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Bedford Street
An alcoholic beneficiary is tasked with looking after his teenage son for a weekend. A nurse is faced with a violent altercation after her late-night shift. A single mother struggles with the sudden onset of crippling back pain while trying to keep her drug-addicted former partner at bay. A homeless man tries to readjust to life on the outside after a period of incarceration. A young father succumbs to boredom and lust. These are some of the lives of the inhabitants of Bedford Street, an all-too-familiar place where those at the less fortunate end of the ever-widening spectrum of inequality reside. People leading modest lives in challenging circumstances where disenfranchisement is high and a sense of community is low. All packed together and teeming with a chaotic energy, some submitting to their worst impulses, others trying their best despite it all. Bedford Street forms a mosaic image of lives lived in the maelstrom of a cost-of-living crisis, increasing rates of unemployment, and an age of individualism where isolation and alienation is rife. Murray’s skillful storytelling and combination of pathos and dark humour explores how we navigate life and care for one another in a disconnected society.
Kindle Edition
Published November 3, 2026
About the author
Ross Murray
4 books2 followersNew Zealand author/illustrator, based in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand.
His work is influenced by a combination of comic books and vintage advertising.
Written using information on Ross's website.
His work is influenced by a combination of comic books and vintage advertising.
Written using information on Ross's website.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to the author Nick Murray, Fantagraphics and Net Galley for the advance copy of Bedford Street, published November 3, 2026.
Nick Murray is a New Zeeland comics and picture book artist who in Bedford Street creates a series of short stories that add up to a kind of portrait of a single neighborhood. Maybe think Spoon River Anthology, where you get first-person monologues of locals in individual poems and you build up a collective portrait of the area. But Bedford Street is much bleaker, and has the further distance of third person renderings of vignettes, not monologues. I was reminded of Chicago's own working-class artist Nick Drnaso, maybe especially in Beverly (2016) or Sabrina (2018), dark send-ups of contemporary urban or suburban life. Murray and Drnaso depict similarly dark and alienated worlds.
Both artists remind me of the bleak works of filmmaker Todd Solondz (Welcome to the Dollhouse, 1995), an American Suburban wasteland, darkly comic. I had in mind, too, the short stories of alcoholic working/middle class life of Raymond Carver (adapted by Robert Altman in Shortcuts [1993], which may be why Fantagraphics calls Murray’s work here “Altmanesque”).
The stories include one of an alcoholic father with his enraged son for the weekend. Anguished, sad, but a powerful portrait. Murray doesn’t hate this guy or any of his characters but he is ruthlessly honest about the messed-up lives they are often responsible for. Also one of a woman who lies on the floor with a bad back as her kids run around the house and her drug-addicted ex smashes the sliding glass door to get into the house. Anguished, but not hopeless, finally, though. Real people facing struggles! Have I convinced you yet how fun this is? No?! Well, it's not fun, but it's admirable in showing you life for some folks at the working-class level, all the challenges.
One story, Anything Sinister, was a nominee for the Eisner 2025 Short Story award.
These are not heart-warming stories, but they represent our times--economic challenges, social isolation and decay. Fantagraphics talks about it as sort of darly comical, but I thought it was more anguished, and heart-breaking, but ultimately empathetic. Think New Zeeland is a paradise? Well, take a look. Oh, and sorry, the cartooning is terrific.
Nick Murray is a New Zeeland comics and picture book artist who in Bedford Street creates a series of short stories that add up to a kind of portrait of a single neighborhood. Maybe think Spoon River Anthology, where you get first-person monologues of locals in individual poems and you build up a collective portrait of the area. But Bedford Street is much bleaker, and has the further distance of third person renderings of vignettes, not monologues. I was reminded of Chicago's own working-class artist Nick Drnaso, maybe especially in Beverly (2016) or Sabrina (2018), dark send-ups of contemporary urban or suburban life. Murray and Drnaso depict similarly dark and alienated worlds.
Both artists remind me of the bleak works of filmmaker Todd Solondz (Welcome to the Dollhouse, 1995), an American Suburban wasteland, darkly comic. I had in mind, too, the short stories of alcoholic working/middle class life of Raymond Carver (adapted by Robert Altman in Shortcuts [1993], which may be why Fantagraphics calls Murray’s work here “Altmanesque”).
The stories include one of an alcoholic father with his enraged son for the weekend. Anguished, sad, but a powerful portrait. Murray doesn’t hate this guy or any of his characters but he is ruthlessly honest about the messed-up lives they are often responsible for. Also one of a woman who lies on the floor with a bad back as her kids run around the house and her drug-addicted ex smashes the sliding glass door to get into the house. Anguished, but not hopeless, finally, though. Real people facing struggles! Have I convinced you yet how fun this is? No?! Well, it's not fun, but it's admirable in showing you life for some folks at the working-class level, all the challenges.
One story, Anything Sinister, was a nominee for the Eisner 2025 Short Story award.
These are not heart-warming stories, but they represent our times--economic challenges, social isolation and decay. Fantagraphics talks about it as sort of darly comical, but I thought it was more anguished, and heart-breaking, but ultimately empathetic. Think New Zeeland is a paradise? Well, take a look. Oh, and sorry, the cartooning is terrific.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Phew! This was a tough read - involving, but insanely depressing.
Meet some of the residents of Bedford Street, an area of New Zealand that would never pass for Peter Jackson's lush Hobbit film set. The characters that people this book are all facing problems - drugs, alcohol, mental illness, and destitution. You'll share their desperation in a collection of six unhappy, but nicely illustrated graphic tales. All the stories, except perhaps the last, have pretty ambiguous endings. Like real life, sometimes the pain just doesn't end, and no one knows what's around the next corner. A worthwhile read, but have some cupcakes around to alter your mood after finishing.
Thanks to NetGalley and Fantagraphics for sharing.
Meet some of the residents of Bedford Street, an area of New Zealand that would never pass for Peter Jackson's lush Hobbit film set. The characters that people this book are all facing problems - drugs, alcohol, mental illness, and destitution. You'll share their desperation in a collection of six unhappy, but nicely illustrated graphic tales. All the stories, except perhaps the last, have pretty ambiguous endings. Like real life, sometimes the pain just doesn't end, and no one knows what's around the next corner. A worthwhile read, but have some cupcakes around to alter your mood after finishing.
Thanks to NetGalley and Fantagraphics for sharing.
October 30, 2026
A street in New Zealand: in each house, a different small drama playing out, with people coming together and (more often) falling apart.
The art is great here, not too complicated but with plenty of detail. These are messy characters, nobody unscathed: Anyone who might be a "good" character almost immediately lets their darker side show, whether they're judging someone else for their circumstances or treating women poorly or shouting at their neighbors.
I love the concept of a set of interconnected stories, but ultimately I wanted a bit more connection between them, and I also found the lack of hope in the stories kind of dispiriting. The book is described as "darkly comic", but it's not a kind of humor that resonates with me, and I struggled to find the hope in it. There are occasional moments—a man determined to take care of his brother; his brother, in turn, recognizing when the tables need turning; a father who at first seems maybe like a bit of a deadbeat ultimately understanding his son better than one might expect. But mostly things tend to go downhill, not to improve, for the characters here, and while I don't mind a bit of grit I think I just struggled with the lack of joy.
But: I do seem to be something of an outlier here, and if you're already familiar with Murray's work I suspect this one won't disappoint. I'd read more, but I'd do so with a bit more mental preparation for how grim things might feel by the end of the book.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
The art is great here, not too complicated but with plenty of detail. These are messy characters, nobody unscathed: Anyone who might be a "good" character almost immediately lets their darker side show, whether they're judging someone else for their circumstances or treating women poorly or shouting at their neighbors.
I love the concept of a set of interconnected stories, but ultimately I wanted a bit more connection between them, and I also found the lack of hope in the stories kind of dispiriting. The book is described as "darkly comic", but it's not a kind of humor that resonates with me, and I struggled to find the hope in it. There are occasional moments—a man determined to take care of his brother; his brother, in turn, recognizing when the tables need turning; a father who at first seems maybe like a bit of a deadbeat ultimately understanding his son better than one might expect. But mostly things tend to go downhill, not to improve, for the characters here, and while I don't mind a bit of grit I think I just struggled with the lack of joy.
But: I do seem to be something of an outlier here, and if you're already familiar with Murray's work I suspect this one won't disappoint. I'd read more, but I'd do so with a bit more mental preparation for how grim things might feel by the end of the book.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This book had two things going for it right out of the gate: it’s a Fantagraphics publication, and it shares the name of a street that’s weirdly significant to my own life. I had no prior experience with Ross Murray, but after taking a trip down Bedford Street, I’d be very easy to convince to pick up more of his work.
This is firmly in the lane of what I like to call Suburban Gothic. Think small, human, emotionally loaded stories about the quiet mess of modern-ish living. Infidelity, strained family dynamics, mental health stuff, other small scale crises. Nobody’s getting in a shootout here, no dragons are carrying anyone off. You’re closer to Cheever, Don Carpenter, Raymond Carver, or films like Little Children and The Ice Storm. If you’re a sucker for that kind of thing, like I am, this is an easy sell. And it delivers.
Murray parcels things out in a way that lets both character and plot breathe, building a loose, interconnected world without ever feeling forced. The tone hits a nice range. You’ll feel a little sad, you’ll laugh in spots, you’ll get that slight edge of discomfort, and if you’re being honest, you’ll probably recognize pieces of your own life in there. Maybe not literally, but in the mood and/or the emotional weather of it all.
My critiques are pretty minor. I wasn’t crazy about the word balloons or the penciled font, something about it just didn’t land for me visually. And I wouldn’t have minded if the book ran a little longer. That’s kind of an underhanded compliment, but it’s true. I liked the world and wanted to spend more time in it. So maybe it isn't really a critique to say "Waaaaah, I want more." But, well, I do.
Anyway, at the end of the day this is a really solid dose of humanist drama and another win for Fantagraphics as they keep stacking up decades of emotionally sharp, visually interesting books. You’ve probably seen work operating in this space before, but that’s not really a knock. It knows exactly what it is and executes it well. If you're like me (from an emotionally damaged family dynamic), you may also even find it some kind of weird emotional balm. Worth the short time it takes to read!
Thanks to the publisher and author for the ARC.
This is firmly in the lane of what I like to call Suburban Gothic. Think small, human, emotionally loaded stories about the quiet mess of modern-ish living. Infidelity, strained family dynamics, mental health stuff, other small scale crises. Nobody’s getting in a shootout here, no dragons are carrying anyone off. You’re closer to Cheever, Don Carpenter, Raymond Carver, or films like Little Children and The Ice Storm. If you’re a sucker for that kind of thing, like I am, this is an easy sell. And it delivers.
Murray parcels things out in a way that lets both character and plot breathe, building a loose, interconnected world without ever feeling forced. The tone hits a nice range. You’ll feel a little sad, you’ll laugh in spots, you’ll get that slight edge of discomfort, and if you’re being honest, you’ll probably recognize pieces of your own life in there. Maybe not literally, but in the mood and/or the emotional weather of it all.
My critiques are pretty minor. I wasn’t crazy about the word balloons or the penciled font, something about it just didn’t land for me visually. And I wouldn’t have minded if the book ran a little longer. That’s kind of an underhanded compliment, but it’s true. I liked the world and wanted to spend more time in it. So maybe it isn't really a critique to say "Waaaaah, I want more." But, well, I do.
Anyway, at the end of the day this is a really solid dose of humanist drama and another win for Fantagraphics as they keep stacking up decades of emotionally sharp, visually interesting books. You’ve probably seen work operating in this space before, but that’s not really a knock. It knows exactly what it is and executes it well. If you're like me (from an emotionally damaged family dynamic), you may also even find it some kind of weird emotional balm. Worth the short time it takes to read!
Thanks to the publisher and author for the ARC.
November 5, 2026
Eh, I can't say I liked this a whole lot. It's a bunch of vignettes centered around people struggling on a random street in New Zealand. None of the stories seem to have a point. It's just bleak little snippets. The art is quite good but I guess I just want more of beginnings and endings to my stories and not just snippets of hopelessness.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
a beautiful graphic novel examining the lives of several residents of a single New Zealand street. this was darkly funny and tragic in equal parts, and I loved the art style!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This graphic novel is quite dark, and yet it doesn’t show things that never happen. It is just a street in an unnamed town in New Zealand, where people try to get by on what they have, and don’t have.
All the short stories in this collection revolve around the people living on Bedford Street. We don’t get their whole stories, just glimpses of things that are happening now, and then we move on to the next family. There is swearing, there is sex, there is sadness.
A woman pre-judges a man who is squatting in one of the houses, but doesn’t realize the real villain is one of her neighbors. An autistic teen takes things out on things his father loves. A woman has to send her kids to her Ex, because her back is acting up so badly all she can do is lie on the floor.
I’m not sure if this book would be for everyone. It is well done. It just leaves many things out, but that sort of is life. We don’t know everything that goes on amongst the people we even live with, much less neighbors on the street.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out on the 3rd of November 2026.
All the short stories in this collection revolve around the people living on Bedford Street. We don’t get their whole stories, just glimpses of things that are happening now, and then we move on to the next family. There is swearing, there is sex, there is sadness.
A woman pre-judges a man who is squatting in one of the houses, but doesn’t realize the real villain is one of her neighbors. An autistic teen takes things out on things his father loves. A woman has to send her kids to her Ex, because her back is acting up so badly all she can do is lie on the floor.
I’m not sure if this book would be for everyone. It is well done. It just leaves many things out, but that sort of is life. We don’t know everything that goes on amongst the people we even live with, much less neighbors on the street.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out on the 3rd of November 2026.
October 27, 2026
THANKS TO THE LOCAL LIBRARY FOR LENDING ME THIS AND ALLOWING ME THE OPTION TO GIVE A FREE, UNBIASED REVIEW AND BLAH BLAH BLADEH BLAH ETC...
3.5 Stars!
From the same man who gave us the excellent “Rufus Marigold” a few years back comes this intriguing follow up. First and foremost what have the publishers/author got against page numbers?...Maybe they are just a bit too cool for them?...
These curious short stories are loaded with conflict, intrigue and drama as they portray a highly realistic and convincing dark underbelly of NZ suburbia at war with itself and its own prejudice, ignorance and intolerance. The drawing is nice and each character is almost uncomfortably familiar, which is testament to the author who captures the detail really nicely.
Read
October 21, 2026Overall, for readers who like more literary works, Bedford Street is a generally quiet examination of complex characters and a range of themes. There isn’t a strong narrative tissue connecting the stories to each other, but a definite emotional arc runs across the collection and these characters who ultimately seem to (mostly) be doing the best they can with a myriad of imperfect situations. It’s a striking book that deserves a place on any shelf where it will be appreciated.
Full review at No Flying No Tights: https://noflyingnotights.com/blog/202...
Full review at No Flying No Tights: https://noflyingnotights.com/blog/202...
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Gritty stories of tough situations and solo-sided thoughts vs comparing situations from both sides before acting. The fall-out from this form of stand-offish community is devastating and that is portrayed very well across these stories.
Thank-you, Fantagraphic Books, for this complimentary copy. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Thank-you, Fantagraphic Books, for this complimentary copy. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book!
I had a really good time reading this graphic novel. I love the short-story format in comics, and I enjoyed getting a little peek into the lives of the different neighbours on Bedford Street.
I really liked how you could see the ways they were interconnected if you paid attention :)
Funny, messy, and real, a great ride! Plus, the illustrations were excellent and I loved that each story had a different color palette.
Would recommend!
I had a really good time reading this graphic novel. I love the short-story format in comics, and I enjoyed getting a little peek into the lives of the different neighbours on Bedford Street.
I really liked how you could see the ways they were interconnected if you paid attention :)
Funny, messy, and real, a great ride! Plus, the illustrations were excellent and I loved that each story had a different color palette.
Would recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
amo tanto las historias donde tenemos ventanitas de las vidas y amo tanto cuando se entrelazan de maneras sutiles. el estilo es hermoso, los colores de cada historia pegan bien con el mood y todas me encantaron
November 6, 2026
Bedford Street, by Ross Murray. Thanks to @Netgalley, the publisher @fantagraphics and @rossmurrayillustration for a free copy to review.
First off - this is NOT my typical genre, and I’m so happy that I gave Bedford Street a chance! I’d never have imagined that comic strips could expressively and sensitively convey such emotive stories. I had all the feels reading these tales: joy, sadness, horror, disgust, disappointment, delight, empathy, and plenty of hilarity!
The witty series of comic strips explores the loosely interlocking lives various people lead in one street. We follow the characters trying to make the most of their raw deals - financial challenges, atypical caring responsibilities, unemployment, relationships conflict, children’s contact arrangements, pesky animals and irritating neighbours.
There are superficially amusing moments in these short illustrations, whilst the book positions itself on a foundation of deep social commentary. I don’t think I’ll ever get over the doner kebab 😭
This book captures the touching reality of life and its challenges, the complicated relationships and the unhealthy way in with people cope. For example, there’s a moving tale about a man and his son - both dealing with big feelings in response to the parental break up.
The artwork is clear and emotionally expressive, the use of colour adds real depth, and the panels flow very well: it’s easy to follow the story. The characters’ situations are so relatable and there will be something in here to resonate with everyone. This is a hidden gem, and I would definitely read more of Russ Murray’s work!
First off - this is NOT my typical genre, and I’m so happy that I gave Bedford Street a chance! I’d never have imagined that comic strips could expressively and sensitively convey such emotive stories. I had all the feels reading these tales: joy, sadness, horror, disgust, disappointment, delight, empathy, and plenty of hilarity!
The witty series of comic strips explores the loosely interlocking lives various people lead in one street. We follow the characters trying to make the most of their raw deals - financial challenges, atypical caring responsibilities, unemployment, relationships conflict, children’s contact arrangements, pesky animals and irritating neighbours.
There are superficially amusing moments in these short illustrations, whilst the book positions itself on a foundation of deep social commentary. I don’t think I’ll ever get over the doner kebab 😭
This book captures the touching reality of life and its challenges, the complicated relationships and the unhealthy way in with people cope. For example, there’s a moving tale about a man and his son - both dealing with big feelings in response to the parental break up.
The artwork is clear and emotionally expressive, the use of colour adds real depth, and the panels flow very well: it’s easy to follow the story. The characters’ situations are so relatable and there will be something in here to resonate with everyone. This is a hidden gem, and I would definitely read more of Russ Murray’s work!
November 3, 2026
Author Ross Murry tells several short stories, all centred around the not well off inhabitants of Bedford Street. We have an alcoholic looking after his upset teenaged son for a weekend, a young woman encounters a homeless man and misjudges his intentions, a single mother tries to deal with her two young kids while also experiencing crippling back pain, a salesman begins an affair with a woman, a young man takes care of his mentally challenged brother, a woman takes exception to her new neighbour….
The lives of all these people are not in great places emotionally or financially, and what we see is essentially slice of life stories about them. Around them, though not explicitly named, we know are others experiencing unemployment, struggles to pay bills and/or take care of families, deal with fraught relationships, and feel alienated and afraid of those different from them.
There is a bleakness to these stories, a loneliness, which the wonderful artwork reinforces. There are no happy stories in this collection, nor are there happy endings, just more worries, fears, lack of connection. At the same time, I appreciated this darker, more sad picture of a New Zealand neighbourhood.
Thank you to Netgalley and Fantagraphics Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.
The lives of all these people are not in great places emotionally or financially, and what we see is essentially slice of life stories about them. Around them, though not explicitly named, we know are others experiencing unemployment, struggles to pay bills and/or take care of families, deal with fraught relationships, and feel alienated and afraid of those different from them.
There is a bleakness to these stories, a loneliness, which the wonderful artwork reinforces. There are no happy stories in this collection, nor are there happy endings, just more worries, fears, lack of connection. At the same time, I appreciated this darker, more sad picture of a New Zealand neighbourhood.
Thank you to Netgalley and Fantagraphics Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Fantagraphics Books and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!
Available Nov 2026
Bedford Street is a love song to a hometown and a people. Set in the suburbs of New Zealand, the vignettes in this collection capture the many walks of life in contemporary New Zealand. I especially enjoyed and appreciated the inclusion of neurodivergent characters like Ray, an autistic young man who breaks things. For all the terrible, the addictions, the stress about money, fighting, classism and xenophobia, Murray also paints a very tender and moving portrait of what working class life is like. There's a loyalty to kindness in the book, whether it's Ray's father hugging him or Bugs' brother sticking up for him - fealty to family. The comics are well drawn, with striking use of color, space, and vividness.
Available Nov 2026
Bedford Street is a love song to a hometown and a people. Set in the suburbs of New Zealand, the vignettes in this collection capture the many walks of life in contemporary New Zealand. I especially enjoyed and appreciated the inclusion of neurodivergent characters like Ray, an autistic young man who breaks things. For all the terrible, the addictions, the stress about money, fighting, classism and xenophobia, Murray also paints a very tender and moving portrait of what working class life is like. There's a loyalty to kindness in the book, whether it's Ray's father hugging him or Bugs' brother sticking up for him - fealty to family. The comics are well drawn, with striking use of color, space, and vividness.
November 8, 2026
ARC Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The art was simple and clear, has that newspaper comic feel to it. It's style fit the story very well, really carrying that sense of bleakness and beaten down atmosphere the stories have.
This was a depressing read. There was some moments of beauty in there, but mostly just the down trodden lives of people who are just keeping their heads above water.
It said it would be dark and it meant it. I think it's simply not for me. The humor didn't lighten the mood (I really didn't see any and I had been expecting it).
Thank you NetGalley and Fantagraphics for this ARC!
The art was simple and clear, has that newspaper comic feel to it. It's style fit the story very well, really carrying that sense of bleakness and beaten down atmosphere the stories have.
This was a depressing read. There was some moments of beauty in there, but mostly just the down trodden lives of people who are just keeping their heads above water.
It said it would be dark and it meant it. I think it's simply not for me. The humor didn't lighten the mood (I really didn't see any and I had been expecting it).
Thank you NetGalley and Fantagraphics for this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review soon
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I really loved the art and the nitty gritty stories that stand on their own but also connect.
The writing made me think of Tomine Killing and Dying for some reason.
Anyway, really enjoyed reading this collection of stories!
The writing made me think of Tomine Killing and Dying for some reason.
Anyway, really enjoyed reading this collection of stories!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Bedford Street is the story of a suburban street in New Zealand and it’s inhabitants. Each character lives in a humble home on the slightly decrepit road and some of them interact a wee bit. Most of the characters are pretty unlikeable, most of them are going through hard times. There is definitely a glass half empty pall hanging over Bedford Street and this book. Through careful observational artwork Ross Murray draws the readers attention to pieces of beauty within in the mire. There are stories of solo parenting with difficult family members, elderly loneliness, regrets, affairs and domestic violence. There are lovely cats, silly dogs and a few kind friends. The dialogue is sparse but very clever and familiar, the characters are sad but very real. Murray has summed up a side of New Zealand most people don’t bother highlighting, a quiet side that deserves a second look.
I love a graphic novel. I’ve read hundreds and hundreds over the years. When they are done well they are such an impactful art form. We don’t have a huge graphic novel community in New Zealand and I wish there were more. I wish publishers understood and respected graphic novels more. Thank fuck for makers like Ross Murray and publishers like Earth’s End.
September 22, 2026
I’m not often a slice-of-life book kinda person and this wasn’t really an exception because they always make me sad. But this was still excellent and I’ll be thinking about it for a while. Poignant and devastating and heartwarming at times. But oof.
TW: police violence, profiling, discrimination, racism, suicide, car accident, animal cruelty/death, infidelity, assault, ableism
TW: police violence, profiling, discrimination, racism, suicide, car accident, animal cruelty/death, infidelity, assault, ableism
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was my first time reading a collection of short stories in graphic novel format, and Ross Murray really nailed it. A great short story must immediately draw the reader in. It must provide just enough context of setting, characters, and plot to build up the world of the story in the readers' mind; and unlike most full-length novels, a great short story doesn't follow the traditional story arc of introduction - conflict - resolution. Rather than resolving, it instead leaves the reader thinking--causing them to draw their own conclusions. Murray achieved all of these things in the telling of his stories.
The link that ties all of these strangers' lives and tales together is Bedford Street, the run-down block in an unnamed New Zealand town that all of our characters call home. Maintaining the same setting throughout the very different stories was a smart grounding strategy for the readers; these stories were very short vignettes, so I appreciated having some built-in context when starting a new chapter.
All of the Bedford Street residents deal with struggles--some bleak, some silly and immature, some heartbreaking. Though I finished this book in about a half hour, it left me with a lot of food for thought.
Thank you to NetGalley, Ross Murray and Fantagraphics for the e-arc!
The link that ties all of these strangers' lives and tales together is Bedford Street, the run-down block in an unnamed New Zealand town that all of our characters call home. Maintaining the same setting throughout the very different stories was a smart grounding strategy for the readers; these stories were very short vignettes, so I appreciated having some built-in context when starting a new chapter.
All of the Bedford Street residents deal with struggles--some bleak, some silly and immature, some heartbreaking. Though I finished this book in about a half hour, it left me with a lot of food for thought.
Thank you to NetGalley, Ross Murray and Fantagraphics for the e-arc!
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Very interesting stories and great illustrations.
For the rest of the review, visit my Vlog at:
https://youtube.com/shorts/81WIWdsydM...
Enjoy!
For the rest of the review, visit my Vlog at:
https://youtube.com/shorts/81WIWdsydM...
Enjoy!
Read
July 9, 2026Thanks to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the ARC.
Comics are not in my usual reading area but I try to include them in my reading routine time to time. Bedford Street is actually a unique one for me so far because I was yet to read a slice of life/short story collection in comic format. It has a generally dark and somber tone where you feel the loneliness of the individuals. And I have to say when you can do that in short stories it shows the writing (and the visual art in comics) must be strong enough. I adored the illustrations. The color palette really added to the rueful and anxious vibes of the stories.
Comics are not in my usual reading area but I try to include them in my reading routine time to time. Bedford Street is actually a unique one for me so far because I was yet to read a slice of life/short story collection in comic format. It has a generally dark and somber tone where you feel the loneliness of the individuals. And I have to say when you can do that in short stories it shows the writing (and the visual art in comics) must be strong enough. I adored the illustrations. The color palette really added to the rueful and anxious vibes of the stories.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Fantagraphics and Netgalley for a digital copy of this graphic novel in exchange for this review!
This was a great read! Not too long and I really enjoyed getting to know everyone in the neighborhood and their unfortunate stories. Each story was interesting and I feel like I could have read an entire graphic novel about each one, but I also enjoyed the rhythm of each of them being intentionally written as short stories and leaving some vagaries. I will definitely have to check out more by this author.
This was a great read! Not too long and I really enjoyed getting to know everyone in the neighborhood and their unfortunate stories. Each story was interesting and I feel like I could have read an entire graphic novel about each one, but I also enjoyed the rhythm of each of them being intentionally written as short stories and leaving some vagaries. I will definitely have to check out more by this author.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Fantastic art and impactful storytelling, creating a really honest look into the lives of residents of Bedford Street. There are plenty of tough moments in these neighbors lives, interspersed with genuine care and connection while folks are trying to get by day to day. I think this will appeal to fans of Adrian Tomine, perhaps Keiler Roberts (though this is heavier by far), and readers who appreciate realistic depictions of everyday life.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Fantagraphics Books for the digital ARC!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Fantagraphics Books for the digital ARC!
November 3, 2026
A street. A collection of neighbours. A series of lives unfolding side by side.
Bedford Street is a graphic novel made up of interconnected stories centred on the residents of a single street in New Zealand. Through these vignettes, Ross Murray explores loneliness, poverty, family struggles, addiction, prejudice, regret and the small moments of connection that still exist between people who often feel isolated from one another.
What impressed me most was how much emotion Murray packed into such brief encounters. We only spend a short time with each character, yet many of their stories felt remarkably authentic. Nobody is perfect here. The characters can be frustrating, compassionate, selfish, funny and vulnerable, often all at once.
The artwork is exceptional. The colours give each story its own mood, and the illustrations frequently carry the emotional weight of scenes without needing many words. I found myself lingering over panels to appreciate the visual storytelling.
I was deeply invested, and I would have loved stronger links between some of the neighbours.
Even so, this is a thoughtful, beautifully illustrated graphic novel that examines everyday lives with honesty, empathy and remarkable emotional insight. A memorable read.
Thank you to #NetGalley and Fantagraphics Books for this ARC. Publication day is TODAY
Bedford Street is a graphic novel made up of interconnected stories centred on the residents of a single street in New Zealand. Through these vignettes, Ross Murray explores loneliness, poverty, family struggles, addiction, prejudice, regret and the small moments of connection that still exist between people who often feel isolated from one another.
What impressed me most was how much emotion Murray packed into such brief encounters. We only spend a short time with each character, yet many of their stories felt remarkably authentic. Nobody is perfect here. The characters can be frustrating, compassionate, selfish, funny and vulnerable, often all at once.
The artwork is exceptional. The colours give each story its own mood, and the illustrations frequently carry the emotional weight of scenes without needing many words. I found myself lingering over panels to appreciate the visual storytelling.
I was deeply invested, and I would have loved stronger links between some of the neighbours.
Even so, this is a thoughtful, beautifully illustrated graphic novel that examines everyday lives with honesty, empathy and remarkable emotional insight. A memorable read.
Thank you to #NetGalley and Fantagraphics Books for this ARC. Publication day is TODAY
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a collection of short story comics that are loosely connected vignettes all set on Bedford street in New Zealand. We see some honest, uncomfortable, sometimes funny, sometimes relatable, a⁸nd all very human moments in these stories. They all seem to share a common a thread of a theme like 'you never know what someone is going through'.
Beautifully illustrated with many great details, including the colourization. The images convey so much of the story. Along with the dialogue, we get very clear messages that evoke a lot of feelings, mostly bad ones. A bit bleak overall, and it definitely leaves you wanting more of the connections between the neighbours, more time to spend with the characters to get to know them, and a lot more pages would be nice. Which is a testament to the work that went into creating compelling characters.
My standout stories -
Jimmy and Bugs is such a great story, and had me teary eyed by the end.
Whole Lotta Love and Lets Dance were uncomfortable in the best way, and they both had me awkwardly laughing.
Canis Minor was so cringe, and a great example of passing judgment on others without caring about their experience.
This would be a great book to have on your shelf if you are a comic book/graphic novel lover
Beautifully illustrated with many great details, including the colourization. The images convey so much of the story. Along with the dialogue, we get very clear messages that evoke a lot of feelings, mostly bad ones. A bit bleak overall, and it definitely leaves you wanting more of the connections between the neighbours, more time to spend with the characters to get to know them, and a lot more pages would be nice. Which is a testament to the work that went into creating compelling characters.
My standout stories -
Jimmy and Bugs is such a great story, and had me teary eyed by the end.
Whole Lotta Love and Lets Dance were uncomfortable in the best way, and they both had me awkwardly laughing.
Canis Minor was so cringe, and a great example of passing judgment on others without caring about their experience.
This would be a great book to have on your shelf if you are a comic book/graphic novel lover
Read
November 1, 2026* Review of advance copy received from NetGalley *
Honestly taken aback by how emotionally powerful these short visual stories are. Showing the lives of a few people on Bedford street, their little problems and conflicts, their precarity, addictions, health issues, hopes and relations, this graphic novel is a touching example of just how much you can `say` without saying, and in very few panels. I love its rhythm, how it tricks you into admiring the daily life of various families, be it the alcoholic father who tries to connect with his teenage son; the hard working brother taking care of his disabled sibling; the separated single mother in a health crisis; the loneliness of elderly neighbours; the ramblings, worries and classism of a young girl; or the never-ending care shift for a hospice worker. Their lives almost touch, but then don’t. Violence, alienation, poverty are ever present, as is care, concern, and possibility. I recommend it!
Honestly taken aback by how emotionally powerful these short visual stories are. Showing the lives of a few people on Bedford street, their little problems and conflicts, their precarity, addictions, health issues, hopes and relations, this graphic novel is a touching example of just how much you can `say` without saying, and in very few panels. I love its rhythm, how it tricks you into admiring the daily life of various families, be it the alcoholic father who tries to connect with his teenage son; the hard working brother taking care of his disabled sibling; the separated single mother in a health crisis; the loneliness of elderly neighbours; the ramblings, worries and classism of a young girl; or the never-ending care shift for a hospice worker. Their lives almost touch, but then don’t. Violence, alienation, poverty are ever present, as is care, concern, and possibility. I recommend it!
November 8, 2026
(ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
Slice of life vignettes. Calm colors. Left me wanting more.
The art style gives me early webcomic vibes in a good way. It's simple and effective.
The "Altman-esque" descriptor came through for me. A variety of characters and circumstances. It's an exploration of a specific type of modern suburbia. It gave me what I want from an anthology of human stories. I like that the common narrative thread is proximity. It's a reminder of all the stories going on around us that we don't notice or choose to look away from.
The stories reflect back to us our best and worst intentions.
I recommend it. I would want to read more from this author. I would watch an adaptation.
Slice of life vignettes. Calm colors. Left me wanting more.
The art style gives me early webcomic vibes in a good way. It's simple and effective.
The "Altman-esque" descriptor came through for me. A variety of characters and circumstances. It's an exploration of a specific type of modern suburbia. It gave me what I want from an anthology of human stories. I like that the common narrative thread is proximity. It's a reminder of all the stories going on around us that we don't notice or choose to look away from.
The stories reflect back to us our best and worst intentions.
I recommend it. I would want to read more from this author. I would watch an adaptation.
Read
October 28, 2026I hadn’t read a graphic novel in a while and this one reminded me why I love the form. A whole street of lives, glimpsed one by one, and eventually intersecting. Loneliness and connection, the unsaid and the said-without-thinking. Love and misunderstanding. Privilege versus none. Ross Murray's artwork is STUNNING, too. A really special piece of work from Earth’s End Publishing. 📖🎨✨
UPDATE ON STAR RATINGS: You may have noticed that I've stopped rating the books I read. After a lot of thinking, as both an author and a reader, I've decided that the reducing books to a number of stars doesn't honour the beautiful subjectivity of reading.
UPDATE ON STAR RATINGS: You may have noticed that I've stopped rating the books I read. After a lot of thinking, as both an author and a reader, I've decided that the reducing books to a number of stars doesn't honour the beautiful subjectivity of reading.
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