A former Abergavenny schoolboy has achieved a lifelong ambition after publishing his first novel earlier this year.

Wayne Edwards has released Unnecessary Reactions, a dark story of revenge set in the fictional South Wales market town of Aberfoist.

The novel, published in September by Cambria Books, follows the story of high school teacher Mykee Kane who learns of the suicide of a close friend. The action then quickens after Mykee’s curiosity uncovers the sordid underbelly of life and crime in the small town, provoking emotional and violent reactions.

Despite the familiarity of the book’s setting, the author plays down the notion that his hometown was the inspiration for his debut novel.

Wayne explains: “Local readers may consider that there are actually a few, purely coincidental, similarities between the towns.

“However, I hope they do not relate too closely to the dark story of revenge, which features greedy property developers, drug dealers, online pornographers, corrupt policemen, and vicious protection racketeers.”

Wayne grew in the local area and attended Park Street Infants School. He was then a pupil at Hereford Road Boys’ School before moving up to King Henry VIII School.

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Wayne was also also one third of Uncle Sam’s Roadshow. The successful mobile disco unit got locals up and dancing at a variety of functions and venues, including the Lamb & Flag and Abergavenny Cricket Club.

Wayne then had a brief spell working in the old Abergavenny Unemployment Benefit Office before moving to London during his twenties. Following this, he went into a teaching carer and taught Business and ICT in Cardiff High School for almost 20 years, before retiring and starting to write fiction as a hobby.

Wayne said: “This is something I have always wanted to do, ever since my first English lessons all this years ago back at KHS!”

Unnecessary Reactions is the first book in the ‘REACTIONS’ series by Wayne Edwards.

If you would like to purchase Wayne’s debut novel, please visit the Cambria website here: https://www.cambriabooks.co.uk/product/unnecessary-reactions/

Abergavenny Chronicle readers can use the coupon code ‘REACT20!’ when ordering direct from the Cambria website to benefit from £5 off the marked price, with free shipping, which is equivalent to £8.50 off marked price.

The offer is limited to the first 20 purchases, one per person. Offer expires December 30, 2020.