3.5 ⭐
I've debated what to rate The Maze, the 8th John Corey novel, for a couple of weeks. I'm still kind of wishy-washy so it'll probably change again but I wanted to get this out to the masses. John Corey, former NYPD Homicide detective, has had lots of jobs and labels but for the time being he's "retired." Corey is living in his uncle's place resting, when he is besieged by local detective, and former lover, to start working at a P.I. firm to give him something to do. Concurrently, the bodies of prostitutes are being uncovered in the saltmarshes. Corey smells something fishy and not knowing who to trust, Corey does what he does best: sticking his nose where it doesn't belong and pissing everyone off in order to give justice to the murdered women.

Nelson DeMille is a legend who wrote maybe my favorite espionage thriller, The Charm School. Sadly,The Maze is not one of his best. Corey, if you are not familiar, is juvenile, brash, funny, and can be a lot to take. Demille's Corey is also smart, both intellectually and street, and a pig. Because I have a ten year old's sense of humor I laughed out loud many times but was at times too much for even me. My biggest gripe with The Maze is the number of time Corey says, "right". If you deleted all the times "right" is mentioned, the book would probably be 10 pages shorter.

The Maze might have been a bigger hit if is was published 30 years earlier. However, today it feels a bit out-of-touch. The Maze might not be for everyone but fans of John Corey will be excited to for another adventure and to feel a sense of nostalgia.

My sincere thanks to Nelson, DeMille, Scribner and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of The Maze!

I received a free copy from NetGalley. The main character, who narrates the story, tells you a lot of what he is thinking. Most of it is crude, sexist, and not fit for polite company. What he says out loud is just as bad. Sorry, this author is not for me.

The Maze is the eighth book in the John Corey series and my first Nelson DeMille book. I can honestly say I absolutely enjoyed it.

The main character is John Corey. He's a retired NYPD detective and an ex-Federal operative who thinks very fondly of himself, which brings about a lot of humor in this book. He's had quite a few women in his life, but keeping a relationship is not an easy thing for him. He hooks up with one of his exes who ends up getting him involved with a detective agency that has some suspicious activity going on within its walls. Can John say no to going back to work? Nope, not with his personality!

This is a good read with humor and mystery.

One of the best police thrillers I have read. There is raunchy humor, innocent and not so innocent characters, and a story that parallels the title. Numerous egos are on the pages, especially that of John Corey-a danger junkie and thrill lover. Great novel.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Maze was a great addition to the John Corey series. Much like the corn mazes I frequent in the Fall, I was surprised at what was around each corner as the story progressed. Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC - I really enjoyed this story! 4.5 stars, overall.

After an active career in the NYPD and a couple of federal task forces, John Corey has been retired and it trying to drink his way through the day. He whiles away the hours reflecting on his life and spinning little stories about Russian agents or Islamic terrorists sending assassins for him. You know, playing the theater of the mind's eye. In fact, Corey is something of an adrenaline junkie, and he's yearning for a fix.

When Detective Beth Penrose, one of the many women from his past, arrives with a new job opportunity, he's less than enthused. There's a PI group not far from the upstate New York locale where he's borrowing a house, which may be interested in acquiring his services. Needless to say, it's not all that interesting an offer for him—his view of private investigators is not good. They are window peepers and prom guards, after all. He's only interested in exciting work … or no work at all.

Still, he agrees to go out for the interview. And there he meets the sleazy, former-vice cop Steve Landowski. He's got a lot of money coming in from high profile clients and he hosts a lot of borderline illegal activities after hours under the aegis of a Thirsty Thursday party. Corey gets wind of something bizarre and maybe interesting happening here.

When Beth reveals she's covertly investigating the agency for their ties to political corruption, police corruption, and the murder of several prostitutes as well as her former partner from Missing Persons, Corey is much more interested. However, he's not too much of a team player, and he's looking to advance the timetable of that investigation greatly.

Unfortunately, doing so is going to put his life in jeopardy, particularly when his wise ass comments start to provoke dirty people in high places of power and expose a deadly conspiracy. With The Maze, Nelson DeMille delivers a brand new thriller featuring his popular investigator John Corey.

The joy to be found in a meaty thriller of this sort is in the slick quality of the language, the speed with which we are encouraged to turn the pages, the attention to the details of tradecraft, the interplay of characters, and the depth of the mystery being plumbed. In all these areas, Nelson DeMille excels. He's had a long, successful career with the genre, so we should expect a solid read and generally we get exactly that.

You have to love a setup that features a twisty labyrinth of clues, double crosses, and mystery that takes place next door to a farm with an actual corn maze. If you think the conclusion of this book will involve a chase through that tourist trap, then you're not far off. It's Chekov's landscape, a variation on the infamous Chekov's gun.

One of the challenging areas is in the protagonist himself.

John Corey is abrasive. The first person narration paints him as a maverick, someone who has zero tolerance for political correctness. His running narrative therefore paints him an egotistical, sexist, bigot, which might turn off some readers. But is he really all those things?

Corey is not an easy character to like, but like the Wolverine character from the X-men comics, Corey will freely admit he's the best there is at what he does, and what he does ain't pretty. Luckily, he's also a smart ass, so even though he contributes to an irritating locker room atmosphere, he also throws out some delightfully caustic one line zingers to take down many of the people around him. The sarcasm is a saving grace.

I took no small amount of joy when his expectations or plans failed to consider some crucial detail. It's always fun to see such an egotistical character taken down a peg. There is no shortage of such moments in The Maze. Particularly since none of the characters around him seem to believe his bullshit, and they call him on it regularly.

Likewise, I was rather taken with the way Corey's mind would galivant off on tangents while he was in the middle of a conversation, only to have the other participant in that conversation call him back with "John? Are you listening?" kind of comments. It's a sly way to undercut the character's superior self-image.

Some readers might be hesitant to start a series in the middle. Prior to the events of The Maze, John Corey has led a storied life. In fact, there are seven novels featuring the character prior to this. Each of these gets touched upon in Chapter One's refresher course on Corey's life and times, so there's no need to start the series from book one, though if the character strikes a chord there are plenty of twists, turns, and surprises awaiting readers who want to know more about those previous investigations and missions.

I came to this novel cold, having never read a John Corey novel before. I was never lost in terms of the character's past and how it impacts his present. In fact, the first chapter feels somewhat padded and unnecessary by summarizing his many adventures to this point. Do we really care what he did on Plum Island or his string of terrible marriages and girlfriends? Well, this gives us a glimpse of the character's past and his fourth wall breaking narration, but the chapter spins its wheels more than it provides a gripping entry point to the story.

In fact, the opening quarter of the book focuses on Corey trying to find reasons not to apply for the job that provides the core mystery for the book. It's an unusual choice, and actually quite intriguing. Some thriller fans might be thrown off their game, listening to this guy complain about the opportunities he has and seek some kind of workaround instead of diving into the deep end of the plot much sooner. I was charmed by this approach, since it flies in the face of expectations cemented by formulaic Hollywood fare—fiction is not a film, after all, and it should not be chained to the same assumptions and cliches.

Still, when Corey finally does wind up in the detective agency, the action speeds along. This is a book with no shortage of quips, sex, suspense, and adventure. The narrative is breezy and speeds along whether Corey is bitching about the feds who fired him, trying to hold court while exotic dancers are doing their thang, or getting up to his neck in trouble by going it alone when he really ought to know better.

Then again, that's John Corey's major problem, isn't it? He really ought to know better, but he doesn't. Instead, he barrels ahead when stealth is the better option. He's driven by his dick when his brain ought to be in charge, and he's motivated by his impulses and instincts as often as his ability to plan things out. He seems to have made a career of getting along by the skin of his teeth. It is therefore no surprise that he's gotten bounced from different careers as well as several partners. He doesn't play well with others and too much time spent in his proximity reveals all many caustic flaws.

But we don't need to love every part of a person to see them through their adventures. Hell, we don't need to like them to turn pages. And those pages do turn. With the exception of the last one, the chapters are brief, the style gives us clear looks at location, action, dialogue, and inner monologue.

The Maze is an engaging thriller, and a good starting point for readers interested in DeMille's style and one of his most popular characters. While the protagonist is a hard guy to like, he's not too hard to follow around for the length of a book, particularly since this adventure is written with such energy.

DNF. This book was so ridiculously misogynistic within the first chapter that I couldn't bear to keep reading. I've read these novels in the past but I couldn't stomach that every female character was introduced by way of how the narrator felt about her sexually. Gross.

ovel is actually a spoof. The humor is rampant throughout, and it will occur to readers that it is most likely impossible that a character such as john Corey could be real. Nevertheless, the book is well-written and the story flows. There are strong sexual undertones throughout the novel, so it really isn’t suitable for young readers. John Corey isn’t a character that most of us would like to know in real life, and his sexual escapades reek of a total jerk. The novel, however, has ups and downs, and frankly, the dénouement isn’t much of a surprise. But there is plenty of suspense leading up to the end.

All told, readers who like this type of off-color novel will want to pick it up.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this novel.

This is my first time reading anything by Nelson DeMille, so I was very excited to meet his character in this crime thriller story. John Corey, a former NYPD detective who has a penchant for danger. However, I didn’t like this character. If DeMille was trying to glorify someone who is arrogant with loose morals, then he succeeded. Twice divorced and feeling as if there is always a conspiracy or plot against him, which is more than likely true given his past work, John Corey with his wisdom shows how he has succeeded and survived. His weakness however is with women; one ex-wife, one soon to be ex-wife, and an ex-girlfriend whom he wants to hook-up with so he decides to accept a job that he has been recruited for at a hokey private investigative agency in a small town. Perhaps its because he was so taken with Amy the receptionist and police academy wannabe? If he had any morals, he would have run not walked very fast from that place which promoted illicit sexual activities each week with strippers and was really a good ole boys club. However, John felt there was more than met the eye and figured out that he was being set up to become a police informant for his ex-girlfriend and ex-boss. But John agreed, mainly because he sleep with his ex-girlfriend as a reward. The storyline was confusing at times when John Corey was thinking in his head aloud and then saying something different. But this only goes to show how callous, sexist, and immature he is as they were mostly sexual responses to situations that did not warrant it. John Corey aside, I thought the mystery was intriguing and that kept me reading the book until the end to see on whose side the characters were really on and how this would all play out. I thought the concept of The Maze was a great metaphor as well as a good setting for the final act to take place. But at the very last page, I was left confused as to the direction or choice that John Corey took after the resolution of the mystery. This book was okay, but not overly great. But as I like detective stories, I might try another of DeMille's stories and see if there is some redemption. I give it 3 out of 5 stars.
Many thanks to #netgalley #themaze #nelsondemille #scribner for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Maze was a disappointing novel by one of my favorite authors. I tried to like it but could not.

In my memory, Nelson DeMille’s characters are brilliant and respectable, thriving through captivating and often breathtaking plots. This book was not that.

John Corey has regressed to a potty-mouthed, immature-minded teenaged boy-man who can’t keep his mind off genitalia and activities to do with those parts. The story was needlessly repetitive, often repeating storylines of this and prior novels somewhat endlessly.

I agree with a previous reviewer who commented on the ongoing, irritating references to Plum Island as if to credential this new book through association with that masterpiece. I found the continuous dialogue of characters calling out “John? “ or worse “Corey?” while his mind seemingly wandered to be incredibly tiresome. The dialogue is usually overly simple and John’s musings are usually pornographic so readers will know, without the prompt, who has the next turn to speak.

The premise of the story could have been very intriguing but is lost in this muddle of a mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for the opportunity to read this ARC.

It will be hard to express the full excitement of this book without any spoilers, but I will do my best.

First of all, there is John Corey, Nelson DeMille’s exNYPD/exFBI/currently unemployed protagonist. His sense of humor makes even the ugliest scheme palatable. DeMille has him say one thing out loud while giving us insight into what he wishes he could really say. This works to cut the terrible seriousness of the action and let’s us breathe.

“The Maze” works off of the still unsolved Gilgo Beach murders on Long Island. DeMille gives a plausible, if frightening, scenario of how such crimes can go so long without resolution. He paints a clear picture of corruption, cover-up, and depravity that gets you thinking. You are left hoping that this fiction remains fiction.

While I found the set up to be a little long, the ending was so thrilling that I couldn't put the book down. I finished it at 4:30am and was so wired that I didn’t fall asleep until 6.

Nelson DeMile brings back bad boy irresponsible retired NYPD detective John Corey in his latest book “The Maze”. I enjoyed his first John Corey novel, “Plum Island” I found the storyline for this book a bit far fetched and John Corey’s risk taking antics for an experienced detective unrealistic.

After reading this novel, I discovered that it is the 8th book featuring Detective John Corey. This is a standalone novel though several of the characters have a history with Det. Corey which I suspect appear in the former stories. Corey is retired having been injured on a previous case. He has worked in several government agencies and has a problem following orders. He knows what needs to be done and is successful in getting it done, his way. He is recruited in this book to join a group who is secretly investigating a PI organization of current and former law enforcement officers and officials. The entire story is a maze that is easy for the reader to follow though difficult for the characters. John’s humor is entertaining.

It’s been a long time since there was a John Corey thriller. Seven years to be exact. They were always favorites of mine as I loved his sarcastic nature and his trouble with authority. He was always a smart aleck, but he was a lovable one. But this time, John just came across as an @ss*ole. Could he have been any more crass? It was as if his brain had fallen two feet down. The humor in this book was sexist in the extreme. Steer clear if you don’t want to keep reading about big tits, little Johnnie, etc.
At least even he could see that the job he was being offered by Security Solutions, a PI firm, wasn’t a good fit. It doesn’t take him long to suss out that there’s more going on there.
The narrative is first person, told from John’s POV. Part of the joy of past books was his interaction with Kate, his wife. But his current paramour, Beth Penrose, a Suffolk County police detective, came across as flat. I couldn’t tell if she was really that anxious to get John to the altar or it was his ego talking.
The prior books in the series were always fast paced. Again, this book didn’t measure up. There’s too much talk and too little action until the last 15%. I literally found myself skimming parts of the story. DeMille uses a real unsolved crime, the killing of prostitutes known as the Gilgo Beach murders, as the basis of his plot. From early one, it’s apparent who at least some of the bad guys are. It's more an issue of how John can get enough evidence to catch them. But the ending was also a disappointment. The action was unbelievable and there are way too many loose ends still unresolved when the book was finished.
My thanks to Netgalley and Scribner for an advance copy of this book.

John Corey is back, and if you like the wise cracking, sex-obsessed former NYPD, FBI, ATTF then you'll love the first quarter of the book, as the scene is set. Unfortunately the next quarter of the book continues to set the scene, but Corey's wisecracking humor can make the slow build up endurable. The next quarter of the book puts him in place to bust a local corruption ring, and possibly solve a series of murders while he's at it. Then, all the action takes place in the last 20% or so, as his plan takes a left turn, everything comes to a head quickly, and in the end, I"m not sure anything was really resolved. I've read most, if not all, of DeMille's books, and it brings me no joy to say that this one didn't live up to his usual standard. It was good to hand out with John Corey for a while, but this book needed a lot more plot and action.
Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner publishing for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review

On sale from Scribner October 11, THE MAZE is the eighth novel starring the irreverent, engaging John Corey. A Corey fan since a friend recommended THE LION'S GAME twenty years ago, I jumped at the promotional offer of a NetGalley.

I appreciate the range of reality-inspired cases and roles DeMille has assigned Corey. While that realism is part of the series' success, my main attraction to THE MAZE was the chance to hear another story from Corey, this time approached to work as a private investigator, my favorite genre.

This book started very slow and didn't get to the meat of the mystery/thriller/crime. In only the last chapter did it get good, only to end nothing in the way you would hope for or for it to make sense. I have not read any of the authors other books, so this may be his style. Just not my cup of tea but the book was written well overall.

The long wait is over!!




Whether you first met Nelson DeMille’s John Corey back in 1997 (Plum Island) or he caught your eye in his last outing in 2015 (Radiant Angel), you know that Corey has a talent for irreverent humor and for ruffling feathers as he uses his considerable skills to investigate crimes. Both talents are very much in evidence in this latest DeMille novel.

In a throwback to the first Corey novel, The Maze opens with John Corey at his uncle’s home on the Long Island shore. He finds himself unwillingly retired, eased out of his latest position with the Diplomatic Surveillance Group because of the uncomfortable results of his last case. His personal life isn’t healthy either….he’s at loose ends, and that is never good for someone like Corey.

When he’s approached by former lover and current police detective Beth Penrose and encouraged to look into employment with a private security firm, he doubts that Beth is just trying to keep him busy. It soon becomes clear that something is wrong here on the shore….but who can be trusted is not clear at all. Because this time around, the criminals are not the foreign terrorists that Corey has been battling these last few years. Dead bodies are piling up, and the perpetrators may very well be much closer to home.

I have always enjoyed John Corey’s escapades, and I continued to do so with The Maze. The combination of humor and suspense makes for quick reading and a book that is hard to put down. DeMille fans, the wait has been worth it! Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reading copy.

John Corey is one of those characters you either love or you hate. There is no middle ground. I hadn't read a John Corey book in a while, so when I got this one as an ARC, I figured I'd give it a try. About six pages in, I realized that I HATE this character. He's sexist, obnoxious, and full of himself. It doesn't get better. The plot was easy to figure out way ahead of time, and it was WAY too many pages of internal dialogue that ended up being pointless. Not a fan at all.

The Maze
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 10/11/22
Author: Nelson DeMille
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Pages: 432
GR: 3.55

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Simon and Schuster and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: The Maze opens with Corey on the 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, Detective Beth Penrose, appears with a job offer, Corey has to once again make some decisions about his career—and about reuniting with Beth Penrose. The Maze takes the reader 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, he comes to suspect it may not be the result of inexperience to solve this case, it may be something more sinister.

My Thoughts: This is Book No. 8 in the John Corey series. This is the first book I have read in the series and I kept up well. There have been some reviews for those who have read the prior books that this one was not as good as the previous books in this series. Some of the political humor may be offensive to some, but appears to be inline for the situation of the storyline. Corey loves to take risks and he is a hold nothing back guy, which holds true in this book. The action is a bit dialed down in this novel, but there is still a great deal of thriller tension. This story does move a little slower. The characters are well developed with depth, mystery, and are intriguing. The author’s writing style is complex, suspenseful, tense, and kept me engaged throughout the story. I would recommend giving this a go, especially if you have read the other books in the series.