I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for this honest review. I have read several DeMille novels and while not my favorite this was still N enjoyable read. The John Corey character is one of my favorites so I was looking forward to reading this one. I found the pacing a bit slower than usual making it a difficult slow read. The action was slow to develop and I thought the suspense I usually get was lacking. Sorry but not one of my favorites.

While I loved Plum Island, my first experience with the irreverent John Corey, The Maze was sadly not anywhere near as interesting, captivating, or funny. The misogynistic internal comments stopped being funny and were increasingly crass and annoying. The mystery itself (based on a true as yet unsolved serial murderer) meandered everywhere, and the conclusion was “Meh.” Perhaps it is time for Mr DeMille to rest on the laurels of his prior novels.

"The Maze" by Nelson DeMille was a challenging read for me. Despite the promising premise and DeMille's reputable storytelling, I struggled to fully immerse myself in the narrative. Over time, I managed to finish it, appreciating its moments of intrigue and craftsmanship, but it didn't captivate me as hoped.

It took me awhile to finish this one. It was a good story just not really one for me but I can see why others would like it

I say this a lot, but I had no clue what to expect from The Maze by Nelson DeMille. I love going into books blind, because I feel like I have a better experience with the book.

Because of that, I had no clue that I was reading the 8th book in a series. Because of that, there were several things mentioned in the book that had happened previously in the series. Unfortunately for Nelson, this book didn't make me want to read the rest of the books. I just didn't like the MC enough to want to read more about him.

Main Characters who are kind of snarky and rude can be fun. I think Nelson was trying to channel John McClane from Die Hard a little too much. I didn't hate the book, but I also didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped I would. If I choose to recommend it, I will add the following caveat: Start with book one in the series, because if you start with book 8, like I did, you may not know what's going on. I, personally, don't like being confused, and not starting with book one was a little too confusing.

"The Maze" by Nelson DeMille presents a gripping narrative inspired by real-life events, following the pursuit of a serial killer targeting sex workers. John, the main character, infuses the story with his sarcastic wit, adding a layer of humor that resonates from the first chapter, providing a refreshing tone amidst the darkness.

Despite being part of a series, the book adeptly provides enough backstory for standalone reading, ensuring new readers can immerse themselves in the plot seamlessly. However, the "lovey-dovey" scenes feel contrived and overly sentimental, diminishing the overall intensity of the narrative. Furthermore, the story occasionally feels drawn out and excessively verbose, testing the reader's patience as the plot unfolds.

As John delves deeper into the investigation, suspicions arise regarding the local police's failure to solve the mystery, hinting at darker forces at play. While the book offers moments of intrigue and humor, its pacing and verbosity may deter readers seeking a more streamlined thriller experience.

I have never read any of Nelson Demille’s best selling novels, and after reading The Maze, I am not inclined to read any others in the future. This work in the John Coerynseries centers on the retired NYPD detective’s investigation into a series of murders inspired by the real-life Gilgo Beach murders. The book is repetitive and the action drags. Although he has impressive investigative skills, the main character is an offensive misogynist who spews crude, sexist humor. I had difficulty finishing the book.

I am a DeMille fan but his book was a big disappointment. The storyline started with promise. It was enough to make me want to keep reading. The threat of action i.e. the Russians were after John and he had to carry a gun. Speaking of mazes, his love life and history of women was a winner. As the story slowly unfolded, it became difficult to track. By Chapter 5 I became bored. There was no closure in his personal life i.e. his marriage to Kate, which was mentioned frequently. The ending was predictable. The basement and the chase in the maze – before it happened I knew who his enemies were. I hope his next book will bring us back to the old DeMille style.

Like very book I've ever read that Nelson De Mille wrote, this one was 5 stars all the way. One of the best authors I've ever found!

A good read for fans of action-packed thrillers with a humorous twist. This book is a fast-paced ride through the world of an ex-cop with a knack for solving crimes in his own unique style.

Thank you to NetGalley, Scribner and author Nelson DeMille for the opportunity to review the advance copy of this book.

Book Review: The Maze by Nelson DeMille

The Maze is book eight in the John Corey series. In this novel John Corey is in his uncle’s beach house again recovering from wounds he received in his last investigation when he’s approached about assisting with a local case.

The Maze finds John Corey recovering from wounds he received in the line of duty. He is currently between wives and girlfriends after wife number two moved to Washington D.C. and his affair with his former partner fizzled out after their case ended. Now he’s on three-quarter disability and recovering in Uncle’s Harry’s beach house while he contemplates his next move. When former girlfriend Detective Beth Penrose and local chief Sylvester Maxwell hear he is in town they immediately corner him about helping with a local murder and corruption case involving a private investigation firm. John’s mission is to infiltrate the group made up of ex-law enforcement to find out the extent of their crimes and their connection to the deaths of sex workers.

Let me preface this by saying I’m a John Corey Superfan. I’ve read the entire series and I’ve loved all of them but in The Maze he barely resembles the character I’ve loved for the previous seven books. It’s like ChatGP took a bunch of Nelson DeMille books and dated frat boy jokes used them both to create more than 400 pages of total nonsense. When I say the jokes are dated and unfunny let’s just say there is a “Bermuda triangles” joke about nude beaches that is the peak level of humor. Literally nothing happens in the first eighteen chapters except a baffling second chance romance with the detective Beth Penrose (he dumped her for wife #2 and she literally never mentions it) and there isn’t even a inkling about what he’s supposed to be investigating until the book is almost at the halfway mark. The book would have been so much better if it was just a short story that took place the last fifteen percent of the book because that’s where all the good stuff happens. The pacing, mystery and action are poorly laid out and the whole thing just seems like an excuse to get John into two sexual relationships at the same time plus hang out with strippers.

There is very little to recommend about this book. Read the previous seven and pretend this one doesn’t exist.

Read The Maze a while ago and forgot to add a review. First book I’ve read by this author and found the book to be well written, fast paced and believable. The main characters have a past and need to work together to solve and expose the criminals behind murders, disappearances and possibly drug dealing and trafficking. Well worth the read.

I really disliked this book. I can't believe I finished it. I will not be reading another Nelson DeMille book. I will not be writing a public review--I was not the audience for this book.

This seemed to be out of character for the previous books in the series. In this book, I found the main character to be quite sexist. The main character seemed to be just a jerk. Instead of having snappy and quick humor, I found it tacky and a little crude. The story seemed to move slowly since it was pretty obvious who the culprits were, so the book centered on getting evidence for a conviction.

Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for letting me read this for an honest review.

This was a fun and exciting read. The banter is excellent and the humor is unmatched. I really enjoyed it

In my opinion, this is one of his least well written books. The stories seem to falter in many areas, and some of the humor was questionable.

I tried so hard with this one, but it felt cobbled together and I could not really folllow the story.

I have enjoyed Demille's John Cory book. They are not filled with death and mayhem, yet Cory is a likeable character, and the story line holds one's interest.

I have been a long time fan of Nelson DeMille and his character John Corey. His sarcastic humor and jokes always made me feel like he would be a funny man to have as a friend to drink beer with but not marriage material. Have loved every one of the books in the series until “The Maze.” The jokes were tasteless. The amount of sexism including “women’s work” by the employees and “hired entertainment” at night was disgusting. The fact that the main character was married and going through a divorce while living with a woman he supposedly loved but fully enjoyed an assistance’s “entertainment” during the work day was disappointing at best. The actual plot of the story became lost for me based on all of the other happenings.I don’t know if the character of John Corey will ever be able to come back from this one for me, sadly. #NetGalley

Wow! I forgot how much i love Nelson DeMille and John Corey. This book was like an old friend - a politically incorrect one but surely we all have one of those in our lives. This book took me back to the days of Plum Island, The General’s Daughter, and The Lion’s Game (two parts made it even better)! I would definitely recommend all the books DeMille has written. This one was a little harder. It’s been awhile since I’ve read one of his tomes, and the world has certainly changed, especially when it comes to how women are treated. It didn’t make me put the book down, but it did make me think a little harder about how necessary this part was to the plot. And without giving anything away, it made perfect sense in the end. I can proudly give it five stars not only for the entertainment value but for how women were respected. If you’ve never read DeMille, I’d recommend you take a chance. Start with one of his early books like Plum Island or The Charm School. I promise you won’t regret it.