Hide and Seek [Mass Market Paperback]

Jack Ketchum (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 12, 1984

Hide and Seek is a book about games. Reckless, dangerous games. Games you might even want to play yourself if you're with the right people. But shouldn't. Not ever. In a small Maine town, a group of thrill seeking college kids finds a game of hide and seek in an abandoned house turning into a reality of stark terror.

--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the early 1980s, Ketchum (the pseudonym of Dallas Mayr) published in paperback as gruesome and taut a horror novel as anyone had seen: Off Season. Perhaps because of the outrage the book engendered, Ketchum's second novel, Hide and Seek, received little support from its publisher when it appeared in mass market in 1984. That's a shame, not only because Mayr's career nose-dived commercially after that (though he's still writing and publishing), but because Hide and Seek is a good novel, strong and true, scary yet uplifting in the classic horror manner. Set during summer in the Maine coastal town of Dead River, the book divides into two parts. In the first, the narrator, local young man Dan, meets visiting college kids Casey, Kim and Steven; engages in some drinking and daring with them; falls for beautiful, wild Casey (they have sex in a graveyard) and learns what impels her to take risks: years ago, she was sexually abused by her fatherAabuse that led to the death of her younger brother. The book's second part provides the payoff to that meandering but tantalizing setup. In it, the quartet agrees to play hide-and-seek in a local haunted house. The game soon turns frightening, then deadly, as the four encounter the house's horrid inhabitants, not all humanAa challenge that prompts Dan and others to grow up quickly. As in Off Season, the action is ultraviolent and shocking, but the point here, as there, isn't the grue but the spirit of those who must deal with it. Here, too, Ketchum writes with economy and power, in sentences that tighten like noose wire. Anyone who enjoys fine, hard horror will appreciate this novel, at last available in hardcoverAhere, in a signed limited edition likely to sell out quickly. (Oct.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 194 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; First Edition edition (May 12, 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345312376
• ISBN-13: 978-0345312372
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,238,219 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Genuinely scary to this horror veteran, September 13, 2002

By 

Daniel Jolley "darkgenius" (Shelby, North Carolina USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Hide and Seek (Mass Market Paperback)

Jack Ketchum is one of horror's most gifted writers and has attracted a cult following over the past two decades that now includes yours truly among its ranks. Why his talent has not been brought to the attention of more horror and mainstream fiction fans is a mystery to me. Hide and Seek, his second published novel, varies significantly from his incredible debut novel Off Season, but it packs just as much of a punch as its predecessor. Where Off Season was horrible and disturbing, Hide and Seek is downright spooky. I have read enough horror to become immune to the scare tactics most authors rely on, but Ketchum managed to really give me the creeps in the later chapters of this incredible tale. The book does start a little slowly, with character development taking up the first half of it, but midway through Ketchum cranks up the tension and advances the plot at an increasingly intensive, addicting pace. About thirty pages from the end, I found myself covering up the right hand page with my hand because it was all I could do to stop myself from jumping ahead and seeing how things played out. I must say that I found myself more than satisfied with the ending. Many authors put their characters through the ringer only to wrap things up with a fairy tale ending. Ketchum is far too honest to back down at the last minute and give his readers what they might want at the end. This honesty and loyalty to both his characters and his readers is what distinguishes Ketchum in my mind as one of horror's most praiseworthy writers.

The story itself seems rather simple and conventional: two young men and two young women go to an abandoned house out in the woods of Maine in order to play a game of adult hide and seek--the house has long been the subject of gossip and rumors but it cannot really be characterized as haunted. The idea for this seemingly foolish pursuit comes from Casey, a complicated, fascinating female character. Her constant shows of bravado and risk-taking bother our protagonist yet he never refuses her requests. The first half of the novel establishes Casey's character and background pretty well, so the context of the game makes sense to the reader. When the gang arrive at midnight and commence their game, this novel quickly shifts into overdrive. Having to follow our protagonist around this creepy house in the dark, searching for the hiding places of his friends, got this reader's blood pumping a little harder, but the increasingly scary nature of the game is actually no more than a prelude of the horror to come.

The only flaw I can identify in my own mind is Ketchum's level of characterization. He spends a lot of time introducing us to the four players of the hide and seek game, but I never fully came to know them. The complex Casey remains somewhat of an enigma to me despite the revelations we receive about her life and history. A few events seem very important when they happen but are never fully dealt with later on. Of course, Ketchum is mainly trying to scare readers, and to some extent it matters little whether or not we completely understand and care deeply about the players in his fictional universe. The fears Ketchum manipulates here are some of man's most primal, instinctive ones, which makes it almost impossible for the reader not to get sucked into the story and taken along for a wild ride. If you have begun to think that all horror novels are basically alike, Ketchum will surprise and delight you with his refreshing originality, realism, and honesty.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a creepy little gem, April 8, 2004

By 

The Easy Reader "BorisDisco" (The great state of Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hide and Seek (Hardcover)

This is the fourth Ketchum novel I have read. It ranks second behind his masterpiece of the disturbing: "The Girl Next Door" ("Joy Ride and "The Lost" are tied at a solid third). I only wish I didnt know anything about the plot before I read this novel. I would have loved to have been completely in the dark;like the characters, until the the bone chilling climax. Oh well, this book was still creepy fun. P.S.: Never mind reviews that suggest this novel starts out slow. These are readers who obviously dont understand concepts like plot and character development (and do not have any patience: its not that long of a novel!). This is a perfectly paced gem.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Nothing spectacular, but ejoyable., May 17, 2001

By 

Eric B. Parker "utsugi6string" (Lakeland, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hide and Seek (Hardcover)

Dead River, another small town up north. There are few things to do and even fewer things to aspire to be in such a dry local.

Dan, a local kid who wanted to go college, becomes another victim of a less than industrious town. He works in a lumberyard and his job is about as boring as the rest of his life.

His life begins to change when he meets three kids from one of the neighboring colleges. He falls in love with one of the girls, named Casey. She's not quite a stable person, and is always looking for a thrill with her friends. Casey is looking for something riskier each time and Dan goes along to be with her. The adventures culminate in an old abandoned local house, whose previous residents have a questionable history at best.

Definitely nothing original here. However, it is a quick and entertaining read overall. Ketchum's style flows well and is easy to read. It's enjoyable and not a bad one to have in your collection. Just don't expect it to be one of your favorite keepsakes.