Strange Pictures by Uketsu

My mom actually encouraged me to buy this book after she was flipping through it and a glossy image fell right out. She looked at it, completely perplexed but intrigued. I read the flaps and immediately knew I had to read it; thriller, horror, and eerie, unsettling images inside, it was a no-brainer, so I added it to my pile before checking out. 

At first, I thought this book was more of an anthology, using images to tell separate, unrelated stories, but I was wrong. Strange Pictures by Uketsu is a Japanese mystery, thriller, and horror that uses images throughout the story, shifting between present and past as it reveals how each image connects to the characters and their interconnected stories. It’s basically like a giant puzzle, with each picture holding all the necessary clues and leaving the solving in the hands of the reader.

I was ready to grab my detective badge, trench coat, and fedora to solve the mystery.

I don’t want to give anything away, because discovering it is part of the fun of reading this book. The story unfolds through a series of vignettes, each paired with an image, including:

• A child who killed her mother and draws a sketch that suggests she may be capable of rehabilitation. 

• Sketches posted on a blog that hint a pregnant woman may have been in danger. 

• Another child’s drawing of his home that points to a dark, hidden secret. 

• And finally, a murder victim who leaves behind a sketch as a final clue to help investigators find his killer. 

I’m so impressed with how Uketsu blends mystery, thriller, and horror. His writing is simple, yet it builds a complex, layered puzzle that makes each discovery feel genuinely shocking. It’s also important to remember this is a translated work and if the language feels simple at times, it’s because not everything can be conveyed in English exactly as it is in Japanese.

Every time I started piecing together overlapping timelines or considering possible motives, I felt like a true detective. No joke, I whipped out a pen and paper to make sure I got the connections between the stories and characters right. I was completely immersed in the mystery, and the blend of crime and horror lingers in the back of your mind as you flip through the pages.

Quite literally the most unique book I’ve ever read, from the pictures to the story to the characters, I was hooked from the first page and probably could have finished it in one sitting if I’d had the time. It’s one of those books you look forward to reading but feel a little sad about finishing, it’s that good.