Rating: 
Summary: A suprizingly good book
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: one of my favorite CSI stories . . .
Review: I just finished reading "Double Dealer" last night, and I really enjoyed it. It's one of my favorite stories to come out of the world of C.S.I. Max Allan Collins captures the characters very well, and you can just picture the actors in your head delivering the lines and their usual little mannerisms. Another thing I like, continuity. Too many times, novel spin-offs for movies/TV shows have contradicting information. But this book remembers what has gone on before it in the series, and I enjoyed all the little references to past cases and character information that has been revealed on the show. I also liked the little in-joke about the film MANHUNTER starring William Petersen, who, of course, stars in C.S.I. I only have a couple minor complaints. First, there were some punctuation errors throughout the book that were a bit distracting, and a few sentences seemed to be badly worded. The editor didn't do a very good job. Second, a couple of the main characters swearing anything beyond son of a b**ch (heard occasionally on the show) seemed strange and kind of clashed with how these characters are on the show. I could tolerate the people they encountered on their cases swearing, but not them. And finally, the final chapter. You have this terrific build up for 293 pages, and then the last chapter is a complete and total letdown, one of the worst conclusions I've ever read in a book, totally clashing with the rest of the book. It feels like it was taken from a completely different novel and tagged on. Because of these complaints (and mostly because of the last chapter), I give this a 4-star review. Otherwise, it's a well-written murder mystery that perfectly captures the feel of the series. I'd like to see Collins write some actual episodes.
Rating:
Summary: It's a crime not to read it!
Review: I like the TV show CSI a lot. I like Max Collins a lot. Between the two, this book came out pretty damn good. Sure, there are some weak points in the story, but the story felt very true to the show and it's continuity. I'm very glad that there will be a second book, and I'm looking forward to more. Finally, a CSI I can read on the plane.
Rating:
Summary: Concentrate on what cannot lie... The reviews
Review: I love CSI, so when I heard that there was a book to complement the series, I went out and bought it. I love to read anyway, so finding something that I really enjoy to read about is always a bonus. Max Allan Collins paid attention to the important aspects of the show, but also did his research when it comes to Las Vegas. I'm a Las Vegas native, and it was nice to see something that actually paid attention to the city's topography. Movies like Con-Air and the new Ocean's 11 chose not to portray the city as it really is, and that bugs me. Collins got most of it right. The characters were right on as well. I could hear Grissom, Catherine, Warrick, Sara, Nick, Greg, and Brass in my head when they were saying something in the book. So, either I have little voices running amok in my head, or Collins paid attention to the show. Well done, and a must read for anyone who likes the show, or who lives in Las Vegas...
Rating:
Summary: Waiting for the sequel
Review: I loved this book--I couldn't put it down. I strongly recommend it to anyone who enjoys both reading and CSI. Its a great mystery and fans of the show can really get into it; knowing the characters you can almost visualize it playing out in front of you. Its a great read and I can't wait for more!
Rating: 
Summary: THIS BOOK IS THE BOMB!!
Review: I thought this book was the best one ever!! Although I have not yet read Sin City I think they all deserve an award for their best describtive words and putting pictures in your mind to figure out who kill the people!!
Rating:
Summary: A spin-off book from tv that's actually good!
Review: I was a little unsure when I saw this book. I love CSI, but I had read books that were taken from other tv shows, and came out very disappointed. In general, they are awful, but Double Dealer is definately the exception.
The dialogue is written very well, no one says anything that you wouldn't see on CSI. Also, the characters are all true to the series and the descriptions enhance the reading experience.
I really recommend reading this book if you love CSI. And judging from the reactions of my friends, that's about everybody. I swear, every time someone would see me with this book they'd go "Oh my God! There's CSI *books*?!"
You may feel a little foolish, like I did, for buying a book that's taken from a tv show, but it's really worth it.
Rating:
Summary: The cream of tie-in novels
Review: I would imagine that the first words out of the mouths of many Max Allan Collins fans reading this are: "Why is he writing CSI novels? Isn't he better than that?" and I would then have to imagine that they must have forgotten (or never knew) that, in between his various graphic novel and historical mystery projects, Collins has had a lively TV/movie tie-in sideline going on for some time now. Sure, his two Shamus awards are for entries in his Nathan Heller series (True Detective and Stolen Away, to be specific), but it was his novelization of Saving Private Ryan that gave him the "New York Times Bestselling Author" designation that has appeared on nearly every one of his book covers since.
In any case, the bottom line is that Collins writes intelligent, detail-oriented, fast-paced novels (mysteries for the most part) and so is a perfect fit for CSI. His experience writing in the voices of already-existent television characters (NYPD Blue, Dark Angel) also serves well in his representation of Grissom, Willows, Brass, Brown, Stokes, and Sidle: every line reads as if it were delivered by the actors; and remember, these are original plots, not novelizations of previously-filmed teleplays, making the result that much more admirable.
Double Dealer is the first novel in the series and contains a good amount of extra detailed history, in-depth predictive reenactments, and copious description, while still respecting the "reality" of the events from the first season. (Something that is also good to remember: later season events, relationships, and promotions are not reflected here, the only major drawback to reading a novel based on an ongoing television series.)
A mummified corpse is discovered that carries the same shooter's-signature as a more recently dispatched victim. However, true to form, Grissom considers the two to be separate cases until the evidence proves otherwise. I'm hesitant to provide too much detail about the plot but series fans will love how Collins follows the normal procedure of a typical episode in Double Dealer -- all the way down to the jaw-dropping climax and the non sequitur ending. In addition, he adds his own brand of humor, particularly in the form of in-jokes during an interrogation in a video store. (He not only name-drops his own innovative DVD Real Time: Siege at Lucas Street Market, but also a classic from a lead cast member's past.)
A satisfying read all around, Double Dealer enhances the CSI mythology without having to go outside the expected realm, and leaves plenty of room for further development, making it perfect for fans, but also approachable for the uninitiated. (Of course, this metafiction-loving reviewer would be tickled pink to see the worlds collide by having this novel adapted into a future CSI movie, bringing everything full circle.)
Rating:
Summary: Way to go CSI..............
Review: If you watch the television series, you have to read this book. It was actually nice to be able to identify with the CSI team, knowing who/what the characters look like made the book more enjoyable. Are we going to have more books about the series???? Sure hope so.
Rating: 
Summary: A Disappointment
Review: Led by veteran Gil Grissom, the remarkable team assigned to the Bureau's graveyard shift - including Catherine Willows, Warrick Brown, Nick Stokes, and Sara Sidle - must combine cutting-edge scientific methods and old-fashioned savvy as they work to untangle the evidence behind the yellow police tape. While Nick and Catherine investigate a newly discovered fifteen-year-old murder, Grissom and the rest of the team must uncover the indentity of a cold-blooded killer -- one whose execution-style, "double-tap" signature has provoked the interest of FBI agent Rick Culpepper. I'm a big fan of the television series CSI and I thought that reading the book would be just as great. Wrong. It's like watching a movie then reading the book. I recommend sticking to the television show.
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