First novel published for West Cumbrian author

Reported by Karen Morley 16/04/2012

Waberthwaite author Ruth Sutton has set her first novel in West Cumbria with one of the main characters living at Boot Mill, Eskdale.

A Good Liar is set in the 1930s and is the first in a trilogy entitled, Between The Mountains And The Sea.

She said: "With a career in education, I have written non-fiction books before but had never written a novel. When I turned 60 I decided it was time to write a novel.

"I decided to set part of the plot around Eskdale Mill and I'd heard the tale of a one-legged man married to a one-eyed woman who once lived there.

"The story starts in Barrow during World war I with a young woman who has a baby that has to be given away. Twenty years later she is a teacher in Newtown, Eskdale and her son is living in Ulverston. He gets a job at Beckfoot quarry and visits Eskdale Mill looking for a place to stay."

Meanwhile his mother is unaware that her secret past is moving ever closer and could soon catch up with her.

Ruth decided to publish the book herself and set up Hoad Press. This also gave her control over the look of the book, illustrations and front cover. Although Ruth knows it will appeal to West Cumbrians because of its local settings, she believes it's a strong enough story to interest book lovers around the globe. And while there is some dialect used by the characters it's only enough to give some local colour.

The centuries-old mill used as a setting in A Good Liar, still stands in Boot and is open to the public. Miller Dave King said: "The mill makes a fascinating setting for a story and this novel adds to the myths and tales of the Eskdale valley".

A Good Liar by Ruth Sutton is available from bookshops or via www.ruthsutton.co.uk. It is published by Hoad Press and is priced £8.99.

Caption: Ruth Sutton and miller Dave King outside Eskdale Mill.