It was funny that I picked this one up right on the heels of The Book Of Cold Cases, not knowing much about it. Both were paranormal in a “realistic” kind of way, which is how I like my supernatural books, if that makes any sense.

When I read the blurb I was worried that this would be another stale “no one believes the unstable girl nanny” story. While there was an element of no one trusting Mallory when she started to realize that something was wrong with Teddy, the plot was fresh and unique overall. Don’t let the blurb turn you away if you feel like you’ve read this storyline before!

I really enjoyed the characters here, especially cute little Teddy. Mallory was extremely likeable and relatable. As a recovering addict, she was easy to root for as she tried her best to move on from her troubled past.

The reveal and the ending were both very satisfying and well written. I was never bored while listening to Hidden Pictures! The clues were very well-paced, and it was fun to read something that kept me guessing the entire time.

I loved the final chapter and teared up a little at how things were resolved.

Three and a half stars.

Hidden Pictures is a fun mystery novel. The story centers on Mallory, a young woman with a difficult past. Mallory was an athlete who was in an accident which led to an injury and subsequent opioid addiction. At the start of the story, she is just out of rehab, and manages to secure a job as a nanny for a family that knows her history and wants to help get her back on her feet. The family is wealthy and lives in a quiet and affluent suburb - giving Mallory the peace and quiet she is looking for as she starts a new chapter in her life. Mallory goes to live in their guest house, and is tasked with caring for their son, Teddy, a sweet 5-year old who she immediately bonds with.

Initially, Mallory feels like the job and her new home are everything she could have asked for. But, slowly, strange incidents in the house and with Teddy begin to change her mind. She begins to suspect that a supernatural force is present in the house, and investigates local folklore with the help of some new friends. Is Teddy's imaginary friend something more sinister? Was there really a murder on the property several decades ago? Are ghosts even real? As Mallory explores the mysteries that she encounters, she runs into multiple road blocks as she has no credibility due to her rocky past.

Ultimately, there are some really surprising twists in this mystery novel, and the story did not go at all where I thought it would. This is a fast, easy read with a very likeable heroine, fun twists, and a satisfying ending. Recommended for mystery/horror fans, but this is light on the horror - a great summer read!

Mallory Quinn is fresh out of rehab and in need of a job. Her last job did not end well, and she really needs something fast. When the opportunity presents itself to babysit Ted and Caroline Maxwell's five-year-old son Teddy, Mallory accepts. She will get to live in their guest house and finally have some stability in her life.

How hard can it be to entertain a five-year-old? She thinks it will be easy - except Teddy begins drawing very disturbing pictures. Intrigued, Mallory attempts to decipher the pictures and gets help from the groundkeeper and a neighbor with an unusual gift.

Soon, it is evident that something isn't quite right, but what? Who will believe her?

I found myself quickly engrossed in the story and wanting to learn more about the pictures and the strange things happening around/in the house. This book had an eerie feel to it. I was right there with Mallory trying to figure out what was happening and why Teddy was drawing such disturbing pictures. Was something paranormal/supernatural going on? Or was there another reason altogether?

I really enjoyed coming up with my own theories and was nowhere close when the final reveal occurred. The author did a great job surprising me.

Thank you to Flat iron Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

I read Jason Rekulak's first novel back in 2017 and loved it. I was thrilled to see that he had penned a new book - Hidden Pictures. This descriptor and cover from the publisher caught my eye...."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." Who else liked it? Stephen King did..."I loved it."

I quite liked the flawed but likable lead character Mallory. She's a recovering addict and desperately wants this second chance to pan out. She's making good money, has her own little cabin to live in, the parents seem like good people and their little boy Teddy is a joy. Sounds great right? But...yup, there's that but. Young Teddy starts drawing some increasingly disturbing pictures. The parents dismiss her concerns but....

I'm going to leave things there for you to discover. Rekulak's plot is inventive and insidious. The creep factor increases as Teddy's drawings begin to tell an unsettling tale. The drawings included in the book from illustrators Will Staehle and Doogie Horner add extra goosebumps.

Hidden Pictures was a page turner for me. I was caught up in the story and really wanted to know what/who was behind the pictures as well as the why. I have to say, Rekulak surprised me with a twist that no reader could predict on the way to the answers. Bravo! I absolutely love being caught off guard with what direction a book is going to take. A few situations require a few grains of of salt - but go with it. It's entertainment I'm after and I definitely found it in the pages of Hidden Pictures.

This was not a hard book to get into as Mallory's voice from the beginning is likeable and relatable. I really enjoy that not everything was revealed about her at the building, but her narration definitely laid a foundation for herself as a character and the place she's in in her life. It does lay ground work for a suspicion that she may not be entirely reliable later on. The story itself was wonderfully creepy especially with the question of if there was something supernatural going on and the decades old murder mystery that might be tied to current events. This story was a great read and I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a creepy thriller.

Hidden Pictures follows Mallory, a young woman who has recently completed rehab, as she interviews and begins nannying for five year old Teddy. The Maxwells live in a nice suburban town and are aware of Mallory’s background which makes this the perfect job for her to learn how to relearn how to live being sober. Teddy and Mallory have an instant connection and bond over Teddy’s pictures. However, Teddy’s pictures start to take a dark turn and are obviously being drawn by a talented someone who is more mature than a five year old. These pictures lead Mallory to try to figure out exactly what these pictures are depicting and if they are connected to the unsolved murder that took place decades earlier.

One aspect of this book that sets it apart is the picture element. They are such a huge part of the story and the author did a really good job of actually including the pictures into the story. I was intrigued enough by the synopsis of this story to want to read it but once I found out about the picture element I knew I needed to read it asap. To be honest, I didn’t think it would work as well as it did. I thought it would just be a fun element to the book but it actually added so much to the story. Rekulak did a great job describing the pictures but to actually see it first hand was deliciously creepy. The writing was strong enough to make me feel like a part of the story but getting to experience the pictures along with the characters added so much to my enjoyment of this book.

I feel like supernatural thrillers are not something I tend to gravitate towards but for the most part, I do enjoy them. I think Rekulak perfectly balances the supernatural elements, with the contemporary aspects of the story, along with the historical nature of the unsolved murder. Mallory was a very likable protagonist and I appreciated that this story is written as if Mallory was telling the story directly to us and it also aided me in feeling included in the story.

I do think the ending of this story might rub some people the wrong way but I also think Rekulak handles it in an appropriate way. I didn’t see the ending coming at all, although looking back the author definitely left a few clues. The ending itself was pretty dramatic but I couldn’t put the book down for the last chunk because I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next.

If you are looking for a thriller that dabbles in horror with a supernatural aspect and also delivers on its promised gimmick then you can’t go wrong with this one. Also, a fun fact about the author, Jason Rekulak, is that he is the author of some of my youngest son’s favorite children books. He wrote a couple of The Classic Illustrated Storybook books that are children books that tell the story of iconic movies like Home Alone and Back to the Future.

I enjoyed the twists and turns of this book. I also enjoyed it being a redemption story for our main protagonist, trying to move past her drug abuse and come into her own. Gave me a very Haunting of Hill House meets Turn of the Screw vibes.

A thank you to Netgalley for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't have either a strong positive or negative reaction to this one. It had a certain supernatural vibe, creepy enough (but not super spooky) atmosphere - kind of watered down The Ring thing going on. I empathized with the main character and thought she was pretty interesting, if a little paranoid as well as naive when it came to her employers, both of whom seemed too good to be true pretty much right from the bat. Loved the little boy of course, and his increasingly disturbing drawings, it added to the depth of the story. That said, this isn't my favorite kind of genre, so while I enjoyed it well enough, I didn't love, love it. (I would watch the movie though and will be interested to see what the author writes next.)

What’s it about (in a nutshell):
Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak is a psychological thriller where mysterious pictures help solve a murder mystery.

Initial Expectations (before beginning the book):
The cover, title, and blurb all drip with creepiness. Ghost stories scare me, so my first thought is that I hope it’s not too scary for me. My initial expectations are that it will be quite a thrill ride of a story just dripping with creepiness if it is not too frightening.

Actual Reading Experience:
Cold chills, goosebumps, and complete focus are some of the things I experienced the whole time I read Hidden Pictures. Putting it down to do something that I had to do was even more difficult, and as a result, I finished this book in just over a day. If I hadn’t had to go to work. I would have completed it in one sitting, I am sure.

The writing pulled me in from page 1 with its immersive quality and quick pace. The creepiness doesn’t begin right away. Instead, it develops throughout the story until it explodes in a jaw-dropping conclusion with twists and turns that I could never have imagined. The clues were all there, but my imagination took the story down the paths of the subtle red herrings dotted throughout the tale.

Mallory Quinn tells the story of the summer she babysat for Teddy in first-person narration, which flowed naturally and kept the suspense high throughout most of the story. I constantly questioned whether or not she was a reliable narrator or an unreliable one. I wanted to believe her, but enough contrary evidence is given to put that in doubt. I’m not telling you which she is because that question is part of the fun.

I loved the inclusion of the pictures, which often caused those cold chills and goosebumps. You know the saying, “a picture is worth 1000 words.” Well, these pictures scream an endless stream of words, and all of them are chilling. I also loved that even with all these chills, the story never crossed the line to true and unmistakable horror. Now, I wouldn’t say that reading it before bed was a good idea for me, but I never felt like running far away from it, either.

Characters:
Mallory Quinn is the main character and narrator. A young woman in recovery, she is eager to take this next step in her progression towards leading an everyday life. But she is hiding many secrets, and those secrets will come back to haunt her repeatedly.

Reminds Me Of:
I haven’t read anything like this before, so to me, it is an original, fresh take on a psychological thriller. One that I am happy that I read.

To Read or Not to Read:
If you love psychological thrillers, you will be missing out if you don’t read Hidden Pictures this summer!

Mallory Quinn is 21 years old and after a promising start as a star runner in high school, her life came crashing down with injuries that led to drug addition. After staying clean for eighteen months, she is given a chance at employment as a live-in nanny to Teddy, a sweet five year-old. Teddy’s mother Caroline is a doctor who works with addicts and is very understanding of Mallory’s plight. Teddy’s dad Ted has serious concerns about hiring Mallory but gives in. All is going well until Mallory learns of Teddy’s imaginary friend Anya. Teddy's cute drawings start becoming dark and very concerning. The drawings start depicting acts that appear to be scenes from a murder. And they start appearing to be too sophisticated to have been drawn by a child. Mallory learns that there had been an unsolved murder in the guest house cottage she is living in and tries to figure out what the heck is going on. Could Anya be the spirit of the murder victim trying to communicate through Teddy?

The appeal of Hidden Pictures was the continued uncertainty as to what was truly taking place and the effort to uncover the mystery behind the drawings and the strange occurrences. Mallory was a very likeable character I rooted for as she worked to rebuild her life. Her neighbor, who decides to help her, as well as her sponsor in her recovery, are two strong male characters. While the story does delve in the paranormal, if you’re looking to be scared out of your wits, you won’t be. I found Jason Rekulak’s original book engaging and the twists surprising. And I’d recommend the print version, which includes the creepy drawings.

HIDDEN PICTURES by Jason Rekulak was such a fun read. I’m so glad I got my hands on a hard copy and I definitely recommend listening and reading along with a physical or ebook copy.

If you’re anything like me, you’ve been living for audiobooks and normally I’m fine with that format and don’t feel like I’m missing anything. But for this book, I recommend a physical copy because the entire book includes these really creepy images-pictures.

The book stars Mallory who is newly out of rehab and looking for a fresh start. She takes a job as a nanny for an affluent couple, living in their pool house and spending her days minding their son Teddy.

One day Teddy draws a horrifying scene that deeply unnerves Mallory. As time passes Teddy continues to draw more and more pictures-increasing in creepiness.

Mallory decides to look into the drawings and as she does she uncovers the horrifying truth behind them. And it’s much more than I imagined.

I loved this supernatural thriller. It read almost like a horror mystery and I felt like a detective trying to figure out what was going on.

I especially loved the pictures. They added a multidimensional element and I think they’re what creeped me out so much while reading.

I recommend it to readers that love thrillers and horror books alike. I think this book drew a nice line between the two.

Thanks to @flatiron_books for the advanced copy!

Hidden Pictures…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Out Today!

There's a lot to enjoy about this domestic thriller---a great heroine and some surprising twists, but there are elements of the ending I'm still wrestling with and not sure if they super work for me.

Hidden Pictures, by Jason Rekulak

Short Take: This book is super strange. In the BEST way.

(*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*)

Hello my beloved nerdlings, and Happy Mothers Day! I’d like to throw in a quick PSA from Auntie Nerdy before we get into today’s review: today is a wonderful day for some, a terrible day for others, and a lot of Big Feelings are normal. Everyone should feel what they feel, and be supported for that, so keep an eye on your loved (or even barely liked) ones who may be struggling with the day. Now, onto what I’ve been reading, and duckies, it’s a doozy!

In Hidden Pictures, recovering addict Mallory takes a summer job as a babysitter to five year old Teddy. The gig seems almost too good to be true - Teddy is a quiet, obedient kid, who likes playing make-believe and drawing pictures, there’s a hot neighbor guy, and the house even has a pool.

But we all know what they say about things that are too good to be true, right?

Teddy’s drawings become stranger and more disturbing, and far too skillfully done for a child his age. Mallory begins to feel as though she’s being watched.

And then things get REALLY crazy.

Duckies, this book is a marvelous mix of horror, mystery, addiction memoir, and juuuuuust enough romance. The Big Twist is a seriously major one that’s not only played perfectly, but also entirely plausible. Mallory is a great character, someone who can admit her past wrongs, try to do better, and still make dumb mistakes. She’s also devoted to Teddy and able to connect with him in a way that a lot of adults can never quite manage.

Mr. Rekulak has some next-level skills when it comes to dialogue. I’ve read more than my share of creepy-kid books, and I was pleasantly surprised at how real Teddy felt. Too often, the child at the center of one of these is annoyingly precocious and/or bratty, and I spend like half the book fantasizing about the punishments I’d mete out if I were in charge of them (I mean, who among us hasn’t at least briefly considered drop-kicking a preschooler?). But Teddy is sweet without being saccharine, smart without being annoying, and funny in that un-self-conscious way that only young children can be.

And did I mention that amazing, delicious twist?

The Nerd’s Rating: FIVE HAPPY NEURONS (and a handy stun-gun keychain. I never realized how much I needed one till now!)

Often going into a book blind is a good thing as you never know what to expect and the ride that the story can take you as it unfolds can turn out to be whack. That's how I found Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak. This book was a real crazy ride and the last few chapters were like OMFG what the heck ?? The book starts with our main character Mallory Quinn at a college clinical trial where she was blindfolded and told to raise her hand when she felt someone staring at her. She scored an almost perfect score, she was the first. The book then jumps 18 months down the track and Mallory swears the trial was a false memory as back then she was a strung-out druggie after getting hooked on oxycontin after an accident that killed her sister Beth. Now sober, her sponsor Russell has gotten her a job with the Maxwells as a babysitter/ live-in nanny for their five-year-old son Teddy. Teddy clicks immediately with Mallory and things are going great, she even joins in with his imaginary friend Anya. However, strange things start happening and it looks like Teddy is being possessed by this Anya as he is drawing strange pictures - he says it is Anya's story. The pictures though are becoming quite detailed and beautiful - too perfect for a five-year-old to draw. Mallory learns that a female artist named Annie was supposedly murdered in the cottage she lives in and her body was never found of course Annie sounds a lot like Anya, right. As Mallory and her new friend, a next-door neighbor Mitzi and Adrian try to get to the bottom of it. More strange things start happening and it looks like the Maxwells are trying to convince Mallory it's all in her head and even making it sound to the public she is using again which she isn't of course. What will happen though when the real truth about the drawings, the Maxwells, and Teddy is revealed? Readers, I will leave with you these four words "You will be shocked" when you read those last few chapters. Hidden Pictures is a mixture of mystery/thriller with a hint of Horror and I look forward to reading more of Jason Rekulak's books as they are released and seeing what else he comes up with.

This mystery/horror follows recovering addict Mallory as she takes a new job babysitting a 6 year old boy, Teddy. Mallory has been sober for 18 months and her sponsor knows a family out in the suburbs who just moved back from overseas and is in need of a babysitter for the summer. Mallory and Teddy hit it off immediately and strike up an adventurous summer filled with swimming, walking the trails in the woods behind the house, and playing out imaginary games. During 'quiet time' Teddy likes to draw and his drawings are nothing out of the ordinary for a six year old, at first. But as time goes on, Teddy's artwork becomes increasingly sinister including a drawing of a man dragging a woman into the woods. With these more sinister drawings, the details are too fine for even the most gifted of six year olds and Mallory starts to think there might be some supernatural force behind everything. But Teddy's parents are very much non-believers of anything that can't be directly explained by science so it is up to Mallory to find out the truth behind these drawings that seem to be depicting an unsolved murder from years ago.

TW/CW: drug use/abuse, opioid addiction (character in recovery), death of a child, death of a sibling, child abduction

I absolutely loved the characters in this story. This is a very closed-circle story. Mallory spends her days with Teddy and then lives in the guest house. She is in a new area so doesn't have an established friend group and most of the time, if she isn't with Teddy she's alone. Since we don't have a whole lot of side characters or side plot going on, the core characters are really key for this story to work. Rekulak does a great job of establishing some pretty key character details right at the beginning and in such a way that I never questioned them. For example, Teddy's parents are very science-focused so when Mallory starts suspecting something supernatural might be going on, she (and the reader) already know the parents would not be on board with that theory. I can't personally speak to how accurately Mallory's recovery and addiction is shown but I found it was brought up realistically in a number of situations. I find that with a lot of addiction/recovery main characters, the stories are taking place either when they're still using or just after they've gotten sober. In this case, since Mallory is 18 months sober, we see a different aspect of recovery that I find isn't often shown. She's pretty solid in her sobriety but also knows what she needs to do in order to keep her life moving in the direction she wants. I've mentioned in past reviews that kids are a hard sell for me in books - they're either too perfectly cute or weirdly underdeveloped. I think Rekulak knocked it out of the park with Teddy. He read very realistic to me and had a nice balance of being cute and also annoying that I find six year olds have. I do think Teddy might be a bit more sophisticated than most six year olds, but I didn't mind it since I felt that it really aligned with the parenting rules we saw early on.

The pacing was great. I was a little worried at first that the story would drag with most of the days being Mallory and Teddy playing together but most of the days are pretty well skimmed over. We get one chapter where we get their general routine and then after that the story skips around to the important moments. This was a great choice, especially since the story takes place over the course of 2-ish months. Once the mystery investigation was in full swing, the pacing really picked up and it felt like Rekulak was in my head because he knew exactly when I was getting bored with the mundane babysitting activities and there were times where we didn't see much of Teddy on page at all, instead skipping right ahead to either the evenings or weekends where Mallory could investigate. I found the actual mystery to be really well plotted as well which helped propel the story forward. I do wish we had gotten some more small town rumor type hints just because I love that trope.

The horror elements were fantastic and I think they would adapt really well to a movie/limited series. Creepy kids and their creepy drawings are a well-used horror trope but I think Rekulak put just enough of a twist on that trope to make this feel a little fresh. Teddy never really felt 'creepy' while reading and instead would drop these info-bombs that he saw as 100% factual while the adults around him were the ones a little weirded out. For example, when Teddy explains to Mallory where these drawings are coming from he just answers so matter-of-factually because he doesn't see it as anything out of the ordinary. Then, Teddy would go back playing like normal and Mallory would just be in shock for a minute trying to make sense of what Teddy just told her. As the plot progresses, the horror elements increase in severity and they really added to the sense of urgency for Mallory to solve the mystery. With the supernatural horror elements, I loved how there were some rules implied earlier in the book and those rules held throughout the story.

The ending reveals were bonkers and are 100% the make or break part of the book. After finishing, I was skimming through reviews and all of the lower-rated reviews specify that the 80% mark is where the story went off the rails for them and they didn't like where the reveals went. The reveals really worked for me but I can understand why these other readers weren't on board. I thought I could guess where things were going, but I was completely off base - which I loved! After finishing, I tried to think back and see if the ending was something that could be guessed and I think maybe certain really detailed-orientated readers might be able to see where this was going but I think the majority of readers will be surprised. There was one particular aspect that, once it was revealed, made me nervous to see how the book was going to handle that detail going further. While I can't definitively say it was handled well (as I'm not a part of the particular group), I can say that it felt to me handled in a very realistic and respectful manner. I also enjoyed the amount of wrap-up we get at the end that directly addresses this one particular reveal and the fallout from it. We do get a pretty long and specific villain monologue at the end which was probably my least favorite part of the ending but the actual details given were entertaining and twisty enough that I still overall enjoyed it.

Overall, this was a very entertaining mystery/horror. I loved the supernatural/creepy kid horror elements. The mystery was engaging and the pacing was on point. The ending reveals were a bit off the rails but it really worked for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the ARC

Expected publication date is May 10, 2022

Thank you so much to Flatiron for inviting me to be a part of the blog tour for Hidden Pictures!

Mallory is a recovering addict who has come a long way in the 18 months she’s been sober. She has a great sponsor who has encouraged her to get back into running and even put her in touch with a potential job – nannying for a five year old boy in the affluent suburbs of South Jersey. Teddy is gifted, as is every kid in the suburbs of course, and the two spend their days playing make believe and baking cookies. Every day Teddy has alone time in which he draws alone in his room. The drawings advance in skill at an accelerated rate, far beyond the skills of any five year old. What’s more concerning, the drawings are of disturbing scenes including a woman being dragged through the woods. Mallory begins to believe that a sinister force is at work in the form of the spirit of an unsolved murder. As to not alert Teddy’s parents or make them think that Mallory has fallen off the wagon and is talking crazy, she tries to uncover the mystery with the help of a cute landscaper and a kooky neighbor.

This book had a little bit of everything. Self-discovery, growth, romance, friendships, mystery, and paranormal aspects. Told through short chapters, it’s easily digestible and I found it very hard to put down. There were some downright creepy moments as well. And the twist, the twist was a complete jaw-dropper. I absolutely never saw it coming (until I thought back to the kernels that Jason left for us and then I couldn’t believe it was in front of my face the entire time!)

Teddy’s parents, Caroline and Ted Maxwell, were great characters, there were layers to them that were fun and shocking to uncover. Adrian, the romantic element and sidekick, also offered a good sub-plot where we get to see more of Mallory’s personality and her daily struggles with recovery and how to communicate.

My one bit of criticism is that Mallory wasn’t quite as flawed as I would expect someone 18 months out in recovery to be; she seemed very well put together, and while I know that is possible, it really isn’t the norm.

At the end of the day I gave this one 4.5 stars, rounding up to 5 because I enjoyed it that much and read it in less than 24 hours.

Wow, I don't even know where to begin. I really do not recommend that anyone read this book.

The first 80% of this book was incredibly dull, very trope heavy, and exceptionally out of touch with the first person narrative of the main character. I have no idea why this is being labeled as horror because not even a moment of this was frightening in any way. I was expecting to give this two stars and say this much.

And then we get to the turn. Out of respect for the fact that this book isn't out yet I will not give details of the 'plot twist' but the last 20% of this book is still boring, completely unrealistic even in the context of the world of the book, and downright offensive and transphobic.

I don't want to spend a lot of time harping on about the many MANY problems I have with this book, especially when I've been graced with free access to it. Again, I will just end by saying that I think absolutely no one should read this book and I'm really shocked it's gotten such positive feedback.

Not your typical horror novel!

In a departure from hia Freshman novel (Impossible Fortress, which I also LOVED), Jason switches to the horror genre. But instead of following a formulaic approach, he turna it on its head with big reaveals, some decent psycological mind games, and a potentially unbelievable narrator! Couple that with a dark past and slow reveal, and some seriously terror inducing moments... you've got hidden pictures.

With a simple style and identifyable characters, I flew thru this story and loved every page. Cant wait to see what he has in store next!

My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"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."

I got chills just reading the description!

Thank you to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

All I have to say is wow! I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but this book exceeded all of my expectations. Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak is a thriller and mystery with a hint of the supernatural. The story revolves around Mallory who has recently left rehab and has taken a live-in babysitting job. Unfortunately, for her, the child, Teddy, is drawing sinister scenes of violence. Could he have been possessed by a supernatural force?

Here is a gripping excerpt from Chapter 2:

"I press the doorbell but it doesn’t make a sound. I press it three more times—nothing.
“Hello?”
At the far end of the house, in the kitchen, I see the silhouette of a woman turning to notice me.
“Mallory? Is that you?”
“Yes! Hi! I tried your doorbell but—”
“I know, sorry. We’re getting it fixed.”
She steps forward to welcome me and she has the most graceful walk I’ve ever seen—she moves soundlessly, like her feet are barely touching
He turns and sprints up the stairs to the second floor, vanishing from sight.
“Teddy?”
I’m not sure what to do. Ahead of me is a small foyer and a passage leading back to a kitchen. I see a dining room (to the left) and a living room (to the right) and gorgeous hard pine floors (everywhere). I’m struck by the fresh clean scent of central air-conditioning—mixed with a hint of Murphy Oil, as if someone has just given the floors a good scrubbing. All the furniture looks clean and modern and brand-new, like it’s just arrived from the Crate and Barrel showroom.
I press the doorbell but it doesn’t make a sound. I press it three more times—nothing.
“Hello?”
At the far end of the house, in the kitchen, I see the silhouette of a woman turning to notice me.
“Mallory? Is that you?”
“Yes! Hi! I tried your doorbell but—”
“I know, sorry. We’re getting it fixed.”
She steps forward to welcome me and she has the most graceful walk I’ve ever seen—she moves soundlessly, like her feet are barely touching the floor. She’s tall, thin, and blond, with fair skin and soft features that seem too delicate for this world.
“I’m Caroline.”"

Overall, Hidden Pictures is a spooky thriller that will appeal to fans of Grady Hendrix and Riley Sager. One highlight of this book is how scary it is. The idea of a kid drawing violent scenes is creepy enough, but if you add in a ghost seemingly bent on revenge, everything gets creepier. Another highlight is the investigative angle. I love when protagonists try to solve the mysteries, so I enjoyed seeing Mallory team up with locals to figure out the source of the drawings.

Also, I need to write a note of appreciation for the twist. I did not see it coming at all. The book would have been great even if it played exactly according to what I was expecting. But add in the amazing reveal, and I wish I could rate this book higher than 5 stars. If you're not a fan of ghost stories, I would give this book a chance anyway, because there's plenty grounded in the real world. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of thrillers, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in May!