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The Hiding Game

A tale of love and betrayal in a turbulent era

Naomi Wood author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Pan Macmillan

Published:4th Feb '21

Should be back in stock very soon

The Hiding Game cover

Set in the Bauhaus art school, The Hiding Game explores themes of love, betrayal, and the impact of secrets during a turbulent time in history.

Set against the backdrop of the Bauhaus art school during the tumultuous Roaring Twenties, The Hiding Game by Naomi Wood delves into the intricate dynamics of love, friendship, and betrayal. The story revolves around three central characters: Paul, Charlotte, and Walter, who form a close bond amidst the burgeoning artistic movement. Their relationships are marked by intense passions and rivalries, creating a complex web of emotions that ultimately leads to a devastating betrayal. Walter, in particular, finds himself at a crossroads when he makes a fateful choice that will haunt him and his friends for years to come.

As the political landscape shifts and the threat of the Nazis looms, the stakes grow higher. Walter's secret, concealed within his notebooks, paintings, and blueprints, becomes a ticking time bomb that endangers not only his life but also the lives of Paul and Charlotte. The narrative expertly captures the tension of a world on the brink of chaos, highlighting the perils of secrecy and the impact of personal decisions in a changing society.

The Hiding Game is a poignant exploration of the human condition, examining how love can be both a source of strength and a catalyst for destruction. With its richly drawn characters and evocative setting, the novel invites readers to reflect on the complexities of trust and betrayal in times of crisis, making it a compelling read that resonates long after the final page.

The Hiding Game is a brilliant, fascinating novel - a gripping story, skilfully told -- Sara Baume, author of Spill Simmer Falter Wither
A suspenseful story of obsession against the tense political backdrop of Germany’s Bauhaus art school -- Francesca Angelini * Sunday Times Style *
Atmospheric and compelling . . . A haunting read -- Caroline Lea, author of The Glass Woman
I was seduced and fascinated by the hedonism, the creative and romantic rivalries and conflicted loyalties in this tangle of flawed and beautiful people -- Isabel Costello, The Literary Sofa
With great conviction, Wood summons up the intensity of the students’ camaraderie and the forces that destroy it -- Nick Rennison * The Sunday Times *
Wood can recreate a time and place with all its glamour and grit . . . art and ideas have never felt more thrilling -- Alexandra Heminsley * Grazia *
A fantastic novel, so beautiful and sad . . . Immersive, elegant and affecting, Wood’s prose, as always, delights the senses -- Megan Bradbury, author of Everyone is Watching
A love story set in the Bauhaus art school during Germany's turbulent 1920s? Be still, my pounding heart! -- Sarra Manning * Red, 'The only summer reads you need' *
Set against the political upheaval of 1930s Germany, The Hiding Game is a dazzling tale of artistic ambition and romantic desire, of the choices we make in youth and the price we pay for them as we grow older. Beautifully written, vividly realized, it will remain seared in my imagination for years to come -- Ellen Feldman, author of Next to Love
Tense and absorbing, this is a book that you’ll want to dive into and hungrily read to the last word * Stylist *
An engaging tale filled with jealousies and rivalries turns into a dark, compelling drama about betrayal, revenge and the cost of loving too much . . . Like Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, Wood’s novel starts out as a chronicle of a death foretold . . . emotionally charged and morally complex * Literary Review *
Wood effortlessly evokes the atmosphere at the Bauhaus . . . The Hiding Game is a carefully and intricately woven novel of love, deceit and creativity * Icon Magazine *
A devastating secret haunts Naomi Wood’s third novel . . . Fans of Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life will be carried away by the similarly fraught friendships and loving betrayals in Wood’s book * New Statesman *
In The Hiding Game,the reader is lured expertly into the atmosphere and eccentricities of a group of Bauhaus students whose loves and loyalties are tested within their odd, exciting environment. This is a novel of curious, arresting detail and sharp emotions, a coming of age story like no other. Layered and intricate, it's another triumph from the lively mind of Naomi Wood -- Nuala O'Connor, author of Becoming Belle
A novel of delicate menace, in which the gathering weight of personal struggle becomes insidiously roped to the political upheaval of 1930s Germany and its rising fascist forces -- Ross Raisin, author of God's Own Country

  • Short-listed for HWA Endeavour Ink Gold Crown 2021 (UK)
  • Long-listed for Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2020 (UK)

ISBN: 9781509892808

Dimensions: 197mm x 130mm x 26mm

Weight: 274g

352 pages