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Title: Double Dealer : Crime Scene Investigation by Max Allan Collins ISBN: 0-7434-4404-3 Publisher: Pocket Books Pub. Date: 01 April, 2003 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.46 (24 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: A well-told story that peters out near the end
Comment: The tale of the CSI's hunt for the Deuce is rather gripping. There were several times when I wished that this was an actual TV episode because without all the exposition necessary in fiction, the tension of a scene would be broken earlier. That the author, Max Allan Collins, didn't sacrifice exposition for the sake of audience gratification is a testament to the man's skills as a writer.
He does a good job of sketching the CSIs. No one's given the personality detail that they've developed to now on the show, but this book was likely started shortly into the first season of the show, when the characters themselves were somewhat sketchy. Still, he manages to capture Nick Stokes Boy Scout charm and sense of humour, Sarah Sidle's wry humour and lack of personal skills, and many of the quirks of the rest.
The examination of the evidence, the slow, methodical process of investigation, is the crux of the book, of course, and Collins presents these scenes in a very realistic and, at least to my understanding, accurate fashion. They use many of the same techniques we've seen on the show, but they employ some new tricks. Due to the evidence-light nature of the case, there's also a lot more footwork than is typical on the show. There, of course, they're limited in the number of shots and locations they can employ, but Collins knows he's not that limited and presents a variety of settings.
So, if this is such a great book, why only four stars? The ending is very weak.
I think he wrote it in an effort to give the case that one final twist, to separate it from all others, but this plot twist is clumsily handled and comes across as rather forced.
Still a good book, though.
Rating: 5
Summary: Follow the evidence; it's a good book
Comment: Set sometime after the first season with the return of annoying FBI Special Agent Rick Culpepper from "Strip Strangler," the principal difference--other than the lack of background music and cause-of-death zoom-in reenactments--from the shows can be summed up by a Grissom line from "The I-15 Murders": "I curse more." However, it does give a broader depiction of the CSI universe with the occasional trip outside of Clark County, as well as an explanation as to why they're always reporting to the Clark County Sherrif instead of the Vegas PD chief. Small problems that Collins didn't thoroughly explain (like why Brass' desk is in the Homicide squad bullpen if he's still a captain after the Holly Gribbs fiasco) or just got flat-out wrong (like saying Nick had dated Kristy Hopkins when their relationship was little more than a one-night stand and three official criminal investigations involving her) don't detract from the overall story.
Rating: 4
Summary: A suprizingly good book
Comment: I got this book free with the purchase of the CSI Computer Game (to be reviewed at a later time) and expected it to be a cheap knock-off of the popular television show. Boy was I wrong on that assumption. Instead, this book is a crafty, intriguing and, for the most part, a well thought-out mystery.
I am a fan of the television show and the author does an excellent job tranforming the personalities the show has been so careful to develop into his characters in the book. Other fans of the television show can clearly visualize each of the characters saying and doing the things written about. And, the author even was able to further develop the characters' personalities through thoughts and motivations that just are not as easily protrayed on televsion. You come out feeling you "know" the characters even a little better than from just watching the TV show.
Moreover, I believe that the characterization in this book is strong enough that someone who has never even seen the show (given its popularity, is there any such person? :-) ), will still enjoy the book and understand the different quirks and traits that have gotten fans of the show to love the characters.
As with the show, the book centers around two different mysteries that the Las Vegas Crime Lab investigators are trying to solve -- a fifteen year old murder and a recent murder. The CSI are amazed when the two cases have striking similarities.
I won't give away the ending, but will say it is a little contrived. Fortunately, not so much so that it took away from an otherwise enjoyable book.
Whether or not you enjoy the television show, I recommend this book.
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Title: CSI: Cold Burn by Max Allan Collins ISBN: 0743444078 Publisher: Pocket Star Pub. Date: 01 April, 2003 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Body of Evidence by Max Allan Collins ISBN: 0743455827 Publisher: Pocket Star Pub. Date: 01 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: CSI: Miami: Florida Getaway : Book One by Max Allan Collins ISBN: 0743480554 Publisher: Pocket Star Pub. Date: 01 August, 2003 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Csi: Crime Scene Investigation: Serial by Max Allan Collins, Gabriel Rodriguez, Ashley Wood ISBN: 193238202X Publisher: Idea & Design Works Llc Pub. Date: August, 2003 List Price(USD): $19.99 |
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Title: CSI, Miami: Heat Wave by Max Allan Collins ISBN: 0743480562 Publisher: Pocket Star Pub. Date: 01 April, 2004 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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