Hidden Pictures (by Jason Rekulak)
I’ve seen a lot of praise for Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak, and this book has been waiting on my wishlist since its release. I recently saw a post on social media that said if I’ve been meaning to read this book, don’t delay any longer. Since it’s spooky reading season, I decided I would take this advice.
Hidden Pictures opens with the reader meeting Mallory Quinn, a young woman barely in her twenties, getting her life together in a drug rehabilitation center. Her sponsor encourages her to apply for a live-in nanny position for an affluent couple with a five-year-old son, Teddy. Mallory instantly loves her new job. She lives in a small cottage on the couple’s property; she loves taking care of Teddy, and she appreciates her new daily structure. Teddy enjoys drawing pictures. At first, they contain innocent material appropriate for a five-year-old. Soon, the content changes and becomes creepy; one drawing depicts a woman being dragged by a man in a forest. As the pictures become increasingly concerning, Mallory tries to decipher their meaning. Teddy’s parents are not receptive to Mallory’s opinions, and cracks begin to form in their relationship. Mallory doesn’t give up and pleads for help from others in the neighborhood.
I ended up enjoying this book more than I expected from the beginning. It seemed the sequence of events escalated a tiny bit slowly. My personal barrier to this story was Mallory’s age. As I get older, I find it hard to relate to a main character who is barely 21. I will say that Mallory is mature, responsible, and intelligent. She mostly made well-thought-out decisions for her age. The ending of the book was a complete shock! I sensed where some shady secrets were being hidden, but I had no idea it was going to take the direction it did. The conclusion of the story was well done and impressive. If you like ghosts, Ouija boards, and solving puzzles, this book is for you!
I borrowed the audiobook of Hidden Pictures from my local library with the Hoopla app. I enjoyed the narration by Suzy Jackson. Her voice was a good fit for Mallory’s character.
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