In 1965, the dogged Lieutenant Carmine Delmonico is assigned to solve what appears to be a single murder. Part of a young woman's body has turned up at one of the world's leading neurological research centers, but it's not long before Delmonico realizes he's hunting a serial killer. All the center's members are hiding secrets Delmonico must unearth: what does Professor Robert Smith do in his basement? Why doesn't Dr. Walter Polonski's wife know about his cabin in the woods? As the murders mount, Delmonico joins with the center's tough female business manager to dig up the dirt on everyone.
Download and start listening now!
"Read this as a book on cd. Very good in that department, made almost 2,000 miles go by very quickly. First book by her I have read and she writes very well. Interesting story and a very interesting hero in Carmine Delmonico. Norfolk Island is a long way from Connecticut, but she gets us all there. "
— Will (4 out of 5 stars)
“[An] intelligent shocker.”
— Publishers Weekly“It’s a direct tribute to the late crime fiction writer Ngaio Marsh. Recommended for readers of British procedurals and dedicated serial killer genre fans.”
— Library Journal“The characters are vividly drawn, and the story itself is quite intriguing.”
— Booklist“[An] engrossing police procedural.”
— Kirkus Reviews" Great book by the wonderful Colleen McCullough. She creates character in a few sentences. A finely handled romance devoid of purple prose. "
— Lesley, 2/17/2014" This book has a horrifying ending that makes it worth slugging through the rest of the book. I didn't see it coming! "
— Christa, 2/17/2014" This was a good suspense novel, with interesting use of forensic science. The setting is a university town in Deleware. The story is centered around a neurological research center and the staff working there. It has some very interesting twists and turns. "
— Trina, 2/16/2014" For me, On Off was Hit Miss. "
— Maudie, 2/15/2014" I had difficulty reading this book and wouldn't have bothered finishing it except it was for a book club. There were many characters and I didn't feel they were developed enough to even remember who several were, I prefer more memorable characters. The last chapter makes the book interesting so I'm glad I finished it but won't waste time ever rereading this one. "
— Twila, 2/12/2014" will cause you to keep wondering who, how, and why until the last 3 pages. this could make a good suspense, mystery-killer movie. "
— Mae, 2/11/2014" I have enjoyed everything I have read by Colleen McCullough. I was really excited to discover the first in a detective series. On, Off kept me guessing all the way to the end. "
— Theresa, 2/8/2014" A strange murder/whodunnit from Colleen McCullough. In need of serious pruning! Who knew McCullough was a neuroscientist who spent 10 years doing research at Yale Medical School? That explains the setting of this book which takes place in a neurology research center where part of the dismembered body of a young girl/woman is found in the facility's freezer. "
— Trudi, 2/7/2014" Though the center of the mystery is not reached until the last page, the last 30 or so felt anti-climactic. Still, I found the book interesting - a kind of cross between Agatha Christie and Patricia Cornwell. "
— Tanya, 1/12/2014" This book was the first one in a long time that really kept me guessing until the end. I have read many of McCollough's historical novels, and am glad her first attempt at the thriller genre was such a success. "
— Sherree, 11/29/2013Colleen McCullough (1937–2015) enjoyed worldwide renown, and her novels are bestsellers in a multitude of languages. She is the internationally acclaimed author of The Thorn Birds, Tim, An Indecent Obsession, A Creed for the Third Millennium, The Ladies of Missalonghi, The First Man in Rome, The Grass Crown, Fortune’s Favorites, Caesar’s Women, and other novels.
Lewis Grenville is an audiobook narrator and actor whose extensive theater credits include Camelot, Cabaret, 1776, Romeo and Juliet, and Julius Caesar. His other credits include narrator and spokesperson roles in corporate, promotional, and training films for many high profile corporations and government agencies. He has narrated National Geographic’s Puzzles from the Past, and his television credits include One Life to Live.