The former vice chairman of Sidmouth Town Council has published his first novel – a murder mystery.

Paul Wright stepped down as vice chair last summer after five years, and decided to use the extra free time to fulfil the writing ambition he's held for 30 years.

How the Other Half Dies is set among the super-wealthy, on a luxury yacht in the Mediterranean. When Summer Bailey is invited on a dream holiday on the yacht by a friend, it seems like the perfect opportunity to see how the other lives. But the glamorous lives of the passengers are more complicated than they seem, and when the husband of her friend dies on board, Summer is asked to investigate.

Paul said: "I wrote the book as a fast-paced page-turner that is the perfect easy summer read.

"The book has received fantastic reviews on Amazon and I am currently working on a follow-up."

How the Other Half Dies is currently available on Amazon in both paperback and on Kindle.