Stuart Woods CD Collection 1: Orchid Blues/Blood Orchid Book

This, I was surprised to note, is my fifth CSI novel, and my third by Max Allan Collins. I had no idea until I looked at my list, and would not be able to recall the story of any of them without looking at the summary on the binding. And that, I have a feeling, is what will happen with this book, too.

Not that the story is bad, by any means - but it's not memorable. We have, as in the series, two crimes to solve. The lead assistant at an advertising agency comes into the office early on Monday and discovers child pornography has been printed and left on an executive's printer. Catherine and Nick must try to put their personal baggage aside while they laboriously search for the source of the criminal activity. At the other end of town, the mayor's missing assistant is finally located - dead, apparently having been tortured while held captive. With an election near, Grissom's usual difficulty in dealing with people is exacerbated by tensions amongst the opponents and their campaign managers.

The advertising case involves tracing the source of the print job, therefore pulling every electronic device from the hard-working and protesting advertising company; there are rudimentary discussions of imaging, IP addresses, MAC addresses and other such oblique computer elements for our field agents. The murder case gives a bit more tension as Gus and team trot about examining additional evidence on an increasingly creepy path.

Neither story is riveting, but the trail Catherine and Nick follow is interesting, particularly when they're wrong - my attention was held watching them work their way through the problem as the advertising firm personnel grew in abrasiveness. I found the murder a little less interesting - the storyline had shock/disgust value, but was very basic (and at times improbable).

And I continue to be challenged by the descriptions of Grissom's character, which really came to a head for me with this book. Much as I'd like to, I just can't imagine him achieving a managerial position in any job setting, since he so clearly lacks the ability to get along with people. In real life, the Gus Grissom described in the book would be an essential senior level "lead" - enduring constant coaching about working well with others - while the managerial team all agree in private that he has no hope, ever, of making a move up (technical expertise is only worth so much). There's definitely some charisma that the character in the television series offers which has been lost in the books.