Hidden Pictures: ‘The boldest double twist of the year’ The Times

★★★★★ (5 Stars) Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak is an unputdownable blend of mystery, emotion, and just the right amount of creep factor. As someone who often struggles to stay engaged with thrillers, this book was a refreshing surprise—it grabbed me from the first chapter and never let go. The story follows Mallory, a young woman in recovery who takes a nannying job for a wealthy family. Her bond with the child, Teddy, is immediate and touching—but things start to turn eerie when Teddy begins drawing increasingly disturbing images. What starts as a quiet domestic story quickly unfolds into a layered mystery filled with suspense, emotion, and unexpected turns. Mallory is a fantastic protagonist—likable, grounded, and easy to root for. Her past makes her vulnerable, but her strength and instincts make her a compelling narrator throughout. The book’s pacing is excellent; every chapter felt meaningful, building tension in a way that kept me constantly guessing. The twist was a standout moment—completely blindsiding in the best way, yet made perfect sense once revealed. Everything tied together so well, without feeling over-explained or far-fetched. The story leans into supernatural elements just enough to be chilling, but still keeps one foot in the real world, which made it all the more effective for me. This was a solid 5-star read. Maybe after more reflection I’ll find small critiques, but in the moment, it was everything I wanted from a thriller: gripping, creepy, and emotionally resonant.

The story follows an 18-month sober Mallory, who gets a job looking after 4 year old Teddy as a live-in nanny. Mallory loves her new job until Teddy begins drawing disturbing pictures of his imaginary friend Anya. The frightening pictures begin telling a story of a murder, and even when Teddy's crayons and pencils have been confiscated, the drawings still make an appearance and become darker and more realistic. I absolutely loved this book and how it involved the pictures as a visual aid for the reader. The drawings were, at times, disturbing and unsettling coming from a young child and just added to the story. There are certain plot failings in this book that the reader at times has to suspend belief. However, it is primarily about a ghost, so some beliefs should be suspended, right? The author sets the scenery and setting of this book very well, making it easy for the reader to put themselves into a chilling atmosphere. The author was likely influenced by stereotype horror films from this genre, such as insidious and conjuring, etc. The characters in this book are equally enjoyable, although the lead character at times does feel a little flat, and although she narrated the story well and it was easy to read, I personally felt frustrated with her at times through the story (Open the goddam door!) Mallory had an interesting backstory, that I feel could have been explored further. Overall, this is a fun book, with a seamless cross of genres from mystery, psychological thriller, and horror. Its quirky and original pictures add immensely to the story, and I really enjoyed this book. The end of this book genuinely made me a little emotional and smile. Highly recommend if you fancy a story that had been done before, but a new fun take.

This was an absolutely twisted and shocking read!! All those plot twists were insane and the plot was so good and well developed. The drawings were absolutely insane and really realistic. I love this so much this is definitely one of my favourite thrillers!

I want to preface this by saying that I really wanted to love this book. After seeing such amazing reviews and hearing brilliant things from friends, I was really expecting a lot to be honest. Unfortunately, a lot of this story just fell flat for me. I am happy to admit that it may be because my expectations were too high, but I just did not enjoy it all that much. In the story, you follow Mallory Quinn, who is freshly out of Rehab. She takes a nanny job for the Maxwell's to look after their son, Teddy. It doesn't take very long before she notices that something is up. The twists in this book were good, but I feel as though the build up was not. When twists were revealed, I was not on the edge of my seat hoping for something to happen, I was just reading as I normally would. Which personally, I do not feel is that great in a thriller. The book itself was good, the story was well written and some parts were scary. However, in comparison to previous thrillers I have read, and also the expectations that I had, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. I would still recommend to give this a read, it will not take you long, as it does leave you wanting more at the end of each chapter. However, I'd advise to go in with an open mind and you will likely enjoy it more than I did. I wish I had gone into this blind, as I truly believe it would've been higher rated.

Muito bommmmm, deveria ter vindo numa caixa pra n amassar as bordas

Livro ótimo para ler no Halloween

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!