A DALGETY BAY man has published his debut gripping novel just in time to celebrate his first day of retirement. 

Storytelling for Alan Gyles became second nature when he took up the nightly bedtime routine with his two sons but now his imaginative creations have become a reality, putting pen to paper in ‘Finger of Suspicion’. 

It's set in the 1990s when a family man goes missing. He forgets his previous life but his family never give up hope and, finally, 10 years later he returns, but will life be the same? 

The former financial services worker, 66, said: “I wrote the book mainly because during my long walks, I see life in front of me and all sorts of stories come to mind. 

“It has been a long time in the making!

“When my two sons were younger I would make up a story each night, which is not easy! Storytelling came naturally but I never thought of putting anything onto paper until I saw something on the BBC Scotland website encouraging you to write a story. 

“I came up with a lot of ideas but I discarded loads! However, over the course of a year, I wrote ‘Finger of Suspicion’ and a year later, on the day I retired, it was published!

“This particular story came to me when I saw what looked like a homeless person with all his worldly possessions in a Tesco carrier bag by his side as he sat beside a tree. 

“He looked quite happy as he looked out over the river. I just wondered if somebody somewhere missed him or what possesses someone to choose this type of life.”

The Finger of Suspicion is published by Austin Macauley, visit www.austinmacauley.com for more information.