London Book Festival Honorable Mention
Los Angeles Book Festival Honorable Mention
The future is limitless for young advertising professional January Lamont and her CPA husband, Barrett, until they’re unknowingly sucked into two different crimes. Forced to flee New York City, they hide and re-event themselves in rural Pennsylvania.
Believed to have absconded with priceless antiquities stolen by international thieves, the Lamonts face the battle of their lives. While the perpetrators inch closer, the Lamonts invest their time and talent in good work and better causes than their former existence.
Putting her problems aside, January befriends a brave little girl who is determined to outlive cystic fibrosis and launch her own knitwear company. All the twelve-year needs is an alpaca, a host barn, and looms. And January’s on it, even as her old and new worlds collide.
What People Say
Nancy Hughes masterfully crafts another crime novel that not only provides chilling thrills to the reader but also highlights the strength of its very human protagonists to recover from one setback after another thrown at them by a series of evil players. Through one plot twist after another, Ms. Hughes’s strong writing keeps the reader wondering to the very end whether January and Barrett Lamont will prevail … –Geza Tatrallyay, acclaimed author of sixteen books
K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite –
By Rook Or By Crook is penned by author Nancy A. Hughes in the mystery, suspense, and drama subgenres. January Lamont, a promising advertising professional, and her CPA husband, Barrett, find their bright future shattered when they become unwittingly embroiled in two separate crimes. Fleeing New York City, they reinvent themselves in rural Pennsylvania, attempting to escape the grasp of international thieves who believe they possess stolen antiquities. As the threat looms closer, the couple channels their skills into altruistic endeavors, fighting to prove their innocence while navigating a world fraught with danger and deception, where survival depends on their ability to outwit their pursuers and forge a new path.
Author Nancy A. Hughes has crafted an immersive and atmospheric mystery novel that will keep readers in suspense from cover to cover. I enjoyed the in-depth character work, with engaging descriptions, speech, and thought presentation that allows us a very close look into the lives of January and Barrett Lamont as they navigate the treacherous waters of betrayal and deception. The author’s vivid descriptive style was also used well in the locations, transporting us to both the bustling streets of New York City and the tranquil countryside of rural Pennsylvania with delightful amounts of detail. There’s a strong sense of how the world around them has shaped the characters’ attitudes, and this sense of realism makes you feel like you’re right there alongside them, empathizing and supporting their every move. The exploration of themes such as trust, resilience, and the power of redemption is understated so as not to overwhelm the story, but it offers a strong and purposeful undercurrent that pays off satisfyingly by the end. Overall, I would certainly recommend By Rook Or By Crook as a captivating read from start to finish that will delight mystery fans everywhere.