Publisher Simon & Schuster wants to recoup $1.275 million it claims to have paid out to famed mystery writer Nelson DeMille for a planned novel he never got to finish.

DeMille signed an $11.5 million, three book deal with Simon & Schuster in December 2014, and delivered the first two before his death in September 2024 at age 81 , according to court papers.

Simon & Schuster paid a $640,000 advance for the third book as well as $635,000 for an outline of the project, for a total of $1.275 million, it claimed in legal filings. 3

The third novel was tentatively titled “Explorer’s Club,” the company said.

“Regrettably, Mr. DeMille passed away before he could deliver the manuscript for the third novel,” Simon & Schuster said in its litigation.

A month after DeMille died, Simon & Schu

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