A WEST Somerset author has published his third novel which is an extraordinary tale of puffballs on Exmoor and in the mountains near Kyoto.

Chip Tolson, from Withiel Florey, near Minehead, has released Puffball Paradox, which follows prize-winning success for Pebbles, his first book which was a collection of short stories.

This latest story, self-published on Amazon, is centred on partners Victoria and Franklyn, and the last weeks of 2007 are life-changing for the couple. Victoria is sent by her company on a year-long work assignment in New York and Franklyn is made redundant from his employment of 18 years.

Finding no new job in London, Franklyn becomes the caretaker of a dilapidated woodland cottage at the one-time Werrecombe Settlement on Exmoor. His sole companion is Angus, the late owner’s dog.

But soon, things take a bizarre twist and weeks into his task, Franklyn discovers an extraordinary puffball, then a second, growing fast to a great size in the Werrecome woodland.

Early in 2009, Victoria and Franklyn are reunited. Franklyn cannot bring himself to tell Victoria of the horrific puffball events on Exmoor in 2008.

She is promoted to set up a London-based Anglo-American company.

The couple’s lives, in London and on Exmoor, combine over the next few years. Victoria’s company thrives, Franklyn builds a career as a landscape artist, they marry, their son Ivan is born and Angus, their dog, remains an essential part of their family. Then, the puffballs take their revenge.

In the thirty years since retiring from the worldwide ship-owning industry, Chip Tolson has turned his hand to writing fiction, first studying creative writing at Middlesex University.

Pebbles was followed by two novels, Requiem for Private Hughes, which was set during National Service in the 1960s Malayan Emergency and West Somerset, followed by Birchland Hall, where two cousins inherit the mansion their great grandfather built.