Strange Pictures by Uketsu

 

Strange Pictures by Uketsu.

Published 16th January 2025 by Pushkin Vertigo.

Translated by Jim Rion.

From the cover of the book:

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?

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I adore Japanese mysteries. There is an intangible quality to them that makes them compulsive reading. So I was delighted when a copy of Strange Pictures by the mysteriously anonymous Uketsu fell into my hot little hands.

Unlike any Japanese mystery I have read before, this is less of a novel and more of a series of linked chapters from the points of view of different characters, which beautifully create a whole that is so much more than the sum of its parts. Central to each is the interpretation of innocent looking drawings which contain clues about dark crimes. The trail begins with pictures posted on-line by a blogger using the name Kento, who discovers they contain a sinister secret. Each subsequent drawing also contains clues hidden in plain sight, and taken together they unlock a horrible truth that comes into focus in a series of delicious moments of clarity as the book progresses.

This is seriously eerie storytelling, told through intimate glimpses into the lives of characters of different ages, sexes, and backgrounds, who are weighed down with loss, anger, and regret. There is something so unsettling about the way your perception of them shifts across the novel, particularly when you realise what you think you know about them proves to be false. The addition of challenging logic problems that are integral to solving the over-arching mystery is such a slick way to drive the plot too, especially if you enjoy getting stuck into tricky puzzles.

My favourite chapter was The Art Teacher's Drawing, which was a fabulous (and brutal) self-contained Japanese crime story all of its own, but I am very impressed with every single element Uketso wields so expertly to produce a novel that is simply stunning in its ingenuity. Somehow, this distils everything I love about Japanese mysteries into 250 hypnotic pages, and also gives them a fresh twist that I am absolutely here for. I cannot wait for the next one, Strange Houses!

Strange Pictures by Uketsu is available to buy now in paperbook and ebook formats.

About the author:

Uketsu is an enigmatic Youtuber and 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, despite the fact that he is now Japan’s bestselling author, with millions of copies of his mysteries sold and translations appearing in thirty countries around the world. 

Strange Pictures is available now, and Strange Buildings is forthcoming from Pushkin Vertigo.