Hello world!
Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!
PRODUCT
Hidden Pictures: A Novel
Product Description:
Price:
$12.99
Detailed description:
NATIONAL BESTSELLER · OPTIONED FOR NETFLIX BY A PRODUCER OF THE BATMAN
GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD WINNER
“I loved it.” —Stephen King
From Edgar Award-finalist Jason Rekulak comes a wildly inventive spin on the supernatural thriller, for fans of Stranger Things and Riley Sager, about a woman working as a nanny for a young boy with strange and disturbing secrets.
Mallory Quinn is fresh out of rehab when she takes a job as a babysitter for Ted and Caroline Maxwell. She is to look after their five-year-old son, Teddy.
Mallory immediately loves it. She has her own living space, goes out for nightly runs, and has the stability she craves. And she sincerely bonds with Teddy, a sweet, shy boy who is never without his sketchbook and pencil. His drawings are the usual fare: trees, rabbits, balloons. But one day, he draws something different: a man in a forest, dragging a woman’s lifeless body.
Then, Teddy’s artwork becomes increasingly sinister, and his stick figures quickly evolve into lifelike sketches well beyond the ability of any five-year-old. Mallory begins to wonder if these are glimpses of a long-unsolved murder, perhaps relayed by a supernatural force.
Knowing just how crazy it all sounds, Mallory nevertheless sets out to decipher the images and save Teddy before it’s too late.
Read more
Product group:
Categories: Best Books of 2024 So Far
Product name:
Hidden Pictures: A Novel
Price:
$12.99
Steelersgirl75 –
While some of this story is farfetched, and even fantasy for some, this is a fairly well-written story with characters who are easy to invest in, and others who are easy to dislike. It is full of surprises, and speaks to the victories that come with recovery, which is why I grabbed it to begin with. The epilogue is pretty lengthy, to the point that I caught myself feeling ready for it to be done. Still, I do not regret this journey.
TW: Trauma, IV drug use/addiction, psychological abuse, racism
MATZBACH –
At first I was a little septic, but after a while I can’t put it down.
Amazing book, very well written and addictive
iamkilin –
The story centres around Mallory Quinn fresh out of rehab. She takes a job in the affluent suburbs of Spring Brook, New Jersey as a nanny for Ted and Caroline Maxwell, looking after their five year old son named , Teddy. Mallory instantly loves her new job. She lives in a small cottage on the Maxwell’s property goes out for nightly runs.
And she thinks she has found the stability, she’s been craving. Malory and Teddy forge a close bond. He’s a sweet, sensitive, shy boy who is never without his sketchpad and pencils. His drawings are of trees, rabbits, bears goats birds then suddenly Teddy‘s artwork, becomes more sinister, and his stick figures evolve into more detailed complex and lifelike sketches, well beyond the ability of a boy his age. Mallory begins to suspect these drawings are clues to a unsolved murder from long ago. She has a feeling there’s some supernatural force guiding Teddy‘s hand. With help from the handsome landscaper Adrian who cuts the Maxwells lawn and Mitzi the eccentric neighbour Mallory sets out to decipher the collection of sketches and, save Teddy while coming to terms with a tragedy in her past before it it’s too late——
The way the drawings were added before the ending of a chapter made it more visceral. The characters were well developed some I liked more than others. The story went at steady pace then about 70% in there were plot twists that I wasn’t expecting and, suspense that was palpable that had my heart racing while I was quickly turning the pages into the early morning. It was hard to put down. I won’t be forgetting this story quickly. I highly recommend you read this novel if you love mystery, suspense with a touch of the supernatural thrown in. With beautiful drawings that leapt from the pages and pulled you deep into the story.
Darren M. Reed –
Such an amazing psychological suspense novel with a pinch of Stephen King. Loved this book….
The protagonist Mallory was very endearing and definitely someone you want to cheer for. She is a recovery addict. In fact, the story begins with her stumbling into a college arena for a paid scientific experiment. She’s not sure what they’re going to do and she doesn’t really care. She just needs the money for a fix. When her name is finally called, she goes into a room with a woman and five men sitting in front of her. They place a blindfold on her and tell her she is to raise her hand. Every time she feels one of the men looking at her as the Tesco. She does this when she senses them looking at her and at the end of the test, all the men applied her efforts and she has told that she does the best of anyone so far, the scientist asked if she’d be willing to come back for more testing. Mallory says if you pay me I’ll come back as much as you want. But later that night she sells her iPhone in order to get more drugs, and she never hears from the woman again. That is the end of the prologue , the story starts when Mallory is 18 months from drug use and is living in a sober home. Her sponsor her a connection of his is offering her an interview to be a nanny in an upscale neighborhood.
This was one of the first parts of the book I really didn’t like. As a person in long-term recovery myself who has nearly 16 years of recovery. (Most within the 12 step world – AA) I want to point out to others that some of the things in this book are nowhere near the reality. It is very rare for a person to have a sponsor of the opposite sex. in the story Mallory explains that she chose Russell because he’s a former Olympic running trainer, and she was also an elite runner. However, as I said, none of that really matters as it is very rare for somebody to have a sponsor of an opposite sex. Any rational person in 12 steps that does sponsorship would never agree to sponsoring someone of the opposite sex for obvious reasons.
Another thing in regards to recovery, Mallory states she doesn’t drink caffeine because it is a stimulant. Although some people in recovery make this choice it too is rare and I feel like it is somewhat stigmatizing and makes people believe people in recovery are all walking time bombs… The last thing I want to mention in regards to recovery and this is a minor spoiler so please skip this section. If you don’t want to read this now, however it is a minor spoiler. Later in the story, Mallory tells Russell some things that are very hard to believe and he looks at her like she may have relapsed, so she says to him go ahead and you can test me if you want (drug test). And Russell does. Again this is very rare and should never happen. Drug testing is not part of the 12-steps. We work an honesty program.
Mallory gets the job and is in love with the family and fresh start she has. However, soon Mallory starts to notice strange drawings from the little boy she is taking care of. They seem like an omen.
Mallory makes some assumption based on history she learns about the property and things start to get creepier. Stephen King like… but This is not your average horror story, in fact it isn’t at all. It’s psychological Suspense novel and of course the twists start popping up.
This was a very exciting page turner and one that I could have easily read in one sitting. If you are a fan of psychological suspense novels this is a must read.
Dina Sequeira –
Premetto che questo thriller contiene elementi dal paranormale che non sono proprio il mio genere solitamente, tuttavia il resto della narrazione e delle tematiche affrontate è abbastanza realistico, quindi ho deciso di cimentarmi nella lettura, anche perché ne avevo sentito parlare molto bene.
Effettivamente è difficile staccarsi dal libro, ti prende subito ed è scritto molto bene (ho letto la versione originale in inglese, in 3 giorni ho completato la lettura).
Molto ben scritto anche l’ultimo capitolo di epilogo che ho apprezzato particolarmente, denso di significato e toccante (senza fare spoiler).
Il ritmo della narrazione è veloce, come dicevo è difficile staccarsi. Ci sono elementi che possono leggermente spaventare, ma non è horror né particolarmente cruento, a parte alcune scene isolate.
Alcune persone hanno segnalato elementi di razzismo o grassofobici: ne convengo che sono sparsi qua e là nel libro, assieme ad alcune imprecisioni sul gender, ma non preponderanti.
Altri argomenti menzionati sono l’uso di droga, paranormale, infertilità (quest’ultimo davvero poco). Se queste sono tematiche che vi disturbano, meglio scegliere un altro libro!
Jess Lilly –
I read this book with my bookclub. It’s not a typical book I would normally read, but it held my attention well and was written very well. The mystery and suspense was excellent and the characters really meant something to me in this book!
iamkilin –
Me encantó el libro, no pude dejar de leer, lo terminé en un día. Lo recomiendo si te gusta el suspenso.
Average shopper –
I cannot say enough good things about this book! WOW! It keeps you guessing at every turn and the action is written in a way that you feel the intensity of the situations. Main character has depth. Ending is very thorough and satisfying. I wouldn’t change a thing about it. Best book I’ve read so far this year (out of 42 books).
Rachael –
.I could NOT put this book down…..it was such a steady paced read that kept my attention the whole way through. I was so freaked out when I started reading the book that I finished reading the majority of it during the day. 🙂 I actually made my husband get out of bed and check the bedroom because I “thought” I heard a noise. This book had all my spiny senses on overload. It was riveting, and I thoroughly enjoyed the book until Chapter 25 where the author started unveiling the truth. It just went off the rails for me which stinks because up until that escapade; it was a really great book.
It was like the parents did a 180 and their actions didn’t make sense to me.
I do recommend reading the book version because the drawings are creepy and add to the suspense.
I also recommend this book to anyone looking for a steady paced heart thrilling read.
Wesli turner –
Absolutely amazing book. From the beginning it really captured my attention and I could not put it down. The way the book flows, it’s like someone retelling a detailed story. Well written and easy to follow and the twists that happen are shocking! It was not a predictable story and that’s what makes it great. 10/10 recommend to anyone who likes an easy to follow, yet thoroughly detailed thriller!
SPN_972 –
This is a masterpiece I loved it wow it’s everything you could want from a horror book, and I loved the drawn aspects
Renee G. –
This was a book recommended to me that actually got me back into reading regularly. In my opinion a wonderful and disturbing use of illustration to complement a great story. I found myself unable to put it down and had a great time reading. Everyone has different tastes, but if you enjoy well-worded exposition that allows you to develop attachments to the characters in the book, and of course some great twists and turns, check this one out!