Customer Reviews

Dead of Winter (CSI: NY)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This was my first foray into anything written by Kaminsky, and I really wasn't that impressed despite the Edgar Award he'd won. It lacked the feel of the previous eight books written by Max Allan Collins, who was able to duplicate the visual style verbally. In fact, it came off like Kaminsky had taken one of his own novels and just written in Mac and Stella and the rest of the gang into it to turn it into a CSI:NY book without even watching the show beforehand, much like how Ocean's Twelve started life as two original screenplays that were merged together and had the previous characters dropped into it. Hopefully Collins is brought back in to do the next CSI:NY book.

This book doesn't hold a candle to the other CSI novels, by Max Allan Collins (this book is written by a different author, Stuart M. Kaminsky). The reason it is not as good is that it has punctuation errors, gramatical errors, and two massive editorial errors: one error was a serious breach in chain of custody, where the CSI really should have known better than putting evidence in the hands of a non-law-official (a cab driver) (this means that the evidence would not hold up in court), on page 167. Seriously not plausible, in a series about CSIs and doing things 'by the book'. The other huge error was on page 242, where CSIs Aiden Burn and Mac Taylor were talking on the phone. Aiden is talking to Mac, then hangs up the phone. Mac then says something to Aiden, who replies, even though they had already hung up.
I really liked the story, but the bad editing made it annoying to read. Simon & Schuster should use better editors. Surely an editor read this story, right? If so, why did no-one pick up on such obvious mistakes? I am disappointed with this book. Clearly not of the usual CSI -book calibre. Unfortunately.

There were quite a few issues with this book for me. There were grammatical and punctuation errors and even mistakes on who's who! In one scene, Danny and Flack are interchanged, causing serious confusion for those less familiar with the characters. The storyline isn't bad, but the errors make it a difficult read.

When two people get murdered in New York City no one takes it lightly. The first victim was a man named Charles Lutnikov, who was shot right in the heart in a fancy, hotel elevator. He was shot in an elevator that didn't go to his hotel room or any other place he should go. Why was he in that elevator? The second victim was a woman named Alberta Spanio, who was found with a knife in her throat on her bed. There was a tiny, window open and that was the only way the killer could have gotten in, because the door stayed closed and looked the entire night. Detective Mac Taylor and his partners cannot find evidence and the longer it takes them to find the killers, the more people die. When they are almost positive they know who killed Charles, a new man confesses for the murder. They think he really didn't do it, but there's no proof. They think they have solved the case of Alberta, but find out their killer is on the run. Who is the right killer? Where are the killers? And Who are the killers's murdering next?
I though this was a very well written book. It was very enticing and adventurous. It was also extremely detailed, and made me believe in what was happening. It made me really try to figure who the killers were and why they killed the victims. At times it could get confusing, because there were two different crime scenes, and there were many characters that went in and out of the story. Although if you kept reading they would try to explain what was happening through dialogue. I also learned many procedures, which take place at crime scenes and in the lab. I found it exciting at parts how it got very eerie and spooky. Though I also, liked how someone of the characters had a sense of humor, so you weren't always scared. I think it gave a valuable message, that you should never give up and that you should help other people even if it doesn't help yourself.

Two people are murdered in New York and Detectives Mac Taylor and Stella Bonasera, along with their crew, are out to find who are the killers. When a man named Charles Lutnikov was shot in the elevator of a fancy hotel Mac Taylor and his crew checks it out. Charles was shot, but at the scene there was no bullet, DNA, or motive. Mac starts to think this is a perfect crime, but he is determined and doesn't give up. When they think they have found the killer a man confesses to the murder. They ask him questions and he answers them all right, but they don't think he killed Mr. Lutnikov. Then about a block away a woman named Alberta Spanio was murdered in her locked apartment. She was being held in protective custody and, the two officers that were protecting her didn't hear or see a thing. They found her lying in the bed with a knife in her neck, and they had only been a room away. The only possible way the killer could have gotten in was a twelve-inch opening from a window. There was no floor below the window so the killer must have been lowered from a room above. As they try to find the two killers more people were showing up dead. The longer they wait to find the killer more people are being killed. Could the real killer being killing all these people? Is the killer on a wild run?
I thought the book was very suspenseful and the author was clever, when writing it. It kept making want to turn the page and I felt like I was there watching the whole thing. It was a little confusing as you went from a different person's view and heard their thoughts. I liked this idea of writing it was just confusing at times. I also thought the ending of the book was an unexpected twist. There were a few pages where the sentences were simple and normal, but others were very great. I rated this book four stars because I really enjoyed reading it, but there were some things that weren't the best. Overall the book was very suspenseful and enjoyable.

I liked the way the author introduced all of the characters in the beginning. It made you wonder how and when these people would show up. There was just enough switching back and fourth between the 2 cases to keep you interested and reading! I've watched every episode and read most of the books but I could not figure out either case completely before the CSI's solved it.

This is the first book I've read by author Stuart M. Kaminsky, and he does an excellent job of incorporating both the characters from the show and a great mystery into DEAD OF WINTER.

There are dual cases in this story, and both will keep you guessing to the end. A quick read that's great for an evening's entertainment!

*Dead of Winter* was the most boring CSI book for me...so far. I have enjoyed reading the other books (CSI and CSI:Miami). This is the first that I've read of CSI:NY and just did not enjoy it at all. Maybe it was just the topics involved: an author suspected of killing a fellow tenant and a witness in protective custody killed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this latest of CSI. Mac and CO. haven't let us down. Keep it up. A must.