Salmonweird: A Cornish Crime Comedy Caper

by M.G. Mason, Leon Active (Illustrator)

Is it possible to kill a person who is already dead and has been for hundreds of years?

Karl hoped his retirement to coastal Cornwall from Cambridge would be idyllic and quiet. His new home, the picturesque village of Salmonweir overlooking the Cornish south coast between Treen and Lamorna Cove away from the big tourist destinations was seemingly perfect in that respect.

Salmonweir, in fact, had nothing to set it apart from any other sleepy Cornish village unaffected by mass tourism.

And that was the way Karl preferred it. But Karl's wife Valarie didn't prefer it.

What really tipped her over the edge and convinced her to return to Cambridge was the 500 ghosts who appeared from nowhere one Sunday morning in spring. Among them were Iron Age Warrior Queen on the lookout for Romans, a pirate crew on the lookout for rum, an Elizabethan poet on the lookout for a publisher, a Civil War puritan on the lookout for Catholic royalists, and a medieval monk on the lookout for plague.

Could it have got any weirder? Ah yes, the "murders", and Karl's un-retirement.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2023

About the author

Hello, I'm MG Mason, real name Matt.

I was born in Swindon in the 1970s but currently living on the Cornish south coast.

I'm a web content writer by trade but fiction is my first love.

How would I describe my work? Well, a friend once asked "have you considered writing a book in one genre without throwing two other genres into the same story?" Until that point I hadn't realised just how much mashing up genres defined my work.

They were right of course. But what else can you expect from a scifi nerd with an archaeology degree?

These days, when not writing for businesses or fiction, I'm usually found somewhere in Cornwall with a camera attached to my face.

Reviews

[Lacrima Mundi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Salmonweird series by M. G. Mason has been my favourite (murder) mystery series discovery of 2024. It also has managed to secure itself a spot on my ultimate comfort reads list. Hence, it's also another Mason book - or series, in this case - that has managed to claim a spot on my all-time-favourites list.

The story is great, most of the characters are very lovable and intriguing, the humour is distinctly English - which I love, but also know some have problems with; so be warned, you might not find it as funny as it actually is if the latter applies to you. The writing is good and flows well, which makes this book easy to read and get lost in.

There are a few minor editing hiccups, but none of those has affected my reading or my enjoyment of the story in the slightest; I merely noticed. And I am picky - really picky - when it comes to editing and proofreading (old habits die hard). That said, if it doesn't seriously affect me it most definitely will not affect you either.

If you are looking for an enjoyable, light-hearted, cosy (murder) mystery with plenty of ghost characters and an older MC - yes, finally! I am so sick and tired of reading about 20-somethings all the time -, that is fun and easy to read, look no further. In that case you absolutely should read the Salmonweird series by M. G. Mason- yes, the whole thing, it's only getting better with each book.

I am hoping for a plethora of more books in the series in the future. I absolutely love the Salmonweird universe and cannot wait to read more about all those lovely characters, their stories, and the (murder) mysteries they will encounter.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5, the half star taken off is due to the afore mentioned hiccups. The story itself is definitely a 5-star for me whenever I want - or need - a cosy mystery comfort read.


Addendum (June 2025):

I believe this story recently got an overhaul, including another round of editing/proofreading, therefore my remark at the end might very well be obsolete for the most recent edition.

[Melanie Tiernan · Rating 4 out of 5]

You might think, as I did, what trouble can a few ghosts cause? They're already dead after all. Well, the answer is - quite a lot actually! DI (retired) Karl Blackman wants a quiet retirement; he wanted his days filled with walks along the Cornish coast followed by a few pints in the village pub, before relaxing with a good book in front of the fire. Sounds idyllic doesn't it? Karl soon finds out that retirement won't be as quiet as he expected. Surrounded by ghosts that inexplicably just arrive in the village, Karl soon becomes good friends with many characters from 'Hook Hand Harry' the resident pirate who could drink anyone under the table, Kensa the fiery Warrior Queen, monks and poets, and worst of all - a salesman! Oh and then there's the murders... Salmonweird is filled with humour and wit and is rich in Cornwall' history and the history of the resident ghosts whose characters are extremely well developed. Be warned, make sure to have some scones, jam and clotted cream to hand! This book will make you want some. A solid 4 stars rating from me and I'm anticipating the follow up to be even better.

[Iseult Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful cozy mystery

I absolutely loved this book about Salmonweir, a Cornish village with a unique living history in the form of resident ghosts from different time periods rubbing shoulders with the single remaining living resident, DI (retired) Karl Blackman.

The idea of ghosts from different time periods of the same village all existing (mostly) in peace together was so well done. I loved all the ghosts, and the author’s historical knowledge is evident in how well he depicts the various characters. My favorite is Jorwan, a medieval monk. The idea he has to share the church with a puritan is horrific and genius!

The world building around the ghosts is interesting and consistent. At first I was a bit unsure about the ghosts living in houses and eating and drinking, but as the rules are explained throughout the book, it made sense within the world.

The murder mystery would do Agatha Christie proud.

This book is also incredibly humorous. It had me chuckling out loud many times as I read it.

I’m looking forward to starting the second book immediately.

[Louise Conway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this story feels like receiving a warm hug from a good friend, or sitting indoors by a cheerfully crackling fireplace on a cold night, watching as snow falls outside. I never knew it was possible to get such cute and cosy vibes from any book until I opened this one! It's an absolutely charming tale I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

There were so many things about it I loved, but I'll start with the plot. A murder mystery, with a ghost as the victim? Book premises don't get much more intriguing than that, and the execution doesn't disappoint. The worldbuilding, how the ghosts of Salmonweir village "live" and their creative quirks all set this apart from other ghost stories, giving it a unique feel that's as fun as it is clever. The humour is great and had me laughing out loud more than once.

The mystery and occasional spooky moments are both well done; I also really liked the book's slightly slow and steady pace-- it felt quite refreshing and perfectly suited the setting, making it even easier to truy feel the laid-back, old-fashioned village environment. One last general compliment, although I could leave more, is how much I enjoyed the characters and their interactions with each other. Karl is an engaging, likeable narrator, the varied assortment of ghosts from different parts of history worked really well together and discovering their individual stories was just as interesting as the main mystery.



This next bit includes spoilers, so please stop here if you haven't read the book yet! I have mixed feelings over how the story ended, although that's definitely my fault for reading Spooky Salmonweird (a spin off anthology) first-- after seeing two certain characters behaving as doting family members in that book it was hard for me to picture them as lovers in Salmonweird 1. Otherwise I would've appreciated the ending a lot more; the twist was great, completely unexpected, and massive shout out to chapter 18's brilliantly written air of rising tension, a perfect build up to the big whodunnit reveal. Overall a wonderful tale; I can't wait to start on the sequels

[Simon Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Salmonweird on the face of it is just like any other remote Cornish village, quaint, old, steeped in history.... A place one might love to visit... But people don't... And that's the way retired Detective Karl Blackman likes it.. quiet well quiet'ish... You see Mr. Blackman is the only living soul in the village... The village being run and populated entirely by Ghosts! He used to live there with his wife but after one (hilarious) encounter too many she left him and moved back to Cambridge, Karl wasn't unduly upset! He has his hands full as it with his ethereal companions... You see the ghost community is eclectic to say the least, you have an Iron Age warrior Queen, a pirate Captain and his crew, a weeping 2nd world war widow. By far the funniest of these being Brother Jowan Catholic Monk and Pastor Eli the Puritan... They had me literally laughing out loud in places. But as Bonfire night approaches celebrations are put on hold when a pressing question needs answering can Ghosts be murdered? 

Well the village has a real live detective on hand even if he is retired.... The game is as the sleths say a foot! 

Salmonweird is a beautiful story well told.... With charm and more than a little whimsy... Like a story of old told round the fireside hearth... It's seems to come alive off the pages with  some wonderfully vibrant and rich characters.... Like the Pirate Captain Harry Hookhand.... Local legend... The warring religious duo... That keep you amused.... Karl Blackman is as dogged detective as you will find ( all be it quite layed back ) and his interaction with the ghosts is both urbane and hilarious as he tries to help them navigate the modern world.... Oh and did I say there's god awful poetry too! At its heart it's a murder (missing) mystery... And this works well to, with enough to do, to stop you easily identifiing the killer... All in all a great read.

[William Beck · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming world, full of oddities of both reality and other-worldly in equal measure, Salmonweird is a welcoming world indeed.

This was a great cosy read. In much the same way as the likes of Knives Out; the mystery may be the story, but it’s not the draw. Come to Salmonweird for the chilled narration and witticisms, and stay for the murder mystery between ghosts.

[E.M. McConnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This for me was the perfect beach read. It's a little zany, heartwarming and so very good. MG has the writing chops of a fevered pub landlord with a dark humour on tap. Bloody good.

[Chris Durston · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK, so this gets immediate points from me for being set in the Westcountry, which is my home and which I don't often see represented! You can tell the author's spent a lot of time, if not his whole life, in the area - it was fun to see references to places I've been, as well as little details like the Devon-Cornwall split on the correct order in which to put jam and cream on a scone.

I'm not much of a murder or crime reader, so I'm not the best person to comment on whether Salmonweird is a good example of its genre, but I enjoyed it. I may not have been following along with the mystery well enough, so it's possible that this is just my misunderstanding, but I don't know whether the final revelations are hugely satisfying, in part because they're solved primarily through external forces doing most of the work for our protagonist. That's not necessarily a problem, and I still had a good time reading along, but I think I had different notions of what the narrative structure was likely to look like - which is more of a me issue than a Salmonweird issue, of course.

The thing that I think is most likely to put a reader off this book is that it could have used a good copy editor; there are, unfortunately, grammar or punctuation errors on almost every page. That makes it sound worse than it is - while they're frequent, they're usually very minor, so it's not difficult to keep enjoying the ride without being too distracted. (EDIT: I've learned since writing this that there is an updated version that's apparently better edited. I've not read that version, so can't comment, but thought it was worth acknowledging here that the issues I had with typos and so on may not be as prominent in the latest edition.)

The characters are the real draw and they're great, actually; looking back, I realise I remember more of them than I usually do. Generally in a book with more than half a dozen named characters, I'm going to forget at least a few of them, but here I find I can still picture most of the village residents we met along the way, and I have a good sense of who they are. That's not easy to pull off, so it's to Mason's credit that it's done well here, because I think the people and the place are the lifeblood of this story.

[Damascus Mincemeyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since time immemorial humans from every civilization and have been fascinated with what lies past this mortal coil. It’s the Eternal Mystery: once we exhale that final breath, is there only the dark embrace of oblivion, or do we, as some assert, continue to exist in some spectral state? While the more practical among us may scoff at the notion of post-mortem survival, according to a 2021 survey conducted by the analytics company YouGov, two out of every five Americans—roughly 41%—believe in ghosts. The results get spookier from there: a similar 2009 Pew Research Center study found eighteen percent report encountering a spirit, whether by seeing, hearing or being physically touched.

In the 1840’s, Kate and Margaret Fox, sisters from Hydesville, New York, reportedly established contact with an entity claiming to be the spirit of a murdered peddler buried beneath their house. As the first celebrity mediums, the sisters became famous for public séances, and their believers later established Spiritualism, a movement that focused on communication with the afterlife through a variety of means, including automatic writing, table-tipping, and ectoplasmic manifestation. Despite much of Spiritualism’s credibility becoming tarnished by hucksters and frauds eager to exploit those desperate for some glimpse into the hereafter, the permanent parade of paranormal TV programs prove the subject exerts as much sway today as in Victorian times.

One author plumbing the spectral to entertaining effect is Swindon, UK-born M.G. Mason, whose novel Salmonweird deftly explores the livelier side of life after death. Originally published in 2019 and subtitled A Cornish Crime Comedy Caper, the narrative opens with a brief introductory segment, ‘Salmonweir Tourist Board: A Guide to the Non-Living Residents’, in which readers are acquainted with the seaside village and its eclectic denizens. Situated on the sparsely-populated southwestern coast of England, Salmonweir has a population of five-hundred persons, only one of which, retired Cambridge Detective Inspector Karl Blackman, is alive. The others are ghosts who have inexplicably and unexpectedly returned from the Great Beyond to the shock and fascination of the British public. With the remaining corporeal residents—Karl’s wife Valerie among them—having abandoned the town, Karl now spends his days as the sole flesh-and-blood inhabitant coming to terms with his new neighbors.

Dubbed ‘Salmonweird’ by hungry tabloids, the village’s ghosts are a thoroughly motley cast: there’s Hook Hand Harry, a rummy pirate whose crew lives aboard a Flying Dutchman-style ship anchored in the harbor; the Black Death-era Catholic monk Jowan and his feuding ideological opposite, Cromwellian Protestant reformer Eli. There’s Kensa, the Iron Age warrior queen and feisty pub matron Morwenna; mournful World War II widow Dora Wilson, and headstrong nineteenth-century teenager Ebrel Penrose.

But what happens in a village of ghosts when one of their own comes up missing? And does the ominous evidence left at the potential kidnapping scene indicate that something far more sinister is afoot in Salmonweir? Can the dead die a second time?

While echoing the work of Rudyard Kipling and Neil Gaiman (whose character Bod Owens from the similarly-themed 2008 human-among-ghosts exercise The Graveyard Book would find familiar bliss in Salmonweir), at its core Salmonweird is a procedural rife with eccentric English flair. Karl’s good-natured, conversational first-person narration draws the audience into the unusual situation with considerable ease. Though the subject matter—death, murder, betrayal, suicide—is sometimes heavy, Mason keeps the overall tone light by emphasizing offbeat characterization and wringing wry humor from the villagers’ fish-out-of-water escapades. Having been resurrected from different centuries, many of Salmonweir’s phantoms experience difficulty adjusting to the modern world, while others—Roman Centurian Cato, the aforementioned Puritan zealot Eli and in particular Ebrel (who continually pesters her father for an iPhone)—embrace the new age they’ve awakened in.

Mason likewise maintains an appreciated fairness with the novel’s sleuthing: this isn’t some ghost story posturing as a half-hearted mystery, but a well though-out whodunit, filled with twists, turns, red herrings and vital clues. Another rewarding aspect of Salmonweird is the subtle world-building; though most of the plot occurs within the self-contained boundaries of the village itself, on those occasions when Karl leaves town we become privy to the mixture of curiosity and media-inspired trepidation with which the public-at-large considers his humble home.

In an ideal universe the BBC would be readying a live-action Salmonweird television series, but wishful fans will instead have to content themselves with the happy knowledge that two additional books (the yuletide-set A Salmonweird Sleighing and a short story collection Spooky Salmonweird: Tales From The Village) are currently available, with a third (Studio Salmonweird) set for release September 4th. Those who sign up for Mason’s email newsletter will also receive additional fictional asides to their inbox (like ‘A Salmonweird Lockdown’, set during the opening stages of the Covid-19 pandemic), that go some way towards scratching that phantom itch.

Quirky, inventive and enjoyable from first line to last, Salmonweird: A Cornish Crime Comedy Caper earns a near-perfect 4 (out of 5) from me. After all, how can one not find joy in a novel whose copyright page notes that ‘Any resemblance to real persons, living, dead or presently identifying outside of the binary living/dead state of existence, is purely coincidental’? I can't wait to read Book Two!

[Caroline Goldsworthy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a caper

Not my usual genre, but I loved the idea of one human living in a village of ghosts. An amusingly told tale, with plenty of real characters and a Christie style denouement.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! The mystery hooked me in, and I found myself easily speeding through the chapters, keen to see who the murderer was. Looking forward to reading the sequel as there are so many potential storylines for this gaggle of ghosts.

[Patrick Scattergood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Salmonweird is one of those books that is nigh on impossible to review. If I was to put too much information about the story itself in a review then that would lead to some huge spoilers but it also leaves a problem. How can you describe such an utterly unique book without that?

Salmonweird features one person who is alive and they live amongst a myriad of ghosts. Should be simple enough, right? Well, no. One has been murdered and only the one living resident can solve the mystery.

Honestly, this book really had it all for a reader like me. You might think that with a story such as this one that it would be all laughs and not a lot else but that's not the case. Here is a book that is exciting and twist filled, a book that is hilariously funny and also full of some genuinely touching and emotional moments.

I absolutely loved reading it to such a degree that I read it twice. That's something that hasn't happened to me with a book for absolutely ages. I'm sure that I'll read this one again too. It really is that good.

Did I mention that it feels so unique and fun that it will hook you in as a reader?

I must admit this review was much longer but I took some, well a lot, of it out as I don't want to include a single spoiler as I want the new person to read it to have the same surprise and enjoyment as I got from this one.

Pick it up, you won't be disappointed.

[Amanda Shortman · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fan of the kind of cosy, comical mysteries such as Jonathan Creek and Death in Paradise, I was immediately intrigued by the premise of Salmonweird. A village in which all but one of the residents are ghosts? A murder mystery where the victims are already dead? Characters from a range of historical eras? Yes please!

And I wasn't disappointed. Salmonweird is a fun, easy read that lends itself perfectly to a quiet evening, snuggled in a blanket with a cup of your favourite drink. Cosy is exactly how I'd describe it. The characters are all delightful, with their own little quirks - Harry who loves to tease, Ebrel who wants to fit in the modern world, Kensa with her fighting spirit... the list goes on. And we mustn't forget Jowan and Eli whose arguments over religion really made me chuckle.

The mystery itself is carefully woven throughout the story, and left me guessing right to the very end, with a few misdirections early on as is typical for this genre. I thoroughly enjoyed trying to figure out what was going on. My only real disppointment is that I wish there had been more. But as this is the first in a series of books set in Salmonweir I have no doubt that exploring the extended universe will provide me with what I'm looking for.

All in all this was a wonderful read and should be on your TBR if you love a murder mystery.

[Rosé Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to preface this by saying I've interacted with the author on numerous occasions, super cool guy. I'd been meaning to get into his work for a while, and I finally got the opportunity to purchase the first three books in this series. As of now, I've only read the first, but I have to say Matt certainly has talent. Salmonweird has a lot of quirky characters. My favorite would have to be Hook Hand Harry ( a pirate ghost).


The whole "how can dead people be killed?" thing is addressed in a non-cheap way. It also handles the trope of people not from our world (time in this case) being curious about modern life. Usually, when I see it in a movie or show, it feels like filler because it's been done a million times, but here it works. This story also handles pretty serious situations well, given the humor in it. Any author who can find that balance, I'm a fan of.

If I had to compare it to anything. It kind of gave Terry Pratchett vibes. I could easily see Salmonweir being a village on Discworld. If that's what you're into, except with horror instead of fantasy, check it out.

[Emma McElreavey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I had been wanting to read Salmonweird for a while now, I decided to dive into it blind, not reading the blurb or any hints to what it was about as I wanted to keep it a surprise for myself. And I was not disappointed that I did it this way.

Going into this cozy, comedy crime novel, I was just as shocked and confused as Karl - our MC in this story - was when ghosts popped into existence out of nowhere and became the new residents of Salmonweir, but I quickly fell in love with the whole setting, nor did it take long for me to become attached to each character. I loved their own personalities and even their flaws and grew fond of them all. I loved how MG introduced each of them and how they ended up living once again in the modern day.

When crime introduced itself to Karl amongst all the resident ghosts, I found myself turning the pages, unable to stop for a break! MG Mason really made this story shine in ways I hadn't expected and now I can't wait to read the rest of the Salmonweird novels and the short stories! 😍

[J.E. Erickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Salmonweird was so much fun. It's exactly what the title says it is: a Cornish Crime Comedy. Salmonweird is very cozy, approachable, and enjoyable. For me, it feels very much like a network television sitcom in the vein of "Ghosts". The murder mystery itself is more Nancy Drew than Agatha Christie, which is not a slight, it's simply a stylistic choice. A smart one, as well.

You're not going to get a ton of violence, high drama, or poetic description, but you will get an easy read with a cast of characters who are fun and interesting but don't fall into the trap of being quirky for the sake of quirkiness. And the mystery itself isn't conflated with bizarre puzzles, red herrings, and exercises in moral ambiguity. It's more of a straightforward, follow the breadcrumbs conundrum that resolves itself in a way I found to be on the more melancholic side of heartbreaking. I'm looking forward to checking out the other books in the series.

Highly recommended for folks who are looking for a cozy, rainy day read.

[D.A. Cairns · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a goldmine of opportunity for a writer who has created a twin of ghosts...and one resident non- ghost. The author Mason mines this well (sorry for the mixed metaphor) beautifully by creating a cast of diverse and fascinating characters. Accurately and humourously depicting the culture clash and multiple worlds from different times, Mason binds it all together with a murder mystery for the protagonist human, retired Detective Blackman. This novel is cleverly original, funny and suspenseful. Definitely worth a read.

[Abby Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect choice for any fan of the series Ghosts, and a compelling read for anyone who loves crime capers and historical fiction. As a histfic fan first and foremost (and a fan of Ghosts - both version, should you care to judge me!) I love that so many time periods came to life at once in MG Mason's tale. The Roman soldier meets the Celtic warrior queen, the war-weary 21st Century housewife with secrets to spare, and the sweet-natured human who brings them all together made this a fast-paced and fantastic read!

[K. Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m actually on the third book of this series right now…

I hadn’t left a review at the time I finished the first book, but picked up the third this morning and had to come back to write this. I used to love Simon R Greene when I was younger and Mason has a similar fun “voice”. Love the internal character dialogue. The first chapters always pull you in (hence how the third book sent me back to review the first, they just keep getting funnier!). And I’m a sucker for ghosts, just a sucker. The series is too much fun to pass up!

[Chloé E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matt pulls us into a world full of laughter and mystery in the beautiful Cornwall. This book quickly became one of my favourites, transporting me back to my home Country and keeping me on my toes right until the end.
A stunning, light read with multiple personalities keeps this book gripping, making the reader crave more.
I can't wait to see what adventures unfold in the next novel!

[Mariam Naeem · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't get over how brilliantly this was done! I just enjoyed reading such a fantastic tale. It was definitely unexpected because who would think the only person alive would still have mysteries to solve? Fantastic!!

[Vanessa Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s only one way to sum up this book: It’s a damn fun time.

I’ve not read a book that engages you like this one in a while. The first line launches you right into an entertaining, fun story with a writing style to match. And the characters are perfect. Must read!

[Eryn McConnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh this is so much fun. It's a cosy murder mystery in Cornwall with ghosts. I'm really intrigued by it!
The narrative style is breezy, comedic and VERY English. I enjoyed this immensely!

[J.L. DuRona · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic piece, I assume. I'll update this when I actually read it

[Anna Verner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the cozy murder mystery vibes of this book, and the characters were fun.
Was a slow build up into the story, but once it kicked off it was great.

[Annette Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Cornish crime caper with a difference!
Is it even possible to murder someone who is already dead, and if so how do you even begin to figure out who did it? This is the philosophical and practical problem faced by retired police detective Karl Blackman, who has the dubious honor of being the only living person in the small Cornwall town of Salmonweir. Being the only living person doesn't mean he is deprived of company however, as the town is populated, or some might say repopulated, by a very diverse group of ghosts from all eras of history. An Iron Age warrior Queen , an eighteenth century pirate, a medieval monk, a Civil war Puritan preacher and even a World War 2 widow have all found themselves back on earth in spirit form, and are finding ways to live and work together, though not always without conflict. While the town is preparing for a Bonfire night festival , one of the spirits disappears in suspicious circumstances. Without a body it's hard to be sure that a murder even occurred, but when more spirits start to disappear and a new and suspicious one shows up, Karl must put his detective skills to the test and figure out what is really going on.
While the mystery at the heart of this story is cleverly thought out, and presented in a way that keeps the reader guessing, the unusual device of having the town be populated by ghosts , and ghosts from different eras at that, is what makes it really unique and memorable. There is a rich vein of comedy to be mined in having people from different times encountering one another , and also learning to deal with modern life. Some of the best comedy moments come from Brother Jowan,the medieval Catholic monk, and his Puritan counterpart, Pastor Eli, and their continual animosity , but I would have to give an honourable mention to pirate captain Hook Hand Harry.
This is a funny and very entertaining book , with great characters and well thought out premise , and I am delighted to see there are plans for more stories set in the weird but wonderful world of Salmonweird.