Preview & Review: “Psychic Investigators: Evil Exterminators” by KT Healey
IDW/Top Shelf
Pub date: September 16, 2025
Which is scarier, being haunted… or not being haunted?
Los Angeles, CA – Award-winning independent publisher of graphic novels Top Shelf Productions (IDW Publishing) is set to release Psychic Investigators, Evil Exterminators, the debut graphic novel from cartoonist KT Healey, on September 16, 2025. This fast-paced, charming supernatural adventure finds Gabriel and his friends in search of ghosts, driven by the loss of his tía — a grief empowering him with the belief he has the ability to communicate with the dead. Psychic Investigators, Evil Exterminators uses high-energy cartooning and a light touch to tenderly explore how kids cope, even teaching grown-ups that those who are half as tall can be twice as wise.
Publisher’s Summary:
Gabriel Navarro can see ghosts. At least, that’s what he’s always believed, but after his beloved tía dies, he can’t seem to reach her. Feeling alone and lost, he stumbles into a mysterious encounter on a school field trip and suddenly finds himself the new best friend and business partner of his eccentric classmate Clementine.
Together, they form Psychic Investigators, Evil Exterminators—Rustin Middle School’s first ghost-hunting organization! Their mission statement? To prove once and for all that Gabe is a psychic and ghosts are real. But first, they’ll need to actually find some ghosts…which, despite Clem’s flawless business plan, is not easy. For Clem, the search is the thrill of a lifetime, but for Gabe, it hits a little closer to home. Can they keep their partnership together long enough to make a real connection to the world beyond?
Psychic Investigators, Evil Exterminators will be available wherever books are sold, as a full-color softcover graphic novel with flaps (ISBN: 9781603095648) as well as a digital edition, on September 16, 2025. For more information please visit the Top Shelf web site.
Preview:
Review:
Gabe is close to his Tía (aunt) who lives with him and his mother. His mom could have been jealous, but instead, she appreciated the relationship her sister and son had.
When Tía dies, Gabe leans hard into something he shared with her—belief in the supernatural and spiritualism. Something she said to him before she died convinced Gabe that he had the powers of a medium. If he could see and talk to dead people, then why wouldn’t this gift work when he needed it most, after she died?
Gabe is a smart kid, but like a lot of students distracted by a tragedy, his grades aren’t a top priority. When his mom and teacher yell at him as a reaction to his change in behavior, it enforces it, not undoes it. Although it might come across as a difference in maturity or ages, this situation Healey presents is quite universal. People don’t communicate well. Misunderstandings happen. Emotions get bottled up or shifted into surprising new behaviors.
Shy, lonely, grieving Gabe is befriended by Clementine, a live-out-loud kid who decides for Gabe that they’re best friends and business partners in a ghost hunting agency. All Gabe wants is to reach his Tía on the other side. Because of her zeal, Gabe can’t get through to Clem what he really desires from their paranormal pursuits. Sometimes, best friends are not on the same page or frequency.
Mel is a timid classmate who hires Gabe and Clem to make contact with her grandmother, her Goo-Goo. She hears noises in her house and believes it has to be Goo-Goo. After that case, Mel joins the ghost hunting business too.
However, the kids are constantly in trouble with their parents and teacher. It seems like there’s only one adult who likes them. Her name is (delightfully) Mrs. Oddlebaal.
Reality is, grief is hard. There’s no one way to react. Everyone has their own process and beliefs. Gabe and mom butt heads on how to grieve until the final act when the kids end up in so much trouble, Gabe’s mom blows a gasket. The big fight ends up being the door that opens their communication.
Psychic Investigators: Evil Exterminators delivers characters who come from different backgrounds, beliefs, ages, and (if I’m right) the maps if neurodivergence and mental health. It’s labeled for middle-graders, but this is the perfect kind of book that could be shared within a family, circle of friends, or a youth bereavement group. Books can be about fun while also providing a helpful tool to work through a problem. KT Healey gives readers a tool that shows how relationships are challenged and even the best ones run into obstacles.
Rating: 5 stars
About the Creator
KT Healey is the creator behind Psychic Investigators, Evil Exterminators, their debut graphic novel. Once a homework doodler and classroom daydreamer, they are now a full-time cartoonist with a BFA in comic art from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. They currently live in Philadelphia alongside their cat, Margaret.
About the Publisher
Top Shelf Productions has published critically acclaimed and popularly beloved graphic novels since 1997. Now an imprint of IDW Publishing, Top Shelf continues to showcase the vanguard of the comics medium, publishing works of literary sophistication, visionary artistry, and personal resonance.
Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AmberUnmasked.com and Vodka O'Clock Podcast. Author of The Farrah Wethers Mysteries, comic book short stories, prose, and non-fiction. Cosplayer and figure model.