Gilt Frame

Prolific cartoonist Matt Kindt (If You Find This, I’m Already Dead) teams with his mother, debut author Margie Kraft Kindt, for a playful, globe-spanning mystery that blends sinister intrigue with familial tenderness. The story follows Merry Pearson and her twentysomething nephew Sam on an adventure that begins with the duo visiting Paris in search of valuable antique furniture but quickly spirals into a murder investigation. Merry’s spirited, assertive personality serves as a charming contrast to her nephew’s pragmatism, creating a compelling duo whose relationship feels as central to the graphic novel as the mystery itself. In fact, as engaging as the story’s explorations of the shadows in the core of the human heart can be, the work is at its best when exploring the tensions and affections that define Merry’s and Sam’s connections to one another. Visually, Matt Kindt’s intentionally loose yet richly detailed illustration complements the story’s alternately cozy and chilling tone, and the inclusion of diagrams and faux documents successfully draw readers further into the book’s world.