It's another masterpiece from Nelson DeMille. Although not the first book featuring retired NYC police detective, John Corey, it's the first one I have been able to read. I wasn't disappointed.

I think my favorite part of the book is the sarcasm and wit of the main character. John Corey is a very jaded man. He's been around the block with the NYPD, the FBI, the CIA and a bunch of other acronyms. He's still being hunted by the Russian intelligence agency.

But despite these distractions, John is always ready to help out an old friend. Especially if she is an attractive woman. He agrees to help out an old love, Detective Sergeant Beth Penrose. She wants him to go undercover to flush out a private investigation firm that is the front for blackmail, corruption, and murder.. Thinking with other body parts than his brain, Corey agrees to do it.

If you like gritty suspense, this is the book for you.

The Maze is the latest installment in DeMille’s John Corey series. These are contemporary detective stories. In this book, John is recently retired from his job in federal law enforcement. He’s enjoying some downtime at his uncle’s summer house when he’s approached by an old flame and a job offer with a private investigation firm.

Sometimes it doesn’t work to jump into a series in the middle, but DeMille does a decent job of catching a reader up with John’s history without getting too bogged down. I never felt like I was missing anything about the protagonist/narrator that would have helped the story.

Although DeMille is a prolific author, I had never read any of his books before. I didn’t realize what I was getting into.

Let’s just say that John Corey is portrayed as “a man’s man” and a “cop’s cop.” He’s a hyper-masculine, chauvinistic character with a fair number of ex-wives and ex-girlfriends in his wake. He rebels against authority and is a smart-ass. He’s borderline belligerent and obviously objectifies women. And yet somehow, this man keeps getting women to sleep with him.

So I had a hard time getting into this book because I really did not like John Corey. But the mystery that is set up was intriguing enough to keep me reading, hoping John would grow on me. Spoiler alert: he didn’t.

John is entangled in an off-the-books investigation of a private investigation firm that smells of corruption. He gets hired on as a consultant at the firm and quickly alienates most everyone there, compromises the investigation, and nearly gets himself killed.

In the process, he does help uncover some crimes, though the book ends so suddenly that the reader isn’t given concrete answers on some of the book’s biggest mysteries.

This book was a miss for me, though I have to give DeMille credit for creating an intriguing mystery, a plausible conspiracy, and establishing backstory without overwhelming a reader new to the series.

Let me start by saying this is the first book I have ever read by the author Nelson DeMille. I understand this is the eighth installment of the John Corey series. Even though I knew this was a series, most authors weave in part of the past so it doesn't impact its readability. This book was one of those times that I should have read the earlier books to fully appreciate this story.
The story plot is based on a real mystery of murders that were never solved. This was the sole reason I chose this book. I do think the plot was a good start, but I felt the story seemed to go off the rails before it got started. John Corey's character was a little offensive to me. I am not a prude and read a lot of different types of books. I just feel this guy was a bit "over the top". in his references to body parts or women in general (unfortunately we have all met one of these guys) I did like his odd humor to a point, but by the end it wasn't humorous. I had a hard time trying to keep reading since it took so long for John to start his new job. Beth didn't seem to have much going on except having John on the brain. Period. The other characters or bad guys needed more background for me to hate them. Insinuation of something bad doesn't make them bad. There were some twists, but nothing you don't see coming. Once I got to the end, I felt let down with the wrap up. I expected an epilogue or some sort of closure. No, it wasn't there.
If you have read this series up until here, I think you will enjoy it more. This is just my opinion, but I won't be reading more of this series. I appreciate having the opportunity to try Nelson DeMille's works.
#NetGalley
#TheMaze

THE MAZE by Nelson DeMille (Scribner, October 11, 2022 release date) Kindle edition, 448 pages. ASIN # B08LFTRTNX

Synopsis on the Goodreads website . . . . .

#1 New York Times bestselling author Nelson DeMille returns with his best thriller yet featuring former homicide detective John Corey who is called out of retirement to investigate a string of searing, grisly murders that take place a little too close to home.

In his dazzling #1 bestseller, Plum Island, Nelson DeMille introduced you to NYPD Homicide Detective John Corey, who we first meet sitting on the back porch of his uncle’s waterfront estate on Long Island, convalescing from wounds incurred in the line of duty. A visit from the local Chief of Police results in the legendary Detective Corey becoming involved in the investigation of the murders of a married couple who were scientists at the top-secret biological research facility on Plum Island.

Fast forward through six bestselling John Corey novels and The Maze opens with Corey on the same porch, but now in forced retirement from his last job as a Federal Agent with the Diplomatic Surveillance Group. Corey is restless and looking for action, so when his former lover in Plum Island, Detective Beth Penrose, appears with a job offer, Corey has to once again make some decisions about his stalled career—and about reuniting with Beth Penrose.

Inspired by, and based on the actual and still unsolved Gilgo Beach murders, The Maze takes you on a dangerous hunt for an apparent serial killer who has murdered nine—and maybe more—prostitutes and hidden their bodies in the thick undergrowth on a lonely stretch of beach.

As Corey digs deeper into this case, which has made national news, he comes to suspect that the failure of the local police to solve this sensational case may not be a result of their inexperience and incompetence—it may be something else. Something more sinister.

The Maze features John Corey’s politically incorrect humor, matched by his brilliant and unorthodox investigative skills along with the surprising and shocking plot twists that are the trademark of the #1 New York Times bestselling author, Nelson DeMille.

My Four-Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .

John Corey is not your typical detective fiction character, which is one of the many reasons why this novel held my attention and kept me going. It's the eighth book featuring Nelson DeMille's character-with-swagger, and my first experience with him. I'm interested enough to read more especially PLUM ISLAND, which is referenced throughout THE MAZE.

THE MAZE takes an incredibly long time to get Corey involved in the main investigation and even longer for any real action to occur. This is not a fast-paced book that will have readers giving up leisure time or staying up late in order to finish it. Rather, it's a slow, slow burn that takes time to develop and introduce all the players and show character reveals/insights. THE MAZE is dialogue-heavy. If you're looking for a thriller, you'll have to hang around until about 85% through the novel.

That enabled me to read this at my leisure, in small several-chapter-at-a-time doses, and I found the experience refreshing compared to other books I've recently read in the crime fiction genre. On the downside, THE MAZE is a bit repetitive and could benefit from some editing/trimming.

It was the promise of action in the early chapters of the book (various criminals looking to locate Corey and exact revenge/murder) and the inherent danger/risk in his new assignment that kept me reading on. Then, it became the mostly humorous first-person narration that really spotlighted the arrogant, smart-ass, quick-witted rapier that Corey is. His descriptions of each scene and sharing of his innermost thoughts (sometimes what he'd prefer to say to another character but doesn't) kept me turning the pages.

I don't know if Corey reveals as much of his sexual longings and often misogynistic tendencies in the other novels, but that was the one thing that I could have appreciated less of in THE MAZE. There is a good amount of sex in the storyline itself due to the nature of the unscrupulous enterprise that Cory is investigating. Yet, it's his irrelevant attitude towards authority, the bending of the rules, his often ill-timed insults, and tendency to take extreme chances that endeared him to me. Sure, I'll read more John Corey and more Nelson DeMille.

I received an advance review copy through NetGalley and wrote this review without obligation.

A Million Sex Jokes and Real Murders

From the very first page, we are smothered in flippant and facetious dialogue. The novel is told in the first person, and he is ex-N.Y.P.D. detective and most recently ex-federal agent. He is John Corey who has sarcastic and lewd remarks in every thought or outright conversation. In the beginning, I liked being in Corey’s head the whole time, but then it became tedious and draining.

The initial setting is in the Hamptons. John is staying at his uncle’s home. He has been injured in the line of duty and is convalescing. He has a history of multiple marriages and seems to be avoiding the Russians. He meets up again with Detective Beth Penrose (previous lover) who suggests a job as a Private Investigator at a firm called Security Solutions.

He interviews for the job; the reader is obliged to wait until almost a quarter of the book for this meeting with the head of this Private Eye firm. Like a maze, the plot has twisting paths and sex escapades with his “pocket rocket.” Emissions are accomplished whether the reader is interested or not; one must keep reading to discover the actual crime involving killings of sex workers and corruption in law enforcement – no surprises there.

And all the time Detective Corey had been an adjunct professor at John Jay College. Really? If you have not read any other DeMille book, not to worry, this is a standalone novel.

My gratitude to NetGalley and Scribner for this pre-published book. All opinions expressed are my own.

First, I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book ahead of its publishing date, 10/11/22.

This book was not for me at all. I love a good thriller and I'm not opposed to crude humor at all. I found John, the main character, to be very childish and egotistic. Liking or not liking a character doesn't make or break a book. But with this one in particular, being that it was written in first person, it was hard to escape his internal thoughts.

He is a sexist and very inappropriate. I'm not sure how him being that way played into the plot or story at all.

I was excited to read this knowing it was based off real life events. I was hoping to see more of that play out than John's thoughts.

This was my first book by this author.

I cannot say that I would recommend this book to my friends, or my followers based off my experience.

I appreciate the opportunity to review The Maze and am grateful for the opportunity.

With his dirty mind and a potty mouth, John Corey revisits an old romance and comes out of retirement – again – in The Maze, the eighth in the series, by Nelson DeMille. Corey becomes suspicious when both Elizabeth “Beth” Penrose, homicide detective for the Suffolk County Police, and Sylvester “Max” Maxwell, the police chief of Southold, want him to reactivate as a PI with a private security firm.

This novel is based on real-life unsolved murders. The reader is taken on an adventure for a serial killer responsible for the “Giglio Murders. By author Nelson DeMelle. The ups and downs and spiraling plot twists are just like going through a “maze”—always leading you to an exit point but never quite getting you there. Since I’m a DeMele fan, I was very familiar with the main character John Corey, an unconventional, humorous defunct Federal Agent. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

When I read the description of The Maze, it interested me, and having never read anything by Nelson DeMille, I was intrigued enough to request an e-galley of the latest in the John Corey series. While the book is 8th in the series, it is easily read as a standalone, and after finishing it, I plan to start with Plum Island to read the entire series.

John Corey, is not the most modern of men, in fact he is a bit of an egotistical jerk, with the maturity of a middle school boy. His sarcastic humor is not for everyone, though if you can get past a somewhat less than lovable main character, the story is quite enjoyable. It was, perhaps, more predictable than some detective/police procedurals, but I did not mind that aspect, even liked that I had figured out the twist.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, and I find John Corey to be a different enough detective character to bring some freshness to my reading of the genre.

John Corey, the wise-cracking former NYPD detective is back in the newest book from Nelson DeMille - The Maze.

"Corey is relaxing at his uncle's house on Long Island when a former girlfriend, Beth Penrose, who happens to be the homicide detective for the county, convinces him to take a job working for locally-based Security Solutions as a Private Investigator. . She's convinced they are tied to multiple murders and local corruption. Corey has to decide if he's going to do things Beth's way...or go in and blow everything up right away. Well. you know Corey..."

Fans of John Corey will be glad to see him back. You wonder at times how someone that doesn't appear to take life seriously could ever solve a crime. But Corey knows how to get to the heart of what's going on and is always willing to shake things up. So much of Corey's wit and sarcasm is in his head but it's still hilarious.

Some familiar faces from the Plum Island case and new characters for Corey to torment.

With a title like The Maze and a hedge maze right next to the office, you know things will be happening there. And DeMille gives us our crazy Corey ending with a bit of a surprise .

If you're looking for obnoxious humor and wit with your crime fiction, Corey is your man.

I have been reading the John Corey series on and off for years after first being hooked by Plum Island. I have always enjoyed the fast paced and timely story lines as well as John Corey’s antics and humor. However, this time around I could barely make it through the book. The set up for the story took about half the book and the second half left a lot to be desired. The characters were basic and not very interesting and neither was the story line. John Corey also came off as crude and offensive rather than funny. Corey may have outlived his relevance, I found him inappropriate in the current political climate. This one just wasn’t for me.
Thank you to NetGalley for the arc.

John Corey, retired NYPD Homicide detective injured in the line of duty, sits on the back porch of his uncle’s waterfront home in Long Island. John has most recently been employed (and “on leave”) as a federal agent from the Diplomatic Surveillance Group (DSG), also having done a stint in between as a federal agent with the ATTF. He is visited by his former lover, Homicide Detective Sergeant Beth Penrose of the Yaphank PD, who wants John to meet with their mutual friend, Chief Sylvester “Max” Maxwell, head of the Southold Police Department in Long Island. They are working together to convince John to take a job as a PI with the company “Security Solutions,” strongly recommending he accept. Hiding in LI due to the death threats from the Russian SVR (as a result of his work with the DSG), he is very unsure of his position on both taking this new job (the last thing he wants) and getting reacquainted and possibly reconnecting with his former girlfriend. As he ponders why, he realizes that there is a copious amount of information they must be withholding from him. He agrees to take the job as a trial for the summer, having figured out why Beth and Max were so persistent. Apparently, there is a current unsolved murder of at least nine prostitutes whose bodies were found, unceremoniously dropped in the overgrowth of a fairly deserted portion of the beach. John, known for solving the unsolvable (and also for doing everything his way instead of listening to instruction), goes below the surface, and what he finds instead of police incompetence is something much more disturbing.

Nelson DeMille is an incredibly compelling and persuasive author. His banter and patterns of speech for each of the colorful and complex characters is spot on. I can close my eyes, picture the exact setting, and distinguish who is speaking from DeMille’s masterful illustration as though the scene was playing live in front of me. I enjoyed “The Maze” from the first few words (Corey: “You can’t drink all day unless you start in the morning.”) to the stunning conclusion. Corey operates with the assistance of his determination, grit, instinct, and penis. I laughed many times with Corey’s explanation of his decisions based on afterglow. Over all, “The Maze” is an exciting police/crime procedural all the way through, exciting and full of twists. John Corey had it all figured out, always a step ahead of those involved and the entire situation…or was he? Please do yourself the favor of reading Nelson DeMille. I promise you will not be disappointed.

I’d like to thank NetGalley, Nelson DeMille, and Scribner for the ability to read and review this ARC.

In the world of mystery/police procedural there is absolutely no one who can fill the writing shoes of Nelson DeMille and the FBI/NYPD Homocide detective/ATTF/DSG (Diplomatic Service Group)/John Jay college lecturer John Corey. Believe me, this series is enough of a treat, but add Scott Brick as Narrator and you've hit a home run.

I have read almost everything by Nelson DeMille and read or listened to the entire John Corey/the Panther series. Every one of the books will keep you on the edge of your seat.

No one can set up a book from "chapter one" to "the end" as well as Mr. DeMille. If someone asks what I am reading when it's by Nelson DeMille, there is always a conversation because they have read his books and the next time you see them you are instant friends.

The Maze is spine tingling scary. John's ex wants help for an unofficial task brought together by FBI to solve what appears to be a serial killer organization. Of course John goes off in his free flying way and you have to wonder for the last 20 percent of the book who comes out alive.

#SimonAndSchuster #AJohnCoreyNovel #TheMaze

This wasn't the best novel in the John Corey series but I still enjoyed it. if you like hard-boiled detective fiction, with a politically incorrect, wise-cracking, chauvinist detective, a fast moving plot this is a quick read. Recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for an advanced reader copy.

John Corey…has an extensive history with military-based jobs, currently residing at his Uncle Harry’s summer house. Corey has worked for many different entities and and in all of them he has accumulated enemies. Now a former partner offers him the chance to work “simple” jobs. The more he becomes involved the more his gut tells him something is not right. The story kind of dragged on for me and I was unable to spark up my usual enthusiasm p, but that is just my opinion.

The Maze by Nelson DeMille is a so-so thriller.

There is a lot of retelling of events in Corey's past as found in previous novels. This is helpful to new readers, but the recounting of his past activities went on too long and needed to be edited down to a more manageable summary in the narrative with repetition eliminated. This is also a slow moving novel and takes way-too-long to actually pick up the pace. While some of Corey's constant quips and jokes are funny, all of the constant sexual jokes, thoughts, crude comments, etc. became tiring after, perhaps ten pages. All of the subsequent sexual jokes and comments were just annoy and grating. If non-sexual sarcastic comments, jokes, and observations were the majority with the sexual comments very sparingly thrown in, it would have made the novel much more satisfying - along with less retelling of Corey's past escapades. I managed to make myself finish this novel and the plot doesn't get good until the very end.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Scribner via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Google Books, Edelweiss, and Amazon.

I was disappointed by this book. John Corey is at loose ends following his forced retirement as a federal agent. A former NYPD detective, injured in the line of duty and on three quarters disability, John is a danger junkie, so when he is approached by an old flame with a proposal that he go undercover as a CI in the off-the-books investigation that may involve corruption at the highest levels of law enforcement on Long Island, he's in. This is supposed to be a thriller, but the only action comes at the very end of the book. The rest (and it's not a short story) is spent setting up what a stud John is and who all the players are in the case. To me, a lot of it seemed repetitive, and for a successful detective and agent, Corey's actions relative to the case didn't seem very realistic since they made him seem naive, at best, or dumb at worst. And if you don't like foul language or gratuitous sex, this is not the book for you.

Do you miss the opposite-of-feminist writing of Mickey Spillane? Do you think Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein were unfairly targeted? If so, I have a book for you. The Maze harkens back to a long-ago time when men were men and women were only good for one thing.

John Corey is an ex-NYPD detective who is also an unmitigated pig (at least from a woman’s perspective). He was obviously asleep throughout the #metoo movement. The Maze will automatically alienate half its audience. Even the other (male) half will find the mystery not up to Nelson Demille’s 1980/90s standards. Such a disappointment! 2 stars.

Thanks to Scribner and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

I am so sorry to say that I did not like this book, because I loved everything else I've ever read by Nelson Demille. Naturally, I was excited to receive an ARC from Net Galley - but shortly into the book I realized this one was not going to meet my expectations. I had read other John Corey novels, and enjoyed his saracastic humor. I
even liked him. But in The Maze his character was so outrageously macho and sexist, I couldn't stand him. I also found it very slow. I usually read about a book a week and this one took me nearly three weeks to finish. The plot was okay, but it took until more than 40% through to get to the point of the story. I found so much of it repetitive - especially Corey's secondary comments to the readers. If he had left those out the book would have been 100 pages shorter. I was hoping that the ending would offer some redemption, but the final action sequence was way too long. Then there were too many twists that it just got complicated and I didn't find it satisfying. I think I will go back and read an older Demille book now to remind myself what a great writer he really is.

Thoughts:
We follow Ex Cop John Cory who seems to live life by his own rules as
He tries to solve a big case. This story will leave you guessing a lot it also has a bit of everything mystery, murder, sex, romance and a good detective story.