Mallory Quinn is a recovered addict, trying to get on with her life. Given the opportunity to become a live-in nanny for a well-to-do family, she moves into the pool house and Teddy the family’s five-year-old son becomes her world.
Teddy is a burgeoning artist, making new drawings every day of things you would expect: bunnies, goats, himself, as well as his imaginary friend Anya. The thing that made this story jump to the top of my TBR list was that it is told, in part, through children’s drawings that become more and more disturbing. Here is a little taste from early on:
Anya is creepy looking, and introduced like this:
“Anya,” Teddy says. “Her name is Anya.”
“Right, Anya,” Caroline says, winking at me, encouraging me to play along. “We all love Anya because she plays with Teddy while Mommy and Daddy are working.”
I realize Anya must be some kind of weird imaginary playmate so I try to say something nice. “I bet it’s great having Anya around. Especially if you’re a little boy in a new town, and you haven’t met any children yet” (page 25).
This was the type of novel that begged to be read in one go. Every time I neared the end of a chapter, a cliffhanger would make me say “Just one more.” The story has a genuine spooky vibe, and a solid plot to take you on a journey. Mallory feels like a real person, her past does mean she is an unreliable narrator which is perfect for this eerie tale. We never know if she’s reading too far into something, is paranoid, or if a ghost is truly haunting the house.
If you’re looking for a plot-driven story with a steady creepy factor, check out Rekulak’s Hidden Pictures.
Sly Fox Reviews 