In her riveting sequel to On, Off , Colleen McCullough, the bestselling author of The Thorn Birds, proves once again that she ...
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reviews
Jan 25, 2010
Bernadette
rated it: 
Too Many Murders is the second of McCullough's novels to feature Captain Carmine Delmonico and the police force of Holloman Connecticut. It opens on the 3rd of April 1967. A young student at the small city’s prestigious university is killed in a particularly gruesome way. One nasty murder would be enough to cope with in the relatively crime free city but there are 11 other murders on the same day and the small police force is stretched beyond its limits. Despite the fact that there are a variety
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Dec 30, 2009
Kandice
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It actually pains me to give this book 3 stars. Seriously. This is a continuation of Carmine Delmonico's crime fighting adventures, or whatever you want to call them. We met Delmonico in On, Off. This one starts with 12 muder/deaths on one day in a relatively small college city. They seem unrelated, but...are they?
The plot was vintage McCullough. It started out with a bang, shocking me into realizing this wouldn't be a calm who-dunnit, but the actual turns of phrase fell short of her More...
The plot was vintage McCullough. It started out with a bang, shocking me into realizing this wouldn't be a calm who-dunnit, but the actual turns of phrase fell short of her More...
Jan 23, 2010
Carin
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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May 15, 2011
Hugh
rated it:
One annoyingly-placed hyphen for every gor-geously dropped semi-colon; my bias is showing.
A three-star book that is far too bizarre and wicked to give just three stars.
The author bites off more than she can chew, spits it out, and tries to make the reader swallow it whole; I managed, just.
Nor-mally I would read a spy novel next; now I don't have to.
Opening a book with death-by-bear-trap is a winning idea; following that up later with a coin purse made from More...
A three-star book that is far too bizarre and wicked to give just three stars.
The author bites off more than she can chew, spits it out, and tries to make the reader swallow it whole; I managed, just.
Nor-mally I would read a spy novel next; now I don't have to.
Opening a book with death-by-bear-trap is a winning idea; following that up later with a coin purse made from More...
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Jan 18, 2010
Chris
rated it:
A murder mystery set in Hartford Connecticut among big business and an elite college in the 1960's. 11 murders in one day, but they are connected along with the Cold War. An intricate story of suspense and espionage.
From the first reading of The Thornbirds, I was hooked on Colleen McCullough's work. Then, I discovered her series on Rome. Great historical fiction. But, the setting of this particular story does not jibe with the vocabulary used in the story. It is very British Em More...
From the first reading of The Thornbirds, I was hooked on Colleen McCullough's work. Then, I discovered her series on Rome. Great historical fiction. But, the setting of this particular story does not jibe with the vocabulary used in the story. It is very British Em More...
Apr 10, 2010
Sandie
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One day, one town, twelve murders. And you thought that Pearl Harbor was the “Day that Will Live in Infamy”.
The unusual conglomeration of victims include a child suffering from Downs Syndrome, a prostitute, a pre-med student, the wealthy CEO of a major R&D company, a college dean, a little old lady, three black caterers, etc. All have been dispatched by a range of methods ranging from poison and gunshot to drowning and strangulation to death by bear trap. Are these all singular, u More...
The unusual conglomeration of victims include a child suffering from Downs Syndrome, a prostitute, a pre-med student, the wealthy CEO of a major R&D company, a college dean, a little old lady, three black caterers, etc. All have been dispatched by a range of methods ranging from poison and gunshot to drowning and strangulation to death by bear trap. Are these all singular, u More...
Dec 22, 2010
Colleen
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Too many characters! I had trouble keeping them all straight. Since all of the murders took place at the beginning of the story, we didn't know anything about the victims, making it hard to care whether or not the murders were solved. Turns out, we didn't need to care. Carmine's anger at the FBI agent was hard to take - there was no reason for it. Colleen McCullough should stick to historical fiction.
Mar 02, 2010
Sue
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I've always enjoyed Colleen McCullough's writing, and still do. This book, however, was disppointing. I felt that she really didn't know much about New England--her dialogue even felt a little off. I also didn't care for the fact that she seemed to make a point of her main character having no faith, even though he "went to church on Christmas and Easter. I thought it was irrelevant to the story.
Jul 03, 2010
Carole
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I was surprised to read a mystery book by Colleen McCullough, especially such a good one. One of my best-remembered books from "back in the day" was THE THORNBIRDS, but subsequent books by McCullough disappointed me. Now I want to reread THORNBIRDS to see how I like it at this age.
Jan 31, 2012
Lesley
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Despite Colleen McCullough being one of my all-time favourite authors, I'm afraid this one went into the "Started, not finished" folder on my Kindle.
Whilst it started with a horrendous killing, it was really very slow after that, and despite the fact that I had never not finished a book before (I ploughed through even when I hated a book), I made the decision that life is really too short to suffer through something that doesn't grab me within the first 50 pages.
Whilst it started with a horrendous killing, it was really very slow after that, and despite the fact that I had never not finished a book before (I ploughed through even when I hated a book), I made the decision that life is really too short to suffer through something that doesn't grab me within the first 50 pages.
May 18, 2010
Ruth
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Alternate title could be Too Many Characters … and I don't really like a one of them thus far.
OK. Finished it. Well, I sort of skimmed through the last few pages. Must try and remember to not read anymore McCullough mysteries ~ one of us doesn't satisfy the other.
OK. Finished it. Well, I sort of skimmed through the last few pages. Must try and remember to not read anymore McCullough mysteries ~ one of us doesn't satisfy the other.
Jan 31, 2012
Zoe
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A very well written mystery with protagonists you can't help liking and admiring. It was a mystery clear to the finish, but also a deep involvement in relationships. Beautiful writing, intelligent writing and a flair for description and words.
Jul 17, 2010
Second in the Carmine Delmonico series - enjoyable - Colleen was playing around with Women's Lib concepts v. traditional 50's housewife against the societal changes of the late 60's. I do remember Ford Fairlanes. I do recommend the read.
Jan 16, 2010
Linda
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I picked this up off the New Fiction shelf at my library. I did finish it, however, it wasn't great. The story moved a bit slow. Like her earlier book featuring this main character, it does have a little twist at the end.
Aug 05, 2010
B.J.
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Finished this book about an hour ago. Whodunit was a total surprise. Loved the main character, Good Guy Carmine Delmonico, and his wife, Desdemona. As in many mysteries that I have read, there is conflict between FBI and local Holloman, Connecticut, cops. The FBI character is totally humorous.
I suggest that you read this book SLOWLY. There are many characters to keep tract of. However, I could not keep myself from reading quickly. So well done, Colleen! You kept me caring f More...
I suggest that you read this book SLOWLY. There are many characters to keep tract of. However, I could not keep myself from reading quickly. So well done, Colleen! You kept me caring f More...
Nov 04, 2010
Carolyn
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Like the first in this series (_On, Off_) this one has so many characters I had to make notes of who's who. This one dragged in a few spots, but it's well written and well plotted, and again, with a shocker of an ending.
Aug 09, 2010
April
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There were so many things wrong with this. Truthfully the plot wasn't bad but everything else was. I swear I've liked other things by her. I wonder what's wrong.
Dec 30, 2009
Kassie
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Very good plot!!! This was the first murder mystery of the author's that I have read!!! Always liked her works!!!! This was on an equal with James Patterson!!!!!
Aug 27, 2010
Deirdre
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Too many characters--an alternate title. I did find myself getting lost here and there because I couldn't keep track of who was who, and though the build-up was good, I felt like it peaked too soon and fizzled up to that peak.
Jun 12, 2010
Joanne
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I liked this book but can't say that I loved it. Too many names to keep track of - I found myself in the middle of the book having to backtrack to remember who was who
Jan 16, 2010
Not bad. The book moves well although there are a lot of murders right away and they keep piling up. So you have to pay attention. Nice twists though.
Nov 10, 2011
Vsw1952
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Good clever plot, but found suspects, and they are legion, running together at some point and found the main character tiresome.
Jun 15, 2010
Jean
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it was ok. was a bit confusing and a bit hard to follow sometimes. too many murders equals too many characters to track
Feb 07, 2011
Pam
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When an author can stretch out all the mysteries in a book until the last sentence she deserves a five star rating.
Oct 30, 2010
a little hard to read, as I like those funny fast reads but interesting.
haven't read the first Carmine book
haven't read the first Carmine book
Mar 16, 2011
Harry
rated it:
Good read, very twisty plot. I seldom read books for a second time; this was an exception.
Jun 28, 2010
Al
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I don't understand this woman's writing. Strange book. Doesn't make a lot of sense.
