Matter Of Mercy [TRADE PAPER ]

A Cape Cod story of forgiveness, second chances, and the healing power of community.

Caroline Marcum returns to her childhood home in Wellfleet to care for her dying mother, confronting a past she thought she'd left behind. Ridley Neal, a reformed ex-con, is trying to rebuild his life by taking over his father's oyster and clam farm. A fierce nor'easter throws them together, but their budding connection is threatened by a lawsuit and a chance encounter that stirs up old guilts and new suspicions.

Can Caroline and Rid overcome their troubled pasts and the challenges of the present to find forgiveness and love amidst theseashell-strewn shallows of Cape Cod Bay? This 10th-anniversary edition includes an update on the real-life lawsuit that inspired the story. Perfect for readers who enjoy emotionally resonant fiction with a strong sense of place.

"With dazzling prose, a merciless eye for truth, and a gotta-know story,A Matter of Mercystapled me to the couch. Between the remarkable story of class war and aquaculture in Wellfleet, grief etched in acid on glass, and the miracle of love in the most unlikely of connections, author Hugo offers pure gold." —Randy Susan Meyers, international bestselling author,Waisted

Love and the overwhelming need to seek forgiveness are the cornerstones of this novel but it also offers a unique insight into a lifestyle few of us have encountered before. I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend it. — Readers' Favorite

Vivid imagery perfectly captures the majestic beauty of seascapes, sunrises, and sunsets on the Cape… Hugo uses well-developed characters and multiple side plots to explore recurrent themes of loss, grief, redemption, and mercy. She skillfully portrays the intensity of her characters’ emotions, enabling readers to share their pain, anxiety, and frustration. —The US Review of Books