Looking For a Good Book

I knew/(know) nothing about this character Minky Woodcock. and I’ve never read anything by Cynthia von Buhler, but I was in the mood for something in the noir vein and a Hard Case Crime book is usually good to meet that need!

Following the death of Harry Houdini (with whom Minky had a close relationship), Minky works with both Howard Phillips Lovecraft and Aleister Crowley to help Crowley who’s been accused of murder. This association brings Minky into a dark world of occultism.

This was … this was unexpected. I went in to this book completely blind to the character and to the ongoing storyline. And honestly, at the start, I didn’t like anything about the book. I didn’t like the art, I didn’t like the characters, and I didn’t like the story.

But as I read on, I reached a point where everything clicked. I can’t say where that was, but I went back, started again, and I just really got into this. The art seemed to fit well with the story and setting, and Minky’s character suddenly made sense to me. As of this moment, this could easily be my favorite graphic novel of the year.

And then …! Then I hit the end of the book in which the artist/author, Cynthia von Buhler, describes how this is based on an actual WWII maritime operation inspired by a detective novel. It truly made everything I’d just read so much more impressive.

This is not a lite-read graphic novel. There’s so much here on every page, on every panel. I’m extremely glad I took my time and started over, because this is a powerhouse of a graphic novel. Fans of Lovecraft (and presumably Crowley – though I’ve never read him) should really enjoy this.

Knowing, now, that this is the third book in a series, I’m seeking out the first two, because I’m a fan.

Looking for a good book? Minky Woodcock: The Girl Called Cthulhu is a tremendous, dark, graphic novel mystery. Definitely worth a read!

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.

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Minky Woodcock: The Girl Called Cthulhu

author: Cynthia von Buhler

artist: Cynthia von Buhler

series: Hard Case Crimes Comics #34

publisher: Titan Comics

ISBN: 9781787743298

hardcover, 112 pages