Sounds like a weird combination? Sort of a Baltic Sea appetizer? I apologize for my absence; I just finished my fifth book, whose curious title is above.

“Fish & Whiskey” came into being as the result of picking up an old book my parents had given me nearly fifty years ago. Harry B. Barrett wrote “Lore & Legends of Long Point”. It is a charming collection of stories and myths about the historic and scenic Long Point peninsula which juts out into the middle of Lake Erie. Ancient communities lived and hunted on this sandy, marsh-laden, mystical spit of land . Along its shores, the fishermen of Norfolk County had netted for their catch for hundreds of years.

Most intriguing however was Barrett’s tales of bootleggers and rum-runners who shipped millions of gallons of illegal liquor from Norfolk to Erie, Pennsylvania for thirteen wild, risky and profitable years. It led me to investigate further, and before long, I had dug into a story about the Prohibition years, and how the fishermen and communities along the Norfolk County shores participated in a trade revolution of mammoth proportions.

Fish & Whiskey is the fictional story of a small harbor town called Riverport. The year is 1925, Prohibition is in effect, and the town is reeling from the collapse of the fresh water herring catch.

The fish nets are coming in empty. The only recourse is to smuggle illegal booze into the U.S. To complicate issues, organized crime on both sides of the border are muscling in to Riverport with deadly ramifications.

Joey and Belle are two young lovers In the middle of this maelstrom of trouble. They wrestle with the circumstances, as best they can, all the while, exploring their mutual attraction.

The story is revealing of the times, and is told to keep the pages turning. Events occur, decisions are made —with consequences— and the tale concludes with a surprise and ironic ending.

You can find Fish & Whiskey on Amazon. I include two links, one for Canada, and one for the U.S.

Enjoy the read, and let me know what you think! I especially appreciate your review on Amazon!