This might be the BEST graphic novel I’ve read. The story was compelling, the art was stunning, the gore/violence was (in my opinion) tastefully done. Jarring enough to be disturbed but not turned off entirely from the story.

I knew I would like this… but LOVE it?!
The premise sounded incredible. A murderous bear with Dexter vibes solving murders in her own town?

If you enjoyed Dexter, are interested in serial killers or morally grey (let’s be honest— sociopathic) main characters. This is a graphic novel for you.

5⭐️ (hands down)

Samantha is an adorable bear, the owner of the local hardware store, and a serial killer. She keeps her killing business in the city so that she can spend her time in the cozy town of Woodbrook relaxing. On the day of the town parade, a body is found on one of the parade floats and the town is plagued by its own serial killer trying to get Samantha's attention. She has to figure out who is going after the locals before the sheriff catches on to her own illegal activities. The art is mostly cute, but it can also be pretty grisly. There is a lot of interesting juxtaposition between the cute animals and the horrific acts, as well as between the anthropomorphic animals and the usual animals. I think I would have enjoyed the story a bit more if there had been a little bit more to the mystery, but it was still an interesting tale. The subject matter is quite dark, so this will be a good one for fans of Dexter or Hannibal.

This is certainly a great primer for fall and spooky season. With the juxtaposition of the friendly animal community reminiscent of children's books against the serial killer cat and mouse game, this is a new take on the slasher trope that any horror fan would find fresh. While the plot itself may not reach into anything we haven't seen before, I think the biggest draw for this story is the way that it's told rather than what it says. The artistic direction is what really drives this work. I think anyone looking for a fun remix in the horror genre would find this an enjoyable read.

Ever wonder if zootopia had a dark side? Or if Dexter was a furry? This graphic novel satisfies both of those. We have Sam, a well know lovable citizen of Woodbrook with that holds a dark secret, a dark passager per se. She hides this well until someone new comes and fucks with her peceful town. It was amazing. A thrill of a ride and the beauftiful and descriptive art is *mwah* chef's kiss. This was a very anticipated read for me and I got the opportunity to read it thanks to NetGalley. And if you haven't read this, what are you waiting on?

A psychological, gruesome illustrated book with cute animals. I feel like these books are filling the market more and more. The art was really well done, and by that I mean, it was really gory and creepy. The panels did get creative at times in a way that worked. The author did really well on the characters, but some of the scenes weren’t as good. Each of the characters were pretty compelling for just really being archetypes of small town folks. There weren’t too many redirects or red herons which I enjoyed. However, I always question when an author includes both animals and anthropomorphic animals in their world. In this case, the difference did come in to play but I did think the message missed the mark. A few scenes in book three I really did not get the important to the plot.

Received an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

A truly inspired mashup with exquisite art and a captivating serial killer story, this delightful graphic novel lives up to its clever premise.

This was a 5 ⭐ graphic novel for me!! Picture your favorite horror movie mixed with Animal Crossing!!! It had absolutely everything I have been hunting for in a GN, it's gruesome, bloody, and has cute animals just killing away!

"I've buried forty-three people out here and in over twenty years no one has ever been the wiser, expect for Mother Nature. Nobody ever fools her.".

I cannot wait to check out the rest of the series since this one hit the jackpot. I will 10,000000000% be purchasing this in physical copy! Thank you so much to Netgalley and IDW Publishing for sending me this ARC and letting me review it! Best adult GN I've read to date!

Who knew a book about a serial killer living in a town of cute and cuddly creatures could be so enjoyable? Just the right amount of gore, sarcasm, and cuteness. With multiple twists that I never saw coming, I couldn't put this book down until I reached the end. Hoping this is the beginning of a long, successful series.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
3.5 stars.

If you like twisted stories and stuff about serials killers, then this could definitely be for you. Unfortunately, it was not for me. The juxtaposition of the appealing and almost cutesy art style with the graphic, morbid, and confronting content of the story, was a bit too far for me. If I attempt to look past those uncomfortable things, it was a pretty decent story, but the sort of story where there's not actually any development by the end. A serial killer slice of life where the serial killer is an anthropomorphised bear? That's what it is.

Patrick Horvath’s debut graphic novel introduces us to the quirky town of Woodbrook, where adorable anthropomorphic animals live side by side. Enter Samantha Strong, a serial killer with a heart of gold (and fur). Here’s the scoop:

Pros:
Charming Setting: Imagine Richard Scarry’s Busy Town, but with a dark twist. The cozy atmosphere, cedar-scented air, and freshly baked apple pie create an inviting backdrop.
Adorable Characters: From the upstanding citizen bear to the quirky animal folk, the cast is endearing and memorable.
Juxtaposition: Soft, cutesy art clashes brilliantly with moments of extreme violence, making the impact even more jarring.

Cons:
Pacing Hiccups: While the story flows well overall, there are occasional speed bumps. But that’s not the main reason for the 4-star rating.

Beyond pacing, it’s the unexpected depth that steals the show. Horvath weaves humor, mystery, and heart into a tale that transcends its cozy exterior. So, grab your detective hat and join Sam as she hunts down a rival killer - just don’t disturb the peace

I really enjoyed this story! It was really amazing too see how beautiful all the drawings were. It was very cutesy but also graphic, a lot of blood 😂

I found it interesting all the mystery and how the main character tried to solve it.

A really nice read 😄

It was well-written and the art furthered the story and themes seamlessly. I didn’t love it, but I’m not big on serial killer stuff and I found our senior serial killer’s straight-line precision dismemberment deeply disturbing.

I had a lot of fun reading this. Interesting take on a murder mystery. It is like Dexter meets the Hundred Acre Woods.

4 stars

This was so fun, shocking and unhinged! This graphic novel is a mix of “Shady Hollow” and “beautiful darkness.” I really enjoyed the art style and plot. The only reason it’s not five stars is because I found it a little predictable, but I still really, really enjoyed it!

Thanks to Patrick Horvath, the publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC. Although the illustrations might attract young readers, the subject matter and plot are definitely more suited for grown-ups! It's a fascinating story that I highly recommend.

As a child, I grew up re-reading Richard Scarry’s Busy, Busy Town and its beautiful illustrations. But boy this book put a spin to it.

As an adult, this was enjoyable to say the least! An illustrated whodunit from a serial killer's POV and the plot unfolding with a surprise was cherry on top.

Definitely worth picking up.


Thank you NetGalley and IDW Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this!

This was adorable and *deeply* disturbing. It did what it did really well, but I cannot understate just how disturbing it was. If you like slashers and horror, you'll probably like this. As for me, I need to go read something uplifting now to cleanse my brain.

The perfect blend of cozy anthropomorphic animal tale and shocking murder thriller.

Beautiful artwork blends with a psychologically tense narrative, managing to create a strong world that feels grounded in a plausible reality and all in under 200 pages. There is still mystery and ‘rules’ to uncover here though (the bears! the sniffer dogs!) that leaves me hoping for a second volume to explain.

A brutal, yet beautifully illustrated, graphic novel about a series of small town murders.

Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees follows local serial killer Samantha Strong, an intelligent, well known community figure that has been carefully, and quietly murdering for years, when all of a sudden a new killer shows up in town leaving horrifying crime scenes for all to see. Samantha must find this killer before the police can, to prevent her years of crimes from being discovered.

The well drawn, full coloured, illustrations and riveting description pulled me in, and now I'm hooked. I hope Patrick Horvath will create more stories set in this town or at least in this style.

Thank you so much to Patrick Horvath and NetGalley for the ARC.

If Dexter were a graphic novel told with personified animals... this would be it. Samantha the bear seems like an ordinary citizen of her small town. She owns the hardware store, she visits her oldest and best friend and she harbors a deep secret - she has an urge to kill people. She does it away from the city. And she's always careful. She doesn't make mistakes. But when people in her town start showing up violently murdered.... she knows someone knows. Who in the town is toying with her?

What I loved:
It was a tad violent
The Dexter vibes
The twisted fate of some of her friends