King’s Somborne writer celebrates her second novel

3:25pm Monday 5th January 2009

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Penny Morgan from King’s Somborne, is celebrating the publication of her second novel, Blood Wood, an eco- thriller about illegal logging and the bushmeat trade in Cameroon.

The book, which is also set in Hampshire, follows the exploits of Professor Mark Rees, a primatologist, who appeared in Penny’s first book Prime Witness.

“I wanted to follow up the characters in the first book, Mark Rees and DCI Paul Draper, develop their friendship further, but also to focus on the massive problem of illegal logging which goes hand-in-hand with environmental devastation and extreme violence on the part of logging companies,” said Penny.

The story begins in the Dja Biosphere Nature Reserve but follows a trail back to Britain.

Penny explained that 76 per cent of the timber produced by Cameroon is the result of illegal logging and most of it ends up in Europe.

Penny, 66, was the first Head of Psychology at Peter Symonds College in Winchester before leaving in 1999.

Before that she researched animal behaviour at Bristol and Southampton universities.

More recently, after taking a law degree, she has been writing articles for an animal welfare law journal. She is currently working on her third novel, which will again feature Rees and Draper, and will centre on dogfighting.

Blood Wood (Authorhouse) ISBN 9781438905754 is availableonline at Authorhouse or Amazon as well as Romsey bookshop Volumes.