A former journalist has tried his hand at writing fiction with his new murder mystery book - all set in Leek.

David Cliffe, who has lived in Leek for many years, said he wanted to challenge himself to do something different - and decided to write the first murder mystery novel set right here in Leek.

Any Leek residents who read the novel will recognise plenty of the streets and landmarks mentioned - creating a realistic setting for some of the story's more gruesome events!

And he's already sold over 100 copies, including some to former Leek residents now living all over the world.

We spoke to David all about the book, which is called The Buried Secret.

Read our interview below...

Is this your first novel or have you written anything else in the past? What was the writing process like for this novel and how long have you been working on it? "I'm a retired newspaper/magazine journalist, so I've spent my working life writing. However I never produced either fiction or anything as long as this. "Three years ago I published a book based on my collection of local Edwardian photographs taken by WH Nithsdale and that was a success. "I was mulling over some ideas for a novel for a few months, but I didn't sit down to start writing it until just after Christmas 2020 when we were facing more months of lockdown. "It took exactly eight months to write. It was good to challenge myself to do something different and it was great fun shaping the characters and trying to work out an interesting plot."

Why did you decide to choose Leek as the setting for the story? Are you a Leek resident yourself? If so how long have you lived here and what do you think of the town?

"There have been relatively few novels based in Leek and the moorlands, and perhaps this is the first murder mystery set in the town. I thought that would attract readers.

"The book is based in 1902 and over the years I've done a lot of research into the Edwardian era and collected hundreds of local documents and photographs. That meant I already had a lot of information to create some believable background.

"My first newspaper job was in Leek nearly 50 years ago and I've lived in the town for over 30 years. It's great! Excellent local facilities and a real feeling of community spirit. Plus, I can't walk down Derby Street without seeing someone I know."

A gritty genre like murder mystery is quite a contrast to a relatively quiet and idyllic place like Leek. Was this part of the appeal for setting the story in Leek? "Certainly. The way that gruesome events could stir up suspicion and fear in a small town are part of the plot. But there's also a sub-plot of other dark stuff that lots of people might know about, but no-one dares talk about."

Why did you decide to write a murder mystery rather than another genre? Do you have a particular interest in this genre of story?

"I've consumed huge numbers of paperback thrillers. Sometimes I think that authors can go over the top with the violence, but I like both fast-paced modern stuff and mysteries set in the past that give a real flavour of what life was like."

What are some of the local places mentioned in the book that people would recognise and how have you incorporated them into the story? "One of the chief characters of the story is a photographer – who becomes an amateur detective – who travels around taking pictures of local events. That gave me the chance to set scenes at Leek Agricultural Show, Longnor Races and a Trade Union rally in the middle of town. "Plus there are other descriptions of market day in Leek, inside a skill mill, the railway station and the gas works. There are also scenes on the Roaches and the village of Flash. "I've based my descriptions on first-hand accounts of what life was like in Leek in the early 1900's, plus old documents like the original programmes for Leek Show at that time. Although all the characters are fictional, I have used the real names of streets and pubs."

What would you say to encourage people to read the book?

"It's a murder mystery with the added bonus of some local history and places you will recognise."

Where can people buy the book? "Picture Book in Stanley Street, direct from me via [email protected], or Amazon. "It's a paperback, 292 pages. I designed and published it myself. That was part of the fun because I had a very clear idea of how I want the cover and the inside of the book to look (it includes some pictures). "It's already attracting quite a lot of interest, I've sold more than 100 copies inside the first two weeks, including Leek ex-pats in Canada, France and Scotland."

Don't forget to sign up to our newsletter below to get the top 10 Leek stories of the week delivered straight to your inbox every Friday! No click-bait. No intrusive ads. Just news about Leek.