Book Review: Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees by Patrick Horvath
- Thomas
- Jun 1
- 2 min read
TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read)
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees is a fascinating murder mystery with an interesting and sort of terrifying main character. The artworks depicting murders are beautiful and haunting without crossing any lines. The story is great for the intermediate english learner looking to grow their vocabulary. Some words might be hard to understand, but the images help support your understanding. Just remember, this is a story about a series of murders with images of murder. Only read if this is a topic you enjoy.
Author
Patrick Horvath
Genre
Graphic Novel, Horror, Murder Mystery, Thriller
Synopsis
Samantha Strong may be a serial killer, but she is an upstanding citizen in her small town and she has just one rule: no killing the locals. To avoid getting caught, she never kills close to home. She always goes into the big city nearby, where a person going missing is "just another Tuesday." So when someone commits a murder in her town, she knows she has to find the killer before their murders get her in trouble too.
Recommended English Level
B1 Intermediate
This book should work great for any intermediate English learners at the B1 level or higher. There are some advanced vocabulary words, but with the images supporting the story, you can often assume the meaning and continue reading. This is what I love most about graphic novels! Graphic novels are a great way to boost vocabulary in a low-stress environment because the images can help support your understanding.
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Book Review
This was a genuinely fascinating read! I don't read murder mysteries often because I sometimes don't connect with the mystery, but this one hooked me right from the beginning.
The main character, Samantha Strong, is a great character. The way she changes from friendly neighbor to cold-blooded killer is haunting. It really makes you wonder what your neighbors are doing behind closed doors. And I loved the way she communicates with her neighbors too! So caring and seemingly genuine, but then you hear her inner thoughts and realize just how little she really cares. It's a special kind of frightening.
The art in this book is fantastic! The gory details of each murder are just intense enough to make you wince, but not so disgusting that you feel the need to vomit. I've seen a few gory movies that have made my stomach churn in a horribly uncomfortable way, but this book didn't have that effect on me. Actually, it was the opposite. I found the imagery fascinating from an artistic sense.
That being said, this book is definitely not for everyone. With the intense gore in the artwork and the story being focused on murders, you really have to be interested in this topic before you consider opening this book.
If you enjoy murder mysteries or crime thrillers, then you will love this book!
