mˈæts fˈɜːst nˈɑːvəl, ɡˈoʊst sˈiː dˈʌbəljˌuː. dˈʌbəljˌuː. nˈɔːɹtən, tˈuː θˈaʊzənd sˈɪks sˈɛt ɪnðə kwˈækɪˌʌɾəl ˈaɪləndz sˈaʊθ ʌv ɐlˈælskə, bɪɡˈæn ɐ sˈɪɹiz ʌv ˌænθɹəpəlˈɑːdʒɪkəl θɹˈɪlɚz dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðɪ ˈɜːli twˈɛntiəθ sˈɛntʃɚɹi, ɪnvˈɑːlvɪŋ ɐn ˈaʊtlɔː sˈiː kˈæptɪn, dˈʌɡɚɹ ænd hɪz sɑːɹdˈɑːnɪk fˈɜːst mˈeɪt, nˈɛloʊ, ˈiːkɪŋ ˈaʊt ɐ lˈaɪf ɚɹˈaʊnd ðə wˈɜːld ɪn ɐ sˈɪkstifˈʊt kˈɛtʃ.
Màtè’s first novel, Ghost Sea (W. W. Norton, 2006) set in the Kwakiutl Islands south of Alalska, began a series of anthropological thrillers during the early 20th century, involving an outlaw sea captain, Dugger and his sardonic first mate, Nello, eking out a life around the world in a 60-foot ketch.