A BOOK by a local author, which is set in Jersey in the summer of 1976, has been taken off the shelves because of a complaint.

The Orchid and the Fawn has been written by Christopher Davey and follows the story of a 14-year-old’s relationship with his friend’s mother following the death of her husband.

Mr Davey says it is about ‘celebrating the brilliance of youth,’ but Ottakar’s have removed it from their shelves.

The complaint was made by a child protection professional.

Ottakar’s manager Paul Linch said the book had been removed.

‘We have had various inquiries from the press and, pending an investigation on the title, we have withdrawn it from sale,’ he said.

‘We would do the same with any book being investigated, there is no issue about the localness of the author.’ The States of Jersey Police said this morning they had not had any formal complaints about the book, and were not investigating the matter.

Mr Davey said: ‘I believe a complaint has been made about the paedophilic nature of the book.

This is, of course, a travesty of an interpretation and totally misses the point of celebrating the brilliance of youth.

Helen, the amazing mother in the novel, is punished under law for the relationship she fails to prevent, but it is very specifically left up to the reader to decide whether or not she was fairly treated by the law.’