Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak on May 10, 2022
Genres: Fiction / Horror, Fiction / Thrillers / Domestic, Fiction / Thrillers / Supernatural
Pages: 384
Format: eBook
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“But you’re wrong about these pictures, you’re wrong about this house, and you’re wrong about Teddy. There is some seriously weird shit happening right under your nose and you’re living in denial!”
Mallory Quinn is fresh out of rehab when she 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 wasn’t sure where this was headed and the category wasn’t clear. Was this a Domestic thriller, ghost story, or something entirely different? I was wonderfully misdirected because I’d glossed over clues without thinking they meant anything. 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. Rekulak absolutely got me with the twists! I didn’t see ANY of them coming, which is difficult for a prolific thriller reader not to spot! However, I did subtract a half a star for believability. I am all for suspending my belief in the name of fiction, but several of the reveals didn’t feel very authentic.
I gave this book 4.5 stars! I thoroughly enjoyed this one and as with mysteries that I can’t figure out, I try to have multiple wild guesses. The clues had me confused and I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. It all made sense in the reveal! This book would be nowhere as thrilling without the illustrations. they elevate the story to a new level and really create an immersive quality that gives the plot its spookiness.