A FORMER newspaper reporter is coming back to his home town with murder in mind later this month.

Burnley-born crime writer Stephen Booth may have begun his career with the fourth estate.

But now the author, the brains behind the Cooper and Fry detective series, has a wider audience of avid readers and has been hailed as one of Britain’s best crime writers.

And the ex-hack is returning to his roots to give an insight into creations which have seen him win two ‘Barry’ awards in the US, for best British crime novel.

He was also the proud recipient of a ‘Dagger In The Library’ gong from the UK Crime Writers’ Association, for the pleasure his characters have given book lovers.

His hero Det Con Ben Cooper, who works with Diane Fry in his instalments, has also been named a finalist in the annual Sherlock Awards, for the best investigator created by a British scribe.

Mr Booth is the son of Jim and Edna Booth. At the age of two, he moved with his parents to Blackpool. He worked at newspapers in North Cheshire, Yorkshire and Nottingham-shire, and currently lives with his wife Lesley in Nottinghamshire.

He will be at Burnley Central Library on Wednesday, November 20, from 6pm for a question-and-answer session and book signing for the 13th title in his canon, Already Dead.

He said: “I’m a big supporter of libraries and I’m certainly looking forward to meeting a few readers in Burnley.”

The Cooper and Fry series, based around the exploits of two Derbyshire police officers, has been translated into no fewer than 15 languages and is currently being developed for a possible TV series.

Tickets to the upcoming library event are free but should be booked in advance via the library on 0845 053 0005.