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Carmine Delmonico #3
Naked Cruelty: A Carmine Delmonico Novel
Carmine Delmonico returns in another riveting page-turner by international bestselling author Colleen McCullough. America in 1968 is in turmoil and the leafy Holloman suburb of Carew is being silently terrorized by a series of vicious and systematic rapes. When finally one victim finds the courage to speak out and go to the police, the rapist escalates to murder. For Captain Carmine Delmonico, it seems to be a case with no clues. And it comes as the Holloman Police Department is a lieutenant is out of his depth, a sergeant is out of control, and into this mix comes the beautiful, ruthlessly ambitious new trainee, Helen MacIntosh, daughter of the influential president of Chubb University. As the killer makes his plans, Carmine and his team must use every resource at their disposal—including a highly motivated neighborhood watch, the Gentlemen Walkers.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2010
33 people are currently reading
535 people want to read
About the author
Colleen McCullough
129 books3,142 followersColleen Margaretta McCullough was an Australian author known for her novels, her most well-known being The Thorn Birds and Tim.
Raised by her mother in Wellington and then Sydney, McCullough began writing stories at age 5. She flourished at Catholic schools and earned a physiology degree from the University of New South Wales in 1963. Planning become a doctor, she found that she had a violent allergy to hospital soap and turned instead to neurophysiology – the study of the nervous system's functions. She found jobs first in London and then at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
After her beloved younger brother Carl died in 1965 at age 25 while rescuing two drowning women in the waters off Crete, a shattered McCullough quit writing. She finally returned to her craft in 1974 with Tim, a critically acclaimed novel about the romance between a female executive and a younger, mentally disabled gardener. As always, the author proved her toughest critic: "Actually," she said, "it was an icky book, saccharine sweet."
A year later, while on a paltry $10,000 annual salary as a Yale researcher, McCullough – just "Col" to her friends – began work on the sprawling The Thorn Birds, about the lives and loves of three generations of an Australian family. Many of its details were drawn from her mother's family's experience as migrant workers, and one character, Dane, was based on brother Carl.
Though some reviews were scathing, millions of readers worldwide got caught up in her tales of doomed love and other natural calamities. The paperback rights sold for an astonishing $1.9 million.
In all, McCullough wrote 11 novels.
Source: http://www.people.com/article/colleen...
Raised by her mother in Wellington and then Sydney, McCullough began writing stories at age 5. She flourished at Catholic schools and earned a physiology degree from the University of New South Wales in 1963. Planning become a doctor, she found that she had a violent allergy to hospital soap and turned instead to neurophysiology – the study of the nervous system's functions. She found jobs first in London and then at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
After her beloved younger brother Carl died in 1965 at age 25 while rescuing two drowning women in the waters off Crete, a shattered McCullough quit writing. She finally returned to her craft in 1974 with Tim, a critically acclaimed novel about the romance between a female executive and a younger, mentally disabled gardener. As always, the author proved her toughest critic: "Actually," she said, "it was an icky book, saccharine sweet."
A year later, while on a paltry $10,000 annual salary as a Yale researcher, McCullough – just "Col" to her friends – began work on the sprawling The Thorn Birds, about the lives and loves of three generations of an Australian family. Many of its details were drawn from her mother's family's experience as migrant workers, and one character, Dane, was based on brother Carl.
Though some reviews were scathing, millions of readers worldwide got caught up in her tales of doomed love and other natural calamities. The paperback rights sold for an astonishing $1.9 million.
In all, McCullough wrote 11 novels.
Source: http://www.people.com/article/colleen...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
July 25, 2022
Gribējās palasīt kādu detektīvu, un šīs grāmatas izvēle nav nekāds pārsteigums, jo ļoti augstu vērtēju Makkalovu, kura ir viena no retajām rakstniecēm, kas brīvi pārvietojas pa dažādiem žanriem un kuras veikums tajos visos ir visnotaļ augsts. Tiesa gan, šis darbs man ne pārāk gāja pie sirds, jo klamzīga likās gan valoda un dialogi, gan pārlieku uzsvērtās, gluži vai acīs iebāztās norādes uz visādām atšķirībām vīriešu/ sieviešu attiecībās un citās sabiedrības izpausmēs starp 60. gadu nogali, kad notiek detektīva darbība, un 21. gadsimtu, kad romāns tapis. Bet gluži zemē metams šis detektīvs un visa Karmīna Delmoniko sērija arī nav.
December 14, 2022
I’m free!!! worst experience of my fucking life
April 12, 2019
Naked Cruelty (Carmine Delmonico, #3) by Colleen McCullough.
Do you remember the Thorn Birds by this author? A successful series that went on to be a popular TV series. That same author is writing the Carmine Delmonico series and it should not be missed. So if you're looking for a terrific mystery series with a complex but exciting cast of characters this is it.
Captain Carmine Delmonico has his hands full. A member of his team, Corey, doesn't let up on his complaints. One is that he is being over looked for Carmine's favorites. His rants are many and voiced not too softly at that. The Captain realizes that it's Corey's wife who is behind those complaints, but getting through to Corey is another matter.
Helen McIntosh is new to the force although she has some police work in her resume. Helen is also the daughter of a very well established father. Her attitude of being smarter than the average detective comes across to many on the team as arrogant.
This story takes place during the late 1960's. A turbulent time in our country and now there's a serial killer on the loose known as the Dodo. His appearance seems to change with a surviving victim and a bystander's observance. Does he have pale skin or does he have tanned skin? There's nothing definitive about this cold blooded murderer.
All these stresses have played a heavy toll on Carmine's relationships with his family.
This was the best I've read so far in this series and I don't intend for it to be the last.
Do you remember the Thorn Birds by this author? A successful series that went on to be a popular TV series. That same author is writing the Carmine Delmonico series and it should not be missed. So if you're looking for a terrific mystery series with a complex but exciting cast of characters this is it.
Captain Carmine Delmonico has his hands full. A member of his team, Corey, doesn't let up on his complaints. One is that he is being over looked for Carmine's favorites. His rants are many and voiced not too softly at that. The Captain realizes that it's Corey's wife who is behind those complaints, but getting through to Corey is another matter.
Helen McIntosh is new to the force although she has some police work in her resume. Helen is also the daughter of a very well established father. Her attitude of being smarter than the average detective comes across to many on the team as arrogant.
This story takes place during the late 1960's. A turbulent time in our country and now there's a serial killer on the loose known as the Dodo. His appearance seems to change with a surviving victim and a bystander's observance. Does he have pale skin or does he have tanned skin? There's nothing definitive about this cold blooded murderer.
All these stresses have played a heavy toll on Carmine's relationships with his family.
This was the best I've read so far in this series and I don't intend for it to be the last.
December 23, 2017
O título do livro remete-nos para o desfecho lógico, mas só percebemos nas últimas páginas!
March 25, 2014
If you like good mysteries, are you reading the Carmine Delmonico series by Colleen McCullough? If not, when will you begin? This series is the best McCullough has written. The mysteries are always complex and have a continuing set of characters. If you are interested, start with the first, On Off. McCullough has well developed characters and keeps the reader questioning until the very end. What next? In this book, a serial rapist captures strong independent women in their own homes and rapes them repeatedly and viciously. This leads to a community group of Gentlemen Walkers who are out walking in the evening and really do nothing to find the rapist or protect women. Add to this a racial disgruntled group at the local high school, an inept policeman in charge of others, and a greedy new recruit who wants to do it all.
McCullough includes delightful family sidebars and we even laugh or cry sometimes about the pets of the murdered woman and the depressed housewife who will not allow a nanny to care for the children.
It is such a "human" book, yet the mystery continues throughout. If you are interested in this series, please start with the first book because the characters build and continue from book to book.
A wonderful read.
McCullough includes delightful family sidebars and we even laugh or cry sometimes about the pets of the murdered woman and the depressed housewife who will not allow a nanny to care for the children.
It is such a "human" book, yet the mystery continues throughout. If you are interested in this series, please start with the first book because the characters build and continue from book to book.
A wonderful read.
June 6, 2021
After 3 chapters I couldn’t continue any further. Dialogue is excruciatingly hard to read. Just not natural or real. A distinguished author and I have read and enjoyed other books she had written. This is not her genre.
May 7, 2016
Better plot than the first two, though still a bit weird! Enjoyed this all the same.
January 7, 2011
International bestselling author Colleen McCullough needs little introduction to most readers. Her classic novel, The Thorn Birds, placed her firmly in the world stage of high-powered novelists and writers. Since then, she has expanded her formidable talent with numerous works, including the critically acclaimed Masters of Rome series which chronicles the lives and careers of leading figures in ancient Rome. Somewhere in between that particular colossal collection and numerous other stand-alone novels, she introduced the world to the dedicated and intuitive Captain Carmine Delmonico of the Holloman Police Department, On, Off followed three years later by Too Many Murders. Naked Cruelty starts in 1968 with the antagonist given the cryptic label of Didus ineptus (dodo) entering the home of an unsuspecting victim, Maggie Desmond, in the leafy Holloman suburb of Carew. There, he brutally rapes her a number of times. Finished with his sodomizing, the beast warns Maggie not to get the police involved, otherwise he will return and kill her. Maggie is terrified, but bravely informs the police. Unfortunately, her gallant actions galvanize the rapist into upping his nefarious craft by adding murder to his curriculum vitae. Up till now, past victims have been so terrified they have all refuse to speak to anyone about the “dodo” rapist. Initially, Delmonico believes it to be a case with no clues, but belatedly leads the investigation. To make matters worse for him, the latest rape has come at a time when the Holloman Police Department is in deep guano caused somewhat by the tumultuous events of the late 60s in American history, but also by the staff and crew at the police department: Lieutenant Corey Marshall is out of his depth after a cache of weapons are found in a high school believed to belong to a splinter group from the Black Panthers or some other militant Black Power group. To make matters worse, Marshall ignores verbal and written reports that there are more weapons stashed somewhere in the school. Into this already charged mix comes the beautiful and ruthlessly ambitious new trainee, Helen MacIntosh, daughter of the influential president of Chubb University. It’s not too long before MacIntosh believes she’s the one running the police department. Added to all this, are Delmonico’s own personal problems at home with his beautiful wife, Desdemona, and you have a man being bombarded on all fronts. And just when he manages to rise for breath from the turbulent waters, someone or something always seems to push him back under again. A brutal rape is not the most inviting of scenes for any reader to encounter, but most readers of McCullough will know the violence in her stories is never gratuitous, and always plays its own chilling part as the story broadens. She has set this story against the riots and political assassinations of the 60s and it works perfectly, capturing the desperation and hope of that period. In Naked Cruelty, you’ll get no DNA infallibility. No magic C.S.I. to say, “Hi! Presto! Everything is solved!” Refreshingly, what we do get is good old-fashioned investigative brain-solving techniques. McCullough is in delightfully dark and wicked form with Naked Cruelty, and that can only be a good thing for fans and those new to her writing. A fascinating detective series masterfully told.
December 28, 2022
DNF, abandoned on page 37, with 300 pages to go.
What a huge disappointment from an author I have loved in the past, in particular her stellar First Man in Rome series. Apparently, this detective novel is part of a series too, being installment three. It is set in Connecticut in 1968. The author has trouble finding her American voice, possibly because she is Australian by birth. She uses English spellings (kerb) and turns of phrase. It's jarring, but really the least of this book's problems.
Although it is set in the year 1968 in what the author describes as quiet Holloman, Connecticut, the author would have us believe that the local police squad has TWO female detectives. Additionally, the victims of the case they are investigating live alone in a nice apartment with jobs like physiologist (specializing in birds), archivist, dress designer, mathematician, business lecturer, archaeologist (specializing in dinosaur research), and women's wear buyer for a chain. Oh, and the good captain's wife (of child bearing age because she has two under two at home and is suffering from post partum depression) gave up a career managing a research facility. Really, is the reader supposed to believe all these young women have such high powered careers in this setting and era? The men are still sexist (ole Cpt Carmine uses 'woman' and 'wife' when speaking to his spouse and took it upon himself to discuss his wife's mental health behind her back with her doctor). His wife is portrayed as needy, emotional and hysterical, claiming she is a burden before dissolving into helpless tears. Sigh. Hubby wants to hire help, a woman named Prunella (did I mention the wife's name is Desdemona? I shit you not), who specializes in fixing "emotionally crippled households". Desi says they can't afford it, even though they live in a house with a full four car garage on a nice bit of land. Did her former research facility managerial job pay for that? She's gone from doing that to falling completely to pieces, although she has become an astoundingly good cook.
Back on the case, one of the first people they talk to knows the latest victim, his girlfriend is another victim, and so was his best friend's girlfriend! Some of the victims live in the same building! And yet a character asks: "Where's the common thread, apart from the fact that they all live in Carew?" Oh my. As for the solution to the case, who cares? I'm not wading through this garbage to find out.
What a letdown.
What a huge disappointment from an author I have loved in the past, in particular her stellar First Man in Rome series. Apparently, this detective novel is part of a series too, being installment three. It is set in Connecticut in 1968. The author has trouble finding her American voice, possibly because she is Australian by birth. She uses English spellings (kerb) and turns of phrase. It's jarring, but really the least of this book's problems.
Although it is set in the year 1968 in what the author describes as quiet Holloman, Connecticut, the author would have us believe that the local police squad has TWO female detectives. Additionally, the victims of the case they are investigating live alone in a nice apartment with jobs like physiologist (specializing in birds), archivist, dress designer, mathematician, business lecturer, archaeologist (specializing in dinosaur research), and women's wear buyer for a chain. Oh, and the good captain's wife (of child bearing age because she has two under two at home and is suffering from post partum depression) gave up a career managing a research facility. Really, is the reader supposed to believe all these young women have such high powered careers in this setting and era? The men are still sexist (ole Cpt Carmine uses 'woman' and 'wife' when speaking to his spouse and took it upon himself to discuss his wife's mental health behind her back with her doctor). His wife is portrayed as needy, emotional and hysterical, claiming she is a burden before dissolving into helpless tears. Sigh. Hubby wants to hire help, a woman named Prunella (did I mention the wife's name is Desdemona? I shit you not), who specializes in fixing "emotionally crippled households". Desi says they can't afford it, even though they live in a house with a full four car garage on a nice bit of land. Did her former research facility managerial job pay for that? She's gone from doing that to falling completely to pieces, although she has become an astoundingly good cook.
Back on the case, one of the first people they talk to knows the latest victim, his girlfriend is another victim, and so was his best friend's girlfriend! Some of the victims live in the same building! And yet a character asks: "Where's the common thread, apart from the fact that they all live in Carew?" Oh my. As for the solution to the case, who cares? I'm not wading through this garbage to find out.
What a letdown.
October 16, 2010
‘It had been an upsetting day, and the only cure was sleep’
This novel is set in America in 1968, in the Connecticut town of Holloman. In the suburb of Carew, a number of women have fallen victim to a vicious and systematic rapist, but each of them has been too afraid to involve the police. When the latest victim finds the courage to speak out, the next victim is murdered. For Captain Carmine Delmonico, this case has come at a difficult time. The Holloman Police Department has its own problems, including an ambitious new trainee – Helen McIntosh – who just happens to be the daughter of the president of the Chubb University. The killer is escalating, and Delmonico and his team draw on every resource available to them: including the group of locals known as the Gentlemen Walkers.
This is the third of a series to feature Captain Carmine Delmonico. I enjoyed the first in the series, somehow missed the second, and did not enjoy this one. Why? The style of speech, for many of the characters, seemed incongruent to me and the frequent use of exclamation marks irritated. This would have mattered less if the story kept my attention but generally it didn’t. For me, the characters overwhelmed the plot and the moments of high drama appeared close to farce.
By the end of the story, I wasn’t sure whether I’d taken it too seriously, or perhaps not seriously enough. There’s humour here, but somehow it didn’t work for me this time round.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
This novel is set in America in 1968, in the Connecticut town of Holloman. In the suburb of Carew, a number of women have fallen victim to a vicious and systematic rapist, but each of them has been too afraid to involve the police. When the latest victim finds the courage to speak out, the next victim is murdered. For Captain Carmine Delmonico, this case has come at a difficult time. The Holloman Police Department has its own problems, including an ambitious new trainee – Helen McIntosh – who just happens to be the daughter of the president of the Chubb University. The killer is escalating, and Delmonico and his team draw on every resource available to them: including the group of locals known as the Gentlemen Walkers.
This is the third of a series to feature Captain Carmine Delmonico. I enjoyed the first in the series, somehow missed the second, and did not enjoy this one. Why? The style of speech, for many of the characters, seemed incongruent to me and the frequent use of exclamation marks irritated. This would have mattered less if the story kept my attention but generally it didn’t. For me, the characters overwhelmed the plot and the moments of high drama appeared close to farce.
By the end of the story, I wasn’t sure whether I’d taken it too seriously, or perhaps not seriously enough. There’s humour here, but somehow it didn’t work for me this time round.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
May 1, 2012
Glad it's finished. One of the strangest books I've read. The story wasn't bad and I enjoyed it at first, but the flowery language she uses gets in the way. The rapes and murders were described in gory detail, then in the next breath it felt as if Mills and Boone had taken over. She used words that I've never heard of and it felt as if I was reading a 17th century novel, then she writes "he ate his gun". The characters came across as shallow and uncaring to me. There were mad twins who made me feel as if I was reading Enid Blyton. There was a little twist at the end that I liked, but all in all the book left me cold. This book was lent to me by someone who reads every one of Colleen McCullough's books, but I'm not a fan. I've read a couple of other books by this author which are set in Australia and I know she's famous for The Thorn Birds but I'll stick to my thrillers in future.
May 8, 2015
Yet another great novel by Colleen McCullough!
To be honest, I saw it coming, the identity of the Dodo, I mean. Though McCullough knew how to make the reader doubt his/her own speculations.
What I really admired about this book is that even though it is about rape and murder, it wasn't full of sexual scenery. Which would have turned me off, to say the least. Thank God it contained the minimum amount, just enough to be relevant to the plot.
That ending though, WOW!! Did not see this one coming. I had to read that last paragraph 3 times to make sure I read correctly! What a cliff hanger!
I wonder if Helen's new founded self satisfaction is going to reappear in the next 2 books... Would be nice to find out how that works out!
Desdemona was slightly out of the picture in this book, which was a change from the previous 2 books of this awesome detective series!
To be honest, I saw it coming, the identity of the Dodo, I mean. Though McCullough knew how to make the reader doubt his/her own speculations.
What I really admired about this book is that even though it is about rape and murder, it wasn't full of sexual scenery. Which would have turned me off, to say the least. Thank God it contained the minimum amount, just enough to be relevant to the plot.
That ending though, WOW!! Did not see this one coming. I had to read that last paragraph 3 times to make sure I read correctly! What a cliff hanger!
I wonder if Helen's new founded self satisfaction is going to reappear in the next 2 books... Would be nice to find out how that works out!
Desdemona was slightly out of the picture in this book, which was a change from the previous 2 books of this awesome detective series!
October 4, 2015
Um livro que logo na primeira página nos envolve num crime violento, uma violação.
Encontramos um grupo de detectives liderados por Carmine, um policia muito especial e com uma estagiária bastante ambiciosa. A maneira como a autora nos relata a estória envolve-nos completamente e damos por nós a querer traçar o destino dos personagens à medida que vamos avançando na leitura.
A minha estreia com a autora e não correu nada mal!
Encontramos um grupo de detectives liderados por Carmine, um policia muito especial e com uma estagiária bastante ambiciosa. A maneira como a autora nos relata a estória envolve-nos completamente e damos por nós a querer traçar o destino dos personagens à medida que vamos avançando na leitura.
A minha estreia com a autora e não correu nada mal!
November 1, 2010
I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I would..there were times I was rivetted, but I also skimmed a lot as well. Too much detail that I didn't feel was relevant to the plot. But the ending has a twist I didn't see, which had me raising my eyebrows!! Colleen McCullough has such a huge variety of storylines to her writing...
March 20, 2019
After not having enjoyed "Sins of the Flesh", the 5th book in this series, I decided to get the last book I had yet to read out of the way.
While this was much of an improvement on the above mentioned book, I was perhaps a bit too jaded from the last experience to enjoy it completely.
1) Delia is STILL walking around with lipstick all over her teeth! AHHH! To be such a flat character that that is her trademark!!! Sorry. I should just copy and paste my last rant about her in here. Actually, I will! Quoted from previous review: "The characters are so over the top they also failed. Let's take Delia as an example. Hideously dressed, always with lipstick on her teeth, but supposedly intelligent. Are intelligent women blind? Are they incapable of seeing that checks, stripes and paisley do not fit one outfit, especially in multiple colours? Is she incapable of noting that she put her lipstick all over her teeth and then rectifying that error the next day during the application process? It seems ridiculous to me. I expect better of an intelligent female writer, who should clearly understand that an intelligent woman can still be sensible while having quirky character traits. "
The twins living together were another prime example. I roll my eyes! I think the only decent character is Carmine, but he is too perfect.
The crime and the investigation in this one was decent. The story opens with a serial rapist raping a young woman. As with this series, other crimes occur which need to be solved. This book also covers some in house issues with police politics getting in the way of things running smoothly. It kept the book moving while the book needed time for the rapist's case to develop.
Once again, I took issue with procedure and realism. I tried to ignore the gross violation, by the police, of the privacy of the young woman who was raped, by naming her to a group of men and from what I could gather even mentioning it on the radio. Really? I don't know if that was allowed back in the 60s, but it would be frowned upon now for OBVIOUS reasons.
Once again, there was just too much coincidence.
I'm not going to get more in this series. 60% covered, and not overly impressed. I will forever appreciate The Thorn Birds though.
While this was much of an improvement on the above mentioned book, I was perhaps a bit too jaded from the last experience to enjoy it completely.
1) Delia is STILL walking around with lipstick all over her teeth! AHHH! To be such a flat character that that is her trademark!!! Sorry. I should just copy and paste my last rant about her in here. Actually, I will! Quoted from previous review: "The characters are so over the top they also failed. Let's take Delia as an example. Hideously dressed, always with lipstick on her teeth, but supposedly intelligent. Are intelligent women blind? Are they incapable of seeing that checks, stripes and paisley do not fit one outfit, especially in multiple colours? Is she incapable of noting that she put her lipstick all over her teeth and then rectifying that error the next day during the application process? It seems ridiculous to me. I expect better of an intelligent female writer, who should clearly understand that an intelligent woman can still be sensible while having quirky character traits. "
The twins living together were another prime example. I roll my eyes! I think the only decent character is Carmine, but he is too perfect.
The crime and the investigation in this one was decent. The story opens with a serial rapist raping a young woman. As with this series, other crimes occur which need to be solved. This book also covers some in house issues with police politics getting in the way of things running smoothly. It kept the book moving while the book needed time for the rapist's case to develop.
Once again, I took issue with procedure and realism. I tried to ignore the gross violation, by the police, of the privacy of the young woman who was raped, by naming her to a group of men and from what I could gather even mentioning it on the radio. Really? I don't know if that was allowed back in the 60s, but it would be frowned upon now for OBVIOUS reasons.
Once again, there was just too much coincidence.
I'm not going to get more in this series. 60% covered, and not overly impressed. I will forever appreciate The Thorn Birds though.
August 20, 2019
Décimo sexto livro a contar para o bookbingo 2019, correspondente a:
8. Pede a uma pessoa que viva contigo para escolher um livro para leres
Vamos hoje testar uma nova forma de dar a minha opinião sobre um livro (não que a vá seguir religiosamente mas parece-me que, neste caso, faz sentido).
Ora bem...
Pontos negativos: demasiado confuso, demasiadas histórias cruzadas (sem que, na realidade, se cruzassem assim tanto), muitas personagens em simultâneo, um caso principal que se desenrola ao longo das páginas para ser resolvido nas últimas páginas e um caso secundário que fica sem solução. Personagens com nomes semelhantes que acabam por tornar difícil perceber quem diz o quê. Um pouco previsível, pelo menos em relação ao caso principal.
Pontos positivos: a proximidade com a vida real (vá lá, ninguém acredita que uma esquadra de polícia tenha apenas um crime para investigar de cada vez, pois não?), a escrita que nos envolve, a exploração da importância das chefias perceberem o que se passa à sua volta e os dramas a que os próprios policias estão sujeitos. A última página, onde se percebe o titulo, com uma reviravolta extraordinária.
No geral, Crueldade a Nu não é um mau livro. Lê-se relativamente bem (algumas partes são mais aborrecidas mas não são a maioria) mas esperava mais e melhor, confesso.
8. Pede a uma pessoa que viva contigo para escolher um livro para leres
Vamos hoje testar uma nova forma de dar a minha opinião sobre um livro (não que a vá seguir religiosamente mas parece-me que, neste caso, faz sentido).
Ora bem...
Pontos negativos: demasiado confuso, demasiadas histórias cruzadas (sem que, na realidade, se cruzassem assim tanto), muitas personagens em simultâneo, um caso principal que se desenrola ao longo das páginas para ser resolvido nas últimas páginas e um caso secundário que fica sem solução. Personagens com nomes semelhantes que acabam por tornar difícil perceber quem diz o quê. Um pouco previsível, pelo menos em relação ao caso principal.
Pontos positivos: a proximidade com a vida real (vá lá, ninguém acredita que uma esquadra de polícia tenha apenas um crime para investigar de cada vez, pois não?), a escrita que nos envolve, a exploração da importância das chefias perceberem o que se passa à sua volta e os dramas a que os próprios policias estão sujeitos. A última página, onde se percebe o titulo, com uma reviravolta extraordinária.
No geral, Crueldade a Nu não é um mau livro. Lê-se relativamente bem (algumas partes são mais aborrecidas mas não são a maioria) mas esperava mais e melhor, confesso.
January 29, 2021
This was a book that I borrowed from my local Library back in 2014! I have had it sat in my house all that time and have just kept renewing the loan on it. I hadn't realised that it had been here for that long and am absolutely flabbergasted.
This is the third in the Carmine Delmonico detective series. I have previously read the first in the series which was called On, Off.
Please be aware that there are graphic passages of violence against others. I mention this as it won't be to everyone's taste. The passages are not gratuitous and are necessary in order to realise the lengths to which the perpetrator of the crime will go to.
This was a well written story that kept me engaged from beginning to end. I did have my suspicions along the way, there were a few red herrings that made you think perhaps you had got it wrong, but in the end I was right. I had to read the ending a couple of times, to make sure that I had understood it right and that I wasn't mistaken in what I was thinking, this sounds a little ambiguous. If you read the story then you will possibly realise to what I am referring.
I look forward to reading more about Carmine Delmonico and his colleagues in the next books in the series.
This is the third in the Carmine Delmonico detective series. I have previously read the first in the series which was called On, Off.
Please be aware that there are graphic passages of violence against others. I mention this as it won't be to everyone's taste. The passages are not gratuitous and are necessary in order to realise the lengths to which the perpetrator of the crime will go to.
This was a well written story that kept me engaged from beginning to end. I did have my suspicions along the way, there were a few red herrings that made you think perhaps you had got it wrong, but in the end I was right. I had to read the ending a couple of times, to make sure that I had understood it right and that I wasn't mistaken in what I was thinking, this sounds a little ambiguous. If you read the story then you will possibly realise to what I am referring.
I look forward to reading more about Carmine Delmonico and his colleagues in the next books in the series.
October 28, 2017
This book was OK, but I did find myself getting bogged down and bored through a lot of it. I thought a few times about putting it away but I wanted to know who the rapist was. There was just so much going on and having not read any other books in this series I wasn't invested enough in the characters to care about so much of there personal problems.
I liked that there were multiple cases going on which would be more true to the real world, but the fact that all but one connected with the main case was a bit of a let down. Not that there was a great deal about the main case talked about, it was mostly in the back ground and boom suddenly he solved it. Bit of a let down there.
Overall, not bad but I would recommend you start with the first one to get vested in the characters first.
I liked that there were multiple cases going on which would be more true to the real world, but the fact that all but one connected with the main case was a bit of a let down. Not that there was a great deal about the main case talked about, it was mostly in the back ground and boom suddenly he solved it. Bit of a let down there.
Overall, not bad but I would recommend you start with the first one to get vested in the characters first.
January 12, 2020
I was looking forward to reading Colleen McCullough's book, and initially found it a bit hard going. MCCULLOUGH goes about setting up the various scenarios which I found complicated.
Nevertheless I could see quality, and continued. It was good to have a novel that hardly contained any foul or abusive language... Well the stories went on and on, plots, explanations and revelations.
However, after all was told the best was yet to come.
I won't spoil the ending but must say MCCULLOUGH was a brilliant author.
Highly recommended.
Nevertheless I could see quality, and continued. It was good to have a novel that hardly contained any foul or abusive language... Well the stories went on and on, plots, explanations and revelations.
However, after all was told the best was yet to come.
I won't spoil the ending but must say MCCULLOUGH was a brilliant author.
Highly recommended.
January 30, 2025
I was looking forward to my second read from this author. As a teenager, I read Thorn Birds (translated to French - Les oiseaux se cachent pour mourir) which a really enjoyed. This was my McCullough read in English though. It took me some time to adjust to the Australian English. It did throw me off for the whole book. However, I really enjoyed the story. There were too many side stories for my taste, but it all comes together in the end - which is always at that time you understand why you spent so much time on them. Overall, it is a good read but not great for my taste.
August 27, 2021
Unbelievable that this book is written by the same person who wrote Thorn Birds. The writing is so bad, with too many side-plots distracting from the main crime, and the the main plot line not getting enough attention. But all that would have been forgivable if the book had an editor. It looks like they published the first draft, without a single look by an editor. Such bad writing, clunky, distracting, artificial. So bad.
July 15, 2017
This novel written by an Australian author and placed in the eastern States was interesting with lots going on. I was stalled frequently by the supposedly American characters speaking very "British" words in British patterns. Also an odd ending.
November 24, 2017
Had so much potential but I found so much of it soo boring - and really didn’t enjoy some of the characters - like the “twins”... it took around two months to slowly force myself to finish it . (Normally I read a book that length in 7-10 days )
June 1, 2021
Captain Carmine Delmonico has a problem that any boss/supervisor often has--subordinates in the wrong job with others who would be better for the current crimes. Changing them creates other problems. He has to arrest a rapist who becomes a murderer, a very clever man.
July 25, 2025
Pointless
This book rambles on. The end is an antiiclimax. McCoullough is capable of better. With a weak storyline she tries to interest the readers in the characters but she remains too shallow to achieve even that.
This book rambles on. The end is an antiiclimax. McCoullough is capable of better. With a weak storyline she tries to interest the readers in the characters but she remains too shallow to achieve even that.
October 21, 2017
Disappointingly predictable from such a great writer.
May 26, 2018
3.5 stars
A good read and a good series
A good read and a good series
September 24, 2018
I had expected better from one of my favourite authors but it was a readable detective story.
April 13, 2020
At first it seemed as if this book was heading off in too many directions but eventually it all made sense.
May 12, 2020
A serial rapist is on the loose until a victim speaks up and gives a few details. The Holloman Police Department are now scrambling to solve a murder. The ending will leave you very shocked.
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