Jason Rekulak delivers a wonderfully creepy ghost story with Hidden Pictures. Filled with familiar ideas and tropes, Rekulak keeps it fresh with his engaging story, delightfully layered characters and the drawings that fill the novel.

Mallory is fresh from rehab, she’s trying to get her life together, and with some help she lands a summer job as a nanny for young Teddy, the son of Ted and Caroline Maxwell in a quiet little suburb.

But there are secrets in the house, and Mallory finds herself caught up in a number of them as she starts digging into local history, re-discovering a murder, and she becomes increasingly convinced that there is something in the house, something that is showing up in the drawings young Teddy creates.

The drawings which fill the book are a fantastic addition to the story, and as images are revealed by turning pages, there are some shocks and scares. It’s done really well, and that first one I found was really jarring.

As Mallory investigates, she places her job in danger, meets the neighbors, and may end up with a love connection.

I was completely captivated by the story, and even knowing that it’s a ghost story going into it, doesn’t change the impact of the story. There are hints of The Innocents as Mallory becomes increasingly convinced that the house, the grounds, that Teddy is being haunted.

The drawings begin to change and evolve throughout the book, and as the mystery comes closer to the fore, the secrets in the Maxwell house begin to reveal themselves to Mallory and the reader.

Told through the first-person we are seeing things the way Mallory does, and Rekulak makes her a relatable heroine, one who is not only haunted by the things going on at the Maxwell house, but by her own past.

I raced through this one, loving every minute of it. I got completely wrapped up in the story, apparently missed some of the clues that Mallory picked up before the end of the book, but absolutely delighted in how all of it played out.

The whole tale was perfectly crafted, working within the familiar trappings and then spinning it in a new direction that just clicked, and felt, in my gut, so right.

This one was a really fun ride, and highly recommended to anyone looking for a fun summer ghost story read. It’s funny, smart, emotional, engaging, and yes, damned spooky. Check it out!