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.

At first glance, Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees may seem like a lighthearted children's story, but scratch beneath the surface, and you'll discover the twisted tale of a serial killer in a small town setting chalked full of anthropomorphic animal characters.

The small-town serial killer, upstanding citizen, and adorable brown bear Samantha Strong's cardinal rule is to not kill the locals.

After all, there's a sea of perfectly ripe potential victims in the big city just beyond the forest, and when you've worked as hard as Sam to build a cozy life and a thriving business in a community surrounded by friendly fellow animal folk, warm décor, and the aroma of cedar trees and freshly baked apple pie...the last thing you want is to disturb the peace. So you can imagine her indignation when one of Woodbrook's own meets a grisly, mysterious demise-and you wouldn't blame her for doing anything it takes to hunt down her rival before the town self-destructs and Sheriff Patterson starts (literally) barking up the wrong tree.

Written and illustrated by Patrick Horvath, Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees is by far the most unique comic book of recent times, something we haven't seen since Stray Dogs from Tony Fleecs and Trish Forstner. A twisted tale of horror and murder behind the vail of a Richard Scarry-style children's story.

While not an original story, something similar to the hit tv series Dexter, this IDW Original is unique in the way it is presented. Horvath uses a tone that is reminiscent of a children's storybook, complete with rhyming phrases and whimsical illustrations. However, as the story progresses, the tone changes, and the darker side of the story begins to reveal itself.

Patrick has a great style of artwork paired with the unlikely serial killer story that makes for a standout comic series. This book is dark and twisted, yet still has elements of light-heartedness and humor that make it an enjoyable read. If IDW Originals continue to be anything even remotely similar to Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees we have extreme hope for the publisher.

Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees is by-far one of the best comic series of the past year. It is a perfect blend of unique horror and cuddly animals, what a weird combination to even say. All we can hope for is more from Patrick Horvath in the world of Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees.

Thank you, NetGalley, and the publisher for the e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

If you like shows like Dexter, this graphic novel is for you.
Having all these cute animals as the main characters in this brutal dramatic story was such a fun twist.
I absolutely loved the art here. The muted pastel colors were playful and perfect. It really made you feel like you were reading a children's book, but the story is so dark and gritty.
I loved the contrast of light and dark.

This was a delightfully deranged graphic novel. I LOVED how this dark and gory story was mixed with drawing that make it look like a children’s book, the contrast was fun and a big part of the appeal, if I’m being honest.
If the story is nothing very original, it’s the concept that I adored. I enjoyed the plot itself and the way we’re made to actually root for a serial killer. The fact that the anthropomorphic animals were cute made this thriller almost fascinating. I’ll definitely read more of this series soon.

These animals were oh so cute, and the story so so very dark. I didn't expect it to be as graphic as it was, even having read the description. This is 100% going to be someone's niche, but it's not quite mine.

When I first saw this comic, I was instantly hooked. The cute art reminded me of children's' story art, almost Richard Scarry-like, combine that with the gruesome and dark story of not just one, but two serial killers? Out of the world awesome. Be warned, there are a lot of content warnings for this comic, and I had to take multiple breaks while reading this because it was so dark. It is not a comic for the faint of heart, but if cute art with gruesome and dark stories is your thing, you really need to check this out.

My kids and I loved this book before bedtime. It was beautifully done! Such a wonderful story told, and the way it was laid out was just fantastic. Loved the illustrations as well.

3/5
Well, that was interesting.
This felt like reading a children's book, but not a children's book at the same time. It definitely took a moment to get used to the art style and how it worked with the story. These sweet looking characters are not as sweet as they seem. This was a disturbing and twisty read, perfect for anyone who loves serial killers and gore!

4.5/5 | "Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees" by Patrick Horvath is a stunning graphic novel that captivates with its mysterious plot and incredible art style.

The story follows Sam, a well-beloved citizen of this small town, who also happens to be a serial killer. As another serial killer shows up to her town, she starts to feel threatened and so this lead us to an intriguing story, full of amazing twists.

Despite its short length, the book does a great job introducing the town and its people. I loved this story could totally see it as a movie. I'll definitely be on the lookout for more from this author (and this small town!)