A REAL-LIFE unsolved mystery has inspired a new historical crime novel set in 1950s Yorkshire.
Surviving Angel is the second novel by Wibsey-born author David James Buckley and follows Acting Chief Inspector Jim Bible as he investigates the murder of a couple in a Yorkshire cottage, with their 11-year-old son initially missing.
The story was partly inspired by the 1953 disappearance of Bradford priest Father Henry Borynski, which remains unsolved.
Mr Buckley said: "The disappearance of Father Borynski in Bradford in 1953 was particularly intriguing to me because nobody has ever established exactly what happened to him.
"It’s the sort of real-life mystery that makes you start asking questions and imagining possibilities, which is a natural starting point for a crime writer."
David James Buckley with his parents Fred and Irene - Bronte Archers, Bradford (c. 1959) (Image: David James Buckley)
Set in 1958, the novel brings together personal memories, post-war history, and family connections.
Mr Buckley spent his childhood on Wibsey Park Avenue and has drawn heavily on his memories of Bradford and its industrial landscape to shape the fictional setting.
He said: "When I think back to growing up in Wibsey, what strikes me is how different everyday life was.
"Writing the novel gave me an opportunity to return to that world and bring some of it to life again."