However, the pros far, far outweighed the cons here. Rekulak certainly isn’t afraid of swerving his story into absurdity now and then. actually having to explain tricky pivotal moments. For example, certain decisions Mallory makes (likely in an effort to keep the action moving along) are flat-out silly, and sometimes gave off the vibe that they were written as such to give the author an easy way to cause confusion amongst the other characters/muddy the waters/raise stakes, etc. With help from a handsome landscaper and an eccentric neighbor, Mallory sets out to decipher the images and save Teddy -while coming to terms with a tragedy in her own past - before it’s too late.”īut listen, Hidden Pictures does have its downfalls. Mallory begins to suspect these are glimpses of an unsolved murder from long ago, perhaps relayed by a supernatural force lingering in the forest behind the Maxwell’s house.

But one day, he draws something different: a man in a forest, dragging a woman’s lifeless body.Īs the days pass, Teddy’s artwork becomes more and more sinister, and his stick figures steadily evolve into more detailed, complex, and lifelike sketches well beyond the ability of any five-year-old. His drawings are the usual fare: trees, rabbits, balloons. And she sincerely bonds with Teddy, a sweet, shy boy who is never without his sketchbook and pencil. She lives in the Maxwell’s pool house, goes out for nightly runs, and has the stability she craves. She is to look after their five-year-old son, Teddy. “Fresh out of rehab, Mallory Quinn takes a job in the affluent suburb of Spring Brook, New Jersey as a babysitter for Ted and Caroline Maxwell. Here are the broad strokes of the plot, per the publisher: It’s entertaining and engaging as hell, with Rekulak deftly moving the story along at a fast clip without making it feel like he’s only skimming the surface. I truly think that Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak, the Edgar-nominated author of The Impossible Fortress, is one of those twisty novels that is best read with as little beforehand knowledge about the ins and outs of the story as possible.

Have you ever asked a friend for a thriller recommendation and they’ll give you the name of the book and, like, two scant details about it, but then refuse to tell you anything else because it would “ruin it”? Annoying, isn’t it? Well, um, yeah, so.

Hidden pictures jason rekulak paperback