The gothic feel of King's Lynn town centre mixed with the nearby picturesque coastline has been a dream combination for one author.

Jim Kelly has released his third novel which is based around the town and heavily features local organisations and landmarks, including Campbell's Tower.

The author admits people are often surprised to find the west Norfolk town and surrounding area in the fiction section, but he says they complement crime novels perfectly.

He said: 'The first series of books I released were set in Ely, but I found it hard to write about urban crime in the small cathedral city because of its size.

'I wanted my books to have a bit more of an edge and more of a gothic theme, so I started to come up here on the train and liked it.

'It is such an atmospheric town and it is a real treasure. What I like most about this area is that you have the large housing estates and modern urban life and then the stark contrast of the stunning coastline and places like Burnham Market.

'Basing the books around here means I can switch between the two contrasting places, which works really well for crime novels.

'Just coming up here and walking or cycling around has been an enormous help when I have been writing these books and I am always keeping an eye out for the little things that help me bring a place to life.'

The Ely resident's latest offering is called Death Toll and sees DI Shaw and DS Valentine return to action after a grim discovery when bodies are exhumed at King's Lynn's cemetery and moved to higher ground to avoid flooding. The author was at Waterstone's in King's Lynn yesterday signing copies of his new book which he hopes will be a big success.

He added that his next book is being set slightly further afield, near Wells.