The Hypnotist

About the Book

WINNER OF THE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION'S YOUNG QUILLS AWARD 2017

Jack has left his native Ireland and is making a new life as Professor of Neurology at a university in the American South. He has certain skills, honed over his lifetime, that he mostly keeps hidden. Skills in hypnotism and mind control . . .

Thirteen-year-old Pip is plucked out of an orphanage by a farmer, hired as a farm-hand, and as carer for the farmer's wife. But Pip is black. The farmer and his wife are white. And this is 1960s America, where race defines you and overshadows everything.

As racial tensions reach boiling point with a danger closer to home and more terrifying than either thought possible, Jack and Pip's lives become inextricably linked. And Jack's hypnotic skills are called on as never before . . .

About the Author :

Born in 1959 to a Dutch family with Persian roots, Laurence Anholt spent his early years in Holland. He trained as a painter at Falmouth School of Art where he met his wife, the artist, Catherine Anholt. Laurence went on to take a Master’s Degree in Fine Art at the Royal Academy in London.
The Anholts have produced more than 200 children’s books, which have been translated into 30 languages. Their titles have won numerous awards including the Nestlé Smarties Gold Award on two occasions. Many of their books are written by Laurence and illustrated by Catherine, but Laurence has written for several other artists including Arthur Robins and Tony Ross, and in addition, he self-illustrates his Anholt’s Artists series, an introduction to great art for young children.
Random House Penguin will publish Laurence’s first full-length novel, The Hypnotist , in 2016.
The Anholts have three grown up children; Claire (30) works for the United Nations in New York, and twins, Tom and Maddy (27) are a Berlin based artist and an actor in London.
Catherine and Laurence live in an ‘upside down’ eco-house, surrounded by wildflower meadows overlooking the sea in Devon.
Laurence’s passions are family, art, travel, books, Buddhism and bees.

Review :
The Hypnotist explores what it is to be kind, to be curious, to love and to express yourself – to be human, in other words - in the face of intense racial and sexual bigotry, cruelty and violence. It’s a passionate, important novel Full of suspense and heartbreak, this is a powerful account of survival amid irrational, omnipresent hatred A beautifully written story . . . it's hard to believe this is Anholt's first full-length novel . . . I can't wait to check out his next offering! I was absolutely gripped: compelling storytelling with a powerful anti-racist message Portray[s] a stunningly accurate historical picture of the American South in the 60’s. A fascinating tale told with confidence A highly impressive first novel by Laurence Anholt . . . every reader will be swept into this highly visual world and the drama that develops within it A thought provoking read perfect for book groups from teenage to adult The Hypnotist unfolds steadily and beautifully, ramping up the fear, tension and hope faced by young black men in 1960s America … filled with heart and history that shocks and educates, but ultimately leaves you believing that, even in the most brutal and unstable environments, however alone you might think you are, there’s still kindness to be discovered This fascinating hybrid of paranormal and historical fiction follows Jack, an Irish neurologist with secret hypnotic skills and Pip, a young black farmhand. The pair’s lives merge when Jack relocates to the American South and must face the realities of racial tension as well as come to terms with his own strange powers A compelling read . . . a wonderful blend of kitchen sink realism, accurate historical detail and an atmospheric dollop of magical realism . . . it draws you in from the first page and keeps your attention until the last