HIDDEN PICTURES by Jason Rekulak
☕ ☕ ☕ ☕
My Highly Caffeinated Thought: A Dark, eerie tale seamlessly blending the supernatural with a domestic thriller.
HIDDEN PICTURES is the ghost story I have been looking to read and never knew it. Rekulak gifted his readers a tale packed with twists, turns, misdirections, and deceptions all the while maintaining a solid level of creepiness and suspense. Then you add the brilliantly crafted characters and devilishly clever wit to get one of the most unique thrillers of 2022.
Here is the thing. I could sit down and analyze this book all day, but it would take away from the brilliance of this story. The way the author peeled back each layer and carefully directed the plot to bring us from one chapter to the next made the experience of reading this so much better. By the end, I was exhausted, riveted, and completely obsessed with Mallory’s journey through this crazy situation she wound up in. Her character is so endearing to be. Even though she is deeply flawed and has a past she is trying to make a life for herself. And adding quirks and fabulously real elements (like watching Hallmark Movies to calm herself down) gives her depth and relatability. Watching her grow and evolve throughout this book was just as entertaining as the mystery.
I also have to comment on the illustrations within the book. I love seeing this. It brings the story to life as we get to experience the jarring images Mallory is seeing. They range from child-like to advanced, but all add true value to the narrative.
From the fast pace of the writing to the tension which builds in every scene only to explode with a shocking ending, HIDDEN PICTURES is an absolute must-read.
Reviewer Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
From Jason Rekulak, Edgar-nominated author of The Impossible Fortress, comes a wildly inventive spin on the classic horror story in Hidden Pictures, a supernatural thriller about a woman working as a nanny for a young boy with strange and disturbing secrets.
Fresh out of rehab, Mallory Quinn takes a job as a babysitter for Ted and Caroline Maxwell. She is to look after their five-year-old son, Teddy.
Mallory immediately loves it. She has her own living space, goes out for nightly runs, and has the stability she craves. And she sincerely bonds with Teddy, a sweet, shy boy who is never without his sketchbook and pencil. His drawings are the usual fare: trees, rabbits, balloons. But one day, he draws something different: a man in a forest, dragging a woman’s lifeless body.
Then, Teddy’s artwork becomes increasingly sinister, and his stick figures quickly evolve into lifelike sketches well beyond the ability of any five-year-old. Mallory begins to wonder if these are glimpses of a long-unsolved murder, perhaps relayed by a supernatural force.
Knowing just how crazy it all sounds, Mallory nevertheless sets out to decipher the images and save Teddy before it’s too late.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jason Rekulak is the author of The Impossible Fortress, which was translated into 12 languages and was nominated for the Edgar Award. For many years, he was the publisher of Quirk Books, an independent press, where he acquired and edited multiple New York Times bestsellers. He lives in Philadelphia with his family.
Book Details:
Publisher: Flatiron Books • Publish Date: May 10, 2022
Pages: 384 • Language: English • Type: Hardcover
EAN/UPC: 9781250819345