Strange Pictures

by Uketsu

Goodreads Synopsis:

A Japanese mystery bestseller, revolving around a series of creepy drawings, in which the reader is the detective - from the Youtube sensation Uketsu...

A series of drawings made by a young woman before her death.

A child's disturbing picture of his home.

A desperate sketch made by a murder victim in his final moments.

Each contains a chilling warning.

Each reveals a terrible secret, hidden in plain sight.

Uketsu's eerie mysteries have captivated millions of readers. Can you find the clues in these strange pictures and uncover the sinister truth that connects them all?

My Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Date Read: March 11, 2025

Initial Publication Date: October 22, 2022

Translation Published: January 2025

Author Origin: Japan, Region Unknown

Tone (via NoveList): Menacing; Disturbing

Writing Style (via NoveList): Unputdownable; Plot-driven

Major Characters:

To be added - check back later!

Personal Notes:

To be added - check back later!

The Masked Writer: UketsuUnmask Uketsu, the masked Japanese horror writer blending eerie art with deep social commentary in literature.

A particularly good review of the novel I found on Goodreads:

Alwynne's review of Strange Pictures4/5: Cult Japanese author Uketsu’s ‘sketch novel’ features a wealth of eerie, unsettling scenes but it’s much closer to crime than horror, an intricate murder mystery with an unusual structure. The majority of the book operates like a puzzle. There are no easily distinguished unifying characters. No detective, amateur or otherwise, to guide readers through Uketsu’s maze. Instead, readers have to figure out how disparate pieces might fit together, although Uketsu’s narrative slowly builds towards a big reveal finale. Loosely connecting the novel’s different sections are themes of perspective and ...