The Panther: Library Edition

John Corey #6

by Nelson DeMille

Ο πράκτορας της Αντιτρομοκρατικής Ειδικής Δύναμης Τζον Κόρι και η γυναίκα του, πράκτορας του FBI Κέιτ Μέιφιλντ, αναλαμβάνουν μια νέα αποστολή στη Σαναά της Υεμένης -ένα από τα πιο επικίνδυνα μέρη της Μέσης Ανατολής. Εκεί θα συνεργαστούν με μια μικρή ομάδα για τον εντοπισμό ενός στελέχους της Αλ Κάιντα, γνωστού ως "Πάνθηρα". Αδίστακτος και ανελέητος, ο Πάνθηρας καταζητείται για πολλές επιθέσεις και η αμερικανική κυβέρνηση είναι αποφασισμένη να τερματίσει τη δράση του με οποιοδήποτε κόστος.

Σύντομα, ο Τζον και η Κέιτ αντιλαμβάνονται τον πραγματικό λόγο που έχουν επιλεγεί γι' αυτή την αποστολή: οι ίδιοι είναι το δόλωμα. Ο Πάνθηρας διψάει για εκδίκηση για το θάνατο του "Λιονταριού", του Λίβυου τρομοκράτη Άσαντ Χαλίλ, τον οποίο έχει σκοτώσει πρόσφατα ο Τζον...

Ένα θανάσιμο παιχνίδι έχει μόλις ξεκινήσει στην Υεμένη, γεμάτο μυστικά και ανατροπές. Ποιος κινεί τα πιόνια; Υπάρχουν κανόνες; Ποιος είναι ο κυνηγός και ποιος το θήραμα; Και, τελικά, ποιοι πραγματικά είναι οι εχθροί και ποιοι οι φίλοι;

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Audiobook, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Action

Audio

First published October 16, 2012

About the author

Nelson Richard DeMille was an American author of action adventure and suspense novels. His novels include Plum Island, The Charm School, and The General's Daughter. DeMille also wrote under the pen names Jack Cannon, Kurt Ladner, Ellen Kay and Brad Matthews.

Reviews

[Revo · Rating 1 out of 5]

It took two weeks (12 days longer than it takes for me to read a good DeMille book) but I finished. I feel like I deserve a prize.

What was wrong? Plenty.

-The villian was a lightweight, both underexplained and dull.
-In the few times the villian is featured, he's introduced with his full name followed by 'the Panther', in case we all forget the name of the book.
-There were enourmous stretches of Yemeni history (about 6 straight pages worth at one point) that did NOTHING to add to the story.
-John Corey now boldly thinks what he's going to say, claims to say what he was thinking, then says something else after punctuating it with 'well, I really didn't say that' -- a lot.
-Some editor needs to limit NDM's use of the word 'anyway' to start a paragraph.
-There are more dialog tags (many pointless) than one will find in an MG book.
-Corey, along for the ride as his wise-cracking self, this time cranked up to annoying levels, suddenly is given operational control even though he's brought NOTHING to the table besides being bait and a pain in the ass.
-Kate is no longer the duplicitious harpy with her own agenda, and is now neutered to the point of being a logic-impaired, armed Jume Cleaver (Ward, can you tell the Beaver to stop puctuating everyones conversation with stupid comments?)
-Paul Brenner, the most likeable of the disturbingly similar John Corey, John Sutter, wise-ass rebel trifecta, is painfully underused and is essentially--a prop
-The Corey's boss still wants them dead, as does the CIA, The bedouin, the rest of US government, the arab anti-defamation league and, now you can add me to the list. (I get it Nelson. You don't like Muslims. Move on)
-The Ted Nash thing is referenced about a dozen times more than is needed.
-The ending is reasonably exciting but again...nothing is resolved in regards to 'Operation Clean Sweep's' TRUE plan. Meaning, the next book will have the Intelligence Community baddies, as well as the next, and the next...
-Corey books are officially more formulaic that a James Bond story.
-The book is about 600 pages but reads like about 6,000.

What was right? It's over. I survived a little wiser and a lot more bored. I can only pray that NDM's next book is a new story and he remembers how to be a top writer again.

Nelson, baby, I read your website quip that called this 'the strongest John Corey book yet'. That would be true if the other five didn't exist, but they do, so that statement is wildly dellusional. You are well on your way to losing a huge fan that has read every book of yours and sees that the last four do not meet muster.

[Christa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know how to begin to express how much I love the character of John Corey. He is often so obnoxious and inappropriate, yet somehow to me remains adorable and attractive. I admire the character of Kate, who is well matched to handle John and his antics. They make a wonderful couple. This installment in the series captured my attention in the beginning and held it throughout. I liked the storyline, and thought this book did justice to the series, which is one of my all time favorites.

John Corey and wife Kate, are posted to Yemen, where they will be trying to find and capture an elite Al-Queda operative who goes by the name "The Panther." John soon realizes that they are actually being sent to Yemen as bait, as they are well known in the area for bringing down the terorist known as "The Lion." When they get to Yemen, they see that loyalties there are ever shifting, and find that there are underlying plots going on that do not favor their survival. They are part of a team where not all members have the same agenda, and they must figure out who they can trust and find a way to come out of Yemen alive.

This book was full of action and fun. I love the humorous moments in all of the John Corey books, and this one had plenty of them. As usual, I loved seeing John and Kate working together, and I thought that bringing Paul Brenner into the series was an excellent move. I enjoyed the dynamics between John, Kate, and Paul. I will be anxiously awaiting what comes next for John and Kate. I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley.

[Dougw · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrible.....a waste of time to read. I have read every Nelson DeMille book and am a big fan. I get his newsletter every month and was waiting to read this book for a long time.

It opens great. The next action scene is around page 300....eeech....I told my wife that if it wasn't for DeMille I'd stop reading this. Anyway when I got to page 475 and the same old stuff had been regurgitated for another 175 pages I was going to put it down....but it was a DeMille book and I had to keep going.

Finally there was classic John Corey at the very end but lo and behold after the big final scene in Yemen you turn the page and get fast forwarded to NYC with a closing epilogue. What???? There's been 600 pages of rambling repetition but Mr. DeMille can't write a few more pages detailing how they managed to escape from Yemen to NYC. Just horrible.

I feel bad writing a negative review like this for one of my favorite authors, but it is what it is. I am thoroughly puzzled when I see folks on this site rating this book 4 and 5 stars.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novel would be much better if it were half as long than it is. There is too much minutia to care about with some obvious plots before slowly are finally arrived at. of 10 s4 tars

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

DeMille returns with another sensational novel that taps into the multi-faceted adventures of NYPD Detective John Corey, one of his most popular characters. Examining another realm of the Islamic extremists and Corey’s ongoing skirmishes with those high in the al-Qaida chain of command, the novel grabs the reader's attention from start to finish! DeMille mixes a very serious storyline, filled with detail and historical background, with a dialogue dripping with sarcasm and off-handed humour (Corey at his best!) and comes out with one of his best novels to date. The intricacies within the story blend nicely with the overall plot and attention to detail, placing the reader in the middle of the vast lands of Yemen, unsure which way to turn.

DeMille’s specialty is woven into each of his stories; a strong story (with great attention to setting, history, politics, and narration) mixed with as dry a sarcastic humour as one can expect to find. While his characters rarely sit on the acceptable side of politically correct fence, the humour lightens the mood on a surely sombre topic. While many have written about the search for some terrorist or another, DeMille’s books stand out for these two reasons. Add to that, using the audio book version, read by Scott Brick, and the book climbs to another level of excellence. Best read with an understanding and background in the John Corey story, the reader is presented with a treat second to none.

Masterful, Mr. DeMille. I cannot begin thanking you enough for this sensational piece of work. Kudos for this book, and your ongoing successes.

[Thomas Block · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story that is vintage John Corey (and his wife Kate). The two of them travel into 'the belly of the beast' this time. It's got the usual DeMille array of laughs, insights and top-notch action - a great read!

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

MINI REVIEW: Corey is back. Maybe not better than ever but if you're a fan like myself then it's fun to revisit with the character. This time around he and his wife are being used as bait to catch a terrorist leader nicknamed “The Panther” in the Middle East (Sana'a, Yemen which is one of the most dangerous spots for Americans). Corey is his usual wisecracking and musing self but he does it so much at the expense of the plotting that you sometimes realize 50 pages have passed and you're still in the same spot. It's a good thing the book is long and arguably it would have been a better plotted book if it had trimmed off about 200 pages. That said, if you love hanging out with Corey you'll be more forgiving of such meanderings. Action (when it's there) is good to very good and the setting is excellent. Tension was slack for me because of the meanderings but I am far from giving up on John Corey so don't worry.

OVERALL GRADE ON THE SHANNON SCALE: B (less if you got irritated with Corey but then why have you read so far in the series then?).

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an entertaining page turner!

This is my first Nelson DeMille book and is our book club read for July. I may not have selected this as I often shy away from books that are 640 pages. But truly every single page was entertaining!

This contemporary spy novel is very well written and not only kept me turning the page but giggling all the way through. The story takes place in Yemen where FBI and CIA join forces to seek out an American born Al Qaeda leader. The plot is a long continuous build from the get go but it holds your interest with much background info on the who where why and how of this really not so clandestine operation. Lots of character development along the way so that was right up my alley.

Told from the perspective of Commander John Corey, a retired NYPD detective turned FBI, the narrative is detailed and often sprinkled with Corey’s sarcastic dry sense of humour, revealed not only by his words, but more often by his thoughts. I found this a clever way to lighten up all the terrorist bang ‘em up or blow ’em up scenes.

Corey’s often brash and always big ego is softened by his CIA legal attaché wife, Kate Mayfield, who is also part of this mission. She occasionally backhands him up the side of the head for his smartass comments. Much of the narrative details surround life and culture in Yemen, including the continual tribal warfare and pursuit to survive. Kate was often reminded to put on her headscarf and keep her eyes on the ground.

The elaborate plot of cross and double-cross accounted for the bulk of the storyline. But, it always remained interesting and amusing. When the action arrived at the crisis moment my heart was racing as I read, like a gripping-the-chair movie scene. The twists and turns were a constant and you could never be certain that things would go as planned. Plan A turned into Plan B turned into Plans C and D, and the challenges never stopped.

The joy in this read was in the journey, not in the ending. As this was book#6 in DeMille’s John Corey series the finish left a few loose ends so the saga, or parts of it, could continue. No surprise there really.

All in all it was, from start to finish, a five star read.

[Damo · Rating 1 out of 5]

It’s difficult to describe just how awful I thought this book was…and I’m a fan of DeMille and the earlier John Corey books (I thought Plum Island and The Lion's Game were terrific). This is a 200 page story crammed into a 625 page book…and around 50 of those 200 pages are even more filler!

The quick overview of the plot of the book is that Corey and his wife, FBI agent Kate Mayfield, are to go to Yemen in order to find and capture an Al-Qaeda leader who goes by the nickname The Panther. Essentially, they’re going to be working in one of the most dangerous countries in the world, operating under the most primitive of conditions in a hostile climate among people who have a deep hatred for Americans. It’s a mission that should be filled with tension mingled with desperate action, you would think.

But it’s not. It drags on and on with long-winded commentary over every mind-numbing facet of the operation in minute detail. All the while we’re getting the constant barrage of the most facile one-liners from John Corey just, it seems, to make it more painful to read.

The incessant inane comments and smartarse remarks from Corey are exhausting. They were annoying after 50 pages, by 150 pages they were almost intolerable, by 300 I was ready to jump into the pages of the book and eviscerate him myself. What a prize prick!

The book is notable for the inclusion of Paul Brenner (The General's Daughter & Up Country) who proved himself to be a particularly capable investigator in the previous novels in which he featured. Here, he proves to be a capable operative who knows how to deal with the locals and offers an oasis of commonsense to counter Corey’s dickheadedness.

Ultimately, after wading through 600 pages of stultifying build-up the, let’s be generous and call it a grand-finale, was woefully predictable and shockingly underwhelming.

So, that’s my review of the last Nelson DeMille book I will ever read.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love John Corey and his sarcastic attitude. I would not enjoy being married to him but that’s another thing all together. I listened to the audio book and Scott Brick does an excellent job of bringing Corey’s voice alive. An excellent story as always. Remind me never to visit Yemen. That is a hard pass from me.

[Zora · Rating 1 out of 5]

Spoiler alert: nothing happens. End of spoiler alert. Reading this book to experience reading a thriller is like eating white rice to satisfy a craving for a rare steak.

Remember how solid a thriller Nightfall was? Yeah, me too. (sigh) And that memory is what kept me reading to page 300. I kept thinking, "okay, here I am at page 50, and I'll say in my review to start there because nothing happens in the first 50 pages." And I thought that again at page 93 and again and again and again as I read on. Before page 300 there were exactly two pages, total of 100 lines, of what could be termed action. So what happens in the other 15000 lines of text? John and Kate eat. And they discuss. And they drink. (Man, do they drink. Seriously, the FBI should have sent them to rehab, not to Yemen.) At one point, they sling on AK-47s (okay, here we go, I thought!), get in a vehicle, drive into the desert and...talk while driving. Then they come home for a drink.

At page 300 I came here and read some negative reviews which told me that the only action happens in the last five pages. (Not strictly true. It is only five pages, but the last few pages are scenes of eating talking and drinking booze and the two men planning off-stage action while the "girls" go potty together.)

So I read the last ten pages and then returned to page 300 and entertained myself for awhile by counting how many paragraphs began with John thinking or saying "Right," sarcastically, to indicate his sneering disagreement with everything that is said to him. Seven times per chapter, on average. There are 80-odd chapters in this book. A shot of liquor for every "right" would make a good drinking game for people who drink as much as these characters. And then you could puke on the book by page 100, which would be apt.

And then I came to my senses and realized life is short and I had better things to do than to count moments of incompetence in the remaining 250 pages, so I skipped those.

The author acknowledgements thank many people for making this a far better book in editing, which either means his first draft was astonishingly awful or he needs to fire/divorce all those people, for this book (if you haven't gotten the drift of this review yet) sucked.

I won't read another.

[Les · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a major DeMille fan. I ordered The Panther the moment it was announced. I was so excited it was coming. On publication day when I heard Paul Bremmer was in the book I was gleeful.

I cannot begin to express how let down I was by the experience of reading the book. There are many factors that contribute to my low rating

1] The characters are becoming caricatures. John Corey is the wise cracking hero. I know Mr. DeMille pictures him as Bruce Willis; but this is turning into all the 'one-liners' from the 4 Die Hard films. Let's see John hates his in-laws, the CIA, much of the FBI & the rules. Kate is sadly under used in this seemingly only there to foil for John or to be used as an example of how woman are treated in Arab cultures.

2] Paul Bremmer as a sidebar. Here's the problem with bring these tow together. If you read Mr. DeMille's statement about The General's Daughter he admitted writing Paul as Bruce Willis, and as I note above John is also Bruce Willis. So either he would need to write this as a wacky 'WOW this two are similar' book or make Paul Bremmer a side bar. The addition of Paul does nothing for the plot and it annoys fans of Up Country & The General's Daughter. There is little Paul here. One thing that would have made it interesting would to have been to write some of the chapters from Paul's perspective so we can see what he thinks of Mr. Corey & Mrs. Corey. As I read further into the book I started wondering if Mr. DeMille would be writing a second version from Paul's perspective.

The talking: If you saw Clerks 2 there is a funny scene comparing Star Wars sage & Lord of the Rings which I will sum up like this "walking, walking, walking even the trees walk." This book can be summed up as talking, talking talking. Much of the book is running dialogue or the dialogue in John Corey's head. The more I read the more I starting things Mr. DeMille is going to kill John off because he is making him unlikeable.

I think John Corey jumped the shark in the Panther.

[Clara · Rating 3 out of 5]

As far as DeMille books go, this is the lower-middle end of the road. The jokes often fall flat, especially in the latter half, and John Corey's culturally insensitive ("politically incorrect")commentary on the Yemenis is both hackneyed (ex: how many camels does it take to...?) and actively infuriating. I get that Corey is not the most cultured/sensitive/scholarly man in contemporary "lit," but his portrayal of Yemenis is so confidently one-sided that I nearly put the book down. I'd rather see the return of his Wee Willy Winkie jokes (which are actually funny) than hear one more crack involving ammunition, goats, or camels.
Also, the narrative moves slowly, when it even moves at all. Character development is just about nil--"Lion's Game" and "Nightfall" did a much better job on that score, and the plot, when it does finally get going, is largely predictable. (Hint: The Predator drones are intended for more than just Al-Qaeda. Oops, did I give something away?)
But I've decided to be kind and charitable and give this book a three-star rating, because the last one hundred or so pages did hold my oft-wandering attention, and because it was entertaining. Thanks for distracting me from my grad school rejection letters, Nelson DeMille!

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

The only reason I gave this even 1 star is because of my loyalty to DeMille and John Corey. But holy crap what a bad book. I only forced myself to read through the whole thing so I could be complete in my reading of the Corey books. But like all other 1 star readers have said in their reviews, this book was not even in the same league as the others. I would estimate the whole 450 middle pages were painfully detailed about...plot making and the land of Yemen and its people. No action whatsoever. Not what we've come to expect with Corey stories (many plot twists and encounters with the bad guy). The lame encounter with the Panther in this book happened in the last 5 pages! I didn't even like or hate any of the supporting characters. And the relationship between Kate and John was totally boring this time around. It took me 2 months of putting down and picking back up to finally finish this dreck. Very disappointing.

[Nilesh Jasani · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing on almost all fronts. DeMille's Corey is known for his political incorrectness, but the one-liners are too tasteless, over-the-top and prejudiced in this book. The descriptions are so repetitive with the same feelings of distaste, disrespect and narrow chauvnism whipped up again and again. The good guy's actions are not only from a single viewpoint, but the utter disregard for someone else's norms, territory and right for views is galling. The most bizzare is when an unsuspecting local guy is sent to his death when heroes want to find out whether they are being targetted or not (the author tries to justify this later by making the dead guy a traitor with some revisionist views).

Apart from all this, the book takes too much time to reach the real action. Needless trips to nowhere, dialogues of nothing etc abound as story nearly remains stalled until the action begins at the end.

[Karl Jorgenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

DeMille ups his game with the Panther, a further adventure of John and Kate, the FBI couple who foil terrorists. Here, the couple goes to Yemen after the Panther, the mastermind of the U.S.S. Cole bombing.
DeMille's greatest strength is his wit. John Corey snarks, jokes, and ridicules everything and everyone, to the point where his wife's most common utterance is, 'Fuck you, John.' Actually, that's everyone else's most common utterance. DeMille's other strength is his plot. As with other DeMille works, there are wheels within wheels, agendas hidden beneath, and threats from unexpected sources. The twists continue right up to the end, for a very satisfying story line.
DeMille's one weak point is his insistence, like a lot of bestselling writers, in telling us things five, ten, or twenty times. He shows us the character coming to a conclusion, and then he tells us the character came to the conclusion, and then the character reaffirms his conclusion. Then DeMille repeats it all over again in the next chapter. Then he repeats it in dialogue, and has the character think it again. You see what I did there? Did you get my point? Maybe I should repeat it.

[Shelley Fearn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The opening chapter in The Lion's Game hooked me in what has turned into DeMille's John Corey series. That title was followed by The Lion that continued the fight against terrorism with Corey and his wife Kate Mayfield, members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force. However, I think it's time for the series to end.

In the latest installment Corey and Mayfield are sent to Yemen to track down one of the Al Queda masterminds behind the Cole bombing. What could have been a thrilling novel is hindered by the Corey's continuous and distracting wisecracking. Ok, I get it that Corey is supposed to be a hardened former NYPD detective but ease up on the attempts to be humorous. There's a time and a place for everything. The humor could have been used effectively as a way to ease a tense story if it had been used judiciously. Instead, Corey's continuous wisecracking asides merely made me glad when some action took place.

I am saying I liked it but just barely. A disappointing work by one of my favorite writers of thrillers.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a big fan of this series, but John Corey #6 was disappointing and, IMO, 300 pages too long. There are unexpected plot twists and turns, and when there is action, it is exciting and fast moving; however, it does take a very long time to get there and is a small part of the 600+ pages of the book. Additionally, while I normally enjoy Corey's sarcasm and witty comments, about half-way through the book, for me, they came across as annoying and overdone. Despite the negative comments, I still did enjoy the story and will give the series another shot.

[RJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nelson DeMille’s John Corey Series is one of my Top 5 all-time favorites. That said, The Panther was too long and too slow. In Chapter 2, John and Kate are asked to participate in a dangerous mission to Yemen, and don’t actually reach the Yemeni airport until Chapter 16. This is typical of the novel’s pacing.

Most of the long gaps between action scenes were bridged by John’s wit and DeMille’s desire to share huge chunks of research on Yemen. If the novel was a meal and the action & tension were the meat and potatoes, the research was the vegetable, and John’s quips the dessert, The Panther would consist of two ounces of meat, a tablespoon of mashed potatoes, 14 asparagus spears, and all the chocolate cake you can eat. In DeMille fan parlance, The Panther was to The Lions Game what The Gate House was to The Gold Coast.

There were a couple of plot holes that I found troubling. In one, John asked, “What if it’s raining?” after hearing the plan for a mission to Marib. He was told, “It hasn’t rained in Marib in 200 years.” Fifty pages later, his team touched down on a road in Marib and ran from the plane to a roadside ditch which was large enough to provide cover for all of them. I checked online and found that Marib gets about two inches of rain per year; not enough to merit a man-sized ditch. But, then again, Yemen is where Noah’s Ark was supposed to have landed. Maybe the municipal planners didn’t get the memo about “The Fire Next Time.”

Despite the tone of this review, DeMille’s John Corey Series will continue to be one of my favorites. I just wish he’d take a tip from Stephen King’s non-fiction, “On Writing.” Early in his career, one of King’s editors told him to always cut 10% from his first draft. In the case of The Panther, a 40% haircut would have turned this into an excellent read.

[Alexw · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I am use to the nonstop action of a Ludlum or Vince Flynn book, I found this entertaining for the sharp-witted remarks.

[Malcolm · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the first time, John Corey seemed like a bit of an a** to me.

This book tracks John and his wife through an adventure into Yemen against a known terrorist (the Panther, no spoiler there). The exploration into International intrigue was interesting, but there was a quality of stupidity to his character that grated on me, just a little bit.

One particular example (which I will keep vague, no major spoilers again) involves the procedures for interacting with foreign intelligence/police personnel ... he is part of a team, and the leader of that team gives an order to stay put and then engages the personnel and our "hero" takes his arrogant butt out into the middle of the show for sport and swagger. Not brave, stupid.

But ok -- in that very vein, kudos (as usual) to Nelson DeMille for writing so well that I'm having an emotional relationship with his fictional character. He writes from the gut and it's always entertaining.

However ... since this is the MacOSX Version 3.0 of The Lion's Game and The Lion ... there's some obvious predictability to it. It's not so much tedium as a disconnect from tension ("oh no, what ever will happen? Is the bad guy going to do something terrible? No! Is the good guy going to win? Yay.", etc...) -- so ultimately, this is a character study more than a new story.

What DeMille missed, I believe, is the opportunity to look into Yemen and Yemenese life with more than a distant "foreigner fearing" American viewpoint ... I think I would have liked to see more indigenous interaction -- they went to a market and bought some chatychkes and trinkets -- and that's about it ... granted, they were in a tense situation in which that wasn't really possible -- but Nelson DeMille could have created a situation in which there was SOME visibility into domestic life in Yemen ... even if it was simply by tracking other characters. Sadly, every American visit to a place was standard ugly tourism, and every camera cut to another character was a terrorist staring off in the distance sharpening his sword (allegorically) ... a wife or two, a man putting his hand on his son's head and wishing violence wasn't necessary -- anything ... but onward - we have a predictable story to tell.

As it stands, we have a standard zone defense vs. drive to the basket plotline ... all the bad guys are terrorists who spend every waking moment being bad (no family, no children -- just references to same way in the distance), the terrorists spread out in a predictable pattern - and our hero (and his wife) work a standard "run to the climax" storyline that is mundane and expected; but still a little rich in personality and character depth.

Read this on a beach or plane -- it's meant for that ... and at that level, as always - it's quite satisfying. If you are a prior John Corey fan, he's here and he's ready for you ... if you haven't read any John Corey books yet, go back to the beginning with Plum Island - don't worry, he'll be here too, DeMille knows how to keep a character well developed.

[James Sparks · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a big Nelson DeMille fan. I loved The Lion's Game, Night Fall, and Wild Fire.

Unfortunately, DeMille seems to now be interested in authoring Big Cat Diaries!

The Panther was massively disappointing. Perhaps it was a self-inflicted disappointment as I had such high expectations and over eagerness in waiting for the next John Corey installment.

It seems to be a steady decline from DeMille. The Lion's Game was great but the follow up, The Lion, seemed to miss the spot a bit. I put that down as a one off. However, The Panther follows this potential decline in quality.

The Panther is about 400 pages too long! Only the last quarter of the book provides any real interest for the reader.

Large parts of the book take slow and somewhat irrelevant journeys through Yemen and its political history. In parts I mistook the book as a guidebook for Yemen and the Middle East.

Furthermore, John Corey spends most of the book in and out of tactical meetings rather than actually doing anything of note.

And the usual Corey quips are massively overdone. DeMille generally has Corey set with a very good sense of humour but the 'joker' card is overplayed in this one. As a result you begin to question Corey's professionalism as an ATTF agent.

Also, the key conspirator - The Panther - gets short shrift and the reader never really associates or understands the enemy in quite the same way as someone like Asad Khalil.

The book is a big fail for me. Not even the combination with Brenner works. This feels like a risk for DeMille and it didn't work. John Corey needs to stick to what he does best in terms of investigation work and not go off as a Special Ops character chasing Big Cat's in the desert.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Corey NYPD retired and Kate Mayfield FBI have more in common that marriage, they work together for the multi-departmental, Federal Anti-Terrorist Task Force. They’ve been through a lot together and fighting terrorists is nothing new. A past threat has risen, an American born jihadist and al-Qaeda top guy known as The Panther. He’s the suspected mastermind of the USS Cole bombing plus any number of atrocities against innocent victims and men-at-arms in the name of radical Islam. Kate and John are offered an assignment to go to Yemen and apprehend this monster and being on the al-Qaeda kill list, because of their killing the terrorist known as The Lion, makes them great bait to use to lure The Panther into a trap. In Yemen they are paired with associates from various lettered agencies to help get the job done. There are many dangers in the Yemeni desert, John and Kate hope to be able to count on their partners in arms and that the only homegrown threat comes from The Panther and not from the one lettered agency that they have a troubled past with, the CIA.

Nelson DeMille delivers an explosive new novel staring our old friends John Corey and Kate Mayfield with an added bonus of Paul Brenner from “Up Country” &” The General’s Daughter” novels. This is one of his best Corey and Mayfield novels. His fast paced, action filled story takes place in the near past, the country is still reeling from 9/11, the citizens are still flying flags and the terrorists are just getting infamous. My heart rate tripled as he took me deep into enemy territory and I, like our heroes wondered whom I could trust and who to doubt. It’s not just his story-line that get’s A pluses, his characters are unforgettable both the good and the bad. As far as his stars go, Kate is the true professional and a real hero of mine and as for John, well in a recent interview I did with Mr. DeMille he said “The male readers enjoyed John Corey’s sarcasm, cynicism, and offbeat humor, and the female readers loved John Corey for reasons that I can only guess at.” Well I’ll answer that question personally, John Corey is this married woman’s worst nightmare and fondest desire in one all male package, he’s my husband every time he’s embarrassed me in public but who’s honesty, and loyalty are my dream come true. And Kate is his true match in every way, quip for quip and glib for glib but all done in a love that comes across to me as very authentic.
If you’re looking for a read after heart surgery, you may want to wait until you’re stronger. But if it’s non-stop, pulse-pounding from page one to the end action you’re looking for, if you need a hero to look up to, or an evil doer that’s par-none and worth every one of it’s 640 pages. Then it’s “The Panther” that you want to make your next Must Read.
Mr. DeMille thank you for this incredible journey, I’ll have my bags packed and ready to go in time for the next one.

[Gloria Feit · Rating 3 out of 5]

It must get harder and harder for an author to sustain a popular series. In time, the characters become long in the tooth, and the plots more difficult to create. Such is the case in this 600-plus-page novel in the John Corey/Kate Mayfield series. This time, following the last adventure in which they killed The Lion, the husband-and-wife team is tasked with finding an American, known as The Panther, who returned to Yemen to lead an al Qaeda terrorist group.

Apparently The Panther was instrumental in planning the attack on the USS Cole in Yemen, and the Anti-Terrorist Task Force asks the pair to travel to the Middle Eastern country as part of a small group to apprehend or assassinate The Panther. The theory, of course, is that the suspect could not resist the lure of the possibility of capturing the killers of The Lion. So they go, and the novel plods on, describing various aspects of the search for the target and conditions in the Yemeni capital and second city, as well as descriptions of conditions in the tribal lands.

Not only is the book heavy, but so is the story. It surely could have been reduced to half the size and been made more readable. Much of it is repetitive, and Cory’s wisecracks are becoming tiresome, not very amusing, as if the author is trying too hard. It’s too bad, because Mr. DeMille has certainly written some fine novels, and is capable of much more than writing a continuing commercial effort.

[Lauren Jenkins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Anyone who is a fan of DeMille's John Corey series will want to read this book, but I have to say, I was disappointed. I'm still glad I read it -- but I was let down. While Corey's acerbic wit and politically incorrect humor are ever-present, 85% of the book is dialogue in and out of Corey's head, with very little action. The ins and outs of a double-crossing, convoluted mission in Yemen require some explanation, sure-- but not at the expense of what could have been an action story like many of DeMille's others.

It was a long wait for "The Panther," and I hope DeMille's next book will be here quickly and bring back some more action along with this great character.

[George Lichman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Years ago I read The Gold Coast by Nelson DeMille; I wasn't impressed. While an interesting story, I thought it was too long and too slow. Since then, friends have pushed more from DeMille. I resisted.
Until now.
I got my hands on an early copy of DeMille's latest novel, The Panther, released Tuesday October 16, 2012. It is the latest in the John Corey/Kate Mayfield series. The short version of this review: I can't believe I've missed the first five in the series. I have a lot of catching up to do!
Of course, I've never given the short version of anything, so here is the rest:
John and Kate are married, both working on the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force in New York City. John is an NYPD Detective, Kate an FBI Special Agent. The story is told from mostly in the first person from the point of view of John, a smart, reflective, witty, pain in the ass. The same qualities that make him a good investigator make him difficult to get along with and even more difficult to supervise. That, of course, makes a great story!
In The Panther, John and Kate are given an assignment in Yemen: to arrest the terrorist responsible for the attack on the USS Cole. Well, "arrest" might not be the most accurate way to describe what the team is really supposed to do, but that is the official assignment. They've been specially selected, since the American born and raised Panther would like to "arrest" John and Kate, too, to avenge the death of an al Qaeda terrorist that they were responsible for. The two are working with agents from myriad intelligence agencies on this mission: military, State Department, the CIA. All are hardened and experienced patriots, and all have secret agendas that are slowly revealed throughout the book.


Nelson DeMille
The book includes loyalty, deception, betrayal, murder, and more, and that's just among the good guys! Despite being over 6o0 pages, it is a page turner, helped along by fast dialogue and the laugh out loud wit of the protagonist.
I don't know if was DeMille's intent, but I felt Corey's distrust and cynicism, along with the methods used on their Panther hunt, was a critique on the War on Terror, or at least the way it's being fought.
The Panther is more about the story than the characters. John Corey is a New York cop, and narrates as one would expect from a New York cop. Although he has depth so far as recognizing the danger of the mission, and that there is a good chance he'll be killed, he isn't complex. He knows what he knows and doesn't seem to worry much about what he doesn't. Even the private moments between John and Kate are light. But the danger of the mission always looms, and even reading from the safety of my home I was tense waiting for the surprise attack, ambush, or explosion that I felt was imminent.

The Panther is an excellent book that I'm confident will return Nelson DeMille to the Best Seller list. His other John Corey books are now on my read list, and I've even considered giving The Gold Coast a second read, thinking there must be something I missed!

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really wanted to give this book five stars. This book went past the point of believability, even for someone who loves conspiracies. I love John Corey, but he was hard to handle in this book. His sarcasm went over the top and made him not very likable. Kate and John are called into their boss's office and told that they are needed in Yemen to capture and bring back an American citizen who is now an Al Quada leader and had masterminded the bombing of an American ship, killed Americans and others and committed other terrorists' acts. Kate and John are the perfect pair to go over there. That is what they are told, but John wants to know just why those in the know think that. Kate and John, along with four others, make up the A Team. Those at the top of this government operation are the only ones who need to know everyting about this mission. They're the only ones who need to see the big picture. John and Kate are to follow orders; be team players. However, John has a feeling that the things he doesn't know are going to get Kate and him, and perhaps some of the other good guys, killed. I just couldn't believe that some of the things that happened could even begin to happen. I went back in the book several times and thought, "Can I believe this just a little?" The answer was a sad no. But this book will by no means stop me from buying another Nelson DeMille book as soon as it comes out. In fact, in the beginning, before things got to far fetched for me, I was thinking about going back and reading all of Nelson DeMille's books again. But now I think I need a little space between John Corey and myself; just for awhile.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nelson DeMille is one of my go-to authors. He hits every time for me. The Panther was another winner. I like DeMille's recurring character - John Corey. The Panther is Corey's sixth appearance.

This time John and his wife, FBI agent Kate are off to Yemen for a one-year commitment to capture The Panther a terrorist who is raising hell in Yemen. John and Kate took down The Lion, another terrorist, so their superiors determined they are perfect for the job of finding and "capturing" The Panther.

As always, the CIA, FBI and John are not playing well together. The only people John truly trusts are Kate and Paul Brenner (military Warrant Officer from The General's Daughter and Up Country). Although, it does take a few chapters for Paul to earn John's trust. At any rate, there is classic action, great character development and plenty of obnoxious give and take between Corey and practically everyone he meets. Some reviewers mention they are bored with Corey's remarks, his obvious distaste for the terrorists and on and on. Really? This is a character, for goodness sakes. Have you read the five other books in the series? This is who John Corey is. Would you prefer the character to be bland and without an opinion for 600 pages?

Read the John Corey books in order and definitely pick up The General's Daughter and Up Country, featuring Paul Brenner (the movie The General's Daughter is a very good adaptation of the book, if you're interested).

[Connie Donnelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Corey and his wife Kate Matfield are on a mission to Yemen in search of the terrorist the Panther. He was the mastermind for the bombing of the Cole and has been responsible for numerous murders and attacks.
John is a wisecracking wild card and he suspects that this assignment has more than the one agenda. There are more players in the game and loyalties are ever shifting. As usual De Mille keeps you riveted and John gives you several laughs in a situation that is dead serious.

[Margarida · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este foi dos livros de Nelson DeMille, da saga John Corey, que mais demorei a ler. Gostei, mas não gostei tanto como dos outros, por uma razão muito simples: o ritmo é mais lento. Não há a acção vertiginosa a que nos habituamos com os livros anteriores, está mais desenvolvido o enredo da "teoria da conspiração" e da paranóia americana. Sempre presente continua a estar o humor e sarcasmo de John Corey.
Desiludiu-me um bocado, o arrastar da acção até estarem no terreno, no Iémen, à procura do líder local da Al-Qaeda, o Leopardo. O Leão (ver livros 2 e 5 da série) foi bem mais difícil de apanhar, já o Leopardo quase não deu luta... Na verdade, o "Jogo do Leopardo" não foi feito por ele... um líder muito fraco, que só sabia cortar gargantas mas a real acção terrorista saía sempre (ou quase sempre) falhada. O jogo que é feito não é feito por ele, mas pela CIA, a omnipresente CIA... No fundo é um jogo de americanos contra americanos, ou não será coincidência que o Leopardo seja um americano com origens iemenitas que se radicaliza e se torna terrorista?
É interessante também pelo que nos é transmitido da "ideologia" terrorista, o que eventualmente poderá passar na cabeça de um ocidental muçulmano que se radicaliza e se torna terrorista, uma realidade tão actual quanto assustadora (Al-Qaeda, Daesh, etc)