A good turnout at Blackwells in Edinburgh for the launch of Peter Ranscombe’s first novel, Hare, a fictionalised account of what became of one half of the infamous Edinburgh killers Burke & Hare.

David Robinson, books editor of The Scotsman, quizzed the paper’s former business correspondent about the book which Ranscombe said drew on archives from the newspaper for its authenticity.

It is essentially a story about “what if?”, said the author. “Burke was hanged bug we don’t really know what happened to Hare.”

The story assumes that Hare followed his Irish brethren and emigrated to America.

Ranscombe, now freelancing and contributing to Daily Business, last night read an extract from Hare. He said he may return to the historical fiction genre in future books.

Hare is published by Knox Robinson Publishing.