The Hidden Child

London, 1928.

Eleanor and Edward Hamilton have wealth, status, and a happy marriage—but the 1929 financial crash is looming, and they’re harbouring a terrible, shameful secret. How far are they willing to go to protect their charmed life—even if it means abandoning their child to a horrific fate?

Eleanor Hamilton is happily married and mother to a beautiful four-year-old girl, Mabel. Her wealthy husband, Edward, a celebrated war hero, is a leading light in the burgeoning Eugenics movement—the very ideas that will soon be embraced by Hitler—and is increasingly important in designing education policy for Great Britain.

But when Edward and Eleanor’s otherwise perfectly healthy daughter develops debilitating epileptic seizures, their world fractures. Mabel’s shameful illness must be hidden or Edward’s life’s work will be in jeopardy and the family’s honor will be shattered. 

When Eleanor discovers Edward has been keeping secrets, she calls into question everything she believed about genetic inferiority, and her previous unshakeable faith in her husband disintegrates. Alarmed, distressed, and no longer able to bear the family’s burden, she takes matters into her own hands. 

Inspired by the author’s personal experience, The Hidden Child illuminates the moral and ethical issues of an era shaped by xenophobia, prejudice, fear, and well-intentioned yet flawed science.

 International Editions

 Reviews

“Louise Fein has done it again! At its core, The Hidden Child is a story of hope and redemption, of humanity and growth. Charting one family as it navigates trauma from the first world war, the impending depression, and the rising eugenics movement that will give rise to Hitler's "Final Solution," The Hidden Child is both intimate and universal in scope. I loved this compelling read and its complex, flawed, but deeply human characters.” -- Addison Armstrong, author of The Light of Luna Park

“Combining the most beautiful writing with meticulous research, and a deeply layered story that will keep you reading well into the night, The Hidden Child is a stunning novel. From the very start, I was immersed in the world of Eleanor, Edward, and little Mabel. I felt with them, lived with them, and will be thinking about them for a very long time to come.” -- Jenny Ashcroft, author of Meet Me in Bombay

“Set in the wake of the First World War, this well-researched story examines the eugenics movement through the eyes of one of its leading advocates…. A most enjoyable novel and a worthy follow-up to Fein’s fantastic debut.” -- Fiona Mitchell, author of The Maid’s Room and The Swap

"An acutely observed and heart-breaking story. Louise Fein has a rare talent for immersing readers in her characters’ stories and inviting us to decide what we would do. Her writing is pacy, warm and engaging, and she has become one of my new favorite authors." -- Gill Paul, bestselling author of Another Woman's Husband and upcoming release The Collector's Daughter

"A family torn apart by misconceptions and forced to face their biggest fears, The Hidden Child is a meticulously researched, brave and timely look into the deep-seated prejudices that drove entire nations.” — Serena Burdick, bestselling author of The Girl with No Names

“Absorbing, touching, and disturbing simultaneously, The Hidden Child kept me guessing at every turn. I wondered if I could trust, have faith in the characters to be true to themselves and do the right thing--agonizing, stirring, and yet the pace felt right… The reader squirms with each twist and turn of events and tension mounts and it feels authentic to the end. With thought-provoking themes and ideas, this book captured me.” – Diane McGuire, Valley Bookseller, Stillwater MN

"Combining the most beautiful writing with meticulous research, and a deeply layered story that will keep you reading well into the night, The Hidden Child is a stunning novel. From the very start, I was immersed in the world of Eleanor, Edward, and little Mabel. I felt with them, lived with them, and will be thinking about them for a very long time to come.” — Jenny Ashcroft, bestselling author of Meet Me in Bombay and Under the Golden Sun