SEVENTY-year old Malcolm Mackley has gone from being an academic to an author with the publication of his second book called Daymouth.

He studied physics at Leicester and Bristol Universities before moving to chemical engineering at Cambridge University. At Cambridge he devoted 30 years to teaching and research as a fellow of Robinson College, a Professor of Process Engineering and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Malcolm is a keen sailor, something that features in the book, and began the sport aged 10 at the Cliff Marshes near Gravesend in Kent.

He and his wife Margaret discovered Devon in 1970 on a trip to East Portlemouth and the couple rented a property for 20 years before moving to Salcombe full-time when he retired in 2011.

He discovered for himself the pros and cons of living in the area and after writing numerous scientific works and a first attempt at fiction with a scientific thriller called High Tension which was published in France.

Malcolm says: ‘‘Daymouth is a page-turning thriller set in Salcombe which I have renamed at Daymouth.

The main character is Adam Ranworth who has made around £50 million in the City.

He had a riverside flat in flat in Putney and while he was walking by the river rescued a man who was about to end his own life by jumping off Putney Bridge. This was a turning point for Adam who decided to leave the capital and start a new life in Devon.’’

Malcolm was originally going to use the name Salcombe but his wife managed to persuade him that wouldn’t be a good idea so the names of all the characters and places have been changed. He revealed that Prawle is Tordon in the novel and Kingsbridge is Princewater.

As to the plot Malcolm said: ‘‘It covers different local issues including planning, modernisation and conservation but also issues including migrants and drug use. In short people, places and the life of the estuary.’’

Malcolm is already writing his next novel, set on the coast not far from Truro in Cornwall, which will probably be called Atlantic Bay. It will feature some of the same characters.

Daymouth by Malcolm Mackley is published by Troubador.