The Burning Season

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation #18

by Jeffrey J. Mariotte

It’s a hot, early autumn evening in the small resort town of Mount Charleston, NV, where six firefighters are battling a massive blaze that threatens expensive homes . . . a blaze that will cost them their lives. Initially, the police determine that the fire was human-started, and the state wants to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law with six counts of homicide. Now the team of Sin City’s finest criminologists, led by Catherine Willows, are assigned to work a crime scene far from the glittering lights and 24/7 spectacle of the Las Vegas Strip, and soon find much more than they bargained for. . . . Meanwhile, Ray Langston and Nick Stokes are called to a crime scene where a dog has taken a key piece of evidence—a severed human hand—under a suburban home’s crawl space. What’s even more disturbing is that it’s not the first severed hand that’s turned up lately—there have been four other incidents around Las Vegas over the past twelve months. . . .

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Crime, Fiction, Media Tie In

356 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 28, 2011

About the author

Also writes as Jeff Mariotte

Jeffrey J. Mariotte is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 70 novels, including the Cody Cavanaugh western series, historical western epic Blood and Gold: The Legend of Joaquin Murrieta (with Peter Murrieta), thrillers Empty Rooms and The Devil's Bait, supernatural thrillers Season of the Wolf, Missing White Girl, River Runs Red, and Cold Black Hearts, horror epic The Slab, and the Dark Vengeance teen horror quartet. With wife and writing partner Marsheila (Marcy) Rockwell, he wrote the sf/horror/thriller 7 SYKOS and Mafia III: Plain of Jars, the authorized prequel to the bestselling video game. His most recent release is the short story collection Byrd's Luck & Other Stories, comprising five "traditional" Western tales and five horror-Western stories, two of them brand-new for this edition.

He also writes occasional nonfiction, short fiction (some of which is collected in Nine Frights), and comic books, including the long-running horror/Western comic book series Desperadoes and graphic novels Fade to Black and Zombie Cop. With Marsheila Rockwell, he has published several short stories and is working on more. He has worked in virtually every aspect of the book business, as a writer, editor, marketing executive, and bookseller.

Learn more at www.jeffmariotte.com, and follow him at https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyJMari... and @JeffMariotte on Twitter.

Also writes as Jeff Mariotte

Reviews

[AJ B · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave me what I wanted from a CSI book. It wasn't anything spectacular, but it fulfilled its purpose well. If you are a fan of CSI and want more of the characters without binging the series again, this is a great way to do it.

[Octavia Cade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mildly interesting, but none of the cases seemed especially compelling. Perhaps it's just me: arson and domestic terrorism don't tend to be the sort of mysteries that get me really excited, and this also tends a little too thriller for my CSI tastes, what with explosions and gun battles and all. I like this series for the science, and while there's a lot of that here it's all in service of cases I don't care too much about. Perhaps the most interesting one was Nick and Sara and the forest fire, but that's because I like the outdoors and environmental crime does strike me as compelling; this particular plot was supporting only, though.

What did strike me was that Catherine was, at one point, referred to as a former medical student. Maybe I'm remembering wrong, but that doesn't seem right. Medical and laboratory science I could buy, because she was always good with blood spatter, but otherwise that might have been an editing fail.

[Brigitte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Het laatste boek van de CSI-reeks. Helaas was het een moeilijk boek om in te komen. Op blz 61 (van de 300, ipv 288 zoals hier op goodreads staat) zat ik pas in het verhaal. Tijdens latere bladzijdes moest ik soms ook stukken teruglezen om te begrijpen hoe en wat. De verhaallijnen zijn goed uitgedacht, maar het verhaal liep gewoon niet echt lekker vind ik.

[Helga Beuckelaers · Rating 2 out of 5]

verschillende plots die naast elkaar lopen in 1 boek (brandstichting, afpersing van mensen zonder verblijfspapieren, een organisatie die de wetten niet erkend ) ... Leuk in een televisieserie, in een boek echter net iets teveel van het goede

[Dorothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. So redolent of the TV series. Don’t care which came first, I can picture the characters in my mind and suffer with them over their worries and delight with them over their successes.

[Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gave this a 3 but maybe it should be a 2.5 stars. It was enjoyable but not very memorable. It was an ok read to get my CSI fix.

[Peter Hennessey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

[Darinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 18th book in the CSI series. Fast-paced and entertaining.

[Daniek · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Stephen Levesque · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this as a TV Show, and reading to books are a good experience. They are a Good read.

[Laura Martinelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hate to sound like I’m flogging a dead horse each time that I review one of the CSI tie-ins that I have in the pile (and there’s still at least one of these left. Well, for this show, anyway), but these are pretty much my literary palate cleansers. Easy reads, don’t require too much thinking on my part, and I’ve never had the sense of “Oh dear God, I gotta slog through this because of my own personal reasons” while reading them. (Kinda like why CSI rerun marathons were the preferred background noise while me and my roommates would study in front of the TV during senior year in college.)

This is actually a pretty solid book, as far as my experience with tie-in novels have gone. Both of the plots are strong, with decent twists and turns to each mystery. I really enjoyed the foiled assassination plot of a news mogul, despite the potential blood-pressure raising inclusion of the some of the main suspects, but then there’s a good number of twists involved that even the most obvious answer comes as a surprise. The arson case isn’t as strong, and that mystery feels like the weaker of the two, but I still enjoyed reading the twists and turns. The missing persons case is more par for the course and straightforward, but I still liked it. Again, the only thing I really didn’t get into was the more character-driven plotlines, but that’s more due to me falling out from keeping up with the show.

In any case, decent read, and a nice little break from the majority of my other books in the stack.

[William Bentrim · Rating 4 out of 5]

CSI Crime Scene Investigation, The Burning Season By Jeff Marriotte\

This book reads like a script for the TV show CSI. If you like the TV show you will love the book. You find characters you already know immersed in fast paced action.

I happen to like the TV show CSI so I was predisposed to like the book. I was not disappointed. I think that someone who isn't familiar with the show might have a little difficulty because there is not a lot of background data on the characters.

There are multiple scenarios running simultaneously. The author sets a good pace and the book is an easy read.

I recommend the book.

[Dan Beaver · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've lost touch with the CSI TV series in recent years, so the tie-ins by Jeff are pretty much my only connection. I find these to be much more enjoyable than the show itself, but it you love the show, you will love the books as well. It's also a great way to get some younger readers introduced to reading since they are already familiar with the characters.

[Chrissy · Rating 2 out of 5]

While it stands to reason that a book that is written before a movie is usually better, sadly I don't think the same can be said for a book based on a TV Show....

Honestly, I felt like I was reading a book that was written for teenagers. I remember reading books with more substance than this when I was 12 (I always did read at a high level).

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent book, but it tries too hard to toe the middle line politically and goes way overboard in the "CSI Speak," with long explanations of why CSIs have to be as careful and meticulous as they are. That got tedious after a while.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice, snappy little CSI tie-in novel. Unlike many tie-ins this one slotted quite well into the established canon, even harking back to an extremely early case. Anyone else remember the scuba diver up a tree?

Well written, fast paced and enjoyable.

Recommended.

[Rob · Rating 2 out of 5]

Utter utter brain garbage. Don`t know why I`m reading these since I don`t even watch the T.V. show anymore but like my need to read Star Trek novels they seem to serve a purpose. Mindless junk food.

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

CSI spin-off novel. nice, but not spectacular. :)

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun read for fans of the show.

[Stephanie A. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slightly better than Brass In Pocket, especially with all the talk of Grissom and Sara peppered in, but still took me days to finish.

[Guera25 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Better than Brass in Pocket, but that's not saying much.

[Annemieke / A Dance with Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked this book for the characters from the show and their relationships. A peak in their head. found the plot somewhat dissapointing. it did not interest me very much.

[Rachel Donegan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was very much like a csi episode on crack! Kept my head spinning jumping around but twisting together. Overall a decent book.

[Madeline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this book and it seemed very real. This is a book for mature kids because the book is very bloody and gory. That's what makes it a good book.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, it had three major stories going at once and one with a twist at the end.