Witches, smugglers and demonic monks are not what you would ordinarily expect to encounter on a visit to the Suffolk coast.

Eastern Daily Press: Local author Crispin Hook with his new book which is set in Lowestoft.Local author Crispin Hook with his new book which is set in Lowestoft. (Image: Archant © 2017)

But they all make an appearance in the latest book by Lowestoft writer Crispin Hook.

Mr Hook, who has previously written non-fiction books on the town's pubs, high street and former lifeboat coxswain Robert Hook, has made his first foray into fiction with 'The Hook and Pask Mysteries: The Curse of the Hooded Monk'.

Writing under the pseudonym Peter Allen, the 38-year-old said he was delighted with his new publication, which he hopes will be the first of a series of 10 featuring the same characters.

Mr Hook said: 'They are crime stories with a bit of a supernatural twist and they're set in Lowestoft in the 1880s.

Eastern Daily Press: Local author Crispin Hook with his new book which is set in Lowestoft.Local author Crispin Hook with his new book which is set in Lowestoft. (Image: Archant © 2017)

'The first one is about the two main characters and how they meet up, get together and start to go on all these adventures. It's jam packed with witches, a demonic monk and a band of smugglers.'

Mr Hook said he took up writing in 2014, and was inspired by his town as well as his love of history.

He said: 'I like to write things that I would want to go to a cinema and see in a film.

'Also, they say you should write about what you know and I do like a bit of Lowestoft history.

'There is a lot of history worked into this book - for example the surnames used are from families that lived in Lowestoft at that time.'

Mr Hook said he used a pen-name for his first novel because the main character is named after his grandfather.

He said: 'I didn't want to come off as too vain by naming a character after myself.'

Mr Hook's book includes a series of historic photographs, mostly portraits, which show what he imagines the characters look like. He said the portraits were actually his ancestors.

Mr Hook said: 'When my grandfather died he left me several suitcases of photographs which are all members of the Hook family. Many of those are spread throughout the book.'

One photo, on page 60 of the book, comes from the family album of a friend, and depicts the novel's female sleuth, Michelle Pask, who she inspired.

The Curse of the Hooded Monk is available online at amazon.co.uk, ebay.co.uk and waterstones.com, and at the Lowestoft branch of Waterstones.