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Meet the little known and even less understood heroes of police work in Las Vegas -- the forensic investigators. Led by veteran Gil Grissom, the remarkable team assigned to the Criminalistics Bureau's graveyard shift -- including Catherine Willows, Warrick Brown, Nick Stokes, and Sara Sidle -- must combine cutting-edge scientiÞc methods and old-fashioned savvy as they work to untangle the evidence behind the yellow police tape.
SIN CITY
"If anything happens to me, get this cassette to the police," Lynn Pierce told her friends the night she disappeared without a trace. Pierce seemed to be a devout Christian, devoted wife and mother -- but she left behind a recording of her husband threatening to cut her into little pieces.
Jenna Patrick was a professional stripper who said she was trying to get out of the sex trade and into junior college. She wound up strangled to death in a locked room in the back of the club where she worked. What could these two women possibly have had in common -- aside from the fact that they are both victims of homicide?
Find out as Grissom, Willows, and the rest of the CSI team track down a sordid trail of secret lives and private dances, from the saintly to the seedier side of Sin City.
SIN CITY
"If anything happens to me, get this cassette to the police," Lynn Pierce told her friends the night she disappeared without a trace. Pierce seemed to be a devout Christian, devoted wife and mother -- but she left behind a recording of her husband threatening to cut her into little pieces.
Jenna Patrick was a professional stripper who said she was trying to get out of the sex trade and into junior college. She wound up strangled to death in a locked room in the back of the club where she worked. What could these two women possibly have had in common -- aside from the fact that they are both victims of homicide?
Find out as Grissom, Willows, and the rest of the CSI team track down a sordid trail of secret lives and private dances, from the saintly to the seedier side of Sin City.
341 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 2002
34 people are currently reading
876 people want to read
About the author
Max Allan Collins
804 books1,321 followersReceived the Shamus Award, "The Eye" (Lifetime achievment award) in 2006.
He has also published under the name Patrick Culhane. He and his wife, Barbara Collins, have written several books together. Some of them are published under the name Barbara Allan.
Book Awards
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1984) : True Detective
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1992) : Stolen Away
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1995) : Carnal Hours
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1997) : Damned in Paradise
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1999) : Flying Blind: A Novel about Amelia Earhart
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (2002) : Angel in Black
Japanese: マックス・アラン・コリンズ
or マックス・アラン コリンズ
He has also published under the name Patrick Culhane. He and his wife, Barbara Collins, have written several books together. Some of them are published under the name Barbara Allan.
Book Awards
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1984) : True Detective
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1992) : Stolen Away
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1995) : Carnal Hours
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1997) : Damned in Paradise
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1999) : Flying Blind: A Novel about Amelia Earhart
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (2002) : Angel in Black
Japanese: マックス・アラン・コリンズ
or マックス・アラン コリンズ
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
April 17, 2020
It all begins with a tape on which a man is threatening his wife, who then commences to disappear leaving the husband as prime suspect in a murder case. When they find part of her in Lake Mead the CSI will have to do their best to make sure that the case is brought to a decisive end.
A stripper gets killed in the place Catherine once had a similar job, the stripper got strangled and it is up to Catherine & Sara to find out who killed the stripper and of course the partner is the immediate suspect.
Two excellent cases that takes a lot of effort by the Vegas CSI's to bring to decent ending and an acceptable solution by watching the evidence only because both cases are of course not devoid of any emotional situations for the people involved.
This book is certainly a step up from the first attempt in this TV series tie-in book, you feel that the writer is more comfortable with the characters and does attempt to bring more to table this book. Enjoyable entertainment not unlike the TV show.
A stripper gets killed in the place Catherine once had a similar job, the stripper got strangled and it is up to Catherine & Sara to find out who killed the stripper and of course the partner is the immediate suspect.
Two excellent cases that takes a lot of effort by the Vegas CSI's to bring to decent ending and an acceptable solution by watching the evidence only because both cases are of course not devoid of any emotional situations for the people involved.
This book is certainly a step up from the first attempt in this TV series tie-in book, you feel that the writer is more comfortable with the characters and does attempt to bring more to table this book. Enjoyable entertainment not unlike the TV show.
August 1, 2022
I am giving this 5⭐️ because this is my fave tv-series and being able to read it now too is amazing. I just absolutely loved this.
Was the storyline worth 5⭐️ no
Am I giving it 5⭐️ because it gives me a tremendous amount of joy YES!
Was the storyline worth 5⭐️ no
Am I giving it 5⭐️ because it gives me a tremendous amount of joy YES!
April 19, 2022
it's very inch resting to me how tera was like "I bet one of you three is a lesbian" and then later when catherine's being lesbionic to find evidence, tera's like "damn I knew one of you was gay, but didn't think it was you"...yeah that was confirmation that my wife sara sidle is a big ol' lesbian 💗
November 30, 2023
Novela basada en la serie televisiva de CSI Las Vegas donde se exponen dos crímenes que deberán ser resueltos por la unidad trabajando de forma independiente.
Es una novela de calidad justita, con descripciones muy concretas y escuetas y donde se da por hecho que has visto previamente la serie y conoces las expresiones y forma de hablar y reaccionar de los personajes. De hecho es una novela que recomiendo para los fans de la serie televisiva porque es como si hubieran cogido un capítulo de la serie y lo hubieran descrito en un libro. Pero no lo puedo recomendar para el público que no conozca la serie y actores originales porque se perderá información.
Es una novela de calidad justita, con descripciones muy concretas y escuetas y donde se da por hecho que has visto previamente la serie y conoces las expresiones y forma de hablar y reaccionar de los personajes. De hecho es una novela que recomiendo para los fans de la serie televisiva porque es como si hubieran cogido un capítulo de la serie y lo hubieran descrito en un libro. Pero no lo puedo recomendar para el público que no conozca la serie y actores originales porque se perderá información.
July 28, 2024
Maybe not one of my finest moments, but I read this book in no time. There were two cases, equally interesting. Funny enough, I felt like I read it (or watched) before and had my suspisions about the killers. It was written in a way allowing fast reading. I think not all the characters were depicted the same as in the series but that was a nice change. Still like the series though.
July 7, 2018
Tre stelle e mezzo
November 22, 2017
The books are way better than the show. It definitely pulls you in and makes you wonder what happens next.
August 16, 2012
This was an enjoyable book, and exactly what it represented itself as: a CSI murder story. I found the characters from the show described well, and the setting and methodology represented accurately. The murders they were trying to solve were interesting (although I guessed who both the murderers actually were, one of them I was unsure of myself until the very end). It wasn't perfect. There were a few too many cultural references I didn't get, and everyone seemed inclined to "smirk". but it's a nice way to get through til I have my favorite police procedural dramas back, so I'm not complaining too much. Holding it to more of a TV standard than a book standard. I've read Max Allan Collins' Criminal Minds books before, and been pleased. I'm glad to see this series is equally well done (for its genre).
March 28, 2017
Ugh. Towards the middle of the book I *knew* who had committed the each of the murders. Just proves I have watched this show a LOT and am now thinking like they do, even though it took them longer in the book. :-)
Still, it was a good read as both the murders were especially gruesome and well-thought out. Made the first half of the book really interesting.
April 19, 2009
Since I had previously read one of the books based on "24" I thought this would be badly written like that one was. But I was wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, and was only correct about one of the two cases in it. I enjoyed reading and picturing the TV stars in this novel.
April 30, 2019
As always, Max Allan Collins delivered another story that fits seamlessly into the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation universe. Sin City is so well written, it could have been an episode of the crime drama. Highly recommended to anyone who loved the show.
June 29, 2020
The cases in this one were not my favorites; also the jealous lesbian lover narrative is boring and old, even for being published in 2002. I like the snippets of Catherine thinking about her past as a dancer. Everything else was kinda mediocre.
April 21, 2025
Finished reading: April 20th 2025
"What we have here," Warrick said, "is a crime scene... in search of a crime."
REVIEW
June 5, 2017
I was ready to dump this book on page one this was a mess. I'm going to ignore the characterization in this book (and future CSI books) because I've accepted the fact that these aren't the characters I grew to love, they just share the same names and professions.
This book treats verbal abuse as if it was no big deal, as if it's second hand to physical abuse and you should be grateful someone is only yelling at you and never actually hits you. I hope I don't have to explain why this is wrong and harmful above all else. Abuse is abuse. There is no "well at least it wasn't worse", it happened, it's real, it isn't any better than any other abuse.
It also treats being gay as a plot twist and kills it's only two non straight characters. One is accused of lying because she didn't shout to the world I'M GAY I LOVE GIRLS the second she met the police. I'm sorry, but not outing yourself to people you don't know isn't lying, police or not.
Yeah I guessed the killers like half way through, but I do that with criminal shows too. I can usually pin point the murderer within the first fifteen minutes (if they've been introduced) and it's a lot of fun and part of the game I see this genre to be. So I don't mind it being obvious. I expect that. What I do mind is sex shaming and homobophic narratives like this.
This book treats verbal abuse as if it was no big deal, as if it's second hand to physical abuse and you should be grateful someone is only yelling at you and never actually hits you. I hope I don't have to explain why this is wrong and harmful above all else. Abuse is abuse. There is no "well at least it wasn't worse", it happened, it's real, it isn't any better than any other abuse.
It also treats being gay as a plot twist and kills it's only two non straight characters. One is accused of lying because she didn't shout to the world I'M GAY I LOVE GIRLS the second she met the police. I'm sorry, but not outing yourself to people you don't know isn't lying, police or not.
Yeah I guessed the killers like half way through, but I do that with criminal shows too. I can usually pin point the murderer within the first fifteen minutes (if they've been introduced) and it's a lot of fun and part of the game I see this genre to be. So I don't mind it being obvious. I expect that. What I do mind is sex shaming and homobophic narratives like this.
September 17, 2024
I was reminded, when reading, that CSI has a tendency to lean hard on the killer kid trope, and so I was amused to see it turn up here as well!
Unlike the first book, this had two cases that didn't tie together in the end. I quite like the double case approach, and if the first book played around with the idea of mob killers, then this one is strippers and family problems - the latter occurring when one suburban mum gets a little too into religion and comes into conflict with her husband and daughter. And I think, when you live in a place like Las Vegas - not that I've ever been, so perhaps it's more accurate to say that when you live in a place that has the reputation of Las Vegas - you're largely living in a place of extremes. If there's anything tying the two plots in this book together, it's that. On the one hand, the stripper storyline, where strip clubs have become such a normalised part of life that they've almost gone mainstream, and on the other a potential response to that: a retreat into religion when living in a city where sex and gambling and other "sinful" activities are so advertised and in-your-face.
I think the most sympathetic I felt to anyone, though, was the detective who moved to Vegas and who was quietly bitching to herself about the endless sunshine. I think that might get to me too, after a while.
Unlike the first book, this had two cases that didn't tie together in the end. I quite like the double case approach, and if the first book played around with the idea of mob killers, then this one is strippers and family problems - the latter occurring when one suburban mum gets a little too into religion and comes into conflict with her husband and daughter. And I think, when you live in a place like Las Vegas - not that I've ever been, so perhaps it's more accurate to say that when you live in a place that has the reputation of Las Vegas - you're largely living in a place of extremes. If there's anything tying the two plots in this book together, it's that. On the one hand, the stripper storyline, where strip clubs have become such a normalised part of life that they've almost gone mainstream, and on the other a potential response to that: a retreat into religion when living in a city where sex and gambling and other "sinful" activities are so advertised and in-your-face.
I think the most sympathetic I felt to anyone, though, was the detective who moved to Vegas and who was quietly bitching to herself about the endless sunshine. I think that might get to me too, after a while.
February 10, 2025
Sooo I bought this used for like three bucks on a whim; I have some nostalgia for CSI because my parents used to watch it back in the day. I went into this with about zero expectations lol but ended up loving it!! Literally so addicting. There are scornful lesbians! Lots of chainsaws! Goths! Drugs! Gunfights! Popcorn! Luminol! Plot twists! So much happens.
I thought this was well-written for a media tie-in book. I enjoyed the author's descriptions, and it is clear he did a lot of research on both the show and forensics in general while writing this novel. The characters are all enjoyable to read. There seem to be varying opinions on how well the main characters were depicted from their show counterparts. I don't know the main characters super well in the show but they seem to be depicted fine from what I've seen, though some have more of a spotlight than others. There are many random side characters and I thought the author did a good job of making them memorable as well.
I definitely recommend this book if you enjoy the CSI show, forensics, thrillers, mysteries, or all of the above. You don't have to be familiar with the show at all to get into this, I followed it fine for not seeing an episode in years and skipping the first book lol. I'm now in my CSI era and watching the show from the beginning for the first time! Yeehaw
I thought this was well-written for a media tie-in book. I enjoyed the author's descriptions, and it is clear he did a lot of research on both the show and forensics in general while writing this novel. The characters are all enjoyable to read. There seem to be varying opinions on how well the main characters were depicted from their show counterparts. I don't know the main characters super well in the show but they seem to be depicted fine from what I've seen, though some have more of a spotlight than others. There are many random side characters and I thought the author did a good job of making them memorable as well.
I definitely recommend this book if you enjoy the CSI show, forensics, thrillers, mysteries, or all of the above. You don't have to be familiar with the show at all to get into this, I followed it fine for not seeing an episode in years and skipping the first book lol. I'm now in my CSI era and watching the show from the beginning for the first time! Yeehaw
January 3, 2018
Rating: 3 1/2 stars
In this stand-alone novel based on the TV series "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," Gil Crissom and his CSI staff are out investigating a missing woman and a murdered stripper.
The missing woman, Lynn Pierce, was a born-again Christian who was fearful that her husband would try to murder her. After taping an argument where her husband threatened to kill and dismember her, she gave the tape to friends and then shortly disappeared. Soon, a piece of her body is recovered from Lake Mead so the investigators turn their attention to the husband.
The murdered woman was a stripper named Jenna Patrick and she was found strangled in one of the private dance rooms of the club where she worked. Surveillance cameras show someone who looked like Jeanna's finance was the last person to see her alive but was it really him?
I think this was the first of Collins' CSI books. I enjoy them because they are easy reads and not based on a specific episode of the show but instead are stand-alone novels. This book was enjoyable with a few twists and turns that you expect from the show, which makes it sort of predictable. Even still, it was a good read.
In this stand-alone novel based on the TV series "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," Gil Crissom and his CSI staff are out investigating a missing woman and a murdered stripper.
The missing woman, Lynn Pierce, was a born-again Christian who was fearful that her husband would try to murder her. After taping an argument where her husband threatened to kill and dismember her, she gave the tape to friends and then shortly disappeared. Soon, a piece of her body is recovered from Lake Mead so the investigators turn their attention to the husband.
The murdered woman was a stripper named Jenna Patrick and she was found strangled in one of the private dance rooms of the club where she worked. Surveillance cameras show someone who looked like Jeanna's finance was the last person to see her alive but was it really him?
I think this was the first of Collins' CSI books. I enjoy them because they are easy reads and not based on a specific episode of the show but instead are stand-alone novels. This book was enjoyable with a few twists and turns that you expect from the show, which makes it sort of predictable. Even still, it was a good read.
December 13, 2024
CSI: Sin City, Max Allan Collins [Pocket Books, 2003].
An original police procedural novel, based on the popular CBS series, about a team of forensic homicide detectives. Sin City alternates between two cases: When an affluent housewife and Born Again Christian disappears, her husband, who made threatening remarks is the main suspect. Meanwhile, a stripper is killed by strangulation in a private room in a Vegas nightclub, and her fiancée, the owner of a construction company, is under suspicion. Collins is a reliably great storyteller, and Sin City is an enjoyable page turner.
***
Max Allan Collins is a Mystery Writers of America Grandmaster, and two time winner of the Shamus Award from the Private Eye Writers of America. His work includes the graphic novel The Road to Perdition, and the Quarry series, about a Marine Corps veteran who becomes a hitman, which was adapted as a Cinemax series. Collins’s forthcoming work includes a sequel to Hammet’s classic The Maltese Falcon, and a new Mike Hammer novel, based on an unfinished work by Mickey Spillane.
July 17, 2024
Ugh, this might have been one of the worst translations that I've read (but not as bad as that of Richard Morgan's Thirteen, why did I forget that when reviewing that book?). Not only the sentences felt stilted and fake, but when you're translating a book set in the CSI franchise, you really don't need to translate the 'CSI' term.
What was worse, the characters didn't really feel like their series counterparts, behaving strangely, reacting during conversations in ways that are not only out of character for them, but also in ways that no human being acts.
That said, the plots of the two riddles were quite good with plausible use of CSI equipment (because, face it, CSI franchise was never about things being realistic - it was always about them being plausible-sounding, and that's not a criticism). Pity everything apart from them was quite weak.
What was worse, the characters didn't really feel like their series counterparts, behaving strangely, reacting during conversations in ways that are not only out of character for them, but also in ways that no human being acts.
That said, the plots of the two riddles were quite good with plausible use of CSI equipment (because, face it, CSI franchise was never about things being realistic - it was always about them being plausible-sounding, and that's not a criticism). Pity everything apart from them was quite weak.
July 17, 2022
I haven't read these in a while and I still love them just as much as I loved them years ago. The writting is good, the translation was decent though there were some weird word choices here and there and the cases well presented. I never watched the show so I have no idea how accurate the books are though.
But I loved what I read in this one. The two cases were both interesting and kept me on my toes throughout most of the story. I wasn't sure about either of the suspects so the plot twists with who the real suspects were were a nice twist and unexpected.
I also love that the books don't shy away from gore, I am tired of criminal books showing murders but then shying away from details.
But I loved what I read in this one. The two cases were both interesting and kept me on my toes throughout most of the story. I wasn't sure about either of the suspects so the plot twists with who the real suspects were were a nice twist and unexpected.
I also love that the books don't shy away from gore, I am tired of criminal books showing murders but then shying away from details.
April 29, 2023
This is a really good book from an author who certainly knows his main characters, particular Catherine Willows and Grissom. Sara Sidle and Brass are also very good. This is Catherine's story from the start. The city of Las Vegas is an extra character of it's own. Regular viewers of the series will have no trouble working out who the killers actually are as bioth plots are fairly obvious. However, unlike most mystery novels, the joy from this book doesn't come from working out the solution, but from spending time with characters we know and love so well. I'm glad I have a full set of CSI novels, and I'd recommend them ( particularly this one) to anyone who loves the franchise.
June 6, 2018
Decent book, did well at depicting the characters that we all love from the CSI TV series. (I actually just had to google and see what came first the TV series or the books).
The book took a few chapters for me to actually "get into" but once I did I enjoyed it. However I had guessed who each of the two murderers were about half way through the book. Wasn't that surprised by the outcomes of each of the two cases.
The book took a few chapters for me to actually "get into" but once I did I enjoyed it. However I had guessed who each of the two murderers were about half way through the book. Wasn't that surprised by the outcomes of each of the two cases.
February 19, 2023
Is it just like an episode of the series, and I love that! The book reads super easy and is fast paced, also because I know the characters.
I grew up watching crime series with my parents, and the moment I saw the books in a thrift store, I just had to buy them.
To be honest, I didn't see the plot twist coming regarding the murder on Lynn Pierce! And that really surprised me, because most of the time I see the plots coming.
I grew up watching crime series with my parents, and the moment I saw the books in a thrift store, I just had to buy them.
To be honest, I didn't see the plot twist coming regarding the murder on Lynn Pierce! And that really surprised me, because most of the time I see the plots coming.
February 15, 2024
As a big fan of crime shows and CSI in particular, I was thrilled to discover that there were books based on the show. I couldn't resist getting my hands on one, and I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The plot was gripping and kept me on the edge of my seat, constantly trying to piece together the clues and figure out what would happen next. Overall, it was a satisfying read that left me eager to dive into more books from the CSI series.
July 17, 2017
Gil, Catherine, Nick, Sara, and Warrick are tasked with putting the evidence together to solve the deaths of Lynn Pierce(a housewife that goes missing), and Jenna Patrick(a professional stripper, killed at the club she works at). With top of the line scientific equipment and hard work, the CSI gang are able to put the pieces of the two murders together and catch the killers.
January 9, 2019
El mejor de los tres sin duda. Le doy una puntuación de 4.7 la verdad porque uno de los casos lo resolví antes de que ellos llegaran a esa conclusión. Los procesos tienden a ser más lentos porque Grissom no da permiso a que se guíen por corazonadas o incluso a que piensen más allá de lo que demuestran las pruebas.
March 12, 2018
It was awesome and gross but oh my god I love all of Allan's CSI series.I am seriously in love with these books.I even finished it in a day!How shocking is that!I was engrossed in this book and all I could say was it was breathtakingly amazing and awesome!
June 11, 2019
Op zich is het wel een goed boek, alleen had ik wat moeite met het schakelen tussen de 2 zaken waar ze mee bezig waren. Voor mensen die daar minder moeite mee hebben is het een goed verhaal, waarbij je zelf ook af en toe gaat denken 'wacht hoe zit dat nou precies'.
June 19, 2019
I like these books. They've been an easy read, entertaining and giving a brief view of the science and scientists. The dialogue flows as the show did, so their personalities come through.
Very little side stories or extraneous characters to confuse things.
Very little side stories or extraneous characters to confuse things.
October 11, 2023
I remember this episode and how frustrating it was for the CSI team to find out the two cases they were dealing with. It is rather nice that I can read about the original CSI show in books. Definitely one of my favorite shows so it is nice to see them in books.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews