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Cover of Hidden Pictures by Jason RekulakHidden Pictures
New · Fiction, Horror, Thriller

Hidden Pictures

by Jason Rekulak
2022 · 372 pages · Fiction
67.6Must-Read
Score New
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 9 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Mallory Quinn, fresh out of rehab, takes a job as a nanny for a sweet five-year-old named Teddy in a wealthy New Jersey suburb. Teddy loves to draw stick figures. Then his drawings change: suddenly they're detailed, skilled and disturbing, showing a woman being dragged through the woods. Mallory becomes convinced they're messages about a murder.

Why it's worth reading

It won the Goodreads Choice Award for horror. It's a creepy, twisty supernatural thriller, and the drawings are included in the book.

You'll love it if you liked

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Good to know

There's violence against women and addiction themes. The illustrations make it fast to read.

By the numbers

67.6Must-Read Score
  • Readers61 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller34 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz8 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Won
Goodreads Choice (horror) winner (2022)

Reads as

Gripping, Dark

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Horror booksTop 25 · 86 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedNew booksTop 25 · 481 rankedBooks of the 2020sTop 25 · 555 rankedFantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 ranked

Quick answers

Is Hidden Pictures worth reading?

Yes. It won the Goodreads Choice Award for horror. It ranks #1,578 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 67.6 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Hidden Pictures about?

Mallory Quinn, fresh out of rehab, takes a job as a nanny for a sweet five-year-old named Teddy in a wealthy New Jersey suburb. Teddy loves to draw stick figures. Then his drawings change: suddenly they're detailed, skilled and disturbing, showing a woman being dragged through the woods. Mallory becomes convinced they're messages about a murder.

How long does it take to read Hidden Pictures?

About 9 hours (372 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What awards has Hidden Pictures won?

Goodreads Choice (horror) winner (2022).

What should I read after Hidden Pictures?

If you liked it, try The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman or The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden.