Strange Pictures is the spine-tingling mystery horror bestseller that has taken Japan by storm!
An eerie fresh take on horror for fans of Hidden Pictures and Junji Ito, in which a series of seemingly innocent pictures draws you into a disturbing web of unsolved mysteries and shattered psyches.
Yay LitStackers! Get ready to add another title to your “TBR” list! Strange Pictures by mysterious, unknown author, Uketsu, is in presale and generating serious buzz. This horror novel from HarperVia set for publication Jan 14, 2025, has early readers buzzing. We’ve sneaked in through the basement and show you what’s on the book cover, from the publisher’s official description to the early reviews that suggest this book is one you want to pre-order today. Here we go!
In publishing, presales are a crucial indicator of a book’s potential success. Presales generate buzz and excitement before a book hits the shelves. Strong presale numbers translate to increased visibility, higher initial print runs, and a greater range of exposure. A high volume of presales signals to bookstores that a book is in demand, leading to better placement and more prominent displays. Ultimately, robust presales can significantly boost a book’s overall performance and reach a wider audience. Buy a presale now to support the author.
In This Spotlight On Strange Pictures by Uketsu
About Strange Pictures by Uketsu
An exploration of the macabre, where the seemingly mundane takes on a terrifying significance. . . .
A pregnant woman’s sketches on a seemingly innocuous blog conceal a chilling warning.
A child’s picture of his home contains a dark secret message.
A sketch made by a murder victim in his final moments leads an amateur sleuth down a rabbit hole that will reveal a horrifying reality.
Structured around these nine childlike drawings, each holding a disturbing clue, Uketsu invites listeners to piece together the mystery behind each and the over-arching backstory that connects them all. Strange Pictures is the internationally bestselling debut from mystery horror YouTube sensation Uketsu—an enigmatic masked figure who has become one of Japan’s most talked about contemporary authors.
Translated from the Japanese by Jim Rion
Praise for Strange Pictures by Uketsu
“I loved it! It has the twists and fair-play style of a Golden Age whodunit, mixed with a wonderfully innovative use of illustrations. Delightfully macabre and fiendishly clever. Seemingly unconnected stories tie themselves into a complicated knot, which Uketsu masterfully unravels.”—G. T. Karber, author of the national bestseller Murdle
“This refreshingly original, eerie treat of a puzzle invites the reader to immerse themselves in the darkest of mysteries. . . . Uketsu is a disrupter, the master of quiet horror.”—Janice Hallett, internationally bestselling author of The Appeal
“[A] triumphant international debut … with a surprisingly strong emotional core that will keep readers glued to the page until the unsettling conclusion. This intricate puzzle box is a must for horror fans.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“A superlative puzzle made of multiple parts that interconnect in unexpected ways, told inventively through pictures and text. Every twist and turn steepens the sense of foreboding. Original, intricate and deeply unsettling. I’ve never read anything like it.”—Alex Pavesi, author of The Eighth Detective
“Horror and mystery fans will be eager to explore this thrilling import.”—Booklist
“An intricately woven, at times unsettling, but always mesmerizing piece of work.”—Ian Moore, author of Death and Croissants
“Absolutely loved this clever little banger. An addictive murder mystery that unfolds like pointillism on the page: only when you reach the end, step back and view the bigger picture does each of its parts click into place. Exceptional!’”—Alice Slater, author of Death of a Bookseller
About Uketsu, Author of Strange Pictures
Uketsu is an enigmatic presence on YouTube and an author specializing in horror and mystery. He always appears in videos wearing a white mask and black body stocking, with his voice digitally distorted. His true identity is unknown. Both his novels Strange Pictures and Strange Houses (forthcoming from HarperVia ) were massive hits in Japan, where he lives.
You can connect with Uketsu on their website, and on Instagram and YouTube.
About Jim Rion, the translator for Strange Pictures by Uketsu
Jim Rion has lived in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan since 2004. He began professionally translating Japanese to English in 2015, primarily in cultural and travel fields. From 2018, he began working with local sake brewers on international expansion, and in 2022 Stone Bridge Press published his book Discovering Yamaguchi Sake, a guide to all the sake breweries in his home prefecture.
He has published translations of two horror/Cthlulhu mythos books with (now defunct) publisher Kurodahan Press, and from 2022 began working with Pushkin Vintage on translating Japanese crime and mystery fiction into English. The first work, The Devil’s Flute Murders by Yokomizo Seishi, was published in 2023. His translation of Strange Pictures by Japanese horror/crime writer Uketsu, is scheduled for publication in January 2025.
Source Publisher
Publisher HarperVia
ISBN 9780063433083
Pub Date Jan 14, 2025
Titles by Uketsu
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