Author: Max Allan Collins
Format: Paperback
Pages: 304
Rating: 5 out of 10
Summary (Bound to Goodreads): Ten years ago, Las Vegas was terrorized by "CAST" -- a vicious serial killer responsible for nearly half a dozen brutal murders, and who tested the mettle of the LVPD's new Captain, Jim Brass. After a two-year spree, CASt suddenly disappeared and has not been heard from...until now. Gil Grissom and his CSI team are called in to investigate a homicide that perfectly fits the notorious criminal's modus operandi. But all hell breaks loose when a reporter made famous by the original cases receives a letter from someone claiming to be CAST -- and who says he has nothing to do with the latest slaying.
Now the CSIs must stop someone who may be a copycat killer from striking again. ...even as a murderer from the past continues to evade capture, and isn't taking too kindly to rivals....
My Thoughts: Soooooo, I read the beginning of this novel twice. I'm almost a hundred percent positive. It didn't make a difference because eventually I found a part that I hadn't read before. I was confused to say the least but I moved on.
In the beginning, this was easy to follow. This soon turned out to be a lie. It wasn't impossible to understand. There were just so many characters. There was a copycat? There was an original? There were reporters and police? Never mind that there are like seven CSI characters to follow along with. It was practically, Anna Karenina! A million characters. Too much to follow.
The case was interesting enough though. There was solid action and some science behind it all. It was true to an episode of CSI. Kristen and I were talking about how strange it was that in an hour on TV you can get the whole story but it takes a couple hundred pages to get the same story in book format.
I've read a couple CSI and Criminal Minds novels now. They haven't really grown on me; I can't lie to you. They are a little dull for me. I want more character building and back story. There just isn't time to give the reader these things when there is so much about the case that they have to talk about. I understand that there are limitations, I just don't like them. For this reason, I can't give these books a 10. I do, however, have a couple more to read and review in the next few months...it should be interesting.
So: It's true to the TV show but not much for focusing on the characters. I don't really know how I feel about these types of novels. I won't be reading it again but if you're a hardcore fan of the TV show or the CSI:NY or CSI:Maimi or Criminal Minds novels, you should check out the normal CSI novels too. That's the best this novel is going to get out of me.
In the beginning, this was easy to follow. This soon turned out to be a lie. It wasn't impossible to understand. There were just so many characters. There was a copycat? There was an original? There were reporters and police? Never mind that there are like seven CSI characters to follow along with. It was practically, Anna Karenina! A million characters. Too much to follow.
The case was interesting enough though. There was solid action and some science behind it all. It was true to an episode of CSI. Kristen and I were talking about how strange it was that in an hour on TV you can get the whole story but it takes a couple hundred pages to get the same story in book format.
I've read a couple CSI and Criminal Minds novels now. They haven't really grown on me; I can't lie to you. They are a little dull for me. I want more character building and back story. There just isn't time to give the reader these things when there is so much about the case that they have to talk about. I understand that there are limitations, I just don't like them. For this reason, I can't give these books a 10. I do, however, have a couple more to read and review in the next few months...it should be interesting.
So: It's true to the TV show but not much for focusing on the characters. I don't really know how I feel about these types of novels. I won't be reading it again but if you're a hardcore fan of the TV show or the CSI:NY or CSI:Maimi or Criminal Minds novels, you should check out the normal CSI novels too. That's the best this novel is going to get out of me.
My daughter loves this novel and is a big CSI fan. She did like the Grave Matters novel a little better but still enjoys reading this novel over and over again.
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