Body Trace (A C.S.U. Investigation) [Paperback]

D.H. Dublin (Author)

Book Description

Series: A C.S.U. Investigation | Publication Date: September 5, 2006

A C.S.U. Investigation

In the City of Brotherly Love, it's known as the C.S.U.

Crime Scene Unit (C.S.U.): A group of forensic investigators who use cutting-edge technology to carry out crime scene investigations, helping to bring killers to justice.

Fresh out of med school and new to Philadelphia, Madison Cross is as green as they come. But she gets a chance to make her mark when everyone-including the police-is quick to write off the deaths of two college girls as drug overdoses. For Madison, the evidence at the crime scene just doesn't add up.

Relying on her instincts, Madison embarks on an investigation that takes her from a pristine Ivy League campus to the seediest parts of town. And she must listen to what the bodies tell her-because unlike the living, the dead never lie.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this brisk, tight novel about the crime scene unit of the Philadelphia Police Department, debut author Dublin borrows from television's CSI, bringing a similarly quirky, career-driven cast to the printed page. Through a beautiful, book-smart rookie, technician Madison Cross, Dublin introduces us to the forensics team, where Madison's uncompromising uncle, David Cross, is in charge. Her first assignment, with partner Melissa Rourke, is to investigate the deaths of two overdosed coeds at the University of Pennsylvania. On day one, Madison manages to annoy homicide detectives, set off a media frenzy and draw the ire of the police commissioner, the mayor and the president of the university. Though David wants the case closed quickly and cleanly, pressure from the media and the officials above him puts Madison and the team to work disproving the possibility of homicide. Madison, of course, thinks the evidence points toward foul play, and soon she discovers there's more to the girls' story than a bottle of pills, leading her into Philly's criminal underbelly. Dublin's novel isn't groundbreaking, but his detailed approach and lively characters make an immersive read; anyone waiting for a CSI: Philadelphia spinoff should be pleased with this well-written, well-meaning derivative. (Sept.)
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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (September 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425212394
• ISBN-13: 978-0425212394
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,004,202 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Smart Mystery, September 27, 2006

By 

Emma Mellon "Emma Mellon, Ph.D." - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Body Trace (A C.S.U. Investigation) (Paperback)

I've just finished "Body Trace" and I want to tell you how much I enjoyed it. It was VERY difficult to put down once I'd started reading. The mystery is mysterious, the pace is perfect, the characters develop very naturally, it's funny, and there are wonderfully creative details throughout - observations, descriptions - that go an extra step in creating an engaging story."

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Intro to an Exciting Series!, March 21, 2008

By 

C. A. Hopkins (The gorgeous Rockies) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Body Trace (A C.S.U. Investigation) (Paperback)

I'm not sure how I managed to miss reading Body Trace when it first came out (it's been part of my mountainous TBR pile for quite some time), but I'm delighted that it finally made it to the top of the heap. I absolutely could NOT put it down! This is a fascinating police/CSI procedural that expertly introduces us to Madison Cross and the rest of the Philadelphia PD's Crime Scene Unit. While the novel centers around the lives and jobs of a team of crime scene investigators, its resemblance to the well-known CSI TV series ends there. Dublin's characters are original, the group dynamic is quite interesting, and the story is totally fresh and new. So, while the premise isn't exactly unfamiliar, there is nothing worn or faded about this series! As soon as I finished reading Body Trace, I went to Amazon online and ordered Blood Poison and pre-ordered Freezer Burn. Yes, I really liked it!

Madison Cross is intelligent, empathetic, and tenacious. I like her, a LOT. She had a difficult childhood but graduated from medical school at the top of her class and had been accepted into the residency program at Stanford University Medical Center. The world was her oyster, but she felt unfulfilled and unhappy, and didn't feel there was any real purpose to her life. As many of us do when troubled, she longs for the familiarity and comfort of home, Philadelphia - where her Uncle Dave just happens to be Lt. David Cross, head of the the PPD CSU. When Madison explains her doubts about her future to her uncle, he offers her a position as a technician with the CSU, and she immediately accepts.

Madison's first day on the job starts out like a whirlwind. She has barely touched down at the airport when she arrives at work, her suitcases in tow. After meeting the very interesting bunch of characters who are now her co-workers, Madison goes out on her first call as a CSU tech - an apparent double overdose in a dorm room at the University of Philadelphia. While everyone else is ready to wrap it up and call it a day, Madison voices some doubts about what seems to be an all-too-obvious cause of death. She asks a couple of questions of some of the students hanging around, and what everyone else hopes is cut and dried becomes anything but.

Maddy proves to everyone, including herself, that she has what it takes to work in the CSU - she follows the evidence where it leads, the consequences be damned! She is obstinate to a fault - and refuses to be deterred from a search for the truth, even when her job and her relationship with her uncle are on the line. She also learns not to be so quick to pigeonhole others. The book's ending couldn't have been better - it gave me goose bumps! I can hardly wait for my copy of Blood Poison to arrive from Amazon and for Freezer Burn to be released. They will go directly to the TOP of my TBR pile!

Carol Ann Hopkins 3/21/2008

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 3 A.M., October 1, 2006

By 

Steve Oskie - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Body Trace (A C.S.U. Investigation) (Paperback)

I call it the "3 a.m. test" - and "Body Trace" passes it with flying colors, establishing itself as a book I read way past my bedtime on a week night, causing me to bargain with myself and lose one negotiation after another. Long after I should have gone to sleep, I was telling myself I'll just read to page 127, or the space break on page 146, only to read to that point and beyond, until I could not keep my eyes open and had to get to sleep. And then the next morning, I'd read a page and half before brushing my teeth. So, if you're looking for a book with vivid characters, street-smart dialogue, and a plot that impels you forward, "Body Trace" is a crime novel you'll want to read - even if it does cause you to drag your you-know-what around at work the next day.


- Steve Oskie, Philadelphia , PA