Books – DEC v2.qxp_Layout 2 25/11/2021 14:20 Page 1
BOOKS
READ EASY This Christmas, delve into a selection of dyslexia-friendly books recommended by the brilliant team at Books on the Hill in Clevedon. With larger fonts making reading easier and off-white paper helping to reduce visual stress, owner Alistair Sims details his favourite books for adults and children alike...
THE HOUSE ON THE OLD CLIFF
By Adrian Tchaikovsky; published by BOTH Press A master of the unexpected, Adrian Tchaikovsky takes readers for a ride in this imaginative whodunnit. Pseudohistorian Doctor Hendry is missing. His employers want answers. Paranormal investigators, Michael and Walter – accompanied by two unscrupulous mercenaries and a deeply sceptical history professor – join a search party, which leads them to Hendry’s remote Scottish cliff-top home. Among the doctor’s research they find more than they bargained for and the rescue becomes a fight for survival.
SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE FOUR KINGS OF SWEDEN
By Steven Savile; published by BOTH Press Steve Savile hits the perfect note in this homage to Sherlock Holmes. Those who are familiar with Conan Doyle style of prose and storytelling are in for a treat. How can one man be in four places at once? Lecturing to a carefully selected audience, Dr Watson recounts the unravelling of this impossible riddle after he and The Great Detective are summoned to Stockholm. The King of Sweden has been spotted in several cities on the same day, many miles apart. Threats of blackmail hint at some dark purpose behind this deception. As Holmes and Watson dig deeper, they uncover a convoluted plot of murder, mummery, and mesmerism.
MADAM SQUEAKER
By Pip Jones; published by Barrington Stoke Ltd Crumbs on the counter, morsels on the floor – there should be plenty of food for Minetta the mouse to eat in Hollyhock House, but the Ruling Rats are running rampage every night, taking the best of everything for themselves. Minetta has decided that enough is enough – it's time the rats learn to share. The trouble is, Minetta is so small and her voice is just a squeak – how will she ever make them listen?
THE CLOCKWORK EYEBALLS
By Steven Poore; published by BOTH Press Reminiscent of masters of the spy genre, Steven Poore tells a tale of derring-do in a world of intrigue, with his usual flare and immaculate writing. Readers are plunged into an alternate Marrakesh in the year 1958. The Cold War rages on and, with the launch of Sputnik, Russia edges ahead in the race to space. Young Saif’s mission: escort an undercover British agent to the deputy security directorate. Evading high tech Russian surveillance devices, Saif borrows a grand taxi and heads to the pick-up point. But the agent – aka “The Lighting Rod” – is the one man guaranteed to make a dangerous situation more perilous. The race is on to escape the Russian secret service and deliver the spy safely into British hands.
RACE TO THE FROZEN NORTH
By Catherine Johnson (author), Katie Hickey (illustrator); published by Barrington Stoke Ltd Matthew Henson was simply an ordinary man – or that was until Commander Robert E. Peary entered his life and offered him a chance at true adventure. Henson would become navigator, craftsman, translator, and right-hand man on a treacherous journey to the North Pole. Defying the odds and the many prejudices that faced him to become a true pioneer, this is his incredible and often untold story.
Founded in 2014, Books on the Hill is a family-run, independent bookshop located in the heart of the historical seaside town of Clevedon. Owner Alistair Sims, who is dyslexic himself, has worked tirelessly to create a haven for people with dyslexia and reading difficulties. Books on the Hill recently launched a publishing arm, BOTH Press, which publishes dyslexia-friendly books for adults. Find out more about Books on the Hill at: booksonthehill.co.uk, or visit the store in person: 75 Hill Road, Clevedon BS21 7PL
24 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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DECEMBER 2021
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NO¯ 205
