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Joey Mancuso, Father O'Brian #8
The Labyrinth
SHE WAS THE PERFECT WIFE…
SO WHO KILLED HER?
The widower says his wife was killed by gangs— but now he’s running for Mayor of New York City. Just to be sure (or else to portray himself as a properly mourning husband), he hires P.I.s Joey Mancuso and Father Dom to solve the murder. Only they can’t help noticing he’s pushing them to come to the gang conclusion as well. Hey, is something fishy here?
Joey Mancuso, his priest half-brother--Father Dom--and their crack team have got their work cut out for them. A year ago, a Brooklyn politician’s wife was brutally murdered, seemingly in a terrible burglary gone wrong. But no one really knows: the case remains unsolved. The mourning politician hires Mancuso to solve the cold case--right before announcing his plan to run for mayor of New York City. Oh, and in that same speech, the politician blames his wife’s death on gang violence. And the politician tries to convince Mancuso to come to the same conclusion.
Well….none of the gangs in Brooklyn seem to have it out for the politician’s family. Plus, the politician may have a straying eye--there are rumors of the affair. It's a labyrinthine puzzle, the kind Joey (forever inspired by his hero, Holmes) delights in. Mancuso and Co. take to their office--which doubles as a bustling, Lower Manhattan cigar bar--and delve into Joey’s strangest mystery yet.
Joey Mancuso’s latest adventure is a gritty tour of a side of Brooklyn that’s rarely seen anymore; any fan of The Wire will find a lot to love in the gripping gang politics. Plus, author Parr weaves in the ritzy drama of upper class New Yorkers, all of whom have sordid secrets...
Anyone who loves Matt Scudder or Father Brown will adore Joey and Father Dom. Fans of both New York PI novels and police procedurals like Nelson DeMille’s John Corey, and those by Raymond Chandler, Joseph Wambaugh, Lawrence Block, and Rex Stout will love this motley detective team. As will devotees of clerical mysteries and the greatest detective of all time, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes.
SO WHO KILLED HER?
The widower says his wife was killed by gangs— but now he’s running for Mayor of New York City. Just to be sure (or else to portray himself as a properly mourning husband), he hires P.I.s Joey Mancuso and Father Dom to solve the murder. Only they can’t help noticing he’s pushing them to come to the gang conclusion as well. Hey, is something fishy here?
Joey Mancuso, his priest half-brother--Father Dom--and their crack team have got their work cut out for them. A year ago, a Brooklyn politician’s wife was brutally murdered, seemingly in a terrible burglary gone wrong. But no one really knows: the case remains unsolved. The mourning politician hires Mancuso to solve the cold case--right before announcing his plan to run for mayor of New York City. Oh, and in that same speech, the politician blames his wife’s death on gang violence. And the politician tries to convince Mancuso to come to the same conclusion.
Well….none of the gangs in Brooklyn seem to have it out for the politician’s family. Plus, the politician may have a straying eye--there are rumors of the affair. It's a labyrinthine puzzle, the kind Joey (forever inspired by his hero, Holmes) delights in. Mancuso and Co. take to their office--which doubles as a bustling, Lower Manhattan cigar bar--and delve into Joey’s strangest mystery yet.
Joey Mancuso’s latest adventure is a gritty tour of a side of Brooklyn that’s rarely seen anymore; any fan of The Wire will find a lot to love in the gripping gang politics. Plus, author Parr weaves in the ritzy drama of upper class New Yorkers, all of whom have sordid secrets...
Anyone who loves Matt Scudder or Father Brown will adore Joey and Father Dom. Fans of both New York PI novels and police procedurals like Nelson DeMille’s John Corey, and those by Raymond Chandler, Joseph Wambaugh, Lawrence Block, and Rex Stout will love this motley detective team. As will devotees of clerical mysteries and the greatest detective of all time, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes.
284 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 11, 2021
102 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
About the author
Owen Parr
65 books103 followersOwen Parr is a celebrated author, having won numerous awards for his unique and creative writing style. He has received Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards from respected organizations such as Reader's Favorite and the International Book Reviewer and Award organization. He has also been recognized by the Florida Authors and Publishers Association, Crime Masters International, and New Apple Award organizations. Many of his crime mystery novels have topped Amazon's bestseller list, with several reaching the number one spot.
Parr's novels stand out due to their unique crime mystery plots, full of twists and turns that keep readers engaged and challenged. His descriptions of scenes and characters are clear and concise, immersing readers in the story and allowing them to visualize the characters and settings.
Since 2015, Parr has created several series of novels, starting with the John Powers - International Espionage and Intrigue trilogy, followed by the Joey Mancuso, Father O'Brien Crime Mysteries - twelve novels of riveting crime and murder mysteries. Finally, he has written the Jack Ryder Novellas - three crime and murder mysteries, in the style of Agatha Christie.
Regardless of which series you start with, you will find yourself wanting to read them all, as each one is a treat to experience.
In addition to being an author, Parr is also a wealth advisor and portfolio manager with over 30 years of experience with Wall Street firms. He draws inspiration from his work and uses his observations to craft compelling white-collar crime stories that often reveal the underbelly of Wall Street.
Born in Havana, Cuba, Parr's parents immigrated to the US soon after the communist takeover of the island. Although he started college seeking an electrical engineering degree, he switched to marketing and business after finding the former to be lacking in creativity.
You can find out more about Parr and his work at www.owenparr.com or by emailing him at owen@owenparr.com. Parr donates a portion of his royalties each month to organizations such as St. Jude Hospital, the Gary Sinise Foundation, and the Towers to Tunnel Foundation.
Parr's novels stand out due to their unique crime mystery plots, full of twists and turns that keep readers engaged and challenged. His descriptions of scenes and characters are clear and concise, immersing readers in the story and allowing them to visualize the characters and settings.
Since 2015, Parr has created several series of novels, starting with the John Powers - International Espionage and Intrigue trilogy, followed by the Joey Mancuso, Father O'Brien Crime Mysteries - twelve novels of riveting crime and murder mysteries. Finally, he has written the Jack Ryder Novellas - three crime and murder mysteries, in the style of Agatha Christie.
Regardless of which series you start with, you will find yourself wanting to read them all, as each one is a treat to experience.
In addition to being an author, Parr is also a wealth advisor and portfolio manager with over 30 years of experience with Wall Street firms. He draws inspiration from his work and uses his observations to craft compelling white-collar crime stories that often reveal the underbelly of Wall Street.
Born in Havana, Cuba, Parr's parents immigrated to the US soon after the communist takeover of the island. Although he started college seeking an electrical engineering degree, he switched to marketing and business after finding the former to be lacking in creativity.
You can find out more about Parr and his work at www.owenparr.com or by emailing him at owen@owenparr.com. Parr donates a portion of his royalties each month to organizations such as St. Jude Hospital, the Gary Sinise Foundation, and the Towers to Tunnel Foundation.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
August 19, 2021
Not as good as the first ones
I've read the previous books and liked them. this one is not up to those standards.
The actual reading was difficult. Words were separated paragraphs were nonexistent. Sentences were separated. Dialogue was broken
Content was not edited many words were misspelled, used wrong, or the wrong tense. It seemed as if there was an outline that got published. Too many times an action that was intended didn't happen.
Very hard to read, too long and convoluted with way too many errors.
I've read the previous books and liked them. this one is not up to those standards.
The actual reading was difficult. Words were separated paragraphs were nonexistent. Sentences were separated. Dialogue was broken
Content was not edited many words were misspelled, used wrong, or the wrong tense. It seemed as if there was an outline that got published. Too many times an action that was intended didn't happen.
Very hard to read, too long and convoluted with way too many errors.
August 20, 2021
Bad proof reading
First, I love this series. The case in this one was good. But reading it was torture. So many typos and totally missing .words. And the atrocious paragraph spacing made it difficult tow figure out who was speaking
Looking forward to the next book, hoping format is improved.
First, I love this series. The case in this one was good. But reading it was torture. So many typos and totally missing .words. And the atrocious paragraph spacing made it difficult tow figure out who was speaking
Looking forward to the next book, hoping format is improved.
July 12, 2021
Disappointed
Very poor job of editing Format of pages was distracting Sentences broken up not allowing reading to flow very disappointing
Very poor job of editing Format of pages was distracting Sentences broken up not allowing reading to flow very disappointing
August 13, 2021
Eight Books In And Still Surprises Me
There’s something about an Owen Parr mystery novel that I just eat up. Granted, this is at least my eighth one in the Joey Mancuso & Father O’Brian series, but every time these books seem to surprise me. This also isn’t the first time that I felt like I got more than one mystery solved in the same novel. This time I was treated to two mysteries solved and I loved every moment of it.
I was sitting here listening to the book and enjoying it when I go, wait for a second, there’s no way it’s done. I wasn’t even around 50% done and it seemed like the first victim was completely wrapped up. Now, I know that Parr is able to string out the story for a while and he usually has me hanging on every word as Mancuso uses his Sherlock Holmes-like approach to solving murders. But I ended up pausing the book to figure out what the heck was going on. Then, he throws a curveball I should have seen coming but didn’t. And then I was off, reading another half of the book to figure out the bigger picture that he was painting the whole time.
The Labyrinth was an interesting book and I think it was the first time that Mancuso had to utilize lots of outside players to help out which I found fascinating. He was able to call on different people for different things (while only calling in one “favor”). This is all while his wife is pregnant with their first child. That angle alone gave it such a different feeling. Mancuso has something to lose now… well two somethings, and that changed the way that he approached things (only slightly).
Overall, I thought that this was another excellent mystery and definitely my favorite mystery series. Parr delivers every time and just knocks it out of the park. I love when Mancuso comes up with a plan or an idea and thinks he’s the only one that’s keyed in on it when someone else can see that sparkle in his eye that he’s up to something. Throw in the excellent narration by McCarten and it was a book that I won’t soon forget!
There’s something about an Owen Parr mystery novel that I just eat up. Granted, this is at least my eighth one in the Joey Mancuso & Father O’Brian series, but every time these books seem to surprise me. This also isn’t the first time that I felt like I got more than one mystery solved in the same novel. This time I was treated to two mysteries solved and I loved every moment of it.
I was sitting here listening to the book and enjoying it when I go, wait for a second, there’s no way it’s done. I wasn’t even around 50% done and it seemed like the first victim was completely wrapped up. Now, I know that Parr is able to string out the story for a while and he usually has me hanging on every word as Mancuso uses his Sherlock Holmes-like approach to solving murders. But I ended up pausing the book to figure out what the heck was going on. Then, he throws a curveball I should have seen coming but didn’t. And then I was off, reading another half of the book to figure out the bigger picture that he was painting the whole time.
The Labyrinth was an interesting book and I think it was the first time that Mancuso had to utilize lots of outside players to help out which I found fascinating. He was able to call on different people for different things (while only calling in one “favor”). This is all while his wife is pregnant with their first child. That angle alone gave it such a different feeling. Mancuso has something to lose now… well two somethings, and that changed the way that he approached things (only slightly).
Overall, I thought that this was another excellent mystery and definitely my favorite mystery series. Parr delivers every time and just knocks it out of the park. I love when Mancuso comes up with a plan or an idea and thinks he’s the only one that’s keyed in on it when someone else can see that sparkle in his eye that he’s up to something. Throw in the excellent narration by McCarten and it was a book that I won’t soon forget!
August 15, 2021
This latest is book is winner as were all of his other Joey Mancuso stories. In this book, Joey and his team are hired to look into a 1 year old killing of a lawyer's wife. As they begin their investigation, they begin questioning individuals that were in the police report, eventually their questioning of the husband lawyer results in them being terminated by their client. Joey believes there is more to the case than what was ultimately detailed and decides to go it alone. Another murder takes place and Joey and his team are brought in as consultants for the police. They continue with their investigation until an individual is charged with the second murder, and they once again are told that their services are finished. Again, the lawyer of the individual arrested for the second murder hires them to find the true killer.
As Joey and his team follow the leads that they have developed, more killings happen and eventually Joey receives a direct threat which requests him to drop the investigation. This only makes Joey more determined to get to the bottom of the case . His decision only came after a discussion with a certain individual. More and more events happen which ultimately lead to a conclusion.
To find out who the killer and organization was that were determined to stop Joey's team, what individual from Joey's past becomes involved and what resulted at the completion of the investigation, then you need to read this book.
As Joey and his team follow the leads that they have developed, more killings happen and eventually Joey receives a direct threat which requests him to drop the investigation. This only makes Joey more determined to get to the bottom of the case . His decision only came after a discussion with a certain individual. More and more events happen which ultimately lead to a conclusion.
To find out who the killer and organization was that were determined to stop Joey's team, what individual from Joey's past becomes involved and what resulted at the completion of the investigation, then you need to read this book.
June 17, 2025
As a rule, I like to read all the books in a series in the order in which they were written because in every well-written series, each story builds upon the ones that have gone before it. Even though these novels are written so they can be read as standalone novels in any order, the character arcs of the main characters are overarching and build with each new story. Since I’m bingeing on Owen Parr, I broke that rule with this series. I just finished A Murder on Wall Street, book 1 in the series, and I’m now reading The Labyrinth, book 8 in the series.
The Labyrinth had me hooked from the very first page and kept me on tenterhooks until the very end. Owen Parr once again proved his worthiness to be one of my top five mystery/thriller authors. As I said at the beginning of my review of A Murder on Wall Street, as a rule, I’m not a fan of priests who are also detectives because the roles are so different that it’s almost impossible for the character to fulfill both roles convincingly. Father Dominic O’Brien, the half-brother of retired NYPD Detective turned P.I., Joey Mancuso, is the exception to that rule. He portrays both the private investigator and the priest roles flawlessly.
If you only read one new author this summer, make that author Owen Parr.
The Labyrinth had me hooked from the very first page and kept me on tenterhooks until the very end. Owen Parr once again proved his worthiness to be one of my top five mystery/thriller authors. As I said at the beginning of my review of A Murder on Wall Street, as a rule, I’m not a fan of priests who are also detectives because the roles are so different that it’s almost impossible for the character to fulfill both roles convincingly. Father Dominic O’Brien, the half-brother of retired NYPD Detective turned P.I., Joey Mancuso, is the exception to that rule. He portrays both the private investigator and the priest roles flawlessly.
If you only read one new author this summer, make that author Owen Parr.
September 6, 2021
A tale that will keep you going round in circles
Pick up Owen Parr's "The Labyrinth" and you won't want to put it down until you're finished. However, that may be difficult as this is the most complex of Parr's stories and one must eat and sleep (a little) to keep up with Joey Mancuso's roundabout chase of a nationwide murder-for-hire syndicate. What I enjoyed is this kept me guessing until the end, bodies are piling up all over the place, I got to pick up with some favorite, engaging characters and best of all, Mancuso's shadowy past with the Mob comes into play again. Hmmm...
Pick up Owen Parr's "The Labyrinth" and you won't want to put it down until you're finished. However, that may be difficult as this is the most complex of Parr's stories and one must eat and sleep (a little) to keep up with Joey Mancuso's roundabout chase of a nationwide murder-for-hire syndicate. What I enjoyed is this kept me guessing until the end, bodies are piling up all over the place, I got to pick up with some favorite, engaging characters and best of all, Mancuso's shadowy past with the Mob comes into play again. Hmmm...
November 13, 2021
Good stories...sloppy product
I've read this series from book one and thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters are rich, the plots complex,(sometimes ponderous) but always entertaining. What I can't understand is the atrocious editing, or the lack of it. All these books are filled with grammatical errors so blatant to give an English teacher a heart attack. Cannot believe a publisher, or author, would let such a flawed product on the market. loved the books but they deserved cleaner presentation.
I've read this series from book one and thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters are rich, the plots complex,(sometimes ponderous) but always entertaining. What I can't understand is the atrocious editing, or the lack of it. All these books are filled with grammatical errors so blatant to give an English teacher a heart attack. Cannot believe a publisher, or author, would let such a flawed product on the market. loved the books but they deserved cleaner presentation.
January 8, 2022
The title is appropriate. This case sends Joey and company into a maze. When an unsolved case resurfaces and the suspect asks for their assistance to solve the mystery, Joey and company never dream where it will lead. Joey's wife Marcy is very pregnant, and he is anxious about that, too. Also interesting is that Joey is realizing that his unorthodox way of solving cases puts his circle in danger regularly. He begins having nightmares about being trapped in a maze he can't escape. The question is, will he ever give up his investigations? Again, I deducted a star for careless editing.
February 1, 2023
Yes, this was a labyrinth!
And another superbly crafted novel from Owen Parr. This was an extremely complex case for Joey and his team. Amazing how a one year old about to be cold case could open up such a can of worms.
This even had the FBI allowing Joey to be part of their team because of his involvement with sorting the first part of the mystery. Then it gets really down and dirty with a few more deaths.
Next book please!
And another superbly crafted novel from Owen Parr. This was an extremely complex case for Joey and his team. Amazing how a one year old about to be cold case could open up such a can of worms.
This even had the FBI allowing Joey to be part of their team because of his involvement with sorting the first part of the mystery. Then it gets really down and dirty with a few more deaths.
Next book please!
August 17, 2021
Once again Owen Parr delivers
I have read all of the Father O'Brien books and enjoyed all of them so I was thrilled when #8 came out. However this is the first of those eight with such horrid editing. Many grammar errors, misplaced words and separations within a word. It could be a 5 star of it weren't for that.
I have read all of the Father O'Brien books and enjoyed all of them so I was thrilled when #8 came out. However this is the first of those eight with such horrid editing. Many grammar errors, misplaced words and separations within a word. It could be a 5 star of it weren't for that.
January 28, 2022
Great characters, nice suspense, no blood and guts, or explicit sex
I loved the entire series. Have to admit, this is one of the series that gets you involved with all the characters. I could actually picture what each person looked like. Once i started reading, it made me stay up past my normal bedtime and I picked up reading again first thing the next day. Highly recommend.
I loved the entire series. Have to admit, this is one of the series that gets you involved with all the characters. I could actually picture what each person looked like. Once i started reading, it made me stay up past my normal bedtime and I picked up reading again first thing the next day. Highly recommend.
June 6, 2022
Very good, complex murder mystery
The plot of this novel was satisfyingly complex and includes requisite personal danger for the protagonists. I would have given it a higher rating if not for the annoying reference to New York City highways and parkways by number instead of the common names used by New Yorkers. This notwithstanding, a very good read.
The plot of this novel was satisfyingly complex and includes requisite personal danger for the protagonists. I would have given it a higher rating if not for the annoying reference to New York City highways and parkways by number instead of the common names used by New Yorkers. This notwithstanding, a very good read.
July 5, 2021
Excellent Excellent Book
I absolutely loved this book it was a ten star book did not want it to end I have read all of Owen parrs books I highly recommend this book to everyone and all of his other books Dorothy Schaefer
I absolutely loved this book it was a ten star book did not want it to end I have read all of Owen parrs books I highly recommend this book to everyone and all of his other books Dorothy Schaefer
August 26, 2021
Love this series but reading this was torture. This issue must have skipped proofreading. Letters in words were separated, poor grammar and other errors made reading less than enjoyable. If I had not read previous books, I would not have finished this one. This was a free book but I should have been paid to finish it.
February 25, 2022
gripping
A whirlwind of criminal activity keeps you glued to the pages as Mancuso investigators combined with their associates from the FBI and the police department work tirelessly to bring all those guilty to the fate they deserved. Excellent story.
A whirlwind of criminal activity keeps you glued to the pages as Mancuso investigators combined with their associates from the FBI and the police department work tirelessly to bring all those guilty to the fate they deserved. Excellent story.
February 28, 2022
Needs an editor
I have read and enjoyed the entire Joey Mancuso, Father O'Brien series. The Labyrinth is in desperate need of a good editor. The story line was good, but the plethora of editing errors ruined this book for me.
I have read and enjoyed the entire Joey Mancuso, Father O'Brien series. The Labyrinth is in desperate need of a good editor. The story line was good, but the plethora of editing errors ruined this book for me.
August 5, 2024
Another Excellent Story
I have loved all the stories involving Joey Mancuso. All the characters are well developed, and I enjoy each of them. This was a very complicated crime to figure out. I think Owen Parr is an excellent author.
I have loved all the stories involving Joey Mancuso. All the characters are well developed, and I enjoy each of them. This was a very complicated crime to figure out. I think Owen Parr is an excellent author.
October 16, 2025
What a thriller! Joey and team start out working on a cold case. This leads to a national murder for hire scheme. The FBI also get involved. Has Marcy had her baby yet? Read and find out!!! A great read!
January 31, 2026
This novel follows the various unsuccessful and fatal attempts to resolve and extensive murder for hire enterprise but even though several tragic events are encountered the team proves to be successful and the outlook for the future looks to be bright.
August 8, 2021
Superb plot, tightly woven of how many where involved. Love the characters they are a caring family for one another. Looking for the next .
August 10, 2021
Great book
Great books. Great characters. I like father Dom and Lucy.but my all time favorites are Joey and Marcy would definitely recommend the book.
Great books. Great characters. I like father Dom and Lucy.but my all time favorites are Joey and Marcy would definitely recommend the book.
August 12, 2021
Joey Mancuso and his brother, Gather Dom O'Brian put their investigative skills to work and uncover a murder for hire group.
August 14, 2021
Twisty Tervy
I enjoyed this novel as I have all of first seven. Owen has knack of inspiring me to continue late into the night to finish the story.
I enjoyed this novel as I have all of first seven. Owen has knack of inspiring me to continue late into the night to finish the story.
February 21, 2022
Great read.
March 10, 2022
Great!
This novel is the 3rd I have read from this series. It is definitely my favorite with non-stop action and great characters.
This novel is the 3rd I have read from this series. It is definitely my favorite with non-stop action and great characters.
March 10, 2022
another great read!
The plot twists and turns are wonderful and not to deep to bog you down - a great read to relax with and keep you guessing.
The plot twists and turns are wonderful and not to deep to bog you down - a great read to relax with and keep you guessing.
April 27, 2022
I loved this book. It was a fast paced thriller of a ride. I read 1/2 of this book on my Chrome book and it needs formatting or editing there. There were some other issues that needed to be edited.
July 16, 2022
Good story
The story was good but the lack of proofreading prior to publishing made it hard to enjoy. And at times hard to understand
The story was good but the lack of proofreading prior to publishing made it hard to enjoy. And at times hard to understand
July 28, 2022
As usual, Joey Mancuso is a GREAT read!
The standard collection of good guys and bad guys, plus a bunch of “suits” chasing around New York and down as far as Florida.
The standard collection of good guys and bad guys, plus a bunch of “suits” chasing around New York and down as far as Florida.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews