LAVERSTOCK author Julia Edwards is celebrating the launch of her fourth book in The Scar Gatherer series.

The Demon in the Embers is set in 1666, and plunges its hero, 11-year-old Joe Hopkins, right into the flames of the Great Fire of London.

The previous books in the series have taken the hero, Joe, on adventures in Roman Britain, Viking York, and closer to home for Julia, Wardour Castle, in the third book, The Falconer's Quarry, which was set in Tudor England.

The special launch event at Waterstones in Salisbury is taking place this afternoon. 

Julia was joined by a number of school children from Winterbourne Earls Primary School who were involved and helped her during the writing process. 

She was patron of reading at the primary school while she was writing her latest book.