Given that he was a professional golfer, you might expect author John Mahaffey to write stories about things happening on golf courses: romances, murders, alien invasions in which the aliens are small, round, and easily dispatched by someone swinging a nine iron correctly…
But while golf does play a (small) role in the novels in his Nemesis Series, these books are actually cybercrime thrillers.
In the following email interview, Mahaffey talks about the newest installment, Hoodwinked (paperback, Kindle), and how it links (get it?) to the previous books in The Nemesis Series.
For people who haven’t read any of the earlier books, what is The Nemesis Series about, and when and where do these stories take place?
Hoodwinked is the continuation of the McCall family’s quest for true justice against the criminal element on an international playing field.
Following his return from World War II, Mac McCall packed up his wife Molly and son Trey and moved from San Antonio, Texas to a dilapidated parcel of land Mac inherited from his father halfway between Nacogdoches and Dallas. Realizing their dream after years of backbreaking labor, they turned what was once nothing more than scrub brush and rattlesnakes into one of the most successful ranches in the country. Their son Trey became the talk of the professional golf world. The American dream was alive and well. Until the sinister motives of the agent they hired to manage their son’s career came to light. The McCalls could lose everything unless they came up with a miracle and Nemesis was born — a worldwide cybercrime fighting operation.
And then, for people who have read the earlier books in The Nemesis Series, and can thus ignore me writing SPOILER ALERT, what is Hoodwinked about, and when does it take place in relation to the previous Nemesis novel, Blindsided?
Hoodwinked matches the innovative savvy of Nemesis director Liz McCall Lonagon against a long time adversary hell-bent to take her down along with a pair of Liz’s finest agents.
When in relation to writing the other books in The Nemesis Series did you come up with the idea for Hoodwinked, and what inspired this fifth book’s plot?
Hoodwinked was a natural progression from the ending in Blindsided. Having been caught off guard in Blindsided, Nemesis Director Liz McCall Lonagon turns the tables in Hoodwinked.
Which makes me think that Hoodwinked is not the best place to start reading The Nemesis Series.
Seeing as each book carries over to the next, it’s best to read the Nemesis books in order: Shafted, Unfinished Business, Dead Quiet, Blindsided, followed by Hoodwinked.
The previous books in The Nemesis Series were all cybercrime thrillers. Is it safe to assume Hoodwinked is as well?
All the books in The Nemesis Series are cybercrime thrillers, including Hoodwinked. Though there’s plenty of mystery and suspense with twists and turns sprinkled in to keep the readers on their toes.
Are there any writers, or specific stories, that had a big influence on Hoodwinked, but not on anything else you’ve written?
There wasn’t anything out of the ordinary that influenced my thought process in Hoodwinked. Each of the McCall clan who assumed the directorship of Nemesis established a legacy others could build upon. Just like her predecessors, Liz was no different and fearlessly displayed to the world that she was the real deal. It was in the McCall blood.
What about non-literary influences; was Hoodwinked influenced by any movies, TV shows, or games?
Not at all.
As we’ve been discussing, Hoodwinked is the fifth book in The Nemesis Series. But is this an ongoing series, or is Hoodwinked the fifth installment of, say, a five book series or an eight book series or something like that?
Currently, I’m working on book six with plans to write more. I’ve found for me, it’s best not to set limits. Writing opens up a new world of opportunities every day and keeps my mind active and productive.
A moment ago you said Hoodwinked hadn’t been influenced by any movies, TV shows, or games. But do you think Hoodwinked — and, in fact, the rest of the Nemesis series — could work as a series of movies, a TV show, or a game?
There is no doubt in my mind that The Nemesis Series would make a wonderful movie or TV series. Many of my readers have actually suggested that to me. I’m certainly not opposed to it.
So, is there anything else you think potential readers need to know about Hoodwinked and The Nemesis Series?
If you believe in karma, Hoodwinked and The Nemesis Series is a must.
Finally, if someone enjoys Hoodwinked — and, presumedly, the other books in The Nemesis Series — what cybercrime thriller of someone else’s would you suggest they check out?
The way I see it there is no one better in the cybercrime suspense genre than Lee Child and his Reacher series. Every one of his books is a masterpiece, it would be hard to single one out.
