Where do I start with this book?

For me, I was very bored for the first 40-45% of this book. I just felt like not much happened. After the halfway mark the book really takes off and I think there is a great payoff in the end.

Towards the end of the book I didn’t know which way the story would go. There is a twist that seems very obvious now, but at the time was so obvious that it seemed improbable.

Excited to see what comes next from this author.

I really enjoyed this haunting and lyrical mystery with a streak of the supernatural.

Our heroine, Mallory Quinn, is a recently-clean addict who gets a too-good-to-be-true job watching the bright little boy of a wealthy and upscale couple. But the kid, Teddy, has a creepy imaginary friend...and draws terrifying pictures of Anya, a creepy otherworldly figure Mallory comes to believe is a ghost. Anya is clearly trying to communicate something through Teddy's drawings, but what?

This book is a slow burn at first, but then becomes totally creepy and otherworldly, spooky and suspicious, and the pages pretty much turn themselves. The final twist is the one you will NOT see coming, yet is not so totally out of left field as to be unfair to the reader. A really well-executed mystery and ghost story in one with a fantastic ending. I found this book to be head and shoulders above some of the other thriller and supernatural stories out there in the genre today, distinguished by its unique plot and superior quality of writing. The characters were truly special and compelling, too.

Jason Rekulak is a fantastic and atmospheric writer with a beautiful knack for mystery and the supernatural. I was creeped out and fascinated with every page I turned. Rekulak, it turns out, is also a longtime book editor who has written multiple books under pen names and who Alain had the idea for Horrorstor and discovered & hired Grady Hendrix to write it. It makes sense that such a creative mind would be equally powerful at executing his own books. This is the kind of writer you discover and savor and immediately turn to his backlist.

I also have to mention the fabulous narration of the audiobook. Suzy Jackson is a wonderful narrator and actress who beautifully brings the characters, especially Teddy and Mallory, to lofe It was really a pleasure listening to her performance which I am certain really enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

My first true 5 star book in awhile. I thoroughly enjoyed this scare! Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this excellent ARC. I can't wait to dive into Jason Rekulak's previous book.

Thank you to NetGalley for an early audio copy of Hidden Pictures.

There is definitely an audience that will love this one and I will recommend it to people I know that want multiple twists and turns and have absolutely no problems with suspension of disbelief. At about the halfway point, the story became very far fetched for me and continued down that path. I thought the narrator was quite good though.

Have you ever binged an entire Netflix series and didn’t want it to end? That feeling was this book for me! The narrator was amazing. This book has creepiness, suspense, and all things that you’d love in a thriller. That twist really shocked me! I DID NOT see that coming! So good! Loved this book! 10 stars.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
Narrated by: Suzy Jackson
Publication Date: May 10, 2022
My thoughts…
Great narrator. I was “in” when I started this book. The pacing of the story was pretty good at the beginning and then it got really fast where the author was throwing so many things at the reader. I thought the political piece in here wasn’t necessary, as well as the number of social issues woven in. The narrator was great and perfect for the story. There was a mix of thriller, mystery and paranormal but it wasn’t a scary as I wanted it to be.

This audiobook was amazing! The narrator was perfect, and the story was a great mix of mystery with a dash of paranormal activity. It was twisty, creepy, entertaining, and kept me fully engaged the whole time. Everything you could want in a thriller!

ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ @macmillan.audio, @netgalley, ᴀɴᴅ @jasonrekulak ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴅᴠᴀɴᴄᴇᴅ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏʙᴏᴏᴋ ɪɴ ᴇxᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍʏ ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ.

This was a fun read. It’s very original with lots of twists and turns. You’ll just have no idea where this is going and what to think. I thought I had it figured out and wasn’t even close. I enjoyed the pictures, they really added to the telling of the story. There’s a hint of supernatural to it but not over the top. Well done.

Hidden Pictures was a fantastic read.
Jason really did a great job.
He didn't disappoint. This one kept me guessing.
He created a character so compelling and interesting I had to keep reading.
It was truly hard to take my ear buds out.
Also the narrator WoW! Her voice was phenomenal and I honestly could listen to anything she reads.
Perfect choice to play Mallory Quinn.
All in All I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was intriguing and a super fun book straight from the beginning. Rekulak knows how to weave a great story.

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

Macmillan Audio,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review to my platforms, blog, B&N and Waterstone closer to pub date.

Thank you, NetGalley for the audiobook ARC!

This book is a wild ride. I was never bored and I am so happy. Finally, a thriller mystery book that Surprised me 100% !! I felt for Mallory and loved Teddy from the beginning….Ted was always creepy to me and I did question Mrs. Maxwell’s mood swings when confronted with things from Mallory.

I do not want to ruin any of this story for anyone but this comes out May 10th and everyone needs to grab a copy. Print or audiobook…doesn’t matter. Both are amazing and worth your time.

Mallory Quinn is a 21-year old former student and addict who has been in recovery for eighteen months, living in South Philadelphia. She’s got a great support network and is offered an opportunity to be the nanny for five-year old Teddy, the son of Caroline and Ted Maxwell who recently moved to Spring Brook, New Jersey. She gets the job, falls for young Teddy, and feels herself getting even healthier, able to resume her running and live privately in a cottage on the Maxwell’s property. Teddy loves to draw, creating the typical scenes you’d expect from a child his age…until they start taking a dark turn. Soon Mallory begins to believe something unnatural is going on, especially when she learns of the rumored history of the cottage. She believes that the young woman rumored to have been murdered there is trying to tell her story through Teddy and his pictures.

Well, I was with Mallory. Something was very wrong with Teddy and his pictures but unlike her, I would have run for the hills! But Mallory had bonded with Teddy and was just as worried about him as she was curious to learn what the ghostly apparition was trying to tell them in pictures. The Maxwell’s dismiss her fears and begin to look at Mallory with suspicion, given her history. No one seems to believe her accept for the affluent landscaper’s son, Adrian, who is home for the summer from college and befriends Mallory.

Is this story creepy? Absolutely. I’m not normally a fan of ghost stories but what attracted me to this one is how the ghost was working through a child and pictures. Blessedly absent are the predictable visions of the supernatural being showing up to spook everyone as this was much more complicated and intriguing. There’s an extremely twisty moment that I can honestly say I never saw coming and it shifted everything. The ending is over-the-top exciting and had me racing to finish. I listened to the story and loved that the narrator sounded like I thought Mallory would. She also captured Caroline and Ted so well and distinctively that I thought there was a second performer. This story turned out to be so much more than I’d anticipated, a über sinister story that I hadn’t imagined. I enjoyed everything about it.

Having recently completed a stint in rehab, Mallory takes a job as nanny to 5-year-old Teddy. His parents, Caroline and Ted are Type A overprotective and uptight, but she and Teddy bond and they spend their days happily in each other’s company.

But, before long, Teddy begins to draw strange pictures of a gruesome murder, and Mallory learns of the house’s dark past. Are dark forces at work to bring secrets to light? With the help of a couple of new friends in the neighborhood she sets out to uncover the mystery.

The middle of the book had a YA feel (perhaps because this was the author's first book for adults?) and Mallory was a bit too perfect for someone with her history.

And then the story jumped the shark.

At around 75-80% it turned into a dumpster fire. The parents apparently have a personality transplant - or maybe they are inhabited by aliens? Because at this point literally NOTHING they do makes any sense whatsoever. The first big reveal is head scratching. I’m telling you there is zero chance of Mallory not knowing the truth within hours of starting her job. To think this could have been kept a secret is eye-rolling ridiculous.

Each new revelation made me laugh, but not in a good way. The author did not intend it to be funny.

I laughed and my eyes rolled because it was so absurd. Along the way the author threw in a kitchen sink full of social issues, and not-as-subtle-as-he-thought political and religious jabs. I wish I could give details (i.e. rant) but no spoilers here.

I expect some implausibility in my reading but there’s a tipping point and this book exceeded it.

Topping off this delight was a very long confession monologue, which automatically knocks a star off my rating.

Hidden Pictures takes place in present day and is a story told by Mallory, a 20 something girl that after 20 months of sobriety, gets a job as a nanny for a 5 year old boy in an affluent town in New Jersey. I listened to the audiobook which was narrated by Suzy Jackson who does a good job with it. I had some difficulty with the detailed descriptions of every little thing and person, and found myself wishing that the author would get on with the story. While the descriptions continued for the entire book, many of the main subjects of the story seemed to take forever to be told. For example, Mallory's back story of what had happened that had caused her sister's death and why she felt so guilty about it. I would have appreciated these issues to have more focus and information than what Caroline and Ted were wearing, and what they ate for dinner. The mystery in the book unfolds as drawings that Teddy, the little boy draws while in his room during "quiet time". It is during this time that he talks to his imaginary friend, Anya. Mallory is very disturbed by these pictures and convinced that Teddy is possessed by the woman that was murdered in the guest house on the property that she is staying in. I had difficulty getting engaged in this story, as it seemed kind of silly, and certainly wasn't scary. It isn't until the final few paragraphs in the book that the mystery is finally solved, and the book did move along at a faster pace at that point. I would, however, like to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.

This could’ve been a solid ghost story mystery! Mallory was an easy character to root for and I enjoyed how the pieces of the mysterious Anna came together.

Where this story frustrated me was with the political innuendo. The stereotypes, the twist.. all added up to a disappointing/eye-rolling conclusion. I honestly don’t even know how to express my anger that the insertion of political issues in novels is becoming so intentional and blatant.

I listened to this on audio and Suzy Jackson was amazing. Her voice really worked for me and I’ll definitely be looking for more of her work. Her narration was the only thing that kept me from throwing this one in the DNF pile.

Unfortunately, this is not a novel that I can recommend. 2.5 stars.

***ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Hidden Pictures
Jason Rekulak
Twenty-one year-old Mallory Quinn needs a job. She interviews for a babysitting job keeping a five-year-old boy named Teddy. His mother, Caroline Maxwell, is a psychiatrist that works with addicts. The couple offer Mallory the position along with a cabin in the woods behind their home.
Mallory is a recovering drug addict clean for eighteen months. Her story is a sad one. A tragic accident her senior year in high school ended her dreams. She became addicted to OxyContin and then Heroin. She lost everything dear to her. She is tormented by guilt but determined to stay on the straight and narrow. She runs each day; her sponsor, Russel, coaches her. He helps her get the babysitting position with the Maxwells and keeps check on her.
Teddy is a sweet child and soon becomes dear to Mallory. He always has his sketchbook and charcoal pictures in his hands, he never goes anywhere without them. His drawings are disturbing. He draws pictures of a man dragging a woman into the woods, her body lifeless. His drawings become more and more unsettling; what begins as stick figures advance into more meticulous, intricate artwork than a five-year-old is capable of producing. Mallory suspects a spirit is directing Teddy’s hand. Mallory turns to a neighbor/landscaper/boyfriend and an eccentric older neighbor for help in decoding the drawings. Mallory turns to the Maxwells pertaining to her concern for Teddy; they seem unconcerned and make it plain it is none of her business.
Mallory is a likable character that caught my sympathy early in the book. Teddy is an adorable child. Author Jason Rekulak has created a unique read with great potential, but it falls short of my expectations. There are too many illogical and inconsistent things. This is the author’s debut book. I believe he has great potential and expect his next book to have much improvement.

This was a really good book. I enjoyed the mystery of it and the story kept me guessing at what would happen up till near the end. I’ve never run across this author before or read any of his books, but I will definitely do so in the future.

Mallory Quinn is a twenty-something recovering opioid addict from Philly who is hired to nanny for a well-to-do family’s young child in New Jersey. Shortly after Mallory moves to the property to see after the child, paranormal things begin to happen and Mallory feels like she is being watched. Over the course of the summer, she learns more about the property and the family she has agreed to work for. The family chalks up the weird things Mallory is experiencing to use relapse, but Mallory is clean and telling the truth, or so she thinks??

This was an entertaining, twisty story I was able to finish on audio within 48 hours. The narrator was great.

Even though I was entertained and invested in the outcome and I did not see the main twists coming, the story just felt very unrealistic to me and the ending, a little rushed and incomplete. I was left with so many questions. I kinda dig the creepy paranormal vibe theme, but it could have been executed better in my opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Jason Rekulak for an advance listener’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was everything! I loved the main character and how the story flowed between the supernatural suspense and the MC taking care and learning about teddy. I loved the twist and while normally I guess what happened, this blew me away! Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity, and I will most definitely be recommending this one to everyone!

I'm a little confused about how I feel. On one hand, this was a quick, entertaining read, but on the other, there were some glaring issues. The pacing felt strange - a strong start with a lagging middle and an abrupt ending complete with a diabolic villain monologue.

Some of the other things that I felt were handled strangely in this book included a weird obsession with counting calories and body shaming that felt a little out of left field. I could probably understand if part of the main character's backstory included an ED or something similar, but these moments are primarily used to propel some plot point at the very end of the book in a way that felt ultimately unnecessary. I definitely didn't see the big reveal coming, but I wasn't super on board with the language used on the subject ... I don't think that particular twist shouldn't have been done, I just think it could have been handled a bit better.

However, I did find the main character super likable and sensible, which, as we all know, is important in a thriller/mystery protagonist. I probably wouldn't recommend this book to the average thriller reader ... you definitely have to be willing to suspend belief and be down for a little paranormal action to find this read enjoyable! This would be a good one if you were interested in dipping your toe into the horror genre but didn't want something too overwhelming.

I requested this on a whim last week after I happened to see it on Netgalley, and only the day before a YouTuber I just started watching had gotten a physical ARC. It sounded interesting, and I've been (weirdly and uncharacteristically) gravitating towards creepy and horror-type books in the last six months. This hit the spot for me. I was a bit nervous because the early reviews on this one so far are all over the place (a lot of low and high ratings) but it worked for me. If you're into audiobooks, this is a good one, but if you go that route, I'd also recommend tracking down a physical copy, or maybe a PDF download of the illustrations. I found out only after I was 75% of the way through the book that there are a ton of illustrations accompanying the story, none of which the audio ARC provided. (I ordered it from my library so I can look at them after the fact.)

The hook is also a good one. Our main character is Mallory, a twenty-one year old who is getting back on her feet after leaving rehab and her halfway house eighteen months sober after an opioid addiction spiraled out of control. Since this is a thing that is happening more and more to everyone across the US, it felt relevant and timely. (Also, there is a not insignificant amount of criticism here of the way that people with addictions are treated and looked down upon, even by people who are supposedly sympathetic to them.) Also, not gonna lie, it was incredibly refreshing to read a book of suspense where the female narrator wasn't unreliable because she was drunk or high, or mentally ill. Mallory has a good head on her shoulders, and she's worked hard to overcome her addictions and stay on the path of recovery, which makes it all the more frustrating when her past is thrown in her face and used against her to make her doubt herself.

The main plot here is that Mallory is hired to look after the son of a wealthy couple in a small, quiet town. Teddy is five, and is sweet and adorable, and Mallory quickly bonds with him. When he starts giving her creepy as hell drawings of his imaginary friend, Anya, and the drawings are becoming more and more sophisticated and disturbing, Mallory and her new friend Adrian become convinced that there is a spirit using little Teddy to channel its message.

If you like thrillers and horror books that are more on the creepier end of the genre than the gory and violent end, I think this is definitely worth checking out. I found Mallory and some of the other secondary characters to be really well fleshed out, and often Rekulak avoids them falling into cliched thriller beats and traps (there is a lot of communication going on between the main character and her bosses, for example). By the time I hit the last chapter of the book, I was really invested in what was going to happen to both Mallory and Teddy, and felt satisfied by the answer.

I give this book a 3.5 rating, rounding up to a 4 rather than down to a 3 though, because I did enjoy it. By the plot description, I was expecting a more current murder mystery and was surprised by the course of events. I enjoyed the book overall, although it seemed less "thriller" than I expected. The narrator had a pleasant voice, but also added to lack of suspense, as it wasn't read in a way that I would expect something in that genre to be read. It was perhaps to light, for lack of a better word. The prologue explains that a bit, perhaps. In any case, I enjoyed it overall as I said. Thank you to Jason Rekulak, the publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me to preview it early!