Hidden Pictures

I absolutely LOVED this novel beginning to end. Talk about thrilling, captivating, and intriguing from the first page. Incredible writing style, and those twists?!!! 1000/10

This is a fun, easy-to-read suspense/mystery/horror book for fans of the genre. While the characters are a little shallow and not fully developed, it doesn't take away from the story and suspense. Some authors are better story-tellers than writers, and I think that is the case with Jason Rekulak. The book grabs the reader pretty quickly, introducing the protagonist in the first person, and providing background narrative immediately. Within a few short chapters, the reader is embedded in an interesting story. I think most mystery/suspense fans will enjoy this one.

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak tells the story of Mallory Quinn, a woman hired as a nanny for a five-year-old boy named Teddy. However, things take a strange and disturbing turn when Teddy's drawings become increasingly sinister, leading Mallory to wonder if they are related to a long-unsolved murder. The beginning of the book was intriguing and drew me in immediately. It was fascinating to see the story unfold while experiencing Mallory's journey. You could hear her inner voice starting to doubt her own sanity while taking care of Teddy. As Mallory tries to decipher Teddy's drawings, the story takes an unexpected turn, and the plot becomes more intricate. The twist as the book comes closer to the end leaves you gasping for air, not sure of what to make of everything that's happening. The characters are well fleshed out, and Mallory's character is particularly impressive. She has a rich backstory, which adds an extra layer of depth to her character. Mallory's quest to decipher Teddy's drawings is both creepy and intriguing. As the story progresses, the drawings become more sinister, and the stakes increase. The book is intellectually stimulating and continuously surprising as each piece of the puzzle falls into place. Rekulak employs clever symbolism and metaphors to move the plot forward, making the book worthwhile to read. The storytelling style of Hidden Pictures leaves a lasting impression. It's not only an original fusion of genres, but the narrative structure, formatting and use of illustrations is also so innovative that readers won't forget about it quickly. Every element of the story comes together beautifully to form something unique, and the combination of local history with modern-day horror makes it more engaging. Hidden Pictures is a thrilling and intelligent horror novel. It's a well-crafted novel that demonstrates Jason Rekulak's mastery of storytelling, pacing, and character development. The supernatural elements of the book are well-conceived and deliberately shaped to compel the reader's interest. And that ending...damn!

Mallory was a runner in high school, the sixth fastest runner in her age group in her state. Her future looked bright. She had a full ride scholarship to a highly rated university until she suffers a common but painful injury and is given pain pills. She is injured again, and this time the pills aren't enough. She is introduced to much harder drugs, and soon is an addict. After a cab driver revives her when she eventually overdoses, Mallory fights hard to regain her sobriety. Now 21, Mallory is due to leave the sober house where she has lived while transitioning from active addict to an addict who is 20 months sober. But she has nowhere to go: her mother has washed her hands of Mallory due to her addiction; as have all her friends. Seeing her dilemma, her sponsor and new running coach, recommends her for a position as a nanny for a young child before the child starts kindergarten in the fall. She gets the job and her future looks promising. Mallory is the kind of babysitter I would have wanted for my kids, even with her past as a drug addict. Her addiction history is buried deep in the book, and explains why her recovery coach was willing to recommend her for the job. My heart broke for her. It isn't the last time it was broken reading the book. As she starts her new job, where her new employer is fully aware of her addiction and hard won recovery, Mallory falls in love with her new charge. As she and the child bond, Mallory sees her employers have the lifestyle she could have had, and lost due to her past. The child starts giving Mallory pictures he draws during his Quiet Time (the Hidden Pictures in the title). They start as the typical scribbling of a young child, progressing to vivid and detailed works of art. Mallory soon realizes it isn’t her charge who is drawing them. The drawings definitely add to the creepy atmosphere of the book as it pulls you deeper into the mystery of who drew them and why: Mallory's charge or the woman who allegedly haunts the house. Mallory is a young woman I can identify with. The author brings her story to the reader as someone who deserves sympathy, especially as the book continues. She meets people in the neighborhood, including a man who is attractive and seems to admire Mallory. Mallory, ashamed of her past, tells a story to the new people in her life which is widely different than the truth. Her backstory, when shown to be false, slows others from whom she later needs help. The parents are, at first, people who want only the best for their child. However, as the drawings become more detailed, the mother begins to change her attitude and hides the child's drawing material. I come to despise this woman. As the drawings become more detailed, Mallory becomes determined to discover who is drawing them and why. She learns a woman was murdered in the small cottage at the back of her employers' property, and Mallory becomes convinced this is the key to the mysterious drawings. This book has twists and turns that left me gasping as I turned each page, revealing more of the mystery of the drawings, thinking "No, that can't be right." After the first twist (I can't reveal because it would be a spoiler), which changed the mystery into something completely different than what I expected, and I was hooked. The pacing of the story never lags. The author carefully hides the full plot until the last chapter which is one year later. The storyline is complete. The end was my last heartbreak. There is no happily ever after for Mallory. Although her future looks promising, she won't forget the summer she spent babysitting and the love she had developed with her charge. Hidden Pictures was beautifully written. It keeps the reader guessing without the reader knowing they are guessing until he makes a twist or turn. I can hear the book calling to me to reread it as I write. I will, as soon as the echoes die away. Readers of fast paced, non-stop guessing should add this book to their pile of To Be Read. I am sorry it took me so long to read it.

is nice

Good thriller with interesting concept and cool plot twists! Would recommend to anyone who is looking for a suspenseful read

For our May’s book club pick, we dove into Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak and WOW, I loved it! From the very first page, Rekulak’s pacing had me completely immersed in Mallory’s world. The eerie mystery unfolds so seamlessly that you barely realise how deep you’re getting until you’re too hooked to put it down. One of the things I loved most was that every single thing you learn about the characters has a purpose by the end. Nothing is random, everything ties back in, making for such a satisfying read. And the twists! Every time I thought I had it figured out, I was completely wrong in the BEST way. Rekulak does such a fantastic job of leading you down one path only to surprise you with something even better. URGH and the epilogue. I cried. The way I cared about these characters really surprised me. If you love a thriller that keeps you guessing and delivers a truly rewarding ending, this one is a must!

Definitely a must read. All thriller/horror lovers are gonna love this book. Fast-paced & amazingly written. I wish I ordered the hardcover, paperback had xerox print of the images. But the plot’s worth every penny. Little predictable but interesting enough. Received in good paperback condition. Print & paper quality’s good.

Ich habe Hidden Pictures bei TikTok mehrfach als Empfehlung gesehen und mir daher diesen Thriller von Jason Rekulak gekauft. Durchgelesen habe ich das Buch fast in einem Zug, da es wirklich spannend war. Es geht um eine junge Frau namens Mallory Quinn, die keine gute Zeit hinter sich hat und sich nun im Drogenentzug befindet. D.h. sie ist clean und um die Umgebung zu wechseln und einen geregelten Tagesablauf zu haben, zieht sie in einen idyllischen Ort zu einer Kleinfamilie mit einem Sohn, den sie tagsüber betreuen soll. Es scheint alles perfekt zu sein, bis Mallory die Zeichnungen des 5jährigen Kindes entdeckt, die mit jedem Tag verstörender werden. Als sich dann auch noch plötzlich der Zeichenstil komplett ändert, ist sich die Protagonistin sicher, dass in dem Haus der Geist der ermordeten Künstlerin, deren Geschichte man sich im Ort seit langer Zeit erzählt, sein Unwesen treibt. Sie versucht die Zeichnungen zu deuten und den Mord aufzuklären. Dadurch, dass man selbst die Bilder dann immer sieht, kann man quasi mit rätseln. Ich empfehle also, das Buche KEINESFALLS vorm Lesen durchzublättern. So bleibt die Spannung erhalten. Ich möchte jetzt auch nicht zu viel verraten, aber nichts ist so, wie man es vermutet. Ein toller Thriller mit dem besonderen Extra. Meine Empfehlung!