Review: Service Before Self by Tegon Maus

Teddyrose@1

10 years ago

Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing (February 24, 2015)
Category: Mystery/Thriller/Suspense
Tour Date: May/June, 2015
Available in: ebook, 154 Pages

A recent transplant to Southern California, Toby Grant has landed his dream job. He’s a service tech for Handy Dandy Services—the premier handyman service in the southland.

Things don’t go well for Toby on the first day when he is teamed up with Ryan Burnell, a twenty year veteran of Handy Dandy. Toby quickly learns the hardships of being Ryan’s partner, and finds himself in one uncomfortable situation after another.

In an effort to understand his new partner, Toby accidentally uncovers Ryan’s unsavory past involvement with drugs, burglary and other things he shouldn’t know about. He also learns that Ryan’s last partner of five years—Delsin Honaw— had been murdered…stabbed twenty-seven times.

Haunted by one misunderstanding after another, Toby learns the true meaning of the company’s motto—“Service before Self.”

Praise for ‘Service Before Self’ by Tegon Maus:

“From eccentric waste billionaires and very flirtatious women, to unbelievable roach problems and ghosts in the attic, Toby’s numerous adventures in this book will make you laugh repeatedly, however, be aware some will also make your skin crawl. And, all the while poor Toby has to follow the deadpan instructions both gestures and verbal of the reluctant Ryan and do his bidding at a flick of a coin.

This story is not only a very funny, if cringe worthy insight into the working day of company representatives, and what sometimes they see when entering other people’s homes; but also an extremely gripping thriller in parts as Ryan is pulled back, yet again, into the world of drugs he left behind five years previously.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading every page of this story and would happily recommend it as a brilliantly entertaining book.”-Susan Keefe, Book Reviews by Susan Keefe

Praise for Tegon Maus’s ‘Bob’:

Whether or not you believe the outcome, there is no denying that you will have great fun reading this very enjoyable science fiction story. It has all the essential components, good characters, a great plot and plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing, right up until the end.”- Susan Keefe, Book Reviews by Susan Keefe

“I love Bob! And I love Bob. Both the character and the book left me wishing for more. Bob, the character is great. His character had me cracking up for most of the book. Not that Bob is trying to be funny. It’s just that he is. And Bob the book is better because of Bob the character.

Whenever a problem arises, Bob tells Pete not to worry….he’s “got cousin.”

This book is great. You will be both laughing during and enthralled by the story. The characters are perfectly written and the dialog is wonderful. The way the story flows keeps you reading quickly and you’ll find yourself at the end of Bob way too soon. The story is a must read for any sci-fi lovers, but even if you aren’t a sci-fi person, you’ll enjoy the story….mostly because of Bob.”- Christy M., Christy’s Cozy Corners

“Bob is science fiction but it is also suspenseful and funny. The characters are delightful. Bob, the man helping Peter (for a cost), is one of a kind. He’s not only funny and overbearing but he always comes through. He always has a “cousin” who can help them out. Emma is also unique as well as mysterious and Peter and Bob feel they need to help her.

I was actually surprised at the end which is always good. I definitely recommend Bob. It has a little bit of everything: science fiction, humor, adventure, and suspense.”- Dawn, Bound For Escape

“There’s lots of action in Bob and the story will hold your interest from beginning to end. It’s an easy book to sit down with and read late into the night with.

I thoroughly enjoyed Bob’s cousins, from the black-skinned cousin to the Italian cousin that spoke only Italian yet seemed to answer Peter in English every question. I thought that the plot was plausible and the characters were realistic.”-Kathryn Svendsen, Shelf Full of Books

My Thoughts on ‘Service Before Self’ by Tegon Maus:

It’s Toby Grant’s first day of work as a serve technician with Handy Dandy Services. He is assigned to work with Ryan, who has been working for them for a long time. Ryan does not hold back on how he feels about training in a new person and takes it out on Toby. He has Toby do all of the most disgusting, dirtiest jobs there are.

Ryan seems to know most of the clients and treats them like normal, everyday people. However, they are some of the quirkiest people Toby has come across. However, Ryan keeps reminding Toby of the company motto, “service before self.”

Ryan brings Toby on a wild adventure through people’s houses you could ever imagine and all through it, he had to remain professional.

‘Service Before Self’ had me in tears from laughing so hard. It is the funniest thriller I have ever read and I mean that in a very good way. In fact, if you happen to suffer from depression or just need some laughter therapy, I prescribe ‘Service Before Self’ to you. Highly recommended!

5/5

I received the ebook for my honest review.

About Tegon Maus:

Tegon Maus was raised pretty much the same as everyone else… devoted mother, strict father and all the imaginary friends he could conjure. Not that he wasn’t friendly, he just wasn’t “people orientated”. Maybe he lived in his head way more than he should have, maybe not. He liked machines more than people, at least he did until I met his wife.

The first thing he can remember writing was for her. For the life of him he can’t remember what it was about… something about dust bunnies under the bed and monsters in my closet. It must have been pretty good because she married him shortly after that. He spent a good number of years chasing other dreams before he got back to writing.

It wasn’t a deliberate conscious thought, it was more of a stepping stone. His wife and himself had joined a dream interpret group and we were encouraged to write down our dreams as they occurred. “Be as detailed as you can,” we were told.

He was thrilled. If there is one thing he enjoys it’s making people believe him and he likes to exaggerate. Not a big exaggeration or an outright lie mind you, just a little step out of sync, just enough so you couldn’t be sure if it were true or not. When he writes, he always write with the effort of “it could happen” very much in mind and nothing, he guarantees you, nothing, makes him happier.

He has consistently placed in the top 3 in 189 writing contest in a variety of genres and has been featured in magazines a couple of times to raise money for Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

Tegon Maus Website: http://www.tegonmaus.com/#!
Author on Tirgearr Website: http://tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Maus_Tegon/

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