Bay State Skye

"Petrie's entertaining novel is based on the story of the Bay State Skye, a ship found floating empty, its crew lost to the sea near Gloucester, Mass. Petrie's novel includes fascinating details about both the fishing industry and market; readers will find themselves caught up in the stormy excitement and the tantalizing touch of mystery."
—Publishers Weekly 12/17/2018)


"Inspired by true events, this well researched intriguing novel exposes the occupational hazards embedded in the Gloucester, Mass. fish and seafood trade in 1990. Vivid, pungent, and layered in deceit, the story verges on an eye-opening look at a lucrative industry as opposed to a work of fiction. Candid protagonists in this character-saturated novel take the story in many directions, with shady characters at the helm. Their development spins doubt and suspense and triggers double-takes."
—BookLife (8/22/2018)


Dive headfirst into the inner circle of the 1990 Gloucester seafood industry. “Bay State Skye” is an historical fiction based on actual events hinging on interviews with fishermen, seafood processors, and restauranteurs. From the treachery of the sea, to the deception at the docks, to the struggle to convince the state to help tackle the mounting mound of fish offal piling up at the defunct waste-reduction plant, “Bay State Skye” reveals the challenges faced by those who make their living by going down to the sea.


When lobster fishermen Jimmy and Murph Sweeney happen upon an abandoned fishing boat that had been illegally dragging within state limits, it ignites the tension that had been smoldering between lobstermen and fishermen for years. As the Bay State Skye’s cargo is off-loaded, it sets off a series of adverse events for all who share the misfortune of coming into possession of its catch.


“Bay State Skye” is the fifth book by award-winning author, Janice S. C. Petrie. Her family has been involved in the Gloucester and Boston seafood trade for two generations. Petrie’s interest in the industry was piqued after spending several years working as assistant plant manager in her family’s Gloucester seafood processing business, which led to her inclination to tell this story.