The Maine Nemesis

by R. Scott Wallis

It's murder, deception, and lobster rolls this summer on the Maine coast!



When Skyler Moore decides to spend the summer at her seaside cottage in Wabanaki, Maine, with her best friend—celebrity chef Brenda Braxton—they have no idea that murder will be on the menu. But women are turning up dead in the once sleepy village where nothing ever happens. With the residents up in arms and the rinky-dink police force overwhelmed, Skyler and her friends feel compelled to lend a hand to save the town they love so much.


Fiercely independent, insatiably curious, and always up for an adventure, public relations hotshot Skyler Moore is not a sleuth by trade, but mayhem often comes knocking as she and her friends visit the small towns and big cities of America.

"Reminiscent of Sophie Littlefield's BAD DAY series and Carl Hiaasen's work, THE MAINE NEMESIS blends humor and crime into a solid thriller." —Collin Parker, HubPages







This is the 'reduced use of foul language' version.

Books Two & Three, THE NEW MEXICO SCOUNDREL and THE NEVADA SABOTEUR, also available now. THE ALASKA SCALAWAG is coming May 2020.

286 pages, ebook

Published January 20, 2019

About the author

R. Scott Wallis is endlessly inspired by his surroundings and adventures. He’s a pop-culture podcaster, a serial entrepreneur, enthusiastic philanthropist, and wide-eyed world traveler. He grew up in Williamsburg, Virginia, and worked in Washington, D.C. for 25 years, then discovered that the American southwest is where he is most at home. When he’s not sailing on a cruise ship—or dreaming of happy summers spent in Maine—he lives in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Reviews

[B.J. Burgess · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Sherrie Cronin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Maine Nemesis is a crime novel set in New England, seasoned with plenty of small town intrigue and a lot of great cooking. You’ll absolutely want to have lobster for dinner before you are done reading the book.

Things I especially liked:

This is a well told story with a large cast of characters, all of whom have plausible and detailed pasts. The small town drama and the individual struggles ring true. Some of the back stories are pretty sad, actually, but they are realistic and they roll well into the greater plot.
I always find it fun when two female friends team up to accomplish something. The friendship between Skylar and Brenda, her childhood-friend-turned-cooking-show-celebrity, is the centerpiece of this novel.
The description of the food will put five pounds on you just reading it :). Seriously, it’s that good.

What did I struggled with?

One thing, basically, but it was a big thing. I tried, I really tried, to like the main character and her best friend, but while I appreciated their friendship, they seemed like two rich, spoiled, and shallow women inserting themselves into a local crime scene while complaining about how miserable it was to travel first class on a commercial airlines instead of by private jet.

I’m sure there are those who’d find Skylar and Brenda glamorous, and would enjoy their adventures all the more for their airs, but they didn’t work well for me.

None-the-less, I appreciate the author crafting a complex mystery and skillfully placing it in a setting that was fun to explore. I give this a 3.6 (and always round up) and I recommend the book to anyone who likes to read about amateur sleuths.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Maine Nemesis starts ‘R. Scott Wallis’ series, A Skyler Moore Thriller. I thought this was a pretty good read. It is full of suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat. It was fun finding out where Skyler and her friends will end up next.

I am giving The Maine Nemesis four stars. I look forward to see what happens in the second installment from A Skyler Moore Thriller series. I believe readers who enjoy a fast paced thriller, would enjoy this one.

I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

[Linda C. Brizendine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good start to a new series

I will look forward to more books from this author. This is a promising start to a new series. The book is interesting and the characters are fascinating. There were times in the book that it seems somewhat disjointed, but it all ties together fairly soon. I felt the ending could have been better, but I think the author shows promise and the stories will flow more smoothly. This is a good book and worth the read.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first in a series, the story introduced us to out main protagonist and other folks we will likely see again. This story builds a good basis of knowing who the characters are, and the story itself is exciting.

While the writing was contrived at times and there remained a few loose ends untied (there were many plot lines introduced), this was a great first book for a new writer. I’m excited to see where Skyler’s curiosity leads her next.

[Angela Colcock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't usually read thrillers so this was out of my element. This was an easy read and had lots of current elements to keep it lively. Great character development and variety of points of view. I thoually look forward to the future adventures of Skyler, and friends in the upcoming two novels due out this year.

[Josephine M Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just found a new favorite author

This delightful mystery was a complete surprise! The characters are lots of fun and you instantly fall in love with Skyler and Brenda. I really look forward to more from R Scott Wallis. Enjoy!

[Nancy E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced, fun read

This is a great beach day or rainy day read. The characters are interesting and well drawn, and the action moves forward at a brisk pace.