What do you do with a protagonist who's been through six books of hell, multiple careers, and enough romantic drama to fill a soap opera? Apparently, you put him back on his uncle's porch and start the whole thing over again.
Look, I've been following John Corey since Plum Island. The guy's a smartass, politically incorrect, and has the kind of instincts that made me respect him from page one. DeMille writes cops the way they actually think - not the sanitized TV version, but the real deal. So when I heard Corey was coming back to tackle something inspired by the actual Gilgo Beach murders? I cleared my commute schedule.
The Long Road Back to Long Island
Here's the thing about The Maze - it's a slow burn that takes its sweet time getting to the action. And I mean sweet time. DeMille spends a lot of real estate catching us up on Corey's history, his relationship with Beth Penrose, all the baggage from previous books. For longtime fans, it's like catching up with an old buddy. For newcomers? Might feel like you walked into the middle of someone else's conversation.
The Gilgo Beach angle is what hooked me. Nine dead sex workers, bodies hidden in thick undergrowth, and a local police department that seems - let's say - less than motivated to solve the case. I've seen this scenario play out in real life. Jurisdictional nonsense, political pressure, cases that go cold because nobody wants to rock the boat. DeMille clearly did his homework here, and the procedural elements ring true enough that I wasn't throwing my phone across the truck cab in frustration.
But the pacing. Man, the pacing. There are stretches where Corey's internal monologue and backstory explanations slow everything to a crawl. I found myself checking how much time was left more than once during the middle section. It picks up - eventually - and when the conspiracy elements start clicking into place, it gets genuinely interesting. Getting there requires patience I don't always have.
Scott Brick Carries the Load
Let me cut to the chase on the narration: Scott Brick saves this audiobook. The guy's been doing this forever, and he absolutely nails Corey's voice. That dry, sarcastic New York cop attitude? Brick delivers it perfectly. He brought that same sharp New York energy to NYPD Red 7: The Murder Sorority, though that book had more momentum to work with. The timing on the jokes, the way he handles the politically incorrect humor without making it feel forced - it's exactly how Corey should sound in your head.
I've listened to Brick on probably a dozen books at this point. He's consistent, professional, and knows how to keep momentum even when the source material drags. His character voices are distinct enough that you always know who's talking, which matters in a book with this many players. Beth Penrose comes across as competent and sharp. The various suspects and witnesses each get their own flavor.
Production quality is clean - no weird audio artifacts, no volume issues. I listened at 1.25x (because life's too short for slow narrators) and it worked perfectly. Brick's pacing is already good, so speeding it up just tightens everything without losing clarity.
Who's This Mission For?
DeMille loyalists who've been waiting for another Corey fix will probably enjoy this despite its flaws. The character work is solid, the conspiracy elements are satisfying when they finally land, and the ending delivers some genuine twists. Skip it if you're coming in fresh or want a tight, no-fat thriller - the extended backstory sections assume everyone's been here since 1997.
The Gilgo Beach inspiration is the strongest element. Real-world cases like this have always fascinated me - the failures, the cover-ups, the institutional rot that lets killers keep killing. Good Girl explores similar territory with institutional failures and the hunt for a serial predator, though it moves at a tighter clip. DeMille captures that frustration well. The suggestion that police incompetence might be something more sinister is the kind of premise that keeps you listening even through the slower stretches.
Ranger sat through this whole one with me during our morning drives. He seemed more engaged during the action sequences, which tracks. Dogs know when something's actually happening.
Mission Debrief
Mostly accomplished. It's not DeMille's best work, but Brick's narration elevates it enough to make the 15-hour investment worthwhile - especially if you've got Long Island windshield time to kill.
