Hide and Seek

Hide and Seek Summary

Hide and Seek by Wilkie Collins is a Victorian mystery novel exploring themes of secrecy, deception, and identity. The story follows Valentine Blyth, an artist, and his adopted daughter, Mary Grice (known as 'Madonna'), a deaf-mute girl with an enigmatic past. As the mystery of her origins unfolds, long-buried family secrets come to light, leading to dramatic revelations.

eBook download options

Format	Price	Download
azw3	Free
Mobi	Free
Epub	Free
pdf	Free

Hide and Seek Excerpt

Short Summary: A gripping Victorian mystery about a young woman's hidden past, the artist who protects her, and the search for the truth that will change their lives forever.

Valentine Blyth’s studio was filled with the soft golden light of late afternoon. The artist sat at his easel, dabbing careful strokes onto his latest portrait. His subject, Mary Grice—Madonna, as he called her—remained motionless, gazing into the distance. Though she could not hear the rustling of the leaves outside or the scratch of Blyth’s brush, her serene expression held a world of unspoken depth. She had been a part of his life for years now, yet the mystery of her past lingered like a shadow over their peaceful home.

Zachary Thorpe, a restless and rebellious young man, often visited Blyth’s home. He was fascinated by Madonna’s quiet beauty, unaware of the tangled past that connected them. When he befriended the enigmatic Mat Marksman, a traveler with a weathered face and a determined spirit, the secrets of Madonna’s origins began to unravel. Mat had returned to England on a mission—to find his long-lost sister, Mary Grice. The trail led him to a small town, where he unearthed letters and tokens of the past, pointing to a tragic story of betrayal and abandonment.

As Mat’s investigation deepened, he discovered that Mary Grice had fallen victim to deceit, her child—Madonna—left an orphan. His search led him to the Thorpe family, revealing an unsettling truth: Madonna was not only Mary Grice’s daughter but also Zack’s half-sister. The realization shattered the delicate bonds forming between them, leaving them to grapple with the weight of their newfound identities.

In a world bound by rigid social expectations, the revelation of Madonna’s past carried profound consequences. Valentine Blyth feared losing the girl he had raised as his own, while Zack was forced to confront his family’s hidden sins. Through love, loss, and resilience, the characters in *Hide and Seek* journey toward a resolution that challenges the notions of family, honor, and fate.