Kat Somerville never thought she’d come back to the small New England town where her estranged mother lived, but after her sudden death it turns out she left Kat the house in her will. Along with her young daughter, Sybil, Kat makes the move to Comfort Notch, New Hampshire, at first just to clear out the house and then staying for a possible fresh start. But Comfort Notch is not what it seems. The cozy little town holds many haunting secrets, and Kat and Sybil must uncover them quickly if they’re to survive the oncoming darkness lurking in the woods.
This graphic novel was a phenomenal twist on the Small Town Horror trope. Kraus does a wonderful job of building tension and unease through a string of seemingly-innocuous incidents with Kat and her new neighbors. The secrets of the town may be a bit predictable, but the way events unfold in the end blindsided me with an excellent conclusion that left me wanting more. The relationship between Sybil and Kat is also explored in fascinating ways, with the constant memory of Kat’s relationship with her own mother dangling overhead. The art, done in sketch style and bright fall colors that contrasted amazingly with the dark tones of the story, was also breathtaking. The town itself felt almost artificially perfect, with Kat and Sybil going from the bland blue-gray tones of their former home to the bright and cheery (and surprisingly not cloudy) autumn colors of New England. Altogether, this story was amazing both as an examination of the relationships between mothers and daughters, and as a slowly-building horror story set so close to home.
Enjoy this thrilling read? Why not check out our list of other terrifying Horror Comics!
