Japan’s anonymous storyteller Uketsu has achieved an international milestone: his bestselling novel Strange Pictures (Hen na E) has been shortlisted for the 2025 Waterstones Book of the Year. The nomination places the eerie, puzzle-like horror alongside some of the year’s most celebrated literary works, highlighting the global reach of Uketsu’s distinct brand of psychological mystery.
Strange Pictures: Synopsis and Why It Made the Shortlist
Strange Pictures, which was translated into English in January 2025, has captivated UK readers with its haunting premise and immersive storytelling. The novel unfolds around nine peculiar paintings that hide cryptic clues to a deeper, more disturbing truth, involving the reader as the detective. Blending horror with riddle-solving mystery, it invites readers to question what they see — and what lies beneath.
Waterstones described the book as “a reading experience that is as eerie as it is unique” and as a “magnificently macabre and fiendishly clever interactive Japanese mystery.” Since its original release as a YouTube video, the debut novel has sold over 3 million copies in Japan and been translated into over 30 languages. It has topped bestseller charts across Japan and received international acclaim from outlets such as The Guardian and The Telegraph for its inventive approach to horror and storytelling.
The shortlist recognition cements Uketsu’s standing as one of Japan’s most globally influential contemporary authors. The Book of the Year winner will be announced on November 27.
Who is Uketsu?
Uketsu is an anonymous author and YouTuber known for his eerie, psychologically rich narratives. Always seen wearing a white mask and black bodysuit, he rose to prominence with The Strange House (Hen na Ie), a viral horror story that evolved into a bestselling book and film. His YouTube channel, blending dark mystery and humor, now boasts more than 1.8 million subscribers.
Reflecting on the nomination, Uketsu said he was “deeply honored and grateful,” recalling his childhood in Surrey, England. He noted how the country’s “grey skies and quiet strangeness” helped shape his imagination.
His latest novel, Strange Map (Hen na Chizu), just released in Japan this past Halloween, sold over 250,000 copies within days — further proof that Uketsu’s peculiar, unsettling world continues to captivate and thrill readers.
