The Panther

Written by Nelson DeMille

Narrated by Scott Brick

It's one of the most dangerous and volatile countries in the world: Yemen. A Middle Eastern hotbed of corruption and insurgency and the perfect training ground for Islamic terrorists. When FBI agents John Corey and Kate Mayfield are assigned to overseas posts in Sana'a, Yemen's capital city, they are tasked with hunting down a high-ranking Al Qaeda operative. This man, known as The Panther, is wanted for terrorist acts and multiple murders and the US government is determined to bring him down, no matter the cost. As latecomers to a deadly game, John and Kate don't know the rules, the players or the score. What they do know is that there is more to their assignment than meets the eye—and that the hunters are about to become the hunted. In an action-packed and terrifying race to take down one of the most ruthless men alive, Nelson DeMille reunites readers with his charismatic hero John Corey.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Little, Brown (Hachette UK) Audio
• Release date: Oct 16, 2012
• ISBN: 9781405516884

Nelson DeMille

Nelson DeMille is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty-two novels, seven of which were #1 New York Times bestsellers. His novels include The Maze, The Deserter (written with Alex DeMille), The Cuban Affair, Word of Honor, Plum Island, The Charm School, The Gold Coast, and The General’s Daughter, which was made into a major motion picture, starring John Travolta and Madeleine Stowe. He has written short stories, book reviews, and articles for magazines and newspapers. Nelson DeMille is a combat-decorated US Army veteran, a member of Mensa, Poets & Writers, and the Authors Guild, and past president of the Mystery Writers of America. He is also a member of the International Thriller Writers, who honored him as 2015 ThrillerMaster of the Year. He lives on Long Island with his family.

Reviews for The Panther

[nwieme-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Love the John Corey character!! Good, FAST read (even in the dark!)

[jimgysin_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Bad guys take root in Yemen and it's up to John Corey and company to flush them out and protect American interests. While serving as bait for the big bad, of course. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Paul Brenner, another familiar name to DeMille fans, plays a significant role in this one, along with the Coreys. And I'd already heard the complaints about excessive snark (even for Corey) in this one, and I can't say that I entirely disagree. I'm a fan of the old "less is more" adage, and DeMille might want to give it some thought in the future. Either that or be more willing to defer to a decent editor. In the end, this one is a solid addition to the Corey arc and it was nice to revisit some old friends here. There were more than a few points in the story when I would have preferred to have a character ask a given set of questions in a group setting instead of keeping those questions to himself or herself, but that seems to be a DeMille narrative device that you simply have to accept. Or not. The only real negative here was the ridiculously rushed epilogue, especially after chapters and chapters filled with superfluous, cutesy stuff. It's as if the FedEx guy had rung DeMille's doorbell for the final draft, only to be stalled while DeMille penned a few closing lines in a half-hearted effort to wrap things up. (DeMille writes out his stories longhand, so this scenario might not be as far-fetched as one might imagine in this digital age.)

[lmjenkins · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

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.

[fernemysteryreader · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love Nelson DeMille's writing. This is only the 2nd novel that I've read with character John Corey. I previously read Night Fall, John Corey, #3. I'm sure that the character of John Corey does not appeal to everyone due to his particular brand of wit but he makes me smile and I enjoy his comments in conversation with other characters, especially some of the dialogue with his wife/partner Kate, and those he just shares with the reader.Without a doubt, this novel's storyline could be carved from our current headlines. In the category of spy/espionage thriller however, I think I'd rather read a novel by Jason Matthews (e.g. Red Sparrow, Dominika Egorova & Nathaniel Nash, #1).

[timnewey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

FIVE, Stars!.. Brilliant!.. I - Started this Book, in 2014, I Think?!!.. (I Read, Many Books Simultaneously).. Brilliant.. DeMille - Delivers!.. Again!!.. (Read The Other John Coreys', First, Obviously)! Awesome!!..

[carol420 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

One of the things we as American's will not forget is the attack on the USS Cole. John Corey certainly hasn't forgotten it. Now he has the opportunity to capture, maybe, hopefully kill, the man responsible. But the hunters are about to become the hunted. There was a lot of pages, (over 600), characters and Arabic names to make your way through but John Corey's sense of humor (sometimes not appreciated), moved it right along. Nelson DeMille has always written provocative, highly entertaining novels and this one will not disappoint. Keep up the good work Mr. DeMille.

[brucemmoyer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A serious book dealing with a serious subject that makes you smile and laugh out loud often. Without a doubt, the best ever from DeMille who has created a very competent smart ass detective, who along with his FBI lawyer wife enter into a middle east adventure that will grab you and not let go. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would have liked it to go on for twice its 620 pages

[buffalogr · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

At 21.5 hours, this is a long book. John Corey and his wife, Kate go to Yemen to find the perpetrator of the Cole bombing and "whack" him. The book really drags in the middle and the characters don't develop well....i.e. the bedouin is just that, no personality, just a mass of people. Were I not trapped on an airplane, I would have put it down. John Corey is predictably obnoxious and inappropriate -- so much that it gets really old. In it's favor, there's a side plot where the CIA is trying to "whack" John. But, in the last 30 minutes, the book ends, predictably, mano y mano.

[jbarr5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Panther by Nelson DeMille600+ pages, but I have read the author's other works and know it will be worth it.Kate Mayfield and husband John Corey have agreed to an assignment in Yemen. They are to work with a small team to investigate The Cole bombing, they are out for the mastermind behind it all.Liked hearing of how John accumulates the background on where he's going and what to expect with the travel and restrictions. They are not given much to go on when they arrive.Chapters also from the panther's side of the story and what he achieves for his country.Interesting following the story and the capture and how he can perceive danger and seek out other routes to take. They have become the hunted rather than hunting for the panther.I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device)also purchased a hardbound copy.

[wanderland-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A little drawn out in parts. Not as fast paced as I would have expected.

[stevesmits · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was ok if a bit longer than needed. The story of the hunt for an Al Qaeda terrorist in Yeman; the "Panther", an American citizen of Yemani extract supposedly responsible for the attack on the USS Cole. The search and the plotting were followed step-by-step -- was this needed? I was put off by the constant wisecracking of the protagonist, John Corey, but the back story of Yemani politics and culture was interesting. The plot line involving the CIA was a bit too much, but no spoilers here. As you'd expect there was a lot of violence in the book. I hadn't read any previous books in the John Corey series, but the lead-up to this story was made clear as the plot unfolded.A good beach read, but doubt that I'll read anything else by DeMille

[rosalita_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another in the series about John Corey, former NYPD detective, current member of the federal Anti-Terrorism Task Force, and all-around smart ass. This time around, Corey and his FBI agent wife Kate are in Yemen, part of a mission to track down The Panther, an American citizen who became radicalized and returned to his parents' birthplace, Yemen, and joined Al Qaeda. The Panther is believed to be responsible for numerous terrorist attacks, including the bombing of the USS Cole, which killed 17 American sailors.Along the way, the Coreys have to cope with the possibility that the CIA spook who is leading their covert operation may also be planning to kill them for something Kate did in a previous book. The plot of this one seemed tighter and more plausible than some of the earlier books, and should have earned it 4 stars. In the end, I downgraded the book for its incessant anti-PC attitudes and generally pedestrian writing. If only DeMille could write as well as he can plot...

[starkravingmad_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Entertaining thriller, but not among DeMille's best especially as compared to "The Lion" or even the "Lion's Game". "The Panther" drags for much of the middle of the book, and there is not enough character develop for some of the character.

[ajwseven · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I was going to write that this is my least favorite DeMille book but considering I have loved many of his books including By the Rivers of Babylon, Cathedral and Charm School, I did not think that was sufficient. This is just not a very good book. It has almost no action or character development. Instead, it is filled with too many sarcastic remarks, random quips and jokes that fall flat. The exposition is long, repetitive and frequently too detailed for the story. If you are interested in reading a quality DeMille story, pick up something else.

[weeziesbooks · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

“The Panther” by Nelson DeMille was not one of my favorite novels. I get John Cory’s character which is irreverent and challenging, and yet for me it was very distracting in the flow of this story. If I were Kate I would want to be on a mission or assignment with John, but would definitely not want him to be my life partner. I did enjoy the information that I gathered about Yemen; however, I found that there was too much chatter and not enough action. I give this book a 2.5 star rating.

[gaillamontagne · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Wonderfully narratedby Scott Brick, 21.5 hours of intense drama, humor and colorful characters. This is a sequel to The Lion's Game. This is a terriorism novel consisting of the US against AlQaeda where the main character, John Corey and his wife Kate Mayfield (who he met in The Lion's Game) are commissioned by the Terrorist Task Force to hunt down the mastermind of the USS Cole bombing in Yemen. DeMille goes to great length to describe the conditions of this countrty, and its political problems and hazards in order to fill in background knowledge for his audience. Although I enjoyed The Lion's game more, I still must say had difficulity turning it off in order for me to get anything done. The acknowledgments at the end tell of DeMille's committment to accruacy and his many advisors to help in describing political and internal affairs issues.

[glichman_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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!

[kaysee_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Nelson DeMille has written another really good book. Excellent story about Yemen and al quada although his humor tends to run juvenile after awhile . I have not been disappointed in any of his books.

[livelylady · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

DeMille does not disappoint. From the first to the last page, this was a real page turner filled with twists and double crosses. John Corey and his wife take an assignment to go to Yemen to help search for a leader, code named "The Panther." While there, they discover the real reason they were chosen for this mission. The story ends with an obvious opening for his next book. I loved the description of the land and the people. I felt like I was there. I could not put this down and would recommend for any DeMille fan.

[rufusraider · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another fine book by Nelson DeMille. Detective John Corey and his wisecracking ways are fun to read. The asides that he thinks but don't say aloud are some of the best parts. All of us are like that at times, where we just want to say some of those things.The novel is a follow up to The Lion. Detective Corey and his wife are asked to join the anti-terrorist task force in Yemen. They are tracking down an American born jihadist who is leading Al Queda in Yemen. They are the bait to attract this terrorist in a CIA plot to kill him. There is a lot of plot twists and turns through out the novel that keeps your interest up. The cast of characters accompanying Corey and his wife on this terrorist hunt is very entertaining. If you like thrillers, this is a good book to read. It will take some time, it is a long story. The story is so good because of all the detail that is in this book.

[ewhatley_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another excellent entry in the John Corey series. It's long - 600+ pages - but you'll breeze through it faster than you may expect. If you're already a DeMille/Corey fan, this a must read, as you know. If you don't know the John Corey character, this is a must read. Highly recommend.

[jarratt_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"The Panther" was fantastic! I've enjoyed all of DeMille's John Corey novels, but I think this one takes the cake.Here, Corey and his wife Kate are strongly encouraged to travel to Yemen to help capture or kill the terrorist who is thought to be the mastermind behind the USS Cole attack back in 2000. (He's also an American citizen, which puts an interesting kink into the mission.) They are assisted by members of the CIA, which is always an interesting addition in DeMille's stories. There are multiple twists and turns throughout the book and of course Corey's making wise-cracks all along the way. DeMille also brings in another recurring character--Paul Brenner, from "The General's Daughter" and "Up Country." There was enough respect, and tension, between Brenner and Corey to keep it interesting.Of all the recurring characters I read (Flynn's Mitch Rapp, Preston/Child's Pendergast, Coes' Andreas, etc.) I think DeMille's John Corey has been the one I like the best. Maybe it's his very non PC attitude, his sarcasm (which is always good for a chuckle), and his competence, but he doesn't seem to become tiring to me. But maybe most importantly, there's always a reason for him to be doing what he's doing (unlike the more recent John Wells books by Alex Berenson).If you're a fan of DeMille's prior Corey books, do not hesitate to read "The Panther."

[martinhughharvey_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

For the first time I can recall I was disappointed with a DeMille book. The narrator didn't help for me. Too bad.

[everfresh1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's not the most exciting and fast paced thriller ever written but high scores for the Yemen background depiction (history, politics, etc.) that author manages to include without compromising the plot. John Corey's wisecracking sometimes did get on my nerves - it was just too much. It also did slow down significantly around the middle of the story. Otherwise, very well done thriller/military adventure novel.

[shazjhb · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The story could have been told in half the pages. Somewhat predictable.

[draak_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I absolutely loved this book. Nelson DeMille did it again with John Corey and his wife Kate Mayfield. What I loved even more is the fact that he brought back another great character (about time too) and that would be Paul Brenner. I won't go into what the book is about because if you are reading this review you already know. Let me say that the story moves at a good pace and the interaction between Corey and Brenner is classic. I'm hoping that because of the ending we may be seeing another joint effort of the two. You won't want to miss this addition to the John Corey series, you won't be disappointed.

[jenners26 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

John Corey—Nelson DeMille’s smart-ass, wise-cracking, ex-cop turned Anti-Terrorist Task Force agent—is one of my all-time favorite fictional action heroes. From the first time I met him in Plum Island, I knew that Corey had everything I look for: courage, fallibility and (most importantly) a sarcastic sense of humor. I’ve followed Corey’s exploits through all six of his books. By this point, I know what to expect: a fast-paced thrill ride focused on some type of government cover-up or terrorist activity. So I was thrilled when I saw The Panther featured not just John Corey but also Paul Brenner (who made appearances in two other DeMille books, The General’s Daughter and Up Country). What a kick to see two of DeMille’s fictional creations go mano-a-mano!The plot, as usual, is very topical. Corey and his wife, FBI agent Kate Mayfield, are sent to Yemen to track down an Al Qaeda leader named The Panther, who is believed to be the mastermind behind the USS Cole bombing. The Yemen setting is a huge part of the book, and DeMille obviously did his homework. The week after I finished the book, Time magazine had a story on Yemen that touched on many of the things mentioned in the book—including the pervasiveness of khat, the political situation, the landscape and Al Qaeda’s presence. It was like seeing the book come to life.The book is essentially your basic “cat and mouse” story. This is both a help and a hindrance. On the plus side, DeMille ratchets up the tension by keeping Corey on the perpetual edge of death in one of the most dangerous countries in the Middle East. On the con side, a cat and mouse story ends when the cat gets the mouse (or vice versa) so there was certain amount of repetitiveness and stalling as we waited for our two adversaries to finally meet. DeMille throws in plenty of other machinations (you just never know who to trust … including Corey), but I began to feel like things got a bit repetitive. The saving grace, as always, is Corey himself. With a constant stream of sarcasm and smart-assery flowing from his mouth, you’re never bored with Corey along. (Though I imagine he would be a pain in real life.) Still, I felt this book stalled out in the middle as we waited for the denouement.All that being said, I enjoyed the book and will continue reading Corey books as long DeMille wants to write them. If you’re new to John Corey, I suggest starting from the beginning (Plum Island) and working your way through the rest. The series is always engaging and humorous—though you might find yourself turning into a bit of a conspiracy theorist. If you’re already a Corey fan, know that this isn’t the strongest Corey book but our guy is still his wonderful sarcastic self.

[dhaupt_8 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[thomasblock · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As his long-time friend and co-author of "Mayday" (by Nelson DeMille & Thomas Block) with him, I've been giving Nelson some technical and editorial assistance during the production of "The Panther" - so I've been reading it (more than once, naturally!) hot off the presses (actually, hot off the word processor). This is going to be another strong John Corey offering from Nelson DeMille, and his fans - particularly those who love his John Corey character - are going to like this.