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.
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"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)
"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. "
“[An] intelligent shocker.”
“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.”
“The characters are vividly drawn, and the story itself is quite intriguing.”
“[An] engrossing police procedural.”
" Great book by the wonderful Colleen McCullough. She creates character in a few sentences. A finely handled romance devoid of purple prose. "
" This book has a horrifying ending that makes it worth slugging through the rest of the book. I didn't see it coming! "
" 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. "
" For me, On Off was Hit Miss. "
" 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. "
" will cause you to keep wondering who, how, and why until the last 3 pages. this could make a good suspense, mystery-killer movie. "
" 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. "
" 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. "
" 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. "
" 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. "
" not at all my favorite Colleen McCullough book. was this a contractual obligation book? "
" Good read, easy to get drawn into the story with a surprising twist in the last chapter. "
" A pretty silly book. Very gory, and oddly patchy. The love interest, Desdemona, was 'British' and accordingly seemed to have absorbed phrases from the working class Cockney to the stiffest upper lip blue-blood you've ever heard. Yes, not much of this was very convincing. "
" It took 51 pages for me to get into this book, but it was worth it. The ending was a real twist, but I did figure out half of it. I will look for more of Carmine Delmonico. "
" Hard to get into. Many different characters. Not a bad book just very slow. "
" Enjoyable who's-doin'-it with no earth-shattering twists or revelations. "
" Resembles a lot an Agatha Christie novel to me, it's a very good thriller, sure would recommend. "
" Enjoyable characters, fun twists in the plot. A good read. "
" Not her 'best' writing. Too many details for too many cast of characters. I found it a bit long and deep down I had guessed what happened - the sister was never really blind! haha! As for making the title of the book finally synch with the contents, I found that a bit lame.... "
" Another audiobook. There were lots of people to keep track of while working and I'm sure I would've caught on to the surprise ending a bit more if I had actually read the book. Interesting and kept me busy for 3 work days, but nothing to write home about. "
" While not among Colleen McCullough's best, still a good mystery about a serial killing that implicates the Hug brain research institute in CT. "
" A stilted, lame, surprisingly racist mystery (e.g., did the one Japanese-American character HAVE to wear a kimono, maintain a Zen rock garden, eat only sushi, and employ a subservient functionary?). Don't bother. "
" slow start. really interesting story "
" I was mesmerized when reading this book. Collen can trick you in a completely insane way. I was entirely suprised by the end as I couldn't find who has the criminal. I want to read more of her books +.+ "
" 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. "
" I liked Thorn Birds, so I had high hopes. But they were dashed. "
" awesome! i liked the details of this one. and the surprise ending! woot! "
" Interesting ending but hard to believe. "
" Definitely not my usual read but it was so different I had to keep listening and you didn't see the end at all. A story of a different kind for sure. "
" McCullough is an excellent story teller. "
" One criticism - too many characters. Somehow the mystery seemed to get wound up too quickly - was McCullogh racing to conform to a word count? The ending was unexpected. "
" Very intersting murder mystery with lots of twists and a surprise ending. I enjoyed reading this book and it really kept me guessing to the very end about who was the killer. "
" Good scary thriller with a spooky surprise ending that really caught me off guard. I did have to go back and make notes to keep all the suspects straight, though. McCullough has an amazingly broad range. "
Colleen 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.
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