“We don’t know how much our bodies can endure until we make cruel demands of them.”
If you loved Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak, you know how gripping a story can be when suspense, supernatural twists, and chilling mysteries all collide. Rekulak’s novel follows Mallory Quinn, a young woman fresh out of rehab, who takes a seemingly ordinary babysitting job for five-year-old Teddy – only to discover his hint at dark, unexplained events. As his sketches become increasingly sinister, Mallory finds herself ensnared in a mystery that blurs reality and the imagined. For anyone looking for more books like Hidden Pictures, there’s a trove of thrillers and psychological suspense novels that blend eerie atmospheres, unsettling secrets, and memorable characters. Whether it’s supernatural mysteries, darkly twisted plots, or stories that keep you guessing until the final page, these books similar to Hidden Pictures, will satisfy your craving for spine-tingling suspense and page-turning intrigue.
A Head Full Of Ghosts – Paul Tremblay
We’re kicking off our list of books like Hidden Pictures is one of Paul Tremblay’s best books, A Head Full of Ghosts. The lives of the Baretts, a normal suburban New England family, are torn apart when fourteen-year-old Marjorie begins to display signs of acute schizophrenia. As their home is transformed into a house of horrors, they turn to a Catholic priest, Father Wanderly, and a production company to film their plight. When events in the household explode in tragedy, the show and shocking incidents it captures become the stuff of legend.
Fifteen years on, a bestselling author interviews Marjorie’s younger sister, Merry. As she recalls those long ago events that took place when she was just eight years old, long-buried secrets and painful memories begin to surface – and a mind-bending tale of psychological horror is unleashed, raising questions about memory and reality, science and religion, and the very nature of evil.
That’s Not My Name – Megan Lally
Shivering and bruised, a teen wakes up on the side of a dirt road with no memory of how she got there – or who she is. A passing officer takes her to the police station, and, not long after, a frantic man arrives. He’s been searching for her for hours. He has her school ID, her birth certificate, and even family photos. He is her father. Her name is Mary. Or so he claims.
When Lola slammed the car door and stormed off into the night, Drew thought they just needed some time to cool off. Except that Lola disappeared, and the sheriff, his friends, and the entire town are convinced that Drew murdered his girlfriend. Forget proving his innocence; he needs to find her before it is too late. The longer Lola is missing, the fewer leads there are to follow… and the more danger both of them are in.
We Used To Live Here – Marcus Kilerwer
As a young, queer couple who flip houses, Charlie and Eve can’t believe the killer deal they’ve done when they pick up an old house in a picturesque neighbourhood. One day, there’s a knock at the door. It’s a man with his family, claiming to have lived in the house years before, asking if it would be alright if he showed his kids around. However, as soon as they step inside, inexplicable things begin happening, including the youngest child disappearing and a ghostly presence materialising in the basement.
Even more strange, the family don’t seem to be able to take the hint that their visit is over. And when Charlie too suddenly vanishes, Eve slowly loses her grip on reality. Something is seriously wrong with this house and the visiting family – or is Eve just imagining things? Like Hidden Pictures, We Used to Live Here is a spine-tingling horror that promises to haunt you long after you’ve finished it.
Check Out The Best Books Like We Used To Live Here
Gray After Dark – Noelle W. Ihli
When a tragic accident sidelines Miley’s dreams of Olympic gold, she takes a summer job at a mountain guest lodge. The Frank Church Wilderness is remote, but it’s the perfect place to train and recover. Local lore about a staffer who died years ago doesn’t scare her. But it should.
Miley’s plans take a terrifying detour when she’s abducted during a morning run. Held captive in a desolate off-grid cabin, she’ll have to use her athletic prowess, cunning mind, and courage to survive. Yet, as the nightmare at the cabin escalates, Miley is forced to form an unlikely alliance and attempt a risky escape. Inspired by real events, Gray After Dark is another thriller similar to Hidden Pictures with a finale that is sure to leave you breathless.
Suffer The Children – John Saul
One hundred years ago in Port Arbello, a pretty little girl began to scream. And struggle. And die. No one heard. No one saw. Just one man whose guilty heart burst in pain as he dashed himself to death in the sea. Now something peculiar is happening in Port Arbello. The children are disappearing, one by one. An evil history is repeating itself. And one strange, terrified child has ended her silence with a scream that began a hundred years ago. One of the best classic horror stories of all time, Suffer the Children is a tale of historical evil returning to haunt children.
Naomi’s Room – Jonathan Aycliffe
Charles and Laura are a young, happily married couple inhabiting the privileged world of Cambridge academia. Brimming with excitement, Charles sets off with his daughter Naomi on a Christmas Eve shopping trip to London. But by the end of the day, all Charles and his wife have left are cups of tea and police sympathy. For Naomi, their beautiful, angelic only child, has disappeared. Days later, her murdered body is discovered.
But, is she dead? In a howling, bumping story of past and present-day hell, Jonathan Aycliffe’s haunting psychological masterpiece is guaranteed to make you sink to untold depths of teeth-shaking terror, perfect for anyone who loved Hidden Pictures.
The Turn Of The Screw – Henry James
Another one of the top classic horror books like Hidden Pictures, The Turn of the Screw, is the story of a young woman’s first job: governess for two weirdly beautiful, strangely distant, oddly silent children, Miles and Flora, at a forlorn estate. An estate that is haunted by a beckoning evil. Half-seen figures who glare from dark towers and dusty windows – silent, foul phantoms who, day by day, night by night, come closer, ever closer.
With growing horror, the helpless governess realises the fiendish creatures want the children, seeking to corrupt their bodies, possess their minds, own their souls. But, worse – much worse – the governess discovers that Miles and Flora have no terror of the lurking evil. For they want the walking dead as badly as the dead want them.
Incidents Around The House – Josh Malerman
To eight-year-old Bela, her family is her world. There’s Mommy, Daddo, and Grandma Ruth. But there is also Other Mommy, a malevolent entity who asks her every day: “Can I go inside your heart?”
When horrifying incidents around the house signal that Other Mommy is growing tired of asking Bela the same question over and over, Bela understands that unless she says yes, soon her family must pay. Other Mommy is getting restless, stronger, bolder. Only the bonds of family can keep Bela safe. But other incidents show cracks in her parents’ marriage. The safety of Bela relies on the cusp of breaking. But Other Mommy still needs an answer. Like Hidden Pictures, Incidents Around the House is a chilling tale about a family as haunted as its home, told from the viewpoint of the child Bela.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
