Monday, August 5, 2019

Review - The Maine Nemesis by R. Scott Wallis


*This is a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own.

As everyone who reads my blog already knows, I've been a little nitpicky about my reads this year, especially when it comes to new authors. I get many emails about upcoming book blog tours but I've been ignoring most requests because of my "no spotlights" policy that I started last year. However, I have nothing wrong with reviewing a title during one of these tours, which explains why I'm participating in "The Maine Nemesis" tour.

In the case with this title (and many other books), the art cover caught my attention right away. Now I didn't sign up to review the book based on the cover alone. I did read the blurb!

What's the book about?

Set in Wabanaki, Maine, the novel centers around best friends Skyler Moore and Brenda Braxton. While their love lives isn't exactly perfect, they are both very accomplished women with Brenda being a famous chef and owner of several restaurants and Skyler is a public relations hotshot.

The duo has to put their skills to the test when the deputy's wife is found dead inside one of the local restaurants. Murder is something that never happens in this small town so the community is shell shocked. Skyler takes charge to help the restaurant's owners by dealing with all the PR nightmare following the murder. Then she quickly turns into an amateur sleuth. Along with Brenda and a few friends, she's determined to solve the murder (and a kidnapping).


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Final Thoughts

I've always been a sucker for whodunit murder mysteries ever since I got hooked on the "The Cat Who" series by the late author Lilian Jackson Braun back when I was in my early 20s. Since then I've read many different mysteries. Some of have been great and others have been duds. That being said, I kept my expectations wide open when I started reading The Maine Nemesis

Basically, I was just hoping for the very best!

The good news is I wasn't disappointed with The Maine Nemesis. Actually, I liked it quite a bit as I ended up reading it one afternoon with several cups of coffee. One of my big nitpicks with my reads this year has been the lack of descriptions. I don't want authors to tell me about what's happening in their stories, I want them to paint a picture in my mind. I didn't have a problem imagining that I was in Maine while reading The Maine Nemesis because the author did a marvelous job with his descriptions! 

As for the plot, it started out a little predictable but it got better the further I read. And, yes, there were a few twists and turns that I didn't see coming. All of the characters are three-dimensional! Why the explanation point? Well, I've read several books recently that have had one-dimensional characters. Personally, I like stories where I can tell the differences between characters instead of getting bland characters that I can't tell apart when they are talking. "Bravo!" to author for giving his readers realistic characters!

Overall, The Maine Nemesis is a well-written murder mystery thriller. Let's hope the author makes a return to Wabanaki, Maine in the near future.

FYI: After writing my review, I realized there's already a published sequel, The New Mexico Scoundrel, and a third book, The Nevada Saboteur, is being released in September! There's even a sneak peek for The New Mexico Scoundrel at tail end of The Maine Nemesis!


The Maine Nemesis is currently on sale on Kindle for $.99.





About the Author

R. Scott Wallis is endlessly inspired by his surroundings and adventures. And he thrives on new chapters and creating unique projects to keep himself out of trouble. Scott started his working life as an advance person and assistant to a sitting United States Vice President. Later, he served as the creative director for a leading Washington think tank. That led to working directly for one of the richest men on Earth, conceiving and executing exclusive events for his billionaire friends. Tired of working for the man, Scott became a top-rated pop-culture podcaster and celebrity interviewer, while also dabbling in both the worlds of clothing manufacturing (creating his own baby clothes brand that was sold in over 300 stores nationwide) and retail sales, with his own well-received men's clothing store.


Always willing to lend a hand or donate what he can, he's an enthusiastic philanthropist, championing causes such as childhood bullying, animal adoption, and feeding the less fortunate. A wide-eyed world traveler, Scott has been to four continents, mostly by sea. While he loves exploring Europe and the Caribbean islands, it's the vast United States that he likes best. He's been to Alaska four times, Hawaii twice, and can't wait to explore the eight states he hasn't been to yet. Technically a Connecticut Yankee, Scott grew up in historic Williamsburg, Virginia, and lived for 25 years in the Washington, D.C. area, before recently discovering that the American West is where he is most at home. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada.


Learn more at www.rscottwallis.com.



28 comments:

  1. Another great book to discover. Thanks so much for sharing this with us.

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  2. Who is your favorite character in the book?

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    1. For some reason my favorite character was Leonard Little - the slacker deputy.

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    2. I love that you like Leonard—I like him, too. There’s a lot in store for him in the future. 😊

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  3. I love murder mysteries, and this sounds very intriguing!

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  4. This does sound like a good book with best friends Skyler and Brenda!

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  5. The author, R. Scott Wallis, wanted to leave a comment (or comments) on this review yesterday but he had technical issues using the comment box.

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  6. I found my way finally!! Thank you for hosting Nemesis this week.

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  7. This author sounds like one to read. I like finding new authors to read,thanks

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  8. I love the cover! Now I want lobster for dinner lol. Sounds like a good read.

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  9. Looks intriguing!

    --Trix

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  10. The cover is nice, and the story sounds like a good beginning to a new mystery series.

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  11. It sounds like a very exciting read.Thanks for sharing it.

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  12. I'm really excited to have another book to check out!

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  13. thanks this sounds like a very interesting book

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  14. Love a good mystery and wow what a great cover....

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  15. Ahh, thanks for the review, sounds like my kinda book: seafood & mystery!

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  16. all i wanna do is eat the cover lol i do love a good mystery though

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  17. The lobster on the cover is a creepy little bugger.

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