This book is a creepy thriller that will keep kids turning pages! In the town of Westfield, middle school aged kids seem to go missing every 6 years. When one of Charlie's classmates, Johnny Howardwick, disappears without a trace, everyone assumes he simply ran away. However, Charlie is plagued by this disappearance for another reason: his father died in a car accident that very night when he had gone out looking for him. Now at the end of the school year, Johnny and his friends are bothered by something new-it seems Johnny's very existence was wiped away completely as his picture does not appear in the yearbook at all, even in images where he definitely should be! The boys reach out to Mr. Cotter, one of their teachers and the yearbook sponsor for answers. Their first meeting is not what they expected!

There's something deeper going on in the town than simply coincidental runaways and Charlie and his friends are determined to find out! Will they solve the mystery or will this summertime adventure turn even deadlier?

Picture Unavailable is set for publication on October 25, 2022, right before Halloween! I highly encourage kids to find this book and read it. I loved it!

I liked this creepy story in which history in a small town keeps repeating itself and three young boys are determined to find out the truth when they discover the picture of a schoolmate who has disappeared earlier is missing from their yearbook, even though they are sure he was at school on picture day. I can't say I was really scared but there were moments I was a bit uncomfortable in my bed in the dark.

I really liked how the repeating events were shown through different points of view from different events in the past, allowing us to piece together what happened when Johnny Howardwick went missing without the author actually describing that event to us.

The ending was unsatisfying though. On one hand I thought the solution it offered was a bit cheesy and too easy, on the other had it left most of the questions unanswered. What was 'the monster' actually? Why did it take these boys? Why Charlie specifically? And especially: how and why did it change the yearbook picture?

Another arc from Netgalley and I must say, this one intrigued me upon seeing the book reason why I ask for it.

This book reminds me of the time I was reading Imaginary Friends by Stephen Chbosky. It might not be as mind blowing as that book but the enjoyment I got from it was the same I had here. Read rhis one in one sitting.

It maybe classified as teens/ya but I feel like it is more of a middle grade thriller/mystery in how cheesy (but in a good way cheesy) the ending turned out to be.

You may have a hard time keeping up with the characters but all of them are essential to the overall story so just hang on tight until the end.

Although there are vague parts of the novel that needs explanation, I just let it slide as sometimes you don't need all the pieces of the puzzle to see the picture as a whole.

Looking forward to read other novels from this author.

#netgalley #pictureunavailable

This book had me on the edge of my seat. I had a day off and I sat and read this all day. Its okay to judge me but I have a water resistant tablet and I even read in the shower. I will deff buy a physical copy when it releases

Thanks to Blue Handle Publishing, as well as to NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Picture Unavailable.

There are so many glowing reviews of this book, which leads me to believe that this is a case of "It's not you, it's me."

Picture Unavailable tells the story of some young friends as they attempt to uncover a supernatural mystery in their town. The description sounded like a book that had my name all over it. But for me, the constant jumping around in time led to a lack of continuity and drove me crazy. I ended up not finishing the book.

I apologize to the author. I guess I wasn't his target audience. I encourage readers to give Picture Unavailable a chance, however. You may love it, even if I didn't.

Thanks so much to Andrew J. Brandt and NetGalley for giving me this arc in exchange for an honest review.

- Title: Picture Unavailable by Andrew J. Brandt (ebook)
- Genre: YA Mystery/Thriller
- Summary: This book set in a small town follows the story of Charlie and his two best friends. After discovering their classmate's (Johnny) pictures missing from the yearbook after mysteriously disappearing they go on investigating it only to discover it's not the first time happening.
- Thoughts: I loved the book it was well written and kept me on the edge right from the start. It's written in past and present format giving you more indepth to the story.
Everyday fears were also presented in a realistic way and trust me the book gets spookier over time.
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thanks so much to Andrew J. Brandt and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

Reminiscent of Stranger Things and the Goonies, Picture Unavailable follows the protagonist Charlie Greene and his friends as they attempt to uncover a supernatural mystery in their town. For more than sixty years, young children have been going missing precisely every six years, never to be seen again. But when Charlie and his friends find that the missing children's yearbook pictures all pretend like they never existed, they investigate further and discover there is far more to their small, sleepy town than they thought.

Andrew J. Brandt has painted a vivid, suspenseful ghost story with his use of storytelling. The plot weaves throughout the past and the present, and kept me hooked the whole way through! This was a fantastic ghost story!

a suspenseful mystery eerie young adult book. well written story for fans of spooky stories. gave me RL Stine vibes. has you thinking of your everyday fears. would love to hear this on audiobook.

I tremendously enjoyed this well-written, thoughtful, imaginative novel. I confess to a weakness for Supernatural Coming-of-Age tales, and PICTURE UNAVAILABLE immediately became one of my favorites. Dealing with real serious life issues competently and with compassion provides a strong foundation for bringing in the Supernatural and Scary Elements, and be forewarned, this gets thoroughly SCARY. Everything meshes so well that disbelief has no toehold, and I'm surely not the only reader screaming (like theatergoers at an 80's slasher film) "GET OUT OF THAT TOWN! NOW!"

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Blue Handle Publishing and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

A twist filled ghost story with mystery galore.

This is an atmospheric, eerie and suspenseful YA ghost story.
A really good and well written story for the younger fans of spooky tales.
4 stars ⭐️

Picture Unavailable is everything I look for in a YA mystery story. Lots of scares, twists and a heartfelt ending makes this more than just standard mystery fare. Reminiscent of JJ Abrams' film Super 8 in that regard; the underlying tones of forgiveness, grief and learning to let go is prominent but not overbearing. Fans of The Goonies, Stranger Things and Stand By Me will absolutely love this story.