Grad your toga, because it’s time for a Greek reunion, brought to you by the unlikely source, CSI:NY. Where my ZBZ/Kappa Tau fans at?

It was a TV line exclusive that revealed actors Spencer Grammer and Aaron Hill of the ABC Family series, Greek, have both won guest starring roles on the popular crime scene investigation show. You’ll remember Grammer as ZBZ sister Casey Cartwright and Hill as Beaver.

The pair of young blondes will hit the very same episode of CSI: NY. The two will act as techs, assisting in Mac’s lab. When yet another tech is murdered, their characters will be questioned. Most interesting of all will be the manner in which the perpetrator executed the deceased. It’ll remind investigators of a 1950s cold case. Dun dun dun. Is a member of the team a cold hearted killer? Could be!

Aaron Hill has also appeared on Mad Men, Malcolm in the Middle, Gilmore Girls, Hannah Montana, Breaking Bad, and How I Met Your Mother. Spencer Grammer has also acted on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, As the World Turns, Descent, and Robot Chicken.

CSI: NY has turned to Michael Weston to play a former co-worker of Jo (Sela Ward) for an episode airing November 18. Weston will be playing Frank, an FBI crime lab agent and Jo’s partner before she the left Washington and the Bureau. To spice up the drama just a smidge, Jo wasn’t on the best of terms with Frank before she departed.

TV Guide reports that Frank and Jo worked on a rape case just before she left. Frank made a mistake while processing evidence and Jo couldn’t keep quiet on the mistake. This resulted in the rapist, John Curtis (Jason Wiles), getting off scot-free. Now in the present, Curtis is at it again, this time in New York, and Frank pays Jo a visit. Let’s hope he’s not too bitter. On top of that, Sen. Matthews (Jeffrey Nordling) is breathing down the CSIs necks to lock up this creep once and for all. And what exactly is his stake in all this? His daughter Serena (Jenn Proske) was one of Curtis’ victims. Oh the drama!

Weston has a pretty recognizable face if you’ve ever seen him before. He’s done appearances of Scrubs, Burn Notice, House and Supernatural. Most notably was his role as the meth addicted Jake on HBO’s Six Feet Under. The storyline he’s involved in on CSI: NY seems like one not to be missed, so don’t forget it airs November 18. If you can’t catch it live, remember to record it.

Actress Sela Ward has made a senator pretty darn angry, but don’t worry; that’s just what takes place on camera for CSI: NY’s eighth season. Behind the scenes there’s a warm reunion happening between Ward and a former co-star of ABC’s Once and Again. Jeffery Nordling played Ward’s ex-husband Jake on the series, which ended in 2002. Now he’ll be guest starring on CSI: NY as the aforementioned senator.

EW reports that Nordling’s U.S. senator is furious with Jo (Ward) for how a rape case involving his daughter (played by Jenn Proske) was handled. When the rapist is arrested again for a separate crime, the senator lays down the pressure to ensure the man who raped his daughter doesn’t get away again. The issue won’t be resolved very quickly however, as Nordling is signed on for two episodes. But you just know that despite the subject matter of the episodes, Nordling and Ward are happy to work together again. I love reunions like this. They just make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The only thing that could make this bad news is if Ward and Nordling detested each other and couldn’t stand working together. But if that were the case then I’m sure they could have found someone else for this guest spot. It’s not hard to find actors in need of work.

Aside from Once and Again, Nordling’s recent work has consisted of him working on Desperate Housewives, Body of Proof and Tron: Legacy.

The new season of CSI: NY could use a party girl so they went and hired Olivia Crocicchia to come on to the crime procedural and party to her hearts content while simultaneously becoming a murder suspect. You may recognize Crocicchia on FX’s now completed Rescue Me as one of Denis Leary’s daughters, Katy. Because there are only a limited number of names you can be called on TV, Crocicchia will be playing a teenager named Kate on CSI: NY.

According to TV Guide, Kate is a high school student attending a party where another girl is killed. The CSI team start pointing fingers at Kate when it’s discovered the victim had humiliated Kate through some stunt. It must have been pretty embarrassing if they suspect Kate committed murder over it. You’d have to be pretty unhinged to kill over a prank. Initially Kate will be hesitant to help the investigation, but her goals for attending the party become clearer.

You can’t go wrong with high school drama on a cop show (and no that’s not sarcasm). I genuinely enjoy the episodes where teenagers snap and kill people. It’s always the well-adjusted kids for some reason. It doesn’t make much sense, so I get a laugh out of the hot cheerleader killing her best friend for insert shallow reason here. It suggests that anybody is capable of murder, which I really don’t believe. But that’s the genre. It’s entertaining so it should not be knocked.

Actors Justin Bruening (pictured above) and Robbie Amell just won roles on CSI: NY. Bruening is an All My Children alumnus, now bound for the CBS network set. TVLine got the scoop that Robbie Amell (“Robin’s puppy-like lover on How I Met Your Mother,” and the brother of Vampire Diaries actor Stephen Amell) will act with Bruening on the Oct. 21st Fall episode of CSI: NY.

Bruening’s character is called “Hank” and is a former criminal suspected by our favorite team of a new murder. Amell will act as his basketball celebrity younger bro.

This isn’t all Bruening has to look forward to. He is also attached to former Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Sarah Michelle Gellar’s new CW network series Ringer. That series premiers September 13th.

Amell has himself another high profile TV role as well. He’s set to fill a recurring slot on ABC’s Revenge, with Gossip Girl actor Connor Paolo. Starring Everwood and Brothers & Sisters actress Emily VanCamp, Revenge (loosely based on Alexandre Dumas novel The Count of Monte Cristo) is coming to Wednesday nights on ABC beginning Sept. 21st.

Season 8 of CSI: NY kicks off Friday, Sept. 23rd. The season premier is titled “Indelible”. Cassidy Freeman will guest star. Gary Sinise, Sela Ward and Hill Harper return to Season 8.

There’s some boy band flavor coming to CSI: NY, and if you couldn’t tell from the headline the band is the New Kids on the Block reports Entertainment Weekly. The youngest member of the group, Joey McIntyre, will guest star on an episode of NY and get himself in a very hairy situation. He will literally turn into a giant hair monster and go on a killing spree. Okay that was a lie. What he will be doing is playing a guy by the name of Ray, who finds himself involved in a shooting that results in the death of a CSI agent. I can’t say for sure whether McIntyre is the one who fires the deadly shot; there could be other people present that we don’t know about yet. But just being a part of it is bad enough. If I were a betting man I’d put my money on McIntyre being among a number of suspects and the CSI team has to figure out where the killing shot came from. That’s something that could happen, yeah? His episode will air on Oct. 14.

CSI NY Catches True Blood Grand Theft Auto Queen

New Kids on the Block just finished up their tour NKOTBSB that also featured the Backstreet Boys. McIntyre is keeping himself busy by also making an appearance on an episode of Psych. He’s not the only member of New Kids to dabble in acting. Donnie Wahlberg (Mark Wahlberg’s older brother) currently stars in Blue Bloods and has made many appearances in the Saw franchise as Detective Eric Matthews.

Once a cop, always a cop seems to be the rule for Dean Norris as he heads to CSI: NY to portray an Internal Affairs detective. Norris, who plays former-cop-turned-mineral-collector Hank Schrader on AMC’s Breaking Bad, is heading to the city that never sleeps to possibly cause problems for Mac’s team of CSI’s, according to the latest from TVLine.

There’s not a whole lot of info on the character but we do know Norris will be showing up on CSI: NY in October to do some investigating when one of the CSI’s is involved in a shooting. In addition to his role on Breaking Bad and an appearance during Season 11 on the original CSI, Norris has also shown up on Law & Order: LA, Medium and Tremors.

Mac and his team of crime scene investigators will be back on the case when CSI: NY returns for Season 8 on Friday, September 23rd.

A little Canadian flavor is coming to CSI: NY in the form on Jeananne Goosen playing a rookie police officer. According to TV Guide she’ll appear in only two episodes of the season, specifically episodes three and four. Her character is a young police officer, Lauren Cooper. She’ll be working closely with Danny (Carmine Giovinazzo). At first she’s a tad annoying, but soon the two become thick as thieves. That’s a quick turn around for only be around for a couple episodes. She must be really funny or something.

Goossen (what a Canadian name) is a new face to American audiences. She’s appeared in a number of Canadian productions, such as 11 Cameras, Falcon Beach, and Wild Roses. They aren’t the best examples of Canadian television, but don’t let that turn you off to Goossen. She’ll likely do a fantastic job on CSI: NY.

The incredibly gorgeous Cassidy Freeman will play a lady with ties to the very first murder victim of the eighth season. She’s a bartender whose male co-worker is killed during a robbery. Former Hellcats star Aly Michalka will be using her natural musical talents in the Sept. 30^th episode as rocker Miranda. Her boyfriend is found dead and she’s naturally brought in for questioning. And there’s one more attractive broad for the new season. True Blood’s Courtney Ford will play Nicole, a car thief who loves expensive cars and won’t bother stealing anything cheap. If you don’t like the crime part of CSI: NY, then you’ll at least love all the fine looking ladies being brought on to the show. I know I do.

Courtney Ford is leaving the quiet town of Bon Temps to look into a few flashy cars on CSI: NY, according to the latest from TVLine.

Ford, who you might recognize as True Blood’s Portia Bellefleur or the Trinity Killer’s daughter on Dexter, will be showing up on the third episode of CSI:NY this fall as Nicole, a car thief that doesn’t believe in wasting her time because she doesn’t mess with any vehicle that has a price tag under $125,000. Whew! I can breathe easy now because I’m fairly certain my car is safe.

In addition to her work on True Blood and Dexter, Ford has also had guest roles on The Vampire Diaries, NCIS, and Grey’s Anatomy.

Season 8 of CSI: NY will also have visits from former Hellcat Aly Michalka and Cassidy Freeman, who gets the honor of being involved with the very first murder of the new season.

Mac and his team will be back on the case on Friday, September 23 at 9/8c.

With nowhere else to go, Aly Michalka will guest star on an episode of CSI: NY using her natural talents to rock out. The episode will air Sept. 30 with Michalka playing Miranda, an up and coming rocker who “explodes onto the stage of New York’s hottest underground clubs.” Unfortunately, her boyfriend is found dead and she is brought in for questioning, which is just standard procedure and doesn’t at all mean she’s the murderer. But she could be, especially if she’s crazy and he promised her a baby. Never promise crazy a baby.

Michalka was most recently seen in the short lived CW cheerleading comedy-drama Hellcats and the Emma Stone comedy Easy A. When she first appears in CSI: NY, don’t think for a second that they hired someone to be her singing voice. Michalka can sing and play guitar like it’s going out style (heck yeah cliché sayings!). The girl has real talent and has even put out music with her sister Amanda. The duo calls themselves 78violet and have two albums currently released.

Also appearing on CSI: NY’s new season is Cassidy Freeman, also playing someone with a connection to a murder victim. I like that two extremely attractive women have been cast in these roles. It’s nice to have something to look at when you’re investigating a killing. Who cares who did it as long as there are a few hot girls that need to be questioned? I personally hope they never hire another male guest actor.

Bombshell Cassidy Freeman is lending her good looks to the new season of CSI: NY, but don’t worry, she’s not playing a victim. We can ogle her while she walks and talks! TVLine reports that Miss Freeman’s character will have ties to the very first murder investigation of the eighth season. In the premiere she will play a bartender who’s male co-worker is killed during a botched robbery attempt. I’ll call it right now. She did it! That’s how it works right? It’s the person you’d least suspect who’s the bad guy in any given episode of CSI, yeah? Even if she witnessed the murder I’ll still say it’s her. Somehow, someway she’s guilty.

I can’t say I’m excited at all by this news. Nothing against Freeman, she’s awesome, but I have no patience for CSI. They could cast my favorite actor of all time (Edward Norton) and I still wouldn’t watch the show. It always leaves me feeling unsatisfied, and it’s a huge pet peeve of mine to hear anyone on TV say “Zoom in, enhance!”

This isn’t Freeman’s first time in the CSI franchise. In 2009, she appeared in an episode of the original CSI as a police officer. She has worked on an upcoming A&E pilot, Longmire, based on Craig Johnson’s protagonist from his mystery novels, sheriff Walt Longmire. Robert Taylor stars as Longmire with Freeman playing his daughter Cady. Katie Sackhoff also stars as one of Longmire’s deputies.

Finally I can sleep at night knowing that a spin-off of a popular police procedural won’t necessarily do well just because it’s part of a franchise. It’s much easier to take something you know works and say “Let’s just do the exact same show, but with a different location and characters,” than it is to create something new. Hypothetically a spin-off should have the same audience as the original. Well with Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, that wasn’t true.

From TV Line:

Suspect Behavior had three things going for it when it launched at midseason: Huge brand recognition, a cushy post-Minds timeslot and an Oscar-winning leading man in Forest Whitaker. The show nonetheless never caught on ratings-wise…

After only one season, the Criminal Minds spin-off is being canceled. It just could hold onto the viewers. That makes sense to me. I can’t wrap my head around why anyone would want to watch these kinds of shows. Obviously people do, and I respect that, but I could never do it. One CSI or NCIS is enough for me.

Speaking of CSI, the original and both its spin-offs (Miami and NY) will all be back for new seasons. It looks like Suspect Behavior was the black sheep in this case. I can’t say I’m surprised, but I also can’t say that it means that much to me. These shows have their fanbase and they are loyal and I’m happy they’ll be getting more of what they love. I’ll just sit where I am and wait for more original programming.

CSI: NY is getting a blast from the past as Inside TV reports that Peter Fonda (yes, the guy from Easy Rider) is heading to the CBS crime drama.

Fonda has been cast in the role of Mac’s (Gary Sinise) ex-partner, William Hunt, who re-unites with his old buddy after someone they put away is released from prison. Apparently, the bad guy isn’t too thrilled about the time he spent behind bars and is holding a grudge against Hunt. Fonda will be making his appearance in a two-episode arc towards the end of April.

While Fonda is probably most widely known as Wyatt on Easy Rider, he’s also appeared on the big screen in more recent movies like Ghost Rider and Wild Hogs. He’s also been in numerous TV shows, including Journey to the Center of the Earth, ER, and The Gathering.

A CBS rep tells People.com: “Ne-Yo will be playing a professional hit man who doesn’t fit the usual image of a hired killer. This guy carries himself with elegant style but a violent efficiency.” Call us excited. What are your feelings about this bit of casting news, CSI fans? Leave your comments for us below.

Kanakaredes said, “”I made some amazing and lifelong friendships during my six seasons on CSI: NY, and I will treasure them forever!” CBS is also your network for comedy Mad Love, for which we have casting news. Production of the new season seven of CSI:NY begins on July 28th.

‘Let Me Hear You Scream’ will also be on Osbourne’s upcoming album, Scream, which is scheduled to hit this summer. Peter Lenkov, the show’s producer said this about the song choice:

“We were looking for something high energy and irreverent to sell the madness of a prison riot. We immediately responded to the new Osbourne tune. The song exceeded our expectations and brought exactly the right tone to the episode

[nggallery id=382]

The episode featuring Kardashian will air on December 16th on CBS. Previously, we posted promo images of Kardashian’s appearance on Brothers.

For those of you in the back row, last night’s CSI: Miami episode, “Bone Voyage,” was part one of the CSI Crossover Trilogy. It’s a case so large and devastating that it’ll take three CSI teams three nights to solve. I have to tell you, this is something I’ve been dreaming about for a long time, at least since CSI: NY arrived on the scene five years ago. What I have longed for was a story that got Horatio on a plane to NY and, then Horatio and Mac Taylor (Gary Sinise) both flew to Vegas. We’ll have to wait until Wednesday to see of Horatio makes a cameo in NY. Fingers are crossed.

The Miami part of the story begins with a mom who’s beside herself with worry and grief. The music that accompanied the pre-credit sequence–the cool, one-note riff that builds intensity–was a direct descendant of the Joker’s “Why So Serious?” theme from last year’s The Dark Knight and set the tone of the episode. Sure, we saw the usual victim death, but the mom’s grief seemed to hit a bit deeper this time. Honestly, when the theme song kicked in, it felt out of place this time.

The Miami crew tried to find the missing girl–Ashley Tanner–before it was too late. Calleigh and Jesse found her car, and evidence of a second car at the crime scene gave them hope the young lady was alive; injured, but alive. Walter, Ryan and Natalia found “modeling agent” (new term for pimp) Jimmy Burris holding court at a hotel swimming pool. He’d been with Ashley the previous night. According to the upstanding Mr. Burris, Ashley was a “freak” and liked plastic bags over her head during intimate times. He even had the video image to prove it.

Elsewhere, the group starts searching the swamps for signs of Ashley. Ryan’s leading the group, and he gives all the cops and volunteers a whistle to blow in case anyone finds something suspicious. In the one genuinely hilarious moment, Walter blows his whistle. He found a skull fragment. Ryan trots over and, in once glance, remonstrates Walter that he found a turtle shell. Ryan then points to the ground: “This is your foot. That is the sky.” Dang funny line and proof that Walter and Ryan are trying to be the funny people a la Hodges on the original CSI. This moment of levity was pretty much it for this episode, since they eventually find Ashley’s severed arm and the severed leg of an unknown female. As we fade to commercial, we see Horatio doing the one thing he’s best at: consoling a victim. This he did with the mother. I don’t care what anyone says; this is likely his best quality, and one that makes the character human.

Once the MDPD crime lab folks determine the leg had high traces of salt and plutonium, they give a ring to the Vegas crime lab. Now, I’ll admit I wanted to see more of the Vegas folks on screen during the teleconference. You know–they all have a line or three and then vote to send Ray Langston (Fishburne) to Miami. Still, it was very fun to see Ray talking with Calleigh. I don’t know about you, but I always get a kick out of seeing characters from one show on another program, and Langston didn’t disappoint. He took the next flight to Miami.

When Grissom left the Vegas crime lab, the writers did their best to replace him with a character of similar temperament. Thus, Langston is a scientist, not a cop. Horatio is a cop first, a CSI second. For those of us who always pined for the Horatio/Grissom pairing, this was as close as we’re going to get. When Langston’s chopper lands, Horatio is there to greet him. Langston mentions to Horatio how much Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger) admires him. For his part, Horatio asks Langston to pass on to Catherine his condolences about Warrick. It’s a nice comment, but I have to ask this question: how the heck did Horatio know? Guess he and Catherine must be Facebook friends.

Speaking of off-the-wall characters, once Dr. Ray (as Horatio called him; too much like Dr. Phil, if you ask me) narrowed down the cutting instrument as a cleaver and Natalia narrows down butchers who have Miami-Vegas connections, you get a weird version of an Iron Chef. Nathan Cole, restaurateur, is a guy with a hands-free microphone who walks around sides of beef hanging in his restaurant, cutting meat to the cheers of onlookers and hungry patrons. Uh, right. A bit out there for me, but one of the charming aspects of a show like CSI: Miami. Iron Chef Cole has a gang past. He once was a Zeta. They financed his restaurants, and he butchers dead bodies that need disposing. He followed orders and cut up the Vegas body. Someone else disposed of the remains. But the victim (Samantha) got the last laugh: she had hepatitis, and now Cole has it. Sucks to be him, but it also sucks to be anyone who ate at his restaurant. Can’t hepatitis be passed that way?

Turns out Ashley’s body was severed by a person not as adept with a blade as Iron Chef Cole. Horatio asked Natalia (who’s back this week, finally) to pull some DNA on Ashley’s bones. The cutter obviously exerted himself and sweat likely dropped on her bones. Now we’re back with Jimmy Burris, Langston, and Horatio. For all of his cool scientific demeanor, Langston got pretty fired up as he taunted Burris. In a pretty darn gruesome montage, we get to see Burris cutting on poor Ashley while she’s still alive. That’s macabre. Come on, Burris, at least have the decency to kill her first. But Burris also has ties to the Zetas. Horatio and Langston have their killer, but there’s the unspoken elephant in the room: the person who disposed of the bodies is still out there. Their job isn’t over.

As I went into this episode, I pondered how the writers were going to parcel out the story line. Had a hankering for a genuine cliffhanger on Monday and Wednesday to get us all to watch on Thursday. Didn’t happen here. We got a nice episode, caught the bad guy for the crime in question, and then gave us an epilogue (a young couple where the guy clearly is threatening the gal as he tells her what to do) that serves as the tie-in for Wednesday’s trip to New York. Not a bad way to end, but I’d have enjoyed the cliffhanger better. Maybe it’s an Act I thing: nice, self-contained story and the real cliffhanger will be in New York.

All in all, it was a good episode, with enough lasting moments (Langston getting in Burris’ face; Horatio and Langston together; Ryan and Walter tag-teaming the comedy) to get me to Wednesday. I don’t watch CSI: NY but will obviously do so this week.

What did y’all think? Was this Miami installment of the CSI Crossover Trilogy all that you wanted or did y’all want something more? Did you miss Eric and his scuba gear when they were searching the swamps?

The crossover begins on November 9th (on CSI: Miami (episode titled “Bone Voyage”), continue in New York on “Hammer Down” to be aired on November 11th, and conclude in Vegas in “The Lost Girl” on the 12th.

The two will also be joined by LaLa Vasquez (MTV) and members of Train (which is apparently a band). The producer of the show describes the roles as:

“The ladies play two women who’ve managed to concoct a very interesting scheme that ends in murder,”

Regarding Kardashian, we last noted her when we brought promo images of her appearance in Brothers. I mentioned the CSI Trilogy above, and this just a reminder that it begins soon! Watch it on November 9th (on CSI: Miami (episode titled “Bone Voyage”), continue in New York on “Hammer Down” to be aired on November 11th, and concludes in Vegas in “The Lost Girl” on the 12th

UPDATE – a longer look is now available!

The crossover begins on November 9th (on CSI: Miami (episode titled “Bone Voyage”), continue in New York on “Hammer Down” to be aired on November 11th, and conclude in Vegas in “The Lost Girl” on the 12th.

[nggallery id=323]

The second part of the crossover will occur in New York on “Hammer Down” to be aired on November 11th. It will conclude in Vegas in “The Lost Girl” on (I’m assuming) the 12th.

At the moments specific are unclear as the crossover will take place over the course of a week in the fall. Like on PTI I always look at the schedule and we see that Miami premieres,on Monday, September 21st, NY on Wednesday, September 23rd and the flagship CSI returns on Thursday, September 24th. Other character participants have not yet been confirmed.

Last month we announced that Jorha Fox would be returning to Vegas to reprise her roles as Sara Sidle next season.

This review is for the CSI: New York novel Four Walls by Keith R.A. DeCandido.  I am familiar with DeCandido’s Star Trek work, but this is my first exposure to his CSI work.   I also admit that, while I have seen a fair amount of CSI, I’ve never seen an episode of CSI:NY.   However, I’ve always thought that one of DeCandido’s strengths was his ability to write characters, whether it’s the main characters from the universe in which he is writing or the characters he has created to enrich the story.

So I requested this book, wanting to see how connected I would be able to feel to characters to which I had no previous connection.

The story itself followed the classic CSI formula.  Typically there is an “A Story” (murder investigation) and a “B Story” (murder investigation).  This makes sure all of the characters have a prominent role in the story.  Four Walls also had simultaneous murder investigations.  One investigation is a pair of murders in the exercise yard at Richmond Hills Correctional Facility.  That case takes on a sense of urgency because one victim is a former police officer.

Our second murder investigation involves the murder of an employee at Belluso’s, an Italian bakery in The Bronx.  Both investigations progress in the classic CSI style that is familiar to even casual viewers of the TV show.  We have primary suspects who the evidence finally exonerates, then smug new suspects who the evidence finally nails.  We also have a twist in one of the murder investigations which is discovered through the talent of the crime scene investigators, and takes the investigation in an unexpected direction.

Throughout it all I felt connected to all the characters.  For those not familiar with the series we got some character background which spoke to character motivation or state of mind.  There are also many references to events that occurred in the show, which grounded Four Walls within the universe that would be well known to fans.   Whether it’s Star Trek or CSI (speaking specifically of the universes in which I’ve read DeCandido novels) he doesn’t write a story that happens to take place in the universe.  He understands the fullness and richness of the universe and uses that as a strength in the story, making it his own for the duration.

Mr. DiCandido is a native New Yorker.  It showed in the story.  I have never been to New York City but I felt like I was being taken on a tour by a local tour guide throughout the story.     That brings me to what I enjoyed the most about Four Walls -  the vibrant backdrops in which  the story unfolded.  One of the characters of CSI: NY, I would assume based on any other TV show I’ve ever seen that was set in New York, is New York itself.    That was no exception here.  I felt like I was in New York, not just reading about it.   Tiny nuances of New York were brought to life, the neighborhoods, and the art of travelling and navigating in New York City.  And cannoli.

The one single thing that burned into my brain after reading Four Walls is cannoli.  One of our crime scenes was Belluso’s Bakery, home of “the best cannoli in the city” .  Through the eyes of Stella Bonasera we get a mouthwatering lesson in the fine art of good cannoli.  I appreciate good food, especially a good dessert so this cannoli  section was a delight.  The ultimate legacy of Four Walls, for me, is that I had never had a cannoli previously.  After reading about them in rich detail throughout the book I decided that I had to go out and try one.  Thus began my quest to find the “best cannoli in the city” in Wilmington, NC.   I’m not sure what higher compliment can be given to the rich background of a story than the fact that it began an obsession with a dessert I had never previously had.    I think it goes without saying that Mr. DeCandido is a big cannoli  fan. He’s also a good enough writer to make that contagious.  I decided that if I crossed paths with Mr. DeCandido I’d place the blame for my new cannoli obsession on him.  I had the pleasure of doing so at Dragon*Con

For the CSI and CSI: NY fans out there, Four Walls captures your characters.  It gets into their heads, and makes it clear that these characters ARE New Yorkers.  They gripe about New York City traffic, and the fine art of navigating the city.  They’re Yankees fans and appreciate Derek Jeter’s ability to avoid the takeout slide while turning the doubleplay,  They appreciate “the best cannoli in the city”.  The story is taking place in a living, breathing environment.  That was the most impressive thing of all to me.     If you like CSI:  NY you’re going to like this book tremendously.  The CSI: NY universe is safe and will thrive in the hands of DeCandido  If you know little about CSI: NY, DeCandido provides the background to bring you into the universe.  His talents are such that Keith R.A. DeCandido books are worth reading for his name on the cover alone, not necessarily for the specific universe that he’s writing in.

I will say as a big X-Files fan who believes the franchise is in need of revitalization with new books.  I’d like to see DeCandido do some business with Chris Carter and take on that franchise with the same skill with which he the other universes that he has been given the keys to.   Keith, you haven’t led me to the best cannoli in the city yet, but you’ve led me to some pretty darn good books.

Read/Post Comments

Buy it Now at Amazon!