At at time when most of his fellow students are studying books ahead of their exams, Jacob Alexander is celebrating the publication of his debut novel.

Crime story A Town Called Hope is set in a fictional 1870s Mid-West USA far removed in place and time from the 17-year-old's north Norfolk home.

The central character mysteriously wakes up in the town square of Hope Falls. With no name, or memory, the newcomer befriends the town's grizzled sheriff and a kindly preacher. As he begins to look into his past, a chain of events begins. The story has numerous twists and turns, leading to a shocking conclusion.

The former Broadland High School pupil is a first year student at Paston College studying history, biology and chemistry.

Far from resting on his laurels, Jacob is already working on a new novel which he hopes to publish. A Town Called Hope is available as an e-book from Amazon.