Mix Sherlock Holmes’s talent for deduction, a devil’s deviousness, a soldier’s loyalty, an unfortunate talent for getting wrapped up in gruesome murder investigations, put it all in a truly stunning teenage guy and shake well.
Meet Lord Cain Hargreaves. In 19th century London, Cain is the heir of the noble but notorious Hargreaves family, playing the role of a fetching bachelor and currently the favorite gentleman detective of his social set. He solves mysteries while navigating the labyrinthine politics and social climbing shenanigans of his peers, all the while haunted by an elusive nemesis who pulls the strings behind the individual cases Cain investigates. Cain has few people he can trust: his manservant Riff is a constant companion, bodyguard, and silent support, while Cain’s young half-sister Mary Weather connects him with a more innocent world and remains his one weakness.
Cain has everything you want in an emotionally distant hottie, elegant fashion sense, calculating conversation, rapier wit, keen intelligence, a dark past, and, of course, great hair. The crimes he dissects in this first volume include an Alice in Wonderland inspired serial killer, an entirely too creepy doll collection, and a string of young women paying the ultimate price to be momentarily beautiful. All are unsettling, splatter filled, and deliciously in line with the melodramatic, horrific traditions of Edgar Allen Poe and Mary Shelley. Yuki’s artwork, familiar from shojo angst hit Angel Sanctuary, is gothic, shadowed, and full or rich period detail. Her character designs–full of sleepy-eyed pretty boys and Victorian beauties showing off their hourglass figures–are perfect for setting the mood. If you love period mysteries with a horror edge, Godchild is definitely for you.
Godchild: Volume 1
by Kaori Yuki
ISBN 9781421502335
VIZ Media, 2006
