Hide and Seek

Hide and Seek weaves a tale of mystery and revelation as artist Valentine Blyth discovers Mary Grice, a deaf girl with a shadowy background and an air of innocence. As he draws her into his home and heart, the mystery of her origins deepens-entangling a forgotten scandal, a missing mother, and a secret kept for years. The story unfolds with Collins’s early signature blend of suspense, compassion, and social critique, offering a poignant exploration of disability, identity, and the ties that bind families in unexpected ways. Through shifting perspectives and careful clues, the novel builds toward a climax of emotional and moral reckoning.William Wilkie Collins (1824-1889) was an English novelist and playwright, best known for The Woman in White and The Moonstone. Hide and Seek is the first by Collins to explore the positive aspects of physical handicap, and is one of his least sensational, instead emphasizing domestic affections.