The Maze

By: Nelson DeMille

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 15 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

#1 New York Times bestselling author Nelson DeMille returns with a “genuinely thrilling” (The New York Times) suspense novel featuring his most popular character, former NYPD homicide detective John Corey, called out of retirement to investigate a string of grisly murders—inspired by the actual Gilgo Beach murders.

In his #1 New York Times bestseller Plum Island, Nelson DeMille introduced listeners to NYPD Homicide Detective John Corey, who we first met on the back porch of his uncle’s waterfront mansion on Long Island, recovering from wounds incurred in the line of duty.

Six novels later, The Maze finds Corey on the same porch, having survived new law enforcement roles and romantic relationships—wiser and more sarcastic than ever. 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.

Inspired by the real-life Gilgo Beach murders, The Maze takes us on a dangerous hunt for an apparent serial killer who has murdered nine—and maybe more—sex workers and hidden their bodies in the thick undergrowth on a lonely stretch of beach.

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

Featuring John Corey’s politically incorrect humor and brilliant, unorthodox investigative skills, The Maze “finally gives DeMille’s listeners the John Corey fix they’ve been craving,” along with the shocking plot twists that are the trademark of the bestselling author Nelson DeMille, “the master of smart, entertaining suspense” (Bookreporter).

©2022 Nelson DeMille. All rights reserved. (P)2022 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Yuck

The storyline is just terrible. It sounds like it was written by a horny teenage boy.

Classic John Corey!

John Corey is back!

Best-selling and award-winning author Nelson DeMille returns with another unputdownable and truly gripping thriller featuring retired New York Police Department homicide detective John Corey.
In The Maze, he will step out of retirement in order to take part in a dangerous hunt for an apparent serial killer who has murdered a large number of sex professionals in Corey’s neighborhood.
John Corey is the same remarkable individual that we all know and love. With his unique sense of humor, charm, wit, and definitely not politically correct views, this is one of the most original characters in fiction literature.

American actor, writer, and award-winning narrator of hundreds of audiobooks and the voice of legendary characters such as Jack Ryan, Jason Bourne, Jack Reacher, and countless others returns to the John Corey series and delivers another stellar performance with The Maze. As you probably already know, Scott is one of the most respected and loved narrators in the audiobooks industry, so you can imagine that he does a fantastic job in bringing to life John Corey, but also the events and locations in this highly entertaining novel.

The Maze is flawlessly written and exquisitely narrated, so, if you want to experience legendary author Nelson DeMille and narrator extraordinaire Scott Brick at their very best, this is your chance to be dazzled by their talent and I highly recommend that you don’t miss it.

I hope that you found this review interesting and will consider leaving a helpful vote below. Thank you! Take care, stay safe, and don't forget, always listen with your heart.

Payton Place 101

Purchased five 5 previous John Corey listens. I was anxiously awaiting the Maze and, after hearing about eating bergers, past and current romances and PI stuff for over 50 minutes I gave up ......unfortunately non-returnable!

John Corey needs therapy

John Corey was a flawed hero in the earlier books. John Corey has sunk into an unlikeable misogynistic man who constantly reduces women to body parts. His thoughts and words are served with generous profanity and little clarity or depth. I guess too much booze has begun to cloud his judgement. The plot is so thin and although about police corruption and a corrupt security company on Long Island it spends most the time describing sex orgies or sex acts. When the “action” part of the story surfaces it is reminiscent of earlier Corey novels. This novel was not well written and very sophomoric. Skip this novel and maybe Corey will get some therapy before he appears again.

Excellent addition to DeMille's best series.

THE MAZE is Nelson DeMille's first new release since The Deserter in 2019 which he coauthored with his son Alex. DeMille, who is 79 years old, is solo author of this one. The Maze is Book 8 in his John Corey series. It is the first new release in the Corey series in more than 7 years. Plum Island, the first novel in the series, was released 25 years ago. Corey remains the same wise cracking, risk taking, crime solving, womanizing character readers have come to love during the last quarter century. I love DeMille's novels and especially this series. I'm awarding The Maze 5 stars even though the plot line is likely the weakest in the Corey series. The fit of author DeMille and narrator Scott Brick is absolutely ideal. Brick's narration is flawless as usual. I highly recommend The Maze.

Fans of The Generals Daughter and The Bookcase

Well l was not sure this pre ordered book was ever going to get here. I can certainly see why the long wait, good humor is not easy to write when included in an adventure or mystery. This has it, so if you just want to rush to the end instead of really listening to our dry humored hero, you will miss out what makes this book a winner. Author is as always long winded and not like Michael Connelly, who got his start as a crime reporter and can knock out a book in 11 months. So again if you are impatient and don’t like details that you feel are boring, and are new to this author, then don’t start with this book. However, if you love good dialogue that paints a vivid picture and puts you right there in the scenes, then this book has been well worth waiting for. As a long best selling author, Mr DeMille, knows his audience, hence l think the long wait for him to put to word a good story and incorporate our hero’s career journey. This type of writing is so very hard to provide without it becoming an infomercial for previous books. Well done!
Of course, l would not have pre ordered this new John C. adventure if Scott Brick did not narrate it. Mr Bricks voice and inflections brings this character to vivid life, which got me hooked on the whole series l own.
Were my comments of help?

John Corey becomes more misogynist part 2

The book prior to this was such a disappointment that I was hoping for a bounceback performance. As soon as I started listening especially the few FEW HOURS of RETELLING and flashback of past events in the past books, the harder it was to listen to and like John Corey. He became such a misogynist especially to his estranged wife that it was really hard to root for him. I mean you kinda get why his wife left him because his attitude just extrude negativity. I really felt this book was just a cash grab and such a disappointment. The story didn't event pickup until 3/4ths of the book and from that point, you already know who the bad guys are and such. I was hoping to like it but just skip this one.

Time to retire John Corey?

DeMille is hands down my favorite author. The day this was released, I got it on Audible (though it took significant effort, multiple calls and conversations with Audible as I live in Jamaica and there were geographical restrictions on availability. But such is my love for DeMille and John Corey).

The story is a little different; not the ‘save the world; fight the terrorists’ plots that we usually see Corey in. This is fine and perhaps even a welcomed change. The story does have quite a long run up before it gets going and, frankly, I think if you’re not a Corey fan, you may lose interest half way through. Also, the story lacks a ‘villain’ and a ‘motive’. It is never clear what the crime is that is going on at the farmhouse - police corruption is usually a minor subplot in other novels/story. Usually, the hero has to ‘save the day’ and, by the way, the police is corrupt. The corruption is not usually the thing that drives the story, it’s usually there to raise the stakes or to add fill some plot holes. In this story, it’s corruption that’s the driver of the plot and I don’t think DeMille does a good job of outlining why it’s so consequential to warrant Corey’s action and our interest. Moral depravity is there in spades - and depend on how you feel about sex, your outrage will vary. Police commissioner dancing with prostitutes? I can see how that’s a breach of some code of conduct for police but does that warrant Corey’s involvement? Not so sure. There’s a murder thrown in somewhere, but it took place off camera to a victim that was never in the story. As a result, the readers can’t feel the urgency of solving that crime as we never met the victim, never ‘saw the murder’ happening and never got a chance to hate the suspected killer.

Finally, Corey seems to be a detective without a case, a job and a purpose. He’s bored, he has failed to keep all his previous jobs because he’s simply not adept at navigating the workplace politics, which face it, is a part of adulting. It was cool once to see him disrespect superiors and walk away from different jobs in the name of personal standards. But now, it seems like he needs to learn how to work with others while ignoring their BS. How to get along with people, play the political game without losing your identity in the process. Lots of other ppl do that.

It’s his inability to play with others why this case ended so badly and with no resolution it seems. Because of his arrogance and selfishness, the evidence is destroyed, the murders of 9 young ladies may never be solved, a mass murderer/serial killer will likely go free and the wide scale corruption of the leadership of an entire city/county may never be revealed. This was an annoying end to the novel and made me very annoyed with Corey’s approach.


Frankly, his lack of political correctness is fine. I still love that about him. His jokes are not as funny anymore though and his views on some issues need to be updated. ‘Shit hole countries” for example, is perhaps not a great way to describe other countries’ justice system given the obvious and embarrassing failure of the Justice system of the great old USA in which Corey resides.

Shockingly Thin

I preordered this John Corey addition, waited for it anxiously. I'd read or listened to all the others in the series. I held patience through multiple chapters of retelling previous Corey plots which I knew. DeMille deserved it I thought. But did I, a fan? What followed is a thin and slow embarrassingly female as object story even for John Corey's reputation. Very disappointing.

Money grab

There is no resolution here, only conjecture at what might have happened and the presumption that Beth and conflicted cops will prevent John from having any consequences for his actions. It's all seem half hearted and like a money grab since the Panther. The last Corey book Demille ever wanted to write.

Overdoing Corey

This was an entertaining story, but it could have been a third shorter. Corey’s personality is overwhelming and his sarcasm and wit is way overdone. The plot is redundant and by the halfway point you are thinking “let’s get on with it.” The author, through Corey, spends way too much on telling the listener what is going to happen, and how it’s going to happen that you are ready to scream “ alright already.” Scott Brick does another masterful performance, and I think saves the day.