Brilliant, impetuous, arrogant, sexual, and sarcastic-as-all-hell Detective Corey is back in all his splendor after an interminable 7-year absence. And what a return it is! Nelson DeMille’s The Maze delivers a classic John Corey thriller filled with intrigue, romantic entanglements, impulsive actions, exceptional detective work and pulse-pounding action. And sarcasm. Tons and tons of trademark Corey sarcasm. Making it, page for page, perhaps the most sarcastic thriller ever written. It’s glorious!

John Corey is back on Long Island to recover from wounds received in the line of duty, when two old friends step back into his life. Police Chief Sylvester Maxwell and Detective Beth Penrose would like Corey to take a position as a private investigator for Security Solutions, a local firm run by and staffed with former detectives. Looking for some action – both professionally and romantically – Corey agrees and begins a PI consultancy trial period. However, Corey is a brilliant detective and knows there’s more to this than a couple of friends wanting to help him find a fulfilling outlet for his energy and skill set. So he goes along with it and isn’t surprised to find out Security Solutions is into some shady business. Agreeing to be the inside man to help Chief Maxwell and Detective Penrose build and solve a case that is being stonewalled by the powers that be, he will invariably do things his way, leading to hurt feelings, sexual encounters, shootouts and criminals brought to justice. In other words, John Corey at his finest and in his natural habitat.

As a loudmouth, wise-cracking native New Yorker myself, I can more than relate to John Corey. He’s my kindred spirit. My role model. Someone most men want to be and many women want to be with. An inspiring individual that speaks my language and exemplifies what I aspire to be when I finally grow up. And since it’s likely not in the cards at my advancing middle-age to become a world-class detective and ladies man, having John Corey novels to read is the next best thing. A literary hero and fictional mentor through whom we can live vicariously. And while I may be fanboying a bit much here, it’s no exaggeration to objectively say that John Corey is one of the all-time great characters in the crime novel genre. If you know, you know. And if you don’t know, then I challenge you to sprint to your favorite bookstore and get a copy of Plum Island right freakin’ now. Seriously, get off your ass and go buy that book immediately. Guarantee you’ll be hooked and will proceed to read the next seven novels in the series, or your money back.

(Disclaimer: Best Thriller Books and Steve N will in no way, shape or form reimburse you for their free and brilliant recommendations. So don’t even think about it.)

While John Corey is undeniably the star of the show, don’t let that distract you from the fact that The Maze is an excellent crime thriller written by one of the all-time greats. The story is methodical, realistic, and a perfect balance of fun and anxiety-inducing. The characters are impeccably developed in a way that evokes strong feelings about what should happen to them. And the writing is tremendous, proving once again that Nelson DeMille must be at the forefront of any conversation about the Mount Rushmore of crime novel writers.

Simply put, The Maze is fantastic! It’s everything I was hoping it would be and more. I just ask Mr. DeMille to please not wait another seven years for John Corey to reemerge into our lives. The thriller genre is much better off with Detective Corey in our lives, solving mysteries, bedding women and exhibiting his trademark New York wit.

John Corey is back. The anti terrorist cop is jobless when bodies turn up on the beach near his home. An opportunity to work yet another dangerous mission

John Corey returns in Nelson DeMille’s latest thriller, “The Maze”. As usual, our snarky hero finds himself in tangled situations.
Another chapter in the Corey saga, not to be missed !

And he’s done it again. Nelson DeMille, best-selling author of 22 novels, has brought back John Corey for a long-awaited 8th appearance. A former NYPD detective, and a real dick at times, Corey is lodged at his uncle’s Long Island cabin. Following forced retirement from his position as a Federal Agent and still dealing with complications of ex-wives and ex-girlfriends, he receives a phone call and is offered a deal with benefits. As usual, he follows the advice of little John and finds himself in the midst of a mysterious web of murder, inspired and based on the unsolved Gilgo Beach murders. John Corey, and probably the author himself, has a sizeable ego and a sexist/macho personality. But he’s a member of Mensa—DeMille, not Corey, so the prose is sharp, sarcastic, and side-splittingly witty. It is precisely this, the writing, that draws me again and again to DeMille’s work. John Corey remains true to his character and is vulgar (but charming when needed) and able to schmooze his way into a friendship with the most corrupt of men and into the hearts (and lingerie) of unsuspecting females. Will there be a 9th book in this series? Knowing John Corey the way I do, I am pretty sure he’ll come again. It’s all good.
As a long time DeMille fan, I was ecstatic to receive an ARC of his new book "The Maze". Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for providing an advanced copy.

I’ve enjoyed the John Corey series since his first appearance in Plum Island. I think possibly he’s grown up a bit, but he’s still the very sarcastic guy, and still attracts the women! This story has him joining up with Max and Beth from the first book, and what a twisted story it is! Hard to put down and highly recommended!

I want to thank Net Galley and Simon & Schuster for the digital ARC of Nelson DeMille's, The Maze.

I am a huge fan of DeMille and the return of former NYPD Homicide Detective John Corey was greatly anticipated.

I started reading the Arc with gusto. I was so stoked by Corey's return to print that I was more that 25 percent into the story when I realized that absolutely nothing had happened in the plot.

As I continued to read, because the John Corey character is a favorite of mine and I'd hoped eventually something exciting and interesting would happen, I realized at the 50 percent mark how wrong I actually was.

First of all, at 50 percent in there was still no movement, good and or bad, in the plotline. The story was going nowhere. And to make matters worse John Corey suffered a severe character assassination.

Where the John Corey of old was a wise cracking smart-ass, this John Corey was over the top obnoxious, rude and self obsessed.

I might also add that the plot left something to be desired.  I was extremely disappointed in The Maze, but out of respect for Mr. DeMille who still remains one of my favorite author's I have given this work three stars.

Contains some minor spoilers.

DeMille delivers another great John Corey story. While much of the book may seem a bit redundant to readers who know the background, it will be very accessible to new readers. The slow build of the suspense gives way to a cascade at the end which can feel a little rushed. The way the story ended was superb, since it left things open ended with Corey and his personal and professional life. The Maze is a solid addition to John Corey’s story that will leave readers wanting more.

Nelson Demille is a great writer who knows how to write action scenes. I love Jon Corey's first person view as well. Corey is funny, witty and knows how to take care of himself. For this reasons, this novel was a success. Unfortunately, we also get Corey's other side which is not treating women with a lot of respect.
Once the action gets going, its quick and fierce, but this book took a long time to set up.
All in, this is a good quick read but John Corey definitely needs some counseling.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC

John Corey is back. This wise cracking, irreverent , and determined, ex-NYPD detective, ex-ATTF, and ex-Diplomatic Surveillance Group employee, has joined a shady security agency. His ex-girlfriend, Detective Beth Penrose, has persuaded him to live with her in Mattituck, and work at the mysterious Security Solutions, which hires ex-cops and ex-military. As John investigates this company, he realizes he is in danger not only from the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, but also some local politicians and cops. This is a fun read, and a welcome return for one of my favorite fictional characters.

As lead character John Corey muses about a female police detective: “Somewhere under her form-fitting jacket was a forty-caliber Glock, with room left over for her big guns. Sorry”. I’m sorry, too. Who is the target reading audience?

“Plum Island,” the first John Corey story, was written 25 years ago at a time when Sebastian Junger’s “The Perfect Storm” and Jon Krakauer’s “Into Thin Air” (non-fiction accounts of brave men doing extraordinarily daring and foolish things) were also on the best-seller lists. John Grisham and Patricia Cornwell were also starting out with their series and recurring characters, but since then, their characters have evolved with 21st century sensibilities. DeMille’s John Corey, however, has only aged 7 years and the character is still absolutely irresistible to all women, who are all good-looking, who he wants to bed, and all want to get in bed with him (and his, ugh, self-described “pocket rocket”). Like a male character stuck in the 1950s, but with a cell phone. We are witness to a recounting of all Corey’s female partners since the Plum Island adventure in the very first chapter. However, he is a tad paranoid and currently sees Russian assassins hiding everywhere. So, try to ignore unlikeable John Corey and get involved in the advertised plot, which is inspired by the real life (and unsolved) Gilgo Beach murders.

Corey is encouraged by current girlfriend and a cop friend to take a lucrative PI job (although it takes him a full third of the book to decide on the job). But all is not what it seems and he gets suspicious about the firm he’s working for while finding a connection to what they call the Fire Island murders in the book.

In the end, Corey was just a bit too toxic male for my taste, but DeMille knows how to write an action scene. The final chapter is worth the wait (and the maze of the title gets a starring role). 3 stars.

Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Beth has blue-green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Although the book is named after a hedge, there were references to potato farms (truly a local thing) and strawberry fields that are naturally grown on Long Island.

The Maze by Nelson DeMille
Starred review.

Summary: John Corey is back on Long Island resting away at his rich uncles house when former lover Beth Penrose shows up with a offer for a PI job nearby. Corey is reluctant but because he gets an offer to reacquaint with Beth he follows through with and interview. Obviously Corey spots the trap pretty quickly.

Comments: DeMille starts the book out a tad slow, but he quickly turns on the jets and John Corey is back, funny, and rage filled as ever. Great stuff from a master writer.

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from Scribner of The Maze, the eighth book in the John Corey series, by Nelson DeMille. I planned to read it either way. You could read this book as a standalone but there is much mention of things that happen in previous books. This felt like a bit of a departure from the previous books simply because it is not about John taking on some Big Bad. But the bad guys in this are still bad. It isn't that much of a departure. It also ties up some loose ends from previous books in case you are wondering about his tangled web of relationships.

These books are not for everyone. If you like your protagonists to be politically correct, that's not John Corey. John Corey is a former NYPD officer and talks like one. That might be triggering for some people. John Corey reminds me a lot of my father. He is rough around the edges, vengeful, full of hubris, and prone to saying offensive things wittingly and unwittingly; but at the same time, he's got a strong sense of duty and justice and is ultimately on the side of good. He tells terrible jokes that you sometimes will laugh at anyway. He loves women even his his approach is antiquated. He's complicated and human, which I think makes him a compelling character even if I don't always like him.

I was delighted to have the opportunity to read an advance copy of DeMille's latest and long-awaited book, thanks to the publisher and Netgalley. He has been one of my favorite authors from the beginning of his career. As always, I loved the sarcasm of John Corey's imaginary conversations. It took a long time for the action of the book to get going, and I think it could have been edited better to improve the pace. I agree with some of the other reviewers that a lot of the humor seemed juvenile and repetitive. It wasn't clear to me what year this was supposed to be or how old John Corey was in this book, but I was surprised at some of the old technology and that Corey would have been considered so desirable by the women in the book and how subservient they were. I would have liked to know the consequences of the events of the book, but perhaps that will be in a sequel. Although this isn't his best book, DeMille's fans will still want to read The Maze.

I have to start by admitting that, yes this is book 8 in the series and, yes, this is *my* first time reading the series. And I’m happy to say that it works for a complete series n00b.

I will admit that John Corey is a lot. He seems to think with his penis a lot of the time and his relationships with women leave much to be desired. And, as a note to male authors everywhere, there is not a man on earth who can get every woman to drop to her knees with a smile and a quip. Does. Not. Happen.

Aside from his ‘every woman wants to sleep with him’ personality, John is actually pretty funny and likeable. He’s rakish, daring, and fun. He’s just kind of a tool.

Our mystery was an interesting one. I was definitely curious to see who was involved in what. I wasn’t surprised by the answers, but I enjoyed the read regardless.

Am I done with John Corey? Nope. In fact, I want to go back and read the prior books.

A fun read – just prep yourself for the fact that all the characters are horny and kind of stupid.

*ARC via Net Galley

Snarky, irreverent, and brilliant, John Corey is back--in a thriller which takes some time before it catches fire. No one can quite craft a suspense novel as twisty as Nelson DeMille, but in this "sequel" to the wonderful PUMM ISLAND, Corey perhaps talks a bit too much and takes too long to plunge into what could have been a fascinating mystery.

Many thanks to Scribner and to Netgalley for the opportunity of an early read.

I have been. deMille fan since the start and always wait with baited breath for his next. I was honored to be given the chance to read The Maze early. It’s a great read. In spite of my busy schedule I am constantly being drawn back to it.

I’m a bit over halfway through and I am really enjoying it. Corey is as acerbic as ever. I guess that comes with that territory. A good yarn spun masterfully. Well worth reading.

I received an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, but honestly - and regrettably - my review is not positive. I have been a fan of Nelson DeMille for decades. I have enjoyed the John Corey character since his inception in Plum Island, twenty-five years ago.
Much has changed with his character in those twenty five years and therein lies the problem.

John Corey has always been brash and his self deprecating humor has been a highlight for readers. However, his persona has devolved into extreme crudeness, extreme vulgarity, and frequent profanity. Shockingly so and not humorous at all. I recall I would LOL ( literally) while reading previous books by this author. Not so in this installment. His incessant crass comments concerning his “little Jo” or “ browser in his trousers” as well as female privates is worn and tiring at best… or downright vile and despicable. 🤮

The pacing is slow and reading is laborious due to A LOT of redundancy. Corey’s past exploits in Plum Island were repeated and reiterated over and over and over. ( I lost count of the number of times Plum Island was referenced.) I loved Plum Island but filling the pages by rehashing a storyline from twenty five years ago -incessantly- is unnecessary and does nothing to project THIS storyline forward. 🥱 YAWN 🥱

The Maze storyline is about Corey acting as an informant to the local police department by infiltrating a corrupt corporation that caters to corrupt politicians, judges, and law enforcement. The plot seems interesting enough but the execution lags and drags. In addition to referencing Corey’s past exploits( especially Plum Island) the first half of the book is all about how the infiltration will be done - repeating the idea and repeating the plan of attack over and over in multiple scenarios by multiple characters. GET ON WITH IT ALREADY! 😳

Not until the 60% mark does Corey FINALLY begin his mission by starting his employment at the corrupt corporation. More talking. More telling. No action. No thrills. No chills. 🥱 YAWN🥱

It is not until the 85% mark that action picks up. Some suspense is built at this point, but really, it is way too little and way too late. The climax is the only excitement in the entire novel and it is brief. The denouement is unsatisfying…. no epilogue on the outcome of all the corruption that permeated the county’s high officials. Whaaat? When one takes all the time and effort in reading a story, one expects the story arc to have a conclusion, a resolution! Nope. Nada. 👎

To say this installment in the John Corey saga is a disappointment is an understatement.. This was not an exciting, suspenseful, page flipping, can’t-put-down thriller. It took six days to plod through. Of a truth, it was almost a DNF. Out of respect for this author and his previous stellar works, I plodded on… and on… and began skimming instead. I could not wrap my head around the fact that this was the writing of the esteemed Nelson DeMille. I just knew ( hoped) it would redeem itself somehow. Regrettably, my hopes were dashed when the bitter end arrived.

Nelson DeMille is a gifted, prolific writer and I have always been an avid reader of his works. I can recommend previous John Corey books or DeMille’s stand alone earlier works. To name a few: The Lion’s Game, The Lion, The Panther, Wildfire, Radiant Angel, Charm School, Gold Coast are all brilliant and electrifying thrillers!

I am truly flummoxed about The Maze. Not only is The Maze not on “par”with his other works, it is a “triple bogey”IMO 😱.
It causes me to pause and wonder if another person penned the prose. 🤔

John Corey is back with his snark. However, the Maze didn't hold my attention like his other books like Plum Island. Memorable female characters made a reappearance and Corey comes out of retirement for some sleuthing bit to be honest, the book didn't really hold my attention. Maybe my tastes have changed. Maybe I'm older and found some of the snark less snarky.

I’ve been reading Nelson deMille books for a long time – I first met Detective John Corey last century when I read and enjoyed Plum Island (1997). And I have often enjoyed a bit of wisecracking from my protagonists (think RBP’s Spenser). I REALLY enjoyed Plum Island and Lion’s Game – and Nightfall? Wow, an all-time favorite. But since about 2015 (Radiant Angel, The Cuban Affair, and The Deserter), I have been increasingly annoyed by the books, particularly by John Corey. One thing about Robert B. Parker’s Spenser is that yes, he did some wisecracking, but he ALSO could be serious and he made some excellent social commentary while chasing bad guys and solving mysteries.

Now here we are in 2022, and I happily accepted the opportunity (thanks to Scribner and NetGalley) to read The Maze, the latest (#8, I think) in the John Corey series – in return for my honest review. I was debating whether to start this book or the latest from Scott Turow, and I chose The Maze, thinking it might be just what I needed to take my mind off the news…

Nelson, it’s not you, it’s me. I think. Or maybe it’s John Corey. I was only in Chapter 1, a paltry 2% into the book, and JC says, “I haven’t had sex in so long I can’t remember who brings the handcuffs,” followed rather quickly by “I try not to have impure thoughts, but my dick has been unemployed longer than I have.” <sigh>. I see where this one is headed, and I just cannot bear it. Again, I love thrillers with a male protagonist, even enjoy the wisecracks and politically incorrect stuff, and sex is always good when it fits the story. But the truth is I just don’t like John Corey and frankly I don’t care if he gets through the “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.” I’m sure there are many fans of deMille, John Corey, and serial killers who will like it. Just not for me. DNF. Two stars (and one of those is for good memories of earlier efforts by NdM. Bring on Scott Turow!

The first 50% of the book consists of the protagonist trying to decide if he’s a cop, lover, or stand-up comedian. Sarcasm lives in the insights John Corey provides about almost everything. Halfway through the book we eventually get to the plot about an agency that provides PI’s, protection, and parties. The parties are for politicians, police, and others who can help the owner. Is it on the up-and-up or are illegal activities involved? Corey is sent undercover to find out. Once the plot develops, it does so slowly, and I wished we could return to the jokes. This book was a real disappointment when compared to so many great books in the DeMille library.