AN AUTHOR who was raised in Clydebank says her second novel was inspired by her childhood growing up in the town.

Rena Cooper attended the old Dalmuir Primary School and then Clydebank High, before training as a teacher at Jordanhill College.

Rena’s first novel, Running in the Dark, was published earlier this year, and now the author has announced her second book - entitled The Staircase - will be released later this month.

Set in the west of Scotland in the 1950s, it tells the story of two friends, Edward and James, who live in a small industrial town that lies close to a major city and not far from the coast.

The boys are preparing for the end of the school year and an imminent move to secondary school following the school holidays. They are both looking forward to making this move together.

James, however, is uneasy, haunted by something that he has seen that makes him concerned for Edward’s welfare.

Sworn to secrecy by Edward, he is unable to talk to his parents about it and his concern grows when he learns that Edward has been keeping a secret from him. It is a secret that, ultimately, leads them both into danger.

Like her debut novel, Running In The Dark, which was published earlier this year, The Staircase is full of references to life in Clydebank as it used to be which are sure to ring a bell with plenty of Bankies.

Rena, who was born in Glasgow and now lives in Lincolnshire, told the Post: “I remember going into the pavilion in the recreation ground at Dalmuir as a child. The door was open and unlocked and I used to creep in.

“I remember how cold it was, even though it was a lovely, hot summer’s day outside.

“It was a memory that stuck with me, and when I came to write this book it came into my mind and into the plot.

“Years ago, I remember going with my mother to a lovely old shop called Lang and McLintock. One side was an upmarket delicatessen and the left side was all wines and spirits.

“It was always immaculate. With your eyes shut, you would know you were in that shop because of the wonderful smell from the things they sold.

“The character James in the book is called James McLintock, for that reason.

“I hope people will read the book and enjoy it, which is always your aim as a writer.”

The Staircase will be published on Sunday, November 28 and can be ordered in advance on Amazon and from other online booksellers.