The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest

by Aubrey Hartman ★★★★★

Clare, the titular character in The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest, is exactly as the title suggests. He's not dead...but, he's not fully alive, either. After being hit by a car, which left him with a missing ear and a missing eye, he was offered an opportunity to avoid death and become an Usher for souls after they die, guiding them into the Afterlife and the most appropriate realm for that soul for eternity. Clare accepts the role of Usher, and he has been in the role for several years when we pick up the story.

It's a solitary existence. Clare "lives" alone in a cottage in the woods. He spends most of his time tending to his mushroom garden, the silent friends that bring him happiness, and making trips to the Deadwood Dump, where he exchanges harvested mushrooms with an entrepreneurial rat for other treasures that Clare enjoys, most notably books. It's also a sad existence. Clare is sensitive about the deformities he's been left with after the accident that led to his "undeath", and so he wears a hazy monocle to hide the cavity where his missing eye used to sit, and a red cloak that he pulls over his head to hide his missing ear. His discomfort with his appearance is exacerbated every All Hallows' Eve, when children crowd the edge of Deadwood Forest and chant rhymes about the "undead monster" who lives there.

Nevertheless, Clare feels purpose in the work he does as an Usher, comfort from his mushroom friends, and contentment in knowing he's providing a valuable and necessary service. His repetitive routine life is upended, however, by two things. First, the rats in Deadwood Dump tell him of a prophecy that Hesterfowl, the self-proclaimed "visionary of Fernlight Forest." Hesterfowl's prophecy states that "On All Hallows' Eve, Deadwood will bring mayhem to Fernlight. And before the moon sets, the one in Deadwood will vanish forever." Well, Clare is the one in Deadwood! Vanish forever? With All Hallows' Eve just a few days away, suddenly his future is in question.

The second disruption is the arrival of a soul, a badger named Gingersnipes, that Clare can't seem to usher to the Afterlife. There are four realms: "Peace, for those who found joy in rest...Pleasure—for those who sought fun and happiness in life...Progress—for those who loved work, service, and effort...and Pain", for those who revel in making others miserable. Typically, when a soul visits, Clare can feel a pull from the Afterlife helping him to guide that creature to the most appropriate realm. But no matter which realm Clare ushers Gingersnipes to, she keeps returning, with each of the four realms ultimately rejecting her. Suddenly Clare's solitary existence is not so solitary, a disruption to his routines that is especially challenging for him. Exacerbating things is Clare's deep-seated dislike, stemming from a bad experience with a badger at the time of his undeath. But Gingersnipes' sunniness and easygoing nature start to erode Clare's prejudices and standoffishness towards her. They embark together to uncover the mystery of the prophecy and unlock the path to finding the right resting place for Gingersnipes, all the while forming the early bonds of friendship.

It's a weighty story for a children's book (or any book). There's no heavier subject than death, but author Aubrey Hartman manages to explore it with compassion, humor and grace at a level on par with any adult literature. The nuanced characters are beautifully composed, and the creativity Hartman displays in translating the unknown into something consumable for children is impressive. Both Clare and Gingersnipes are good souls that each carry their own painful burdens, and their journey to work through those challenges together is wonderful to experience.

There's also an undercurrent of sadness—this is, ultimately, a story about death, and we find ourselves falling in love with these sweet animals, and they connected to me in my core. The book can be heartbreaking at times, but in the most uplifting way possible. There is a "Narrator's Note" at the end of the book which characterizes things quite well: "This is a story about death. It is also a tale of love. But, in the quietest corners or the pages, it is an exploration of loss. Loss of a purpose. A belief. An expectation of how life (or undeath) should be. And thus, it is an exploration of how to let go."

And it's so good. Kudos to Amazon Editor Seira Wilson for including it at the top of her list of the best books of 2025 so far; I don't know that it would have ever made its way onto my radar without that. As she said in her review, "This story had my heart by chapter two; I shed tears of joy at the surprising end. A five-star read of hilarious dialogue, delightfully eccentric animal characters, and powerful messages of worthiness and empowerment." Perfectly stated (which is why Seira works for Amazon and I "work" for BarlinsBooks). Highly recommended for every adult I know, and perfect pathway to talking about death with kids when you eventually find yourself in that difficult situation. I loved it from start to finish.

One final note: this is a tremendous audiobook, and the performance by narrator Marisa Calin is truly outstanding. At the same time, the print book has some wonderful illustrations that bring the characters to life that you (obviously) miss out on with the audiobook. Do yourself a favor and choose both—it's worth it.