Trixie Tracy Buttercup Fleming is the daughter of a scientist and an over-protective mother. Trixie longs for adventure and excitement and is convinced the boy next door, Alfie Rains – in her eyes a creature of great mystery – is the key to experiencing some adventures of her own.

After an encounter with Alfie, Trixie is surprised to find herself waking up onboard a pirate ship, transformed into a pirate queen – and even better, one who wears an awesome, purpletastic outfit. Trixie takes naturally to pirating and soon despatches a pirate captain into the ocean, commandeering both his pirate ship and his crew of unlikely buccaneers.

Trixie and her ship The Violet Nightmare voyage forth in search of treasure and adventure, but only succeed in blundering into a series of ridiculous situations, blighted by storms, vile sea-beasts and more curses than a witch's kitchen.