Grave Matters

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation #5

by Max Allan Collins

Rebecca Bennett, the estranged stepdaughter of a well-to-do Las Vegas businessman, is hounding the Las Vegas Police Department to reopen the investigation into her mother Rita's death -- alleging that, despite appearances to the contrary, Rebecca's greedy stepfather actually played a hand in Rita Bennett's untimely end. But no one is prepared for the news that CSIs Gil Grissom, Sara Sidle, and Nick Stokes report -- their investigation is inconclusive...because the disinterred deceased is not Rita Bennett. Meanwhile, at the Sunny Day Continuing Care Facility, Catherine Willows and Warrick Brown must investigate the sudden demise of Vivian Elliot -- a patient whose death may be the result of unnatural causes....

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

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 28, 2004

About the author

Received 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

Reviews

[Randy Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, Fun Read for CSI Fans!

It’s been a while since I’ve read a CSI book, and this was a good read for fans of the TV show, such as me. There are two storylines in the novel: one that Warrick and Catherine pursue, one that Nick, Sara, Grissom and Brass pursue. It’s basically like reading a very detailed episode, well-researched and fast paced. If you are not a fan of the show, you might find better crime novels elsewhere, but for fans like me this is a must read. My only gripe is that I couldn’t actually SEE Marg Helgenberger. Kick back. Enjoy!

4 out of 5 stars

[Tracy Stephens · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a solid 3 1/2 star read for me. The author done a great job with the character description so if you'd never seen the show before you'd get a good feel for the csi's personalities. Good little book if you are a fan of the show.

[Kirsty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this, and I like that these tie in books are presenting new cases. However it's just not the same to read as it is to watch, especially for one of my all time favourite TV shows.

[Angela (angie's cozy corner) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5⭐

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the way school has been driving me nuts lately, I was in search of a nice, easy, uncomplicated read that wouldn't make me think too much. That's when I saw this book on one of our many bookshelves and said "ah ha!" Collins is a good writer and does a fantastic job of portraying the characters from the TV series we all know and love in his stories. As I've said before, these aren't based on specific shows, but are stand alone stories.

In this one, the CSI team is investigating two murders. In the first, the city's new sheriff asks the team to investigate the death of Rita Bennett, who just happened to have been a major campaign contributor to the sherriff. Since an autopsy wasn't performed when the woman died, the body had to be exhumed. However, when the vault was opened, it wasn't Rita Bennett's body in the coffin, but a much younger woman who had been shot in the head.

At the same time, Catherine and Warrick are called to the Sunny Day Continuing Care Facility on a suspicious call. One of the morgue attendents had been noticing an increase in the number of deaths at the facility, with the most recent one being a woman who was in excellent health dying of a massive heart attack. Were all these deaths just a coincidence or was there an "angel of mercy" playing god?

It was an enjoyable read. As I said, not much thinking required. I would definitely recommend any of these books for people looking for "summer read" type books.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grissom, Willows, Stokes, Brown, Sidle, and Brass do it again. Called to exhume the body of a wealthy socialite whose death is called into question by the socialite's daughter, Grissom and company are shocked to find that Rita Bennett isn't the person in her coffin.

It's a young girl in her teens. Now the CSI team as two cases to solve. Who is the girl in the coffin and who killed her, and where is Rita Bennett?

Meanwhile, Catherine and Warrick are called to a local long term/retirement facility at the request of the assistant coroner. Both are a little confused and at first, not even sure that a crime has been committed, but as they delve deeper into the happenings at Sunny Days, they discover too many coincidences that lead them to their killer:an Angel of Mercy.

Well written, intriguing twists and turns, and some surprising revelations make this book a fun read for any CSI fan.

[Michael Prelee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable visit back to Las Vegas and it's crime lab. The plot is inventive enough to hold the reader's attention. In fact, it would have made a good episode of the show. Max Collins' dialogue captures the individual voices of the cast members as we've come to know them, so he successfully navigates the minefield of servicing someone else's property.

One thing I caught and something I've noticed when I've seen reruns, is that these characters can be judgemental buttheads. Given what they do for a living and their own foibles, you'd think the CSI's would be a little more forgiving but they definitely throw stones at glass houses. I can't fault the author for this, however, because that's how the show presented them. I guess he actually gets credit for being consistent. If you were a fan of the show, you'll probably dig this one.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good solid read. The CSI were investigating two cases: an "Angel of Mercy" serial killer and a case of two bodies switched in a funeral home, one of which had been murdered. This was well written and entertainment. It could easily have been an episode of the show. The characters were well written and definitely in character.

[John Ferreira · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up the books somewhere. I loved the TV series. The book was easy to read, because I could imagine the cast of the show. The book was fun to read, and the mystery was fairly difficult to figure out. Which is a good thing.

[Patrick Scheele · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book reads like a fine episode of CSI. Two teams, two cases and everything gets wrapped up in the end. The cases and their solutions make sense, so I have nothing to get upset about. But I didn't see anything to get excited about either, so... two stars and a short review.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Max Allan Collins is great. He seems incapable of writing a bad novel, no matter what it is, whether his own work or movie/TV tie-ins. To MAC's credit, reading 'Grave Matters' was just like watching a "CSI" episode.

[Nancy Fredenburgh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typical CSI book. Always good reading.

[Trevor · Rating 2 out of 5]

A novelized version of the show. As enjoyable as a standard episode.

[Khadi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable.

[Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books are such fun and enjoyable read, perfect for late nights when I can't sleep

[Darinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 5th book in the CSI series. Fast-paced and entertaining.

[AmyJamess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Als je de serie kijkt en leuk vind is het zeker aan te raden het boek te lezen.

[Rebecca Pettinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read - I absolutely loved the tv show so it was inevitable I would enjoy the books

[Ellen van der Mout · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leuke ontspanning

[Saana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up from the library with a thought of this can't be good. I was surprised positively as this was a nice book with an interesting story.

[Brigitte · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was a good read. The story is quick to read and kept me interested.

[Ivana Richards · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable read that stays loyal to the characters we know and love from the show, and doesn't cheat in either of the 2 enthralling mysteries involved.

[Kostas Kanellopoulos · Rating 3 out of 5]

enjoyable like a TV show episode

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the CSI television series and have already read the first four of the novels based on the Las Vegas series so was really looking forward to reading this – the fifth in the series.

The writing in these books is incredible and it is almost like watching an episode unfold on the screen. Having finishing the other books I found myself almost forgetting which cases had been in episodes and which had come from the book and this book is no different. The characterisations are perfect. With book adaptations I am always worried that the characters will change personalities or be too different but Max Allan Collins completely gets rid of these worries.

The two cases in this book Rita Bennett / Kathy Dean and Vivien Elliot are well crafted and addictive reading. The twists and turns particularly in the Rita / Kathy case had me on the edge of my seat. This was less so with the Vivien Elliot case but it was still a very enjoyable read as I wanted to see how Catherine, Warrick and Sam Vega would be able to trap the killer. And I wasn’t disappointed. The scenes in the hospital between Catherine and the killer were great reading. I was however shocked by the killer in the other case. I just didn’t expect it to go the way it did.

I like how despite the serious elements of the murder mysteries the book has comic bits as well in the banter between the main characters. You can almost hear the actors voices and it’s hard not to at least give a little smile at one of the witty one liners.

I also enjoyed how despite the fact that the cases get quite complicated I didn’t find it difficult to keep track of everything in my mind. I really dislike it when things get all muddled up and I can’t remember which character is which and why they are acting the way they are.

Grave Matters is a very descriptive book. Sometimes the description is a bit much but overall I think it adds a lot to the plot and makes it easier to see things in your mind’s eye. I’m looking forward to reading the next books in the series!

[Macey · Rating 4 out of 5]

CSI: Grave Matters is a thrilling novel about how six members of an elite team split up and work on detailed cases. Two of the detectives work on a reopened investigation on a women named Rebecca's mothers homicide. The other four work on a case about a patient in a care facilities death and how it may be the result of unnatural causes.

I enjoyed this book mainly because it was exhilarating and there was always action pulling me into the story. All throughout this novel there is lot's of dialogue. Max Collins expresses his brilliance and creativity through his writing. He uses an abundance of imagery and really pulls the reader in. He is very descriptive and that allowed me to better understand the passage. He also clearly provides information about each character so it doesn't get confusing. According to Collins, "He swallowed snot; his face glistened with tears" (309) This is one example of how Collins creativity results in his illustrative writing.

[Maura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was addicted to CSI and when summer hit and I was out of episodes to watch, I headed straight for these books. And usually, I like to read books involving TV shows and movies so I can get an insight into the characters minds - monologues and such. I will admit that the characters were somewhat out of character from their TV counterparts, but that's also not too unusual. This book is set up sort of like a CSI episode where the team gets split up to work multiple cases and throughout the cases they'll occasionally meet up to debrief or mention in passing what they've found. It's all very good and suspenseful, just like a CSI episode. I really enjoyed reading this as it definitely fulfilled my CSI cravings!

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The reviews were all over the place on this one so I was surprised when it turned out better than what I had expected. I almost put it down mid way through the first chapter because the writing style seemed a bit simplistic but then the story drew me in as soon as they opened Rita's casket. It was a quick easy read and the two separate mysteries kept me guessing until almost the end.

I like novels based on TV shows and movies because the reader already knows the characters. It makes it easier to keep track of the names and titles when the author introduces them all. I'm not sure that non fans of the TV series would enjoy this book but I'm glad I stuck with it after reading the weak reviews.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another interesting, two-fold storyline book in the CSI series.

While Brass, Grissom, Nick, and Sara deal with the body of a murdered woman found in a coffin (which wouldn't be so bad, except that it's not the body that was SUPPOSED to be in there!), Catherine and Warrick are working to uncover whether a death at a nursing home is natural, or had a little help.

This is another quick read, and pretty interesting. The character development was good, and it had a believable and decent mystery.

[Zach Hawthorne · Rating 1 out of 5]

It definatly kept me on my feet cause it ended nothing like i thought i would but thats what ilook for in a book and would recommend this book...

I would recommend this book if you like mysteries and will like to be thinking a lot during the reading of this book the book started and ended very differently then what i expected so that most of the reason i like this book...

Easy book to follow other then first couple of pages and is worth great ar point if that the reason for reading...if you just like to read books you'll for sure to love this book cause i know i did

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a fun, quick read. It's always a thrill to be reading about Grissom, Catherine, and Warrick again! And, Brass has always been a personal favorite, so it's nice to have him featured prominently. As far as the two story lines go, they were about average - one a coffin swap and one an angel of death. I prefer the book spinoffs to cover things that the show simply couldn't do (as in Cold Burn), but in this case, these could have been shows and didn't quite stand out. As I said, it was a fun read, but I suspect I won't remember these stories in years to come.