A new novel about a wartime police officer draws inspiration from Kempsey.

The Poet Laurie Ate, by author Ash James, is a work of fiction inspired by real-life Military Police experiences in World War One Cairo.

The character of Thomas Laurie, a village policeman from Kempsey, is central to the novel.

Set in both Cairo and Menorca, the book touches on universal themes of love, honour, trust and truth.

It gives a unique look at Cairo in 1917 through an "exciting action" narrative.

Ash James explained why he wrote the book, mentioning his own grandfather's similar experiences.

Ash said: "The more I dug, the more apparent it became that Grandad, a village policeman, had played something of a civilian plain-clothes military police role in this huge Arabic city.

"As children it was whispered he'd captured a spy though we were too afraid to ask, and he never discussed such things"

The Poet Laurie Ate will be published on May 28 with a retail price of £10.99.