THE CANAAN CREED by L. P. Hoffman

A Noble Lie or a Deadly Secret?

What if a grand-scale manipulation was taking place?

Greed and lust for power, cloaked in altruism.

What if you believed in something that cost the life of someone you loved?

 

THE CANAAN CREED

A Novel by L. P. Hoffman

Murder in Maine, wolves in Wyoming, and a fugitive—one life-changing summer for wolf biologist Anna O’Neil. She needs answers. Who shot her father and why? Then, the arrival of a mysterious document called "The Canaan Creed" forces Anna to examine her own belie fs and gives her the key to restore a divided community. But, first, Anna must find the courage to confront a hidden evil and catch her father’s killer.

A literary-fiction novel, The Canaan Creed weaves several sub-plots together as this mystery-suspense takes you on an entertaining and thought provoking adventure. Much of the book is set in a fictional town in Wyoming near Yellowstone National Park. The story touches on the controversial reintroduction of gray wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains and on the damage caused by radical environmentalism. Deceptions come to light and community tensions mount. The characters face murder, conspiracy, and their own misconceptions. Some lives are shattered, some hearts are changed, and hypocrisy is exposed.

Here is what others have said about THE CANAAN CREED:

First Edition Reviews

"When a riveting story overlaps with hunting and conservation, we couldn't really pass it up. The Canaan Creed also makes that easier, since we couldn't put it down."
— American Hunter Facebook, Editor-in-Chief, J. Scott Olmsted, January 2010

“L.P. Hoffman combines a compelling page-turning yarn coupled with first-rate reporting on the tactics and twisted ethics that can drive radical environmentalists to criminal activity. The characters are well drawn, the dialog is savvy, and the story line is as close as tomorrow’s news."

— Dan Miller, Publisher/Executive Vice President, The Heartland Institute

“‘If God be for us who can be against us?’ The Apostle Paul wrote those words in his letter to the church of Rome (Romans 8:31); it’s not hard to envision them as the tacit heart of The Canaan Creed, a novel by L. P. Hoffman that weaves together an intricate tale about environmentalism gone awry. Anna [O’Neil] begins to wonder. What she finds will shock you, as it is all too real.”
— J. Scott Olmsted, Editor in Chief, NRA American Hunter Magazine, September 2009

“When one of one's own pack is downed, people travel great distances to set things right. ‘The Canaan Creed’ follows wolf biologist Anna O'Neil, who must return to Maine to investigate the death of her father while she was far away. The emergence of a strange document sets her search upside down. Author L.P. Hoffman crafts an engaging mystery that will keep readers turning the pages. As such, "The Canaan Creed" is fine reading and highly recommended.”
— Midwest Book Review, Small Press Bookwatch, Volume 8, Number 4, April 2009

“L.P. Hoffman’s new novel, The Canaan Creed, tells an engaging story with a plot that questions the validity of global warming research and firmly places the “black hats” on environmental fanatics. The author embroiders her story with references to the benefits of silviculture, unsavory aspects of the release of wolves in Wyoming, and valuable tactics for survival in the wild. The reader accompanies the protagonist, Anna O’Neill, as she learns hidden truths about the environmental movement. Through suspense and mystery, Hoffman offers her readers a perspective on the environment rarely found in fiction or non‐fiction.”
— Safari Club International, Litigation Newsletter, May 2009 Vol. III, No. 2

"Picking up The Canaan Creed by L.P. Hoffman, I read it cover to cover and I literally could not put it down. The engaging mystery of a shooting, Wolves in Wyoming, Anna O'Neil and a community eaten up in the war for the protection of wildlife and the environment. This story is a fictionalized account of the battle for the wolves in Wyoming and the moral of the story is one that every citizen needs to hear. The story drags you in through its characters on a day by day account of the lives of the citizens of Pristine Valley. This is a story that hunters, conservationists and environmentalists as well as every day citizens need to read. This book should be required reading for environmental science programs across the country. The moral of the story is to learn and understand all sides of the situation and do not blindly follow the path of any organization. The story is very well developed, well written and will maintain a place on my book shelf for years to come!
— Kevin C. Paulson, HuntingLife.com

“The Canaan Creed does an excellent job of sucking you in with a mystery while pointing out how some environmental groups have an agenda that goes beyond protecting wildlife. ...I found The Canaan Creed to be a very interesting tale of how overzealous do-gooders can ultimately bring about harm. It shows that, even if you believe in respecting plants and animals, you shouldn’t blindly throw your support behind a group who claims to be ‘green.’ The mystery itself holds up very well for most of the book, and anyone who picks it up will have a hard time putting it down.”
— Lee Pulaski, Lake Powell Chronicle

“Scaling the heights of suspense, The Canaan Creed concludes on solid ground with a better understanding of a timely topic—environmentalism.”
— Marge Swayne, The Farmville Herald

Pre-Press Reviews

“This is a provocative page-turner telling its story from a perspective not often found in modern fiction. This book's well-drawn characters and suspenseful plot ensures that it cannot be pigeonholed by political or social philosophy. However, Americans need to heed the moral of the story, lest we find ourselves in an untenable situation. I really enjoyed the book and I'm already looking forward to the next one from L.P. Hoffman!”
— Craig Manson, Distinguished Professor and Lecturer, University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, and Former Assistant Secretary of the Interior

"L.P. Hoffman knows the West intimately and evokes issues with sure-footed familiarity."
— C.J. Box, Author of THREE WEEKS TO SAY GOODBYE

"The Canaan Creed weaves suspense, mystery and the dark side of environmental fanaticism together to create a page-turning story that keeps the reader hooked until the very end."
— Michael S. Coffman, Ph.D., President of Environmental Perspectives, Inc.

Reader Reviews

"I finished the book at Baines Bookstore today, around 5:00. I thoroughly enjoyed it. You know your stuff and you know people and you know the land. If you had another book written, I would buy it immediately and start on it tonight. Thanks so much for being courageous and for being willing to go through all the things you did in order to write a book that is so believable and so revealing."

"Just going thru my old e-mails and it reminded me to let you know that I read the whole book within a few days of receiving it (an unusual activity for me). It captivated my attention until it was finished!! After living out west & seeing the radical attitudes and actions of the far-out environmental movement, I can agree with what you are trying to convey."

"The book came overnight, and I read it yesterday and today. Tell your wife congrats on writing a page-turner!!! No mean feat. And the sense of place is great. I'm a closet Christian (Episcopal) so it was also neat to experience that tie in."

"LP spins a mighty good yarn, hard to put down (which I did only once). I’m looking forward to the next book."

"I would recommend this book to everyone but especially students who will hopefully solve these problems in the future." "You used fiction as a tool to set out a clear message, and, hopefully, to those who read the book out of the desire for a "good read" there will be a good challenge. Altogether, a great job!!!"

"It has been a while since a book caught my attention like this one. I really enjoyed it."

"The book is very well written, keeps you interested, easy to follow and very enjoyable to read, so I just had to get a couple of copies to send to the kids and for Mike and I."

"I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it really opened my eyes to the motives behind the environmental community."

"I just finished The Canaan Creed and I loved it. I own every book written by Patrick McManus, C. J. Box, and Craig Johnson. I guess I’ll have to add L.P. Hoffman to my list. We need to get the word out about your book. I only heard of it because you were at Ralph’s Books when my wife went there to get the latest C. J. Box for me. One of my favorite parts was the Pastors’ sermon about having your family worship the house you built. Excellent analogy. Thanks much. I look forward to another L. P. Hoffman book."