ooh i love the idea that leander would join up with edmund in solving his future cases, it would be kinda sad that their collaboration stopped now! and he gave chaz a job, which is awesome. and i love the way they named their detacitve agency, it's deliciously punny!
(for foxy glory!)
hmm the two of them were talking about going to leicester, i wonder what they'll find there - if anything. haha that holy water actually burns leander made me laugh for some reason, mostly because he mentioned how not everything about vampires is an old wive's tale. they're at the abbey now, so i suppose they'll go to leicster later? edmund remembering his father and mentioning lysander - i'm glad lysander didn't try to replace his father and it's obvious that edmund really appreciates that. oooh and there are the ghosts of the murdered princes, right there in the abbey, wow! omg there's also richard iii, okay this is wild. and that revelation at the end!
(for foxy glory!)
it seems that lady margaret pole really did not have a happy life with the tudors, they were pretty much terrible towards anyone who could have possibly conspired against them ugh. awww makendra is cute with giving her brother that board to pin stuff on it, every private investigator most definitely needs one of those. aw, yeah, i highly doubt that leander will mind the cork board, he's so nice and supportive of edmund! and i love that makendra is offering to become edmund's assistant a little later on. it's interesting that leander thinks lady margaret knows who did it, but doesn't want to say even while dead.
(for foxy glory!)
leander reminiscing about the good old days before he died made me smile, even though his idea of going off to the holy land as a crusader doesn't sit well with me, i understand that one did not have that many options way back when, especially since he wanted to marry this fair gillian that he keeps mentioning. ooh and he became a vampire int he new world? how intriguing, i would definitely love to know more about that! oh and there is a ghost of lady margaret in the chapel that they're visiting at the tower - i forgot that ghosts were also magical beings in this universe, i wonder if she'll be able to help them somehow. oh wait oh interesting, the boys also became ghosts this is exciting!
(for foxy glory!)
oh so they are going to pay a visit to the tower of london! i wonder if they'll be able to find anything there, it's been used as a tourist spot for a long time and i bet it's been thoroughly searched but i guess i'll find out heh. i wonder how leander got turned into a vampire, and what happened to him after that he doesn't remember the events in history during that time and he had to read up on it? i love the way he managed to struck up a friendship with edward and richard, but it makes me sad that remembering them is so sad for him, even after so so many years have passsed since they died. it's nice that bertie is there to help them out! poor leander, revisiting history and the past in a terrible way, i really do hope he can find some closure.
(for foxy glory!)
also i forgot to mention but i'm definitely digging your pun-y chapter names! and it's cool how you've really leaned into leander's vampire side in a realistic way, having him actually sleep during the day, commenting how staying up past the crack of dawn drained him, it's really awesome to read. and leander's hero worship of herny vii really comes through in this chapter, though i think that's very valid, no one wants to think your childhood hero is actually a murderer. i can't believe that leander is still keeping his father's old suit of armour, though, that's hella impressive!
(for foxy glory!)
ah, edmund might be unsure that he and leander could crack this case considering how very very long it's been buried in history, but i have no doubt that they will manage to uncover something, especially since leander is, you know, a vampire and he lived during that time. i'm laughing at edmund's comment how the tudors (and the other nobles of the time) were a blood thirsty lot, because, yeah, that's checks out, i vaguely remember a lot of these pretender claims to the throne and how henry had to squash them every so often. oh the idea that edward's wife and daughter (who married henry, right?) accidentally managed to also curse their oen line if henry was the killer is a really interesting one, wow!
(for foxy glory!)
omg it's so so cool the way leander was literally there during the tudor times (if i understood correctly, he died at that time and has a little bit of a memory loss?) and how his family had to figure out how to stay alive in turbulent times, without a mad king or two decapitating them or something equally gruesome. also loved loved the way you described leander having this home base room that's totally windowless for his convenience, and the blood drinking, lol it really reminded me of true blood, i loved how completely chill he was about just stuffing that bottle into the microwave heh. all the possible murder suspects sound really interesting, it'll be cool reading about what leander and edmund find out!
(for foxy glory!)
i love the way you described edmund's quite large blended family, it just sees like kind of a crazy time with them is guaranteed, especially considering the fact that some of them are magical, like his good uncle leander. i too, would like a vampire protector so i definitely agree with edmund that that's a very good thing to hvae on hand, especially if you're a private investigator, it does seem quite useful. and edmund having to investigate the mysterious disappearance of wellington the cat made me smile. i'm really curious to see how leander and edmund will work this super interesting case that leander has got for edmund!
(for foxy glory!)
Aww this was such a great conclusion! Now that the case is solved, everything can come together as they all hoped it would.
Chaz has job security as manager of the bar. By the way, I liked how you showed that even as a werewolf, he struggles to find steady work (similar to Remus in HP canon), but it's not due to discrimination.
Le and Ed are going into business together. Yes, they are a great team! And their agency name is absolutely brilliant! Good job Chaz. :)
Oh my gawsh Juls! I am SO pumped that the Dead of Knight agency will be back! Ok, so like...this could be a published thing. I would totally pay to read a series of this. I mean you might need to expand upon this version more before you could get to that point, but this was SUCH a unique idea and I loved everything about this story.
Brava! Thank you for sharing it with us!
<3 Courtney
*team ice otter*
Ha! I love the "rules," regarding vampires you have set up in this story. It's totally cool to walk into a church, but Holy water still burns hah. That's funny.
Ooh and we see more of Edmund's relationship with his father. I suspected losing him was a pretty significant blow and you describe his feelings here quite nicely (but I mean it's also incredibly sad). I think what I mean is, you have the ability to write emotions out in a way that feel relatable to the reader, but aren't super heavy.
I really loved this line here: "All of his beliefs had become like a bitterness in his heart." I feel like this is a relatable sort of reaction to belief, particularly in regards to religion after you lose something suddenly, who was so meaningful to you. And man Juls, that brief moment where Le touches his shoulder and assures him that his father knows whatever it is that is conflicting Ed at present. Gahhh. That hit me right in the heart there.
Also, this line was lovely: "He was a Cross, if not by blood or name, but by acceptance and love." It's love that makes a family, and we see that throughout your story. You just put it here so nicely, I had to acknowledge the line. Oh ok, and then you contrast this version of modern family and how they care for one another to that of the one in the past, who is blood related but they all turned on one another. Wow that's absolutely brilliant, Juls!
Ooh Ian is a ghost too! But I like how in spite of this, it's not the same for Le. I think that is totally valid.
And omgawsh the princes are ghosts! I love it and yeah, now I'm wondering how Edmund can see them too. Perhaps there is some kind of familial connection? Hmmmm...a mystery indeed. ;)
Omgawsh Juls! The untold tales of Roanoke! That's how he became a vampire! Omgawsh I am nerding the fuck out so much!
And ooh...so Buckingham did kill the boys at what he believed to be Richard's request. Ok, so I love that. And I think it's fitting that we see them as ghosts now because of this incident. Now I'm curious where Buckingham is...unless of course, he's just in hell for killing two innocents. I think that'd be a pretty plausible fate. And then him telling the truth...I wonder if that is what enabled him to crossover and finally be at peace?
Wow, I love this story so much. Definitely going into a recommendation blog for sure!
<3 Courtney
*team ice otter*
Ok, I love this chapter title so much hah! :)
And Mak is a delightful character. I love the quip about the board and the mention of Ed's idol, Mr. Holmes again. It is how they do things on the telly, but like, who knows if that's real in real life? Probably just something they do for visual purposes and stuff in fiction. But anyway, you pointing it out was funny. Her wanting to assist and Ed's grumpiness about it just speaks to their brother-sister dynamic, I think. Le isn't helping with his, "you'll need help and she's rather competent." Hah, I love teasing family dynamics and you show that quite well here.
Ooh, so Le went on a quest for the fair Gillian's hand and failed! Aww...that's sad. So close, but yet so far from having his great love. :(
I think you explore the idea of the afterlife in this rather well. It also helps us to see why Lady Margaret isn't willing to give the information she might have to them. Poor gal just cares about being with her Teddy and at least now she is. It would be a gamble to do anything to lose that. Plus, I think a common mentality for the time she lived was to be grateful for what she had. So it likely rolls over to her current situation.
Another great chapter! I can't wait to see what they find at Westminster!
<3 Courtney
*team ice otter*
Also, after thinking on it while reading, I think the slow reveal of Le's past also speaks to the noir genre. And I love that we learn that he loved a woman, and he still thinks of her after all this time. It shows that love knows no limits really. And also, the small detail about him becoming a vampire in America. Color me interested. I must know more about that. I'm sure if I read on though I'll see it because of the stellar job you are doing with Le's character. :)
Ahh a ghost! But also...it's perfect how you incorporated Lady Margaret into this. She could potentially know more or be the missing link that Le so desperately craves. You can sense his hope mounting again after the despairing end of last chapter. And it also makes us as the reader feel emotionally invested in this story.
Ok, so I can see why Ed is the perfect partner for Le in this. They tag team the workload in such a great way with Ed helping out during the day time when Le cannot and then go out exploring at night.
This is a fantastic story Juls! I am SO HAPPY I found it! :)
<3 Courtney
*team ice otter*
Juls, I absolutely love how you are going about highlighting Le's past life as a human in this. I think places hold rather significant memories and feelings for us, and it is only until we find ourselves in those settings that those things all come back to us. I think that's an idea you do a great job of showing here. And you further solidify Le's personal interests for solving this case. He was fond of Edward and Richard, and he idolized Henry VII. It's interesting to see how his loyalties shifted though. Since I think they were all in opposition with one another at one point in time? Sorry if that's incorrect, my knowledge is shotty hah.
We feel his admiration though whenever he gazes on the paintings. And I think too, seeing images of his past probably stir up other feelings for him too. I loved this whole discussion here:
“Though I’m sure the painters made sure to give their subjects as flattering a portrait as they could."
“Probably, I think Henry VIII wanted to behead the last painter of his portrait,”
It's something I often wondered about. And there is a meme on the internet somewhere poking fun at the show The Tudors, and it's portrayal of Henry VIII as this total hottie. I mean he could have been, but we remember him by this iconic painting you reference and I just found the whole thing amusing.
And I think lack of credibility is a significant part of the noir genre. You highlight this with Thomas More's account and show us that he's essentially an "unreliable narrator." Kids often blur the lines between fantasy and reality, so unfortunately it's hard to say if his account is accurate. You can taste Le's disappointment in recognizing this.
Wow Juls, such a powerful ending from an emotional standpoint. While Le keeps a lot of his deeper feelings under lock and key, I think you still manage to convey a heaviness with this ending. It was very poignant. Well done there!
<3 Courtney
*team ice otter*
Hi Juls! I like that we see more of Le's mortal life in this chapter. Ian and him have a strong bond already, even in this momentary flashback. And I think we often ponder our past doing ordinary, everyday things. So him remembering his mortal life as he gets ready for work just felt like a fitting way to take us on that journey to the past. I think it also enables you to describe his appearance more without bogging us down with details up front. The bit about his hair was so vivid. I mean he also sounds hot hah.
And then Chaz is a werewolf! I wondered from Ed's glance at the calendar and musings about the moon's cycle. But now we know for sure. I like how they're coexisting together quite peacefully in this.
And this line here was gold: "He looked forward to being able to say that he knew them when." When I was younger and way more arrogant, I used to love claiming this shit with upcoming bands and stuff haha. Heck, that part of me still will claim stuff like this now as an adult. But with more nostalgia than arrogance LOL. Anyway I related to that statement a lot.
We feel Le's need for the truth, and I can tell that this is something that has bothered him, or dare I say, haunted him for many years. It's haunted me for a time, and I've only just became aware of the disappearing princes a handful of years ago haha.
Tell me the truth Juls (or rather, your truth ;))!
<3 Courtney
*team ice otter*
I think you do a great job of educating us on this particular moment of history. You show us who the key players are and their connections to one another along with their possible motives. I think the fact that Ed has some knowledge, but is mostly revisiting this particular part of history in more depth from a PI's perspective makes a lot of sense. It's one thing to hear the story as a child, it's another to have to potentially investigate it as a professional.
Anyway, I wonder if the book series referenced was Philippa Gregory's novels? I know there is some element of witchcraft in the show: The White Queen, but I'm not sure about that book. I think it is increasingly intriguing in this story because vampires exist. So the idea of curses and witches does not seem as far fetched in this universe as it might in our own lol.
"Having a doctor in the family was very convenient when you had a hungry vampire to feed and always didn’t have time to go out for a proper dining experience." I love it Juls! And I think how you have set up Le living in a modern world is just brilliant.
This is a well plotted story with such a unique premise!
<3 Courtney
*team ice otter*
Ok, so Ed's love of popcorn is probably one of my favorite mundane details about his character LOL. The quip about watching the four horseman of the apocalypse ride down the street with a bowl of it just had me cackling. Your humor is so unexpected, and when it hits you, it hits you in all the right places :)
And the bottle of blood being perfect at 98.5 degrees, ha! Clever job there.
"He was just another in a long line of overly ambitious men in a dangerous time. Just the wrong word could get your head lopped off.." so true though of anyone living in this time period! I often think about that when watching shows from this era. So it was great to see someone else make this observation as well and apply it like you did in this story :)
LOL "you look dead on your feet," another stroke of well played out humor, Juls!
I love the dynamic between Ed and Le so far. I am curious to see how this pans out, and it's totally cool if you fudge history (in my opinion). What is the real version of historical events anyway? There's always some bias, yeah? ;)
Anyway, another great chapter. I look forward to the next one!
<3 Courtney
*team ice otter*
Ooh ok, now we will Edmund's POV. I love when authors alternative POV's. :)
Haha, the "case," of where his neighbor's cat might be hiding? I love that omg. Great injection of humor! Along with Ed's attire. A tweed jacket and a ball cap...it's so mismatched, but it's uniquely Ed. And we love him for channeling his inner Sherlock Holmes a la modern setting. ;) Ok, so I was wondering if Ed and Le were somehow actually related, and if Ed too, was a vampire. But now I see how that all works out from this chapter.
I love how you have Ed going into the PI business because he wants to avenge his father's death. That's such a universal sensation, right? Because it makes me think back to the Tudor days when that sort of thing was commonplace. But it still exists in a modern setting.
Another great chapter with some additional insight into Ed's character.
<3 Courtney
*team ice otter*
Hi Juls! I think maybe I reviewed one of your stories before, and I saw this was nommed for an inkys so, naturally I needed to check this out! :) First of all, can I say that I LOVE what you did with each chapter title? I love a good play on words, and so I might just comment on your chapter titles in future reviews like the nerd that I am LOL. Just warning you. ;)
Ok, another thing that is humorous is that he refers to his younger colleagues as "great nephews," as opposed to "kids." A nice take on that thing we do, considering Le is a vampire, so it's like you're taking a statement and bending it to suit your own purposes. And here I am, totally nerding out about your word choices LOL.
Ha! Nice references to vampires in pop culture. I love Le's sardonic attitude towards them all. Because of course, they don't apply to him. So it's only natural for him to feel that way. And I love that we see him leading different professional lives because I am sure that if given enough time, one singular thing would become tedious. So again, the thought you've given to his character is just tremendous.
Ok so, I'm not really intellectual about the disappearance of the two princes. However, I watched The White Queen and all of that jazz and I was just shook about how those boys disappeared. So I am SUPER interested to see how you interpret this event in your story. I love that Le has a personal connection to this time period and that it's going to be solved (or so I hope) in a modern setting. I really think this is a unique interpretation of the noir genre. And I need to read on to see where this goes!
<3 Courtney
*team ice otter*
Hey Juls!
I'm here for the reviewing event!
it's always excited to see original fiction on the archives. I thought this seemed like a really cool concept to mix history and a real event with a bit of magic and vampire. I remember seeing the article when his body was first discovered and thinking that would be an amazing story about how he ended up there.
Leander seems like he is going to be a really cool narrator for this story, like a vampire is going to have some unique perspective about the world. I like how he is a bit jaded (probably the 500 years of experience) but he seems very sharp witted and funny too. He seems to have a little dark sense of humour which is good thing. I think you've given him a good introduction as a character to set up the story. I look forward to seeing more of him.
I'm really excited to see what you're going to do with this story because you've set up so much potential with the characters, plot and tone of this piece in this first chapter.
Abbi x
Ooh the Tower of London! I've been there! I love the Yeoman Warders. And I love that Leander has connections, haha.
What I think is really cool and clever about this is it's a pretty involved history lesson couched as a mystery, told through the lens of a detective novel. Imagine if history were always taught in such a way that makes it more engaging and relevant to a modern audience, how perhaps kids might like it more. And stuff like this is definitely salacious material.
But yes, Edmund seems to have his work cut out for him because if Leander is the history expert and Leander doesn't know the answer then I wonder what Edmund is supposed to do.
Love once again the matter of fact way Leander's sustenance is handled, and the implicit acknowledgment in the narrative that yeah, it's a bit morbid. XD
By the way, +1000 for the word "behead-ier." I laughed!
Melanie
Ooh, this is like getting a bonus history lesson! I, too, am interested in learning more about the princes and can't wait to see your take on the mystery.
The matter of fact way your characters talk, the blunt tone of your narrative, attention to seemingly mundane details like them drinking water (or, er, other things), attention to realities like being tired, thirsty, etc, all seems to suit the noir theme, and I can start to hear the story being narrated in that old school noir-ish deadpan voice.
What with all the murder and danger relating to this specific case being in the past, I'm definitely interested to see how the stakes here play out for Leander and Edmund!
Melanie
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