The story follows Moist von Lipwig who after years of undertaking confidence tricks on others finds himself caught by the guards the sergeant being a werewolf and is sentenced to death under the alias of Albert Spangler. After a brief spell in prison he is hanged by the neck but not killed. He is brought before Patrician Havelock Vetinari who insists that he either becomes the new Postmaster or be executed by falling down a deep pit.Moist attempts to escape but is caught by his parole officer Mr. Pump a golem and brought to the rundown post office where he meets his two staff Junior Postman Tolliver Groat and his assistant the pin-obsessed Stanley Howler. Moist learns that the post office has been superseded by semaphore towers known as "Clacks" which are run by the unscrupulous Reacher Gilt.   ... >>