As soon as I saw the photo of it, I just knew an angler’s priest could be a perfect murder weapon in my thriller, Fool Her Once. What’s an angler’s priest, you ask.
Well, first of all, here’s the photo which caught my eye in a New York Times story in November 2017. It was in the real estate section, and featured the Manhattan townhome of Swedish author, Olaf Olafsson.
The caption read: “The bookcase in Mr. Olafsson’s study holds a photograph of him as a child standing with his father, also a novelist. Another memento from his father: the angler’s priest, a tool for killing fish.”
I had never heard of such a tool or seen one until then. But upon further research I discovered it can also be called a fisherman’s priest, a game warden’s priest, or more simply a fish bat. The tool — for finishing off/killing fish you’ve caught, or even bigger game –is called a priest because of the idea that it’s used to administer the last rites.
More Info, Please
Naturally, I had to find out more. Where could you find one? Where could you buy one? What’s the average size? Average weight? Could it hurt a person rather than a fish?
It turned out there were plenty of websites to illuminate me, and several where you could actually purchase the tool. A website, 1stdibs.com, offered a vintage Clint Ruddick Brass fishing priest for almost $300.
Etsy.com, on the other hand, offers an all-wood version (below) for $30– describing it as a fish bonker, fish thumper and fish whacker. They come in various lengths, on average from 10 to 15 inches long.
A comment from one obviously satisfied customer read: “Solid and well-made! It can obviously whack a fish, but if need be, it could whack a big pirate. I am happy with it. Thank you!”
Rare Use In Crime Fiction
Oddly enough, according to further research, this murderous little tool has been used only a couple of times in crime fiction. In both instances, on British (BBC) TV series.
The first time reportedly on the crime drama, Dalziel and Pascoe, featuring two detectives in Yorkshire; and then, again in an episode of the daytime crime drama, Father Brown — which is set in the 1950s in the Cotswolds.
I will add that I did not purchase, and do not own, any type of angler’s priest or fish bat, but will not reveal here if I decided to actually go ahead and use it as a murder weapon in Fool Her Once.
A splendid idea. Ngaio Marsh would have approved; she liked bumping off her victims in ingenious ways, but I don’t think she ever thought of that one.
My father was a keen angler. One day in the 1980s he was fishing at a reservoir somewhere in the West Country and landed a fish, only to find out that he had forgotten to pack the item in question. “Damn,” he said out loud, “I wish I had my priest.” A that point a voice behind him intoned, “May I help, my son?” He turned round to find the local bishop grinning at him.
Wow! Ngaio Marsh eh? Don’t hear that name too often these days! But thank you. Also, priest story, hilarious! And, perfect rejoinder to this blog!
Joanna I thought I knew what a Angler Priest was. I did in fact .. I loved your story and the research to find the true meaning and using it in Fool her Once.
It was a total revelation to me. Had never before heard of such a thing!