Hidden Among Us

Katy Moran
When Lissy meets a mysterious and strangely beautiful boy on her way to Hopesay Edge, she is deeply unsettled by their encounter.
She discovers that they boy, Larkspur, is a member of the Hidden, an ancient group of elven people, whose secrets lie buried at Hopesay Reach. Before long, Lissy and her brother Rafe find themselves caught by a powerful magic and fighting to escape a bargain that can never be broken.
Cloistered and wrapped in cotton wool by Miriam, her over protective mother, Lissy embarks on her first act of rebellion. Rather than wait for her mother to collect her she decides to take the train alone to Hopesay Reach, the home of her eccentric uncle and the place she was born.
Lissy experiences warm feelings of triumph at the success of her step towards independence, until she is forced to get off at an unfamiliar station. Dark and deserted in the middle of nowhere, the station boasts just one other patron; a stunningly beautiful, boy. A stranger, who sparks feelings of recognition within her and disappears moments after whispering her name.
The next time she meets the gorgeous but mysterious Larkspur she feels compelled to take his hand, following him into the nearby woods to a gathering of beautiful revelers. He takes hold of her and they begin to dance…
I might have misled you into thinking that Hidden Among Us is Lissy’s story. In fact Lissy shares the first person narration with three other characters. Her protective but emotionally distant older brother Rafe is attempting to unravel the secrets, which have confused and frustrated him his entire life. Joe begrudgingly gets caught up in the drama at Hopesay Reach by virtue of his fathers developing relationship with Miriam and his innate sense of honour.
Although a much smaller contribution, I really loved Miriam’s input in to the story. Simultaneously providing us with the background and history of her family’s interactions with the Hidden, while also keeping us ever aware of the current, time sensitive situation. It was refreshing to read a paranormal book where the parents were fully aware of the developing situation and not conveniently absent or lied to throughout.
If you are expecting a tale of glitter and of wishes bestowed by be-winged godmothers you will be horrified (but definitely not disappointed)to discover the true nature of the “good folk”… This immortal elfin race, might be stunningly beautiful, but their beauty is very much skin deep. These truth twisting, iron avoiding, bargain making, kidnappers of babies have their own agenda and are definitely advocates of the bigger picture.
While the book’s cover hints at the atmospheric story within, I was definitely not expecting fast paced action, evasive driving techniques, daring roof top escapes and the unwelcomed attentions of a sinister, underground organisation.
The Hidden have be described in the blurb as a group of Elven people. At first I couldn’t understand why, when all other clues point to it, they weren’t simply described as Fey or Faeries. Having read the book I now understand that to label the book as such (a paranormal book with faeries) could potentially put off a large number of readers who, if they gave themselves the opportunity to, would absolutely adore this action filled fantasy.
Verdict: The twists and turns of Hidden Among Us, indicates that author, Katy Moran may have spent a little time with the elven herself! I will definitely be picking up a copy of the sequel.
Reviewed by Caroline