Return to Sleepy Hollow by Casey Gilly with artwork by Savanna Mayer
Many thanks to IDW Publishing and NetGalley for sharing an
advanced copy of Return to Sleepy Hollow by Casey Gilly with artwork by
Savanna Mayer. This story is based on Tim Burton’s film version of the classic
American tale of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving. While the
original story investigated the power of folklore and the power of reason to
counter superstition, Burton’s vision seemed more steeped in goth and horror. Gilly
and Mayer employ these darker visions to create a moody and atmospheric iteration
of Ichabod Crane’s return to the village he helped save by solving the mystery
of the Headless Horseman. Nearly 15 years later, the town experiences a
resurgence in strange deaths occurring in the woods. Many of the bodies are
found with roots, branches, and leaves in their bodies, which are completely
drained of blood. The town is at a loss to explain these deaths, and call upon
Ichabod to investigate these strange, ritualistic deaths. To further complicate
Ichabod’s return, his former lover, Katrina Van Tassel, is Sleepy Hollow’s
undertaker, and is raising her daughter, Lotte, who receives sudden, ghostly
visions that may provide some insight into the victims of these murders.
Return to Sleepy Hollow is a great horror mystery
with elements of supernatural possessions and witchcraft that I initially didn’t
anticipate occurring in this story. The story moves from traditional folklore
to something more like folk horror as we learn more about the sacrifices Sleepy
Hollow’s founders made in order to help the village grow and prosper. Mayer’s
creepy and sometimes gory artwork adds to the sense of dread and doom within this
book. I enjoyed this mystery, although keeping
track of some of the characters in the beginning of the book was a little
difficult. Nevertheless, sticking with the story to see how the mystery is
solved is worth the read. Recommended!
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