Blood Poison: A C.S.U. Investigation

So, I settled back in my chair for a nice, restful evening of reading D.H. Dublin's second book in his CSU series, Blood Poison, but before I knew what hit me, I was sitting on the edge of my seat, gripping the book tightly in both hands, practically holding my breath, and I'd barely made it through the first page! Nope, I definitely was NOT going to be able to go to bed before finishing this one! Even more so than with the first book in this series, Body Trace, D.H. Dublin drags the reader right into the story and the tension doesn't let up until the last page is turned. This time around, Madison Cross, who has been settling in rather nicely as the newest member of the CSU, gets left baby-sitting the dead body of an apparent heart attack victim while the rest of the team gets called out on something that promises to be the result of something far more sinister. While Madison stays behind to meet the coroner's van, which has run into mechanical difficulties, the dead man's elderly, disabled father shows up at the house, unaware of what awaits. Madison, upset at having to break the bad news herself, loses her objectivity and gets much more involved than she should, even while she is working hard to identify a recently discovered Jane Doe. There are several subplots that add interest and keep tensions high, including a group of hoodlums that harass Madison every night on her way home. We also get a lot more insight into Madison and her family, the relationship between Madison and her aunt and uncle, and a lot more about the very important, if absent, Kevin Cross - Madison's father. Once again, as in Body Trace, the ending of the book is especially satisfying - and leaves this reader wanting more! I'm glad I've already pre-ordered Freezer Burn! Carol Ann Hopkins 4/1/2008

BLOOD POISON lives up to the promise made by D H Dublin's debut novel, BODY TRACE. The character of Madison Cross is complex, fully realized, and likeable; and she's no superhero, no flawless Holmesian sleuth...Dublin has made her a real person, flaws and all. The subtlety of character development and the sneaky complexity of the plot make Body Trace a great book to spend time with on a blustery autumn night!

D.H. Dublin delivers an incredibly suspenseful, intriguing new series featuring CSI Madison Cross. No spoilers here. If you are a fan of CSI, SVU or can't wait to get the next J.D. Robb novel, you're going to love this series. You don't have to start with book one, but once you read two, you'll want to go back for more CSI Cross. A definite full-price buy for mystery lovers.

Madison Cross returns in this second book in the series (following Body Trace) set in Philadelphia. Madison has quit her medical work just before her residency; technically she is a doctor; and she has returned to work with her uncle Dave in Philadelphia's Crime Scene Unit. Her father was also a policeman, until he succumbed to drink after his wife's death, and Madison was raised by her aunt and uncle. Madison has two cases she is working on. One seems to be a straightforward suicide, and in the other case she is trying to identify the remains of a woman left in a ditch near a parking lot. All she has to go on is a possible race, sex, age, a bus pass, a fingernail with a design on it, and a lens implant. The suicide of Derek Grant seems a natural death at first, but then they discover drugs in his system. Madison is busy trying to assist Derek's devastated elderly wheelchair-bound father, Horace. He had left his new assisted living facility in a huff after only a week to return home to Derek, only to discover Madison there and Derek dead. What really went on? Has Derek's brother Jack returned? The science is fascinating: DNA, forensic anthropology, drug analysis, fingerprints on stretches of tape, the age of the ink on a note. Madison is relentless in her pursuit of the killer and her life is threatened in a most unusual way. Madison and her city, Philadelphia, are portrayed with a deft touch. While this second book does not quite explain why Madison did not pursue being a doctor, why she turned to police work, and why she is holding off a potential interesting relationship, a bit of her past is exposed. NOTE: D. H. Dublin is actually author Jonathan McGoran. Armchair Interviews says: Interesting story well told with fascinating things to learn about science.

Medical Intern Madison Cross dropped out of her residency and became a police officer working for the Philadelphia Crime Scene Unit (CSU). She is a very good investigator but as a newbie she still has a few things to learn including detaching herself from a crime and keeping a distance from the victims. She is called to David Grant's home and finds him dead, the victim of an apparent suicide. She is stuck waiting for the ambulance to arrive to take the body to headquarters when a man in a wheelchair arrives claiming he is Horace Grant. He left the assisted living center where he stayed for a week and come back to David. Madison's heart goes out to him and she finds herself doing stuff and running errands to make life easier for him. The autopsy affirms Madison's initial reaction, but since meeting Horace she has doubts and believes that there are questions left unanswered. She begins an intensive investigation, unaware that a killer who has murdered many times, watches her every step, and will not hesitate to extinct one nosy cop. D.H. Dublin gives readers a fascinating look at how CSU works and shows how crime scene investigations find the bulk of the evidence that can be used in trial. Madison is a complex person who when believes she is right about a case so goes her own way, refusing to heed anyone's advice (not sure how long she will survive the law enforcement bureaucracy). Interestingly enough she is often proven right and it helps that she has the backing of her lieutenant who is a loving uncle to her. This book takes off at mach speed and accelerates into light speed, giving the audience a fantastic thrill ride. Harriet Klausner