Hide and Seek (Oxford World's Classics) - Wilkie Collins, Catherine Peters [b:Hide and Seek|6663186|Hide and Seek|Wilkie Collins|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348374194s/6663186.jpg|621031] (1854) is [a:Wilkie Collins's|4012|Wilkie Collins|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1192222099p2/4012.jpg] third novel. In 1861 Collins's heavily revised and shortened the novel. While the plot is quite predictable and with too much coincidence to be believable the story is a page turner nevertheless. It should be remembered that Collin's [b:The Moonstone|867638|The Moonstone|Wilkie Collins|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1353776346s/867638.jpg|1044477] (1868) is considered to be the first detective novel in English language and that the author is one of the pioneers of the genre. And it isn't the secret of Madonnas' parentage that keeps the readers' attention, it is Collins's characters, his humour and portrayal of British classes. Add to that positive portrayal of two disabled characters and plausible ending and you have an awesome book. My apologies to Dolores Umbridge, who isn't anymore most dislikable fictional character I've ever meet. This dubious honour goes to Miss Joanna Grice.