In its paperback format, this book was the very first spot-the-difference murder mystery, in which clues to the story can be discovered in the pictures. Now, it has been adapted for audio, the detail in the pictures being described by the narrator, enabling you to become a part of the story and unravel the mystery as you go along, just as if you were there. The book is set in the seaside village of Porlock, in North Somerset, famous for its steep hill.
It is 1904, and every day, the coaches plying between Lynmouth and Minehead scramble their way up and slither their way down the one-in-four gradient of Porlock Hill, the most feared hill in all of England.
It takes six sturdy horses to drag a laden carriage to the top. There, the leading pair are detached and led back down into the village by a boy - a boy who knows how lucky he is to have been given such a responsible job at such a young age.
But this time, on his way back with the tired horses Pug and Delia, he spots what looks like a sheep sheltering on the hillside. But as he gets closer, his heart races as he becomes aware that it is not a sheep. It is a white dress....
The boy turns detective, and with the help of his sister and all the children of the village, he tries to unravel the mystery of the 13 steps.
