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debbiecollectsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I received this book as a Goodreads First Read winner. I totally enjoyed this book. Colleen McCullough has been a favorite author of mine since the "Thorn Birds". A fast read with interesting characters, twists, and turns! Looking forward to the next Carmine Delmonico mystery.
samstillreading's review against another edition
3.0
This is the fifth Carmine Delmonico detective novel that Colleen McCullough has written and I’ve read. Fans of her historical novels such as The Thorn Birds may be quite surprised at how different this series is. It’s brutal at times with attitudes that fit the 1960s setting and there’s no shortage of bodies on the streets of Holloman, Connecticut.
It’s somewhat appropriate to read Sins of the Flesh during a long, hot Australian summer because the book opens during a particular hot summer in Holloman, 1969. A man starved to death is found which sets off alarm bells for other men who have gone missing recently. Meanwhile, female detective Delia Carstairs is investigating a series of missing women and getting nowhere. How can a woman vanish and not be reported until months later?
It’s lucky for Delia that she’s made two new friends – Jess, a psychiatrist with a talent for brain mapping and Ivy, who runs part of her brother’s business. Both women have their own secrets – a reformed psychopath and a murky history. How will it all tie together?
For me, the star of this series has always been Carmine Delmonico, but Carmine is on holiday in California for a sizeable chunk of this book. While I enjoy Delia and her quirky dress sense (which is described at every opportunity), she doesn’t have as finely honed an eye for deduction as Carmine. The competing crimes of the men kidnapped and starved to death and the missing women made the action a little stop start for me. While the introduction of Delia’s friends was interesting, it was quite obvious that they were going to play a role as suspects. I was very interested in Jess and her rehabilitation of Walter, a psychopathic criminal as there was a lot of neuroscience explained well. Walter was probably the stand out character for me as he was fascinatingly repulsive in his actions but incredibly clever in the cunning execution of them. (I did love the way he called his new self the ‘iWalter’ – is this a sneaky dig at Apple?) I found the character of Jess more confusing as the book went on until I realised why she was so fascinated with Walter, as ultimately they shared a lot of the same traits. As for Ivy, although the reasons for her actions were explained, I didn’t feel they gave me a good answer as to ‘why’?
I should have known from previous Carmine Delmonico novels that the ‘why’ is not always explained in full. But in Sins of the Flesh, I found it frustrating as everyone had something to hide – but why didn’t Rha (Ivy’s brother) and Rufus help out the police when they recognised someone from a painting? After the suffering they had been through, why did they not want to help? Did they suspect who was killing the men and want to protect them? Why would they protect a murderer after their tragic life story? I would have liked these characters to be more fleshed out.
After all my questioning, I’ll keep reading the Carmine Delmonico series. The historical setting means that there’s more analysis and deduction of human character, which I enjoy. I’m just hoping to see more of Carmine and a more tightly woven plot next time.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
It’s somewhat appropriate to read Sins of the Flesh during a long, hot Australian summer because the book opens during a particular hot summer in Holloman, 1969. A man starved to death is found which sets off alarm bells for other men who have gone missing recently. Meanwhile, female detective Delia Carstairs is investigating a series of missing women and getting nowhere. How can a woman vanish and not be reported until months later?
It’s lucky for Delia that she’s made two new friends – Jess, a psychiatrist with a talent for brain mapping and Ivy, who runs part of her brother’s business. Both women have their own secrets – a reformed psychopath and a murky history. How will it all tie together?
For me, the star of this series has always been Carmine Delmonico, but Carmine is on holiday in California for a sizeable chunk of this book. While I enjoy Delia and her quirky dress sense (which is described at every opportunity), she doesn’t have as finely honed an eye for deduction as Carmine. The competing crimes of the men kidnapped and starved to death and the missing women made the action a little stop start for me. While the introduction of Delia’s friends was interesting, it was quite obvious that they were going to play a role as suspects. I was very interested in Jess and her rehabilitation of Walter, a psychopathic criminal as there was a lot of neuroscience explained well. Walter was probably the stand out character for me as he was fascinatingly repulsive in his actions but incredibly clever in the cunning execution of them. (I did love the way he called his new self the ‘iWalter’ – is this a sneaky dig at Apple?) I found the character of Jess more confusing as the book went on until I realised why she was so fascinated with Walter, as ultimately they shared a lot of the same traits. As for Ivy, although the reasons for her actions were explained, I didn’t feel they gave me a good answer as to ‘why’?
I should have known from previous Carmine Delmonico novels that the ‘why’ is not always explained in full. But in Sins of the Flesh, I found it frustrating as everyone had something to hide – but why didn’t Rha (Ivy’s brother) and Rufus help out the police when they recognised someone from a painting? After the suffering they had been through, why did they not want to help? Did they suspect who was killing the men and want to protect them? Why would they protect a murderer after their tragic life story? I would have liked these characters to be more fleshed out.
After all my questioning, I’ll keep reading the Carmine Delmonico series. The historical setting means that there’s more analysis and deduction of human character, which I enjoy. I’m just hoping to see more of Carmine and a more tightly woven plot next time.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
kandicez's review against another edition
3.0
This was an “everything but the kitchen sink” book. McCullough’s Carmine Demonico series installments always seem to have a few plot lines that eventually intersect, and I’ve enjoyed them until now. This one had too many.
There were three sets of murders, meaning three serial killers, which is unlikely enough, but add to this, the killers themselves were also connected, but not working together in any way, unaware of each others’ proclivities in fact. That’s just too convenient for me. Throw in the fact that all of them were caught within days of each other and suspension of disbelief goes out the window!
One of the things I’ve always enjoyed most about McCullough’s writing is how her stories begin as loose strings (sometimes many, many loose strings) but end part of the same knot by the final page. In a believable way. Not so here. There were just too many story lines, too conveniently meshed together. There was enough plot in this novel for 3 separate novels, which worries me. I know she’s been ill. Does she think this may be her last hurrah?
Any novel that begins with the removal of a pair of testicles seems a surefire bet for excitement, right? Not since Anne Rice’s “Cry to Heaven” has the process been described so nonchalantly. In Rice’s story though, there was a reason. In McCullough’s it’s never really explained. When that particular murderer (remember, there are THREE) is caught there is a very brief, unsatisfying justification given for that particular method of torture. The explanation just wasn’t enough for me. I wanted/needed more. There were still two murderers on the loose so I had hope. Eventually unrewarded hope.
The other two murderers are caught within pages and again no good explanation is provided. I don’t want to spoil anything, but the fact that one of the murders felt they needed no justification didn’t mean that I as the reader didn’t want at least a flimsy excuse. Why were these women murdered? To what purpose? One set was explained by insanity, but you can’t chalk up three sets of murders to insanity. Not all happening over a course of years, in one small town, by connected characters. That just doesn’t fly.
Carmine Delmonico doesn’t show up until about halfway through the novel. This is a testament to how well written his supporting cast of characters are, but it feels a bit of a cheat as well. These are the “Carmine Delmonico Series”! I missed him. I like Delia Carstairs as much as the next reader, but this is not her series.
I will always read everything McCullough writes but I will be hoping for much, much more in the future.
There were three sets of murders, meaning three serial killers, which is unlikely enough, but add to this, the killers themselves were also connected, but not working together in any way, unaware of each others’ proclivities in fact. That’s just too convenient for me. Throw in the fact that all of them were caught within days of each other and suspension of disbelief goes out the window!
One of the things I’ve always enjoyed most about McCullough’s writing is how her stories begin as loose strings (sometimes many, many loose strings) but end part of the same knot by the final page. In a believable way. Not so here. There were just too many story lines, too conveniently meshed together. There was enough plot in this novel for 3 separate novels, which worries me. I know she’s been ill. Does she think this may be her last hurrah?
Any novel that begins with the removal of a pair of testicles seems a surefire bet for excitement, right? Not since Anne Rice’s “Cry to Heaven” has the process been described so nonchalantly. In Rice’s story though, there was a reason. In McCullough’s it’s never really explained. When that particular murderer (remember, there are THREE) is caught there is a very brief, unsatisfying justification given for that particular method of torture. The explanation just wasn’t enough for me. I wanted/needed more. There were still two murderers on the loose so I had hope. Eventually unrewarded hope.
The other two murderers are caught within pages and again no good explanation is provided. I don’t want to spoil anything, but the fact that one of the murders felt they needed no justification didn’t mean that I as the reader didn’t want at least a flimsy excuse. Why were these women murdered? To what purpose? One set was explained by insanity, but you can’t chalk up three sets of murders to insanity. Not all happening over a course of years, in one small town, by connected characters. That just doesn’t fly.
Carmine Delmonico doesn’t show up until about halfway through the novel. This is a testament to how well written his supporting cast of characters are, but it feels a bit of a cheat as well. These are the “Carmine Delmonico Series”! I missed him. I like Delia Carstairs as much as the next reader, but this is not her series.
I will always read everything McCullough writes but I will be hoping for much, much more in the future.
nursenell's review against another edition
4.0
This is the last book in the Carmine Delmonico series, and with the death of Colleen McCullough it means there will be no more written. I enjoyed this series and wish there were more books in it to read. This one covers two different cases, one of missing women referred to as shadow women, a cold case, and an ongoing case of missing young adult men. Add to it a psychiatrist who apparently is also a neurosurgeon as she does form of prefrontal lobotomies, and it was sometimes hard to keep the story straight. Each of the books in this series has parts that really push the limit of belief, like the padded private en suite rooms for the psychiatrist's pet patient, a man who makes Hannibal Lector look like a good boy. But all in all it was a good read and hard to put down.
jrmama42's review against another edition
3.0
I was torn between 3 and 4 stars for this one. The book got off to a slow start, and the main character, Carmine Delmonico, didn't even figure into the plot for a while. Another negative for me was the audiobook narration; the narrator just didn't make the story come alive for me. If I had read the book instead of listening it might have warranted 4 stars.
The mystery surrounding the disappearance of several women and the murder and attempted murder of a couple of men was interesting, although hard to follow at times. Toward the end of the book, when Carmine was fully involved, things got more interesting and the ending was satisfying. But I enjoyed the earlier books in the series more.
The mystery surrounding the disappearance of several women and the murder and attempted murder of a couple of men was interesting, although hard to follow at times. Toward the end of the book, when Carmine was fully involved, things got more interesting and the ending was satisfying. But I enjoyed the earlier books in the series more.
sarah_lemieux's review against another edition
2.0
J'ai trouvé que le livre était trop éparpillé ! Au début, nous commençons avec seulement une enquête et 3-4 personnages, mais quelques pages plus tard, on se retrouve avec 3 enquêtes et plus de 20 personnages. La seule raison de pourquoi je l'ai fini, c'est parce que j'aimais le côté psychologique du livre.
nyxshadow's review against another edition
3.0
http://www.nyx-shadow.com/2016/08/carmine-delmonico-t5-peche-de-chair.html
zimo's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
samstillreading's review against another edition
3.0
This is the fifth Carmine Delmonico detective novel that Colleen McCullough has written and I’ve read. Fans of her historical novels such as The Thorn Birds may be quite surprised at how different this series is. It’s brutal at times with attitudes that fit the 1960s setting and there’s no shortage of bodies on the streets of Holloman, Connecticut.
It’s somewhat appropriate to read Sins of the Flesh during a long, hot Australian summer because the book opens during a particular hot summer in Holloman, 1969. A man starved to death is found which sets off alarm bells for other men who have gone missing recently. Meanwhile, female detective Delia Carstairs is investigating a series of missing women and getting nowhere. How can a woman vanish and not be reported until months later?
It’s lucky for Delia that she’s made two new friends – Jess, a psychiatrist with a talent for brain mapping and Ivy, who runs part of her brother’s business. Both women have their own secrets – a reformed psychopath and a murky history. How will it all tie together?
For me, the star of this series has always been Carmine Delmonico, but Carmine is on holiday in California for a sizeable chunk of this book. While I enjoy Delia and her quirky dress sense (which is described at every opportunity), she doesn’t have as finely honed an eye for deduction as Carmine. The competing crimes of the men kidnapped and starved to death and the missing women made the action a little stop start for me. While the introduction of Delia’s friends was interesting, it was quite obvious that they were going to play a role as suspects. I was very interested in Jess and her rehabilitation of Walter, a psychopathic criminal as there was a lot of neuroscience explained well. Walter was probably the stand out character for me as he was fascinatingly repulsive in his actions but incredibly clever in the cunning execution of them. (I did love the way he called his new self the ‘iWalter’ – is this a sneaky dig at Apple?) I found the character of Jess more confusing as the book went on until I realised why she was so fascinated with Walter, as ultimately they shared a lot of the same traits. As for Ivy, although the reasons for her actions were explained, I didn’t feel they gave me a good answer as to ‘why’?
I should have known from previous Carmine Delmonico novels that the ‘why’ is not always explained in full. But in Sins of the Flesh, I found it frustrating as everyone had something to hide – but why didn’t Rha (Ivy’s brother) and Rufus help out the police when they recognised someone from a painting? After the suffering they had been through, why did they not want to help? Did they suspect who was killing the men and want to protect them? Why would they protect a murderer after their tragic life story? I would have liked these characters to be more fleshed out.
After all my questioning, I’ll keep reading the Carmine Delmonico series. The historical setting means that there’s more analysis and deduction of human character, which I enjoy. I’m just hoping to see more of Carmine and a more tightly woven plot next time.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
It’s somewhat appropriate to read Sins of the Flesh during a long, hot Australian summer because the book opens during a particular hot summer in Holloman, 1969. A man starved to death is found which sets off alarm bells for other men who have gone missing recently. Meanwhile, female detective Delia Carstairs is investigating a series of missing women and getting nowhere. How can a woman vanish and not be reported until months later?
It’s lucky for Delia that she’s made two new friends – Jess, a psychiatrist with a talent for brain mapping and Ivy, who runs part of her brother’s business. Both women have their own secrets – a reformed psychopath and a murky history. How will it all tie together?
For me, the star of this series has always been Carmine Delmonico, but Carmine is on holiday in California for a sizeable chunk of this book. While I enjoy Delia and her quirky dress sense (which is described at every opportunity), she doesn’t have as finely honed an eye for deduction as Carmine. The competing crimes of the men kidnapped and starved to death and the missing women made the action a little stop start for me. While the introduction of Delia’s friends was interesting, it was quite obvious that they were going to play a role as suspects. I was very interested in Jess and her rehabilitation of Walter, a psychopathic criminal as there was a lot of neuroscience explained well. Walter was probably the stand out character for me as he was fascinatingly repulsive in his actions but incredibly clever in the cunning execution of them. (I did love the way he called his new self the ‘iWalter’ – is this a sneaky dig at Apple?) I found the character of Jess more confusing as the book went on until I realised why she was so fascinated with Walter, as ultimately they shared a lot of the same traits. As for Ivy, although the reasons for her actions were explained, I didn’t feel they gave me a good answer as to ‘why’?
I should have known from previous Carmine Delmonico novels that the ‘why’ is not always explained in full. But in Sins of the Flesh, I found it frustrating as everyone had something to hide – but why didn’t Rha (Ivy’s brother) and Rufus help out the police when they recognised someone from a painting? After the suffering they had been through, why did they not want to help? Did they suspect who was killing the men and want to protect them? Why would they protect a murderer after their tragic life story? I would have liked these characters to be more fleshed out.
After all my questioning, I’ll keep reading the Carmine Delmonico series. The historical setting means that there’s more analysis and deduction of human character, which I enjoy. I’m just hoping to see more of Carmine and a more tightly woven plot next time.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
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