An author living in Teddington has just published his first-ever novel.

Peter Wedderburn's eco-thriller, Piscium, has been described as a "gripping piece of science fiction about genetically engineered fish escaping into British waterways, with scenes set in Richmond and Teddington's locks, and local riverside landmarks including The Anglers".

Wedderburn, 73, who is originally from North London, has now lived in the local area for 35 years, and many residents will know him from the running community as he is an active member of the Stragglers Running Club.

The former Publishing Executive turned Race Director for major events, including the Hampton Court and Kingston Half Marathons, has completed more than 650 Parkruns – the vast majority in Bushy Park (with others further afield in destinations including Iceland, South Africa, and Scotland).

He has also run 27 marathons, most recently the London Marathon earlier this year and the Verona Marathon last autumn.

Wedderburn ran the Verona Marathon last Autumn (Image supplied)

However, while Wedderburn says that running is involved in Piscium, "it is not the central theme".

Now semi-retired, Wedderburn has returned to his first love - fiction writing - with Piscium, inspired by catching a shark off Barbados and wondering what might happen if something out of place entered our rivers.

In a world of ecological strain and technological overreach, the "what if" becomes irresistible.

At the heart of Piscium is Andrew Rothstone, CEO of the global publishing empire M21C and fanatical sport fisherman. Inheriting his family's sprawling Yorkshire estate, Rothstone embarks on a bold experiment: genetically engineering a new species of sports fish designed to survive in the estate's cold freshwater lake.

Collaborating with genetic scientist Dr Michael Phipps, he creates the eponymous organism, Piscium - named after the brightest star in the Pisces constellation and Rothstone's astrological sign.

When M21C collapses amid a financial scandal and Rothstone disappears, the experiment is shut down, and the fish are presumed destroyed.

Ten years later, strange sightings in the lake spark suspicion. Gamekeeper's son Mark Braithwaite teams up with celebrity angler and TV presenter Jez Harvey to uncover the truth - before Rothstone's legacy resurfaces with potentially catastrophic consequences.

Set where science clashes with nature's untamed power and secrets lie deep in the countryside, Piscium reveals what we create, what we conceal, and what can never stay hidden forever.

Speaking about the book, Wedderburn said: "It's a story about invention, ego, and the fallout that comes from trying to bend nature to our will.

"Wherever I go, I find stories waiting to be told. People in the street inspire curiosity- where are they going, what are they thinking? And then there's always the 'what if.' In a world increasingly dominated by ecological strain and technological overreach, this story just wouldn't let me go.

"Writing is my way of exploring those ideas that spring to mind."

'Piscium' is now available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats (Image supplied)

In an exclusive interview with Teddington Nub News, Wedderburn explained that he has been writing since his teen years and that he used to scribble stories in the back of his exercise books while at school.

He said: "I've always loved writing, but I never got around to actually getting anything into a finished manuscript format, other than the odd short story. So, I decided quite recently that I really would like to actually get a book into print, and so I started to go about it."

Wedderburn says that he came up with the concept of Piscium after catching a shark off the coast of Barbados "about 25 years ago" and "started wondering what it would be like to be able to have that sort of fishing experience within a British lake".

He said: So, the idea sort of came from that."

While Wedderburn says that Piscium does not have a specific moral per se, he says "it is saying be careful of what you develop. There are certain advances in the world of science which can be for good, but if used wrongly, can be a cause of bad."

Speaking about publishing his first book, Wedderburn said: "It's fantastic that it is now possible, through Amazon KDP, to produce, develop, and publish or self-publish your own books. It is a real blessing and it's fantastic.

"It's opened the market to a lot of people, but the downside of it is that there's a lot of competition out there, and as a single author, it's quite difficult to promote your book.

"So, thank you very much to anybody who reads it. And please leave a review, because the more reviews I get, then hopefully the wider the readership will become.

"And that's what I really wanted – I'm not writing to make a fortune. I'm writing really to be read. That's the important part."

Wedderburn says that, depending on the success of Piscium, he may consider writing a sequel to the novel. The father of three also has ideas for other stories.

With over 40 years' experience in magazine publishing and organising mass participation running events - including the Hampton Court and Kingston Half Marathons, Wedderburn has embraced fiction writing full-time.

Piscium is his debut novel, proving that it is never too late to dive into a new chapter. Piscium is now available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats.

You can find out more about the author on his website here.