I really didn't expect to go into this rooting for a serial killer bear, but here we are! Hannibal meets Zootopia in this cosy but gory tale. A quaint town is hit by a murder and it's longterm resident serial killer suddenly has a problem. She needs to find the murderer before anyone looks too closely.

The contrast of the art style, colours, character design and the subject matter is fantastic. Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees is a must-read this autumn.

Thanks to Netgalley & IDW Publishing for this arc!

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher IDW Publishing for an advance copy of one of the most creative and disturbing graphic novels I have read, one that preys on that love of a small hometown, and yet acknowledges the evil that many of our neighbors harbor.

I live in a small town, but unlike the song I really can't breath in a small town, though it is convenient. I'm an hour from New York City by car, a little bit more by train. The bigger city next door has lots of supermarkets so price shopping is a savings, a cool comic shop, and a record store, so I can't complain. Commute time is in the less than half hours, so that's a good thing too. Many of the people I know here can't imagine what life is like in bigger areas, though almost all of them commute hours to jobs far away. They like the feeling of security, safety of knowing people, and the fact that bad things don't really happen here. So this graphic novel about a murder in a small town speaks to something I know about. Though I will be looking at my neighbors a little differently after reading this. Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees by Patrick Horvath with lettering by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, is the story of a series of savage crimes that rip a small town apart and one sleuth who defies her own instincts to solve the case, for her own particular reasons.

Samantha Strong has traveled the world, but has come home to the small town of Woodbrook to take over the family business. Samantha Strong is also a bear, as the inhabitants of this world are anthropomorphic creatures, who live busy lives, but full of small town love. Strong has friends, a good customer base, employees Strong cares about, but also a need to get out of the small town once in awhile. Strong travels to the big city, when the feeling strikes finds another animal and kills them, without pain. Strong than chops them up in the woods and buries them deep in the ground. Strong does not hunt in town, that would bring too much unwarranted attention. Strong has rules. However some other inhabitant does not, ruining a parade with a graphic death. And soon more follow. Strong needs to find the killer, not only to help her town, but to stop the attention all these bodies are getting. For the woods are lovely dark and deep, and loaded with cut up body parts.

The book asks the age old question: Does a bear go to the bathroom in the woods? The answer is of course no, the bear has indoor plumbing, but the bear also does not kill where the bear lives. This is a wonderful graphic novel, original in thought and execution, a good mystery with beautiful art. Also this leaves the reader slightly confused as one is rooting for one serial killer over another, with the hero, anti-hero having a truly staggering body count. The set up is good, the characters are well done, and everything makes sense. Also this is a brutal tale, a mix of Richard Scarrey, David Lynch and the fashion sense of Wes Anderson. Now I need to see a stop-action animated movie of this. The art is really good, and fits the story perfectly. I do have a few questions about the world, if the animals are in chare, what are the animals they have as pets? However these are minor quibbles about such a different kind of story.

A mix of children's whimsy, with Blue Velvet makes for a unique kind of story. Comic people should really enjoy this, horror fans, crime fans, people who just love beautiful art. I really enjoyed this and can't wait to read more by the author. Or see the movie.

I knew this was going to be dark but I was not prepared for how dark it really was. Our main character Sam lives in a small town and has a secret. She goes into the city, adduces strangers to kill them and burry them in the forest. Though one day there is a series of murders in her small town because there is not room for two killers in this small town. So Sam is on the path to find the other killer.

The story was very dark and very graphic.... It reminded me of Dexter, but in a fairy tale universe. Loved the art style, like Frog and Toad. The main character wasn't too deep, wanted more backstory.

Like Dexter x Care Bears.

Sam the bear is a serial killer who likes to slice and dice dem city folk. But when another serial killer starts picking off people in her small town she decides to find them before the police do.

The illustrations are gorgeous but I am not the audience for this (I’m a wimp when it comes to violence and graphic depictions)

But if you like slasher books and cuddly animals, this is for you.

There wasn't much tension in this, but it's gorey and it is quite creepy. The idea of someone seeming so normal and lovely but secretly being a psychopath and cold-blooded killer will never not be creepy. This book is what you get if you take that idea and instead of people, you make it illustrated animals with a pastel color palette. This is a solid comic with a dark theme and gore, but it's not gross because it's illustrated in such a soft way haha. The contrast is pretty cool, I enjoyed this one.

What a creepy, cozily illustrated story! I genuinely have no idea what my thoughts are on this one. The illustrations were delightful - as adorable as they could be macabre. It added an extra dose of disturbing to the story of a bear who also happened to be a serial killer.

The story itself was quick and easy to follow. I got sucked in quickly and read it in one sitting. (Admittedly, given its short length it would be hard not to.) The ending wrapped things up in a dark yet efficient way.

All in all it’s a fun read, in a very weird and dark way!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy of this title.

This cute on the outside, gory on the inside is about a serial killer living in plain sight. Problems arise when another killer reveals themselves in town, putting the spotlight on every living in the small town.

Fans of Dexter will draw some connections between these killers. The story felt rushed and could have benefitted from longer chapters.

What a horrible homey little story!

The artwork is adorable, even beyond the cute animal characters. It’s cozy and charming and evokes a comforting warmth that strikes the most delicious dissonant chord with the story.

The story is engaging like a proper thriller. I was expecting a more tongue-in-cheek, whimsy sort of “dark” story, but this was genuinely gruesome and disturbing. A fun, fast read perfect for fans of horror and the Hallmark channel.

Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees was described as a cross between Dexter & Richard Scarry's Busy, Busy Town. I can't think of a better way to describe this delightful & totally disturbing graphic novel.

It follows a cute bear named Samantha in a town full of upstanding & adorable animal citizens. Then the serial killing begins... This book was DARK so be aware of that before you start, but the art was hilarious and cute and gruesome. Absolutely a fun graphic novel for all the adults out there with a twisted sense of humor!

Thanks to NetGalley, Patrick Horvath, and IDW Publishing for the chance to read and review!

Dark, grisly, terrible fun in a cuddly package. DTWNS is "What if Dexter but storybook illustrations". It wears it's inspirations on it's sleeves in the best ways. The art is by turns endearing, and horrifying. Shocking when needs must due to just how well it nails the lovely, whimsical feel of a storybook world, only to smash it by unapologetically painting the walls.

The writing is likewise top notch, the characters pop with personality, and very grounded and real (despite being talking animals). For being a debut published work, I'm highly impressed. It could be argued that it leans a bit too close to the structure of it's inspirations though, and could benefit from deviating a bit more if we see any more books in this series.

My biggest complaint is that it's over so fast.

*ARC provided by NetGalley & IDW Publishing*

Thank you IDW and NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a refreshing and different series. I went into this not having any expectations and not knowing what to expect, but the description of Dexter meets Richard Scary really was accurate. The story was dark and thrilling, totally at odds with its cute characters and charming watercolor illustrations. I recommend this story if you’re looking for something different; or if you’re into small-town thrillers.

LOVED this read. It's such a brain f**k, forcing you to empathize with and even like the protagonist, who is a major serial killer. I was so excited to see this book listed on netgalley ever since my local comic shop recommended it to me; it definitely didn't disappoint.

Comics are such a great playground for horror, especially when they play around with art style and tone. The contrast between the gore and the whimsical animal character designs was really fun. This story doesnt seem like it is going to continue past the ending we were given, but I would be interested in any future runs set in this world.
I spent the whole time reading this comic being reminded of other media that I liked: the show "Dexter", the "Shady Hollow" series, the webcomic "Everything is Fine", etc. The comic is a good time, but it does not have enough new ideas to make it memorable on its own. Overall, something I would definitely recommend to a cozy mystery enjoyer interested in breaking into horror.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and IDW Publishing for the advanced e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 stars
The cutest looking story about a small town serial killer you'll ever read.

Woodbrook is a quaint little town. The residents, anthropomorphic animals, form a lovely and supportive community. Samantha, a brown bear, is a respected citizen, a small businesses owner, and also a serial killer. She is a psychopath but she acts according to a few rules, the most important one: no crime in Woodbrook. She wishes to never disrupt the peaceful charm of this little town. So, every week she goes to the big city and randomly picks a victim. That's been her routine for years. But the day of the parade, where all the citizens are celebrating Woodbrook's bicentenary, a horrendous crime haunts the city. A violent murder, the first of many, by an unknown hand is about to put everything at risk for Samantha. So she decides to find this other killer and put a stop to their activities.

This graphic novel is awesome. The art complements the story so, so well. It's so cute, with these pretty anthropomorphic characters à la Beatrix Potter, but then it's surprisingly gory too. The crimes are illustrated quite explicit for such a cutesy art style.

I think the first half is stronger than the end. The first three issues are so good setting up the world and Samantha as the main character. The pacing is also at its best, masterfully building the tension. But then, the ending is quite rushed and I feel like the identity of this new killer is quite obvious too. I would have liked it better if the story was a bit longer. However, I still enjoyed it a lot. It's quite a strong debut for Horvath, so much so that I'll be looking for his future works.

If you like twisted stories or if you are interested in psychological thrillers (though this one is a very cutesy one), I think you will really get a kick out of Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees

This was bizarre in the best way possible. It was just so much fun and definitely a sort of cozy Dexter sort of vibe but with animals. At first glance it could seem like a sweet children's book and while it is whimsical it's also dark and violent. It's just completely bonkers and I loved it

Une BD thriller anthropomorphique en couleurs pastels : j'ai ADORE !

Un dessin pastel dans une petite ville tranquille qui cache en fait des habitudes bien sombres qui vont ressortir. Même les dessins des meurtres, sanglants et en petits morceaux, paraissent doux avec cette palette de couleur. La psychologie des personnages en parait encore plus tortueuse et machiavélique.

J'ai vraiment adoré ce premier tome !

The blurb describes this as Dexter meets Richard Scarry, and for once I can't quibble, except that I never got into Dexter, possibly precisely because the lead wasn't a bear. And to be honest, while I do love Richard Scarry (I'm not a complete monster), I also tend to bounce off anything which presents a world of anthropomorphic animals living in a society very like ours, doesn't offer a magical or SF explanation, and tries to use it as a lens on serious issues. Grandville, Beastars, Wild's End, whatever - they aren't making me think about inequality in our world, they've just got me puzzled over how agriculture, dating, anything works in theirs. Plus, the necks usually look weird. Well, Horvath has got the necks sorted, and is also leaning into the awkwardness of the whole concept, repeatedly giving us moments which, if individually they're not quite up there with that perfect DuckTales scene where the characters are feeding the ducks, channel the same unsettling energy to more pervasive effect. The result being that this time I do feel the story works as a mirror on our world, because it conveys the appropriate sense of - it's not right that things are the way they are, is it? That as soon as you look at this ostensibly charming little town in any detail, everything is a bit off. Instead, my only complaint is with the thriller side of the equation: it's a genre I tend to avoid, because it so often relies on humans doing even more obviously stupid things than humans regularly do, and that stings so much worse when the idiocy is put on a bear. Which is precisely what happens here when the ursine protagonist, a very careful serial killer trying to track down the copycat whose sloppier work threatens to draw too much attention, identifies the culprit - but then leaves the fucker time and opportunity for retaliation, rather than immediately solving the problem. Still, that was my one objection, and given almost all readers are a) more forgiving of thriller tropes and b) less protective of the honour of bears than me, I can't imagine it will be much of a drawback overall.

(Netgalley ARC)

I was not expecting this to be as good or as sad as it was. I just genuinely sad for the victims, but so interested in the story I wanted to keep going.

The illustrations were so well done. There was so much detail and the dismembered victims in particular were very detailed.

This is not the type of book I normally read, but I would definitely read this author again.

Another one that just isn’t for me. Nothing wrong with the art or the story really, just nothing that really hooked me.