Title: Sam's Girls
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer/CSI
Pairing: Gen
Categories: Case fic, supernatural, crossover, family, drama
Length: Epic (45,600 words)
Warnings: None

Author Website: Grundy on Twisting the Hellmouth

Summary:
When a Slayer comes to Vegas to deal with a vampire problem, Catherine discovers she isn't Sam Braun's only daughter.

Review:
Set shortly after the end of Buffy and during season 4 of CSI, this is a properly meaty story. Briefly, Buffy goes to Vegas ostensibly to deal with a vampire problem, but also to get away from all the chaos of Slayer Central. Blending the background sketched out in Angel with that of CSI, it shouldn't be a surprise that the major casino owners are well aware of the supernatural side of life, and that the "night life" is generally well-behaved (or else).

The police are much less well aware of what's going on. Some people, like Warrick Brown, have had encounters with vampires and generally keep their mouths shut about it. Most haven't, and the CSIs in particular dismiss the supernatural as nonsense or camouflage.

So pity Catherine Willows when Sam Braun turns out to have a very personal reason for wanting to talk to Buffy.

This is one of those rare things, a crossover between the super-powered/supernatural and the normal (if very smart) that doesn't feel horribly one-sided. The resolution of the plot does depend as much on Catherine's investigative abilities as Buffy's slaying technique. There's no clumsy full disclosure to the CSIs after decades of keeping magic a secret, nothing really to break the worldview of either show. It's a skilful bit of plotting, and the writing is well up to carrying it through.

I often find that when I come back to stories I read and loved a while ago that they don't stand up to a second reading. I start to notice things like characters' voices going awry, or plot-holes that memory had papered over, things like that. Sam's Girls is still as good as when I first read it, and that's very much to Grundy's credit.

There are a bunch of sequels, all rather short. I'm going to stick with the main story as my rec, but they are all linked together conveniently if you want to spend a few pleasant minutes reading them.

Sam's Girls

Title: Jedi Harris
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Star Wars, plus Stargate:SG-1/CSI/NCIS/Haven/Castle/Father Ted (yes, really) in later stories.
Pairing: Gen
Categories: Crossover, action, drama, occasional crack, YAHF
Length: Super-Epic (230,000 words, and that's just the first story)
Warnings: None (though the Wish-verse section is appropriately nasty)

Author on TtH: Scribbler
Author on ff.net: The Dark Scribbler

Summary:
“It’s a prop,” said a British voice to one side of him. “There’s a rumour that it was used, I believe, on one of the Star Wars films. I’ve no idea which one, but it might have been the original Star Wars.”

Review:
It's Cliché Week, and for Buffy crossover fans that can mean only one thing: YAHF. Yet Another Halloween Fic. That season 2 episode has launched more fanfics than any other single episode, in part because it's so easy to base a crossover from it. Just have your favourite characters pick up a costume of the show you want to use, and when Ethan Rayne's spell begins you have an instant crossover.

Needless to say, Sturgeon's Law applies in spades. Far too many stories use the idea as a cheap power-up for their favourite character, usually Xander, and let him keep his powers at the end with not the slightest hint as to why no one else gets to keep more than fuzzy memories. At first sight, Jedi Harris looks like it falls into that category; Xander dresses as a Jedi, becomes a slightly confused version of Obi-Wan, and still has Force powers at the end.

Fortunately, that's barely the beginning. Scribbler does have an explanation that the characters toss around; the Force is real, isn't the same thing as magic, and Star Wars gives the right metaphors to approach it despite being fiction in this world. It's a deliberately incomplete explanation, and it doesn't explain how Xander can remember large chunks of Obi-Wan's life that were never in any of the films (and aren't part of the Obi-Wan he dressed as, for that matter), but it does explain why Xander and (eventually) others can learn to manipulate the Force. It even comes with a built in balancing mechanism, not falling to the Dark Side, that stops Xander taking primacy from Buffy.

It's really cleverly done, in my opinion. The characters feel true to themselves throughout, though Jedi do tend to end up calmer and more self-assured, as you might hope. The plot moves on logically, taking into account both canon and where it would logically be changed by events. Many characters move in and out of events in ways you might not have expected, but which fit perfectly well when you think about it. There are even little cameos by other crossover characters, such as Don Camillo (give yourself a pat on the back and feel smug if that made sense to you).

Jedi Harris has turned into a whole sequence of stories of varying lengths, all equally well written, as more and more Jedi are found and trained. I thoroughly commend the lot of them, complete or not.

Jedi Harris (takes things up to Graduation)
The Terran Jedi (incomplete: introduces SG-1)
Train From The West (medium-length story in which the Vegas CSI team investigate an impossible crime scene).
Craggy Island: Vampire-Free Zone (purest crack)
The NCIS Jedi (how a member of the NCIS team becomes a Jedi)
A Jedi, a Mage and the Troubles (a case takes the NCIS team to Haven while Audrey is in the Barn)
The Alley and Jedi Castle (strange things happen in New York too).

Title: Fibonacci
Fandom: CSI: Las Vegas
Pairing: Greg/Nick
Categories: AU, Angst, Drama, Pre-Slash
Length: Medium (6,709 words)
Warnings: Spoilers/AU of 5x24/25 "Grave Danger," drug use/addiction, prostitution, implied past dub- and non-con, kidnapping.

Author on LJ: rageprufrock / rageprufrock
Author Website: rageprufrock / glitterati

Summary:
Greg likes to think it's one of those patterns in nature, like Fibonacci but with narcotics.

Review:
Greg never became a CSI tech; drug addicted and working as a prostitute, he is befriended by Nick when they meet at a crime scene. When Nick is kidnapped, the police's suspicions turn briefly to Greg, who is terrified for his friend. The events lead to some major changes in both their lives.

Gripping and thrilling, this story pulls you right into Greg's head, his uncertainty and nerves and fear. This is a Greg that lived through events similar to the episode "Play with Fire," but without the support of his friends and colleges fell apart. It has a really intriguing characterization and character voice.

There are also some great cameos by Grissom, Sara, and the whole Stokes family, as well as too brief sections with Nick. This story is pre-slash, so while there is a definite movement toward a relationship between Greg and Nick, it's really about Greg's growth and recovery.

A wonderful story that has stuck with me for years. Mind the warnings, however, this fic does deal with some heavy issues.

( Click here to read an excerpt. )

Fibonacci (AO3) (Author's site)
also available as a podfic read by 2naonh3_cl2

Title: Fibonacci
Fandom: CSI: Las Vegas
Pairing: Greg/Nick
Categories: AU, Angst, Drama, Pre-Slash
Length: Medium (6,709 words)
Warnings: Spoilers/AU of 5x24/25 "Grave Danger," drug use/addiction, prostitution, implied past dub- and non-con, kidnapping.

Author on LJ: rageprufrock / rageprufrock
Author Website: rageprufrock / glitterati

Summary:
Greg likes to think it's one of those patterns in nature, like Fibonacci but with narcotics.

Review:
Greg never became a CSI tech; drug addicted and working as a prostitute, he is befriended by Nick when they meet at a crime scene. When Nick is kidnapped, the police's suspicions turn briefly to Greg, who is terrified for his friend. The events lead to some major changes in both their lives.

Gripping and thrilling, this story pulls you right into Greg's head, his uncertainty and nerves and fear. This is a Greg that lived through events similar to the episode "Play with Fire," but without the support of his friends and colleges fell apart. It has a really intriguing characterization and character voice.

There are also some great cameos by Grissom, Sara, and the whole Stokes family, as well as too brief sections with Nick. This story is pre-slash, so while there is a definite movement toward a relationship between Greg and Nick, it's really about Greg's growth and recovery.

A wonderful story that has stuck with me for years. Mind the warnings, however, this fic does deal with some heavy issues.

( Click here to read an excerpt. )

Fibonacci (AO3) (Author's site)
also available as a podfic read by 2naonh3_cl2

Title: Fibonacci
Fandom: CSI: Las Vegas
Pairing: Greg/Nick
Categories: AU, Angst, Drama, Pre-Slash
Length: Medium (6,709 words)
Warnings: Spoilers/AU of 5x24/25 "Grave Danger," drug use/addiction, prostitution, implied past dub- and non-con, kidnapping.

Author on LJ: rageprufrock / rageprufrock
Author Website: rageprufrock / glitterati

Summary:
Greg likes to think it's one of those patterns in nature, like Fibonacci but with narcotics.

Review:
Greg never became a CSI tech; drug addicted and working as a prostitute, he is befriended by Nick when they meet at a crime scene. When Nick is kidnapped, the police's suspicions turn briefly to Greg, who is terrified for his friend. The events lead to some major changes in both their lives.

Gripping and thrilling, this story pulls you right into Greg's head, his uncertainty and nerves and fear. This is a Greg that lived through events similar to the episode "Play with Fire," but without the support of his friends and colleges fell apart. It has a really intriguing characterization and character voice.

There are also some great cameos by Grissom, Sara, and the whole Stokes family, as well as too brief sections with Nick. This story is pre-slash, so while there is a definite movement toward a relationship between Greg and Nick, it's really about Greg's growth and recovery.

A wonderful story that has stuck with me for years. Mind the warnings, however, this fic does deal with some heavy issues.

( Click here to read an excerpt. )

Fibonacci (AO3) (Author's site)
also available as a podfic read by 2naonh3_cl2

Title: Fibonacci
Fandom: CSI: Las Vegas
Pairing: Greg/Nick
Categories: AU, Angst, Drama, Pre-Slash
Length: Medium (6,709 words)
Warnings: Spoilers/AU of 5x24/25 "Grave Danger," drug use/addiction, prostitution, implied past dub- and non-con, kidnapping.

Author on LJ: rageprufrock / rageprufrock
Author Website: rageprufrock / glitterati

Summary:
Greg likes to think it's one of those patterns in nature, like Fibonacci but with narcotics.

Review:
Greg never became a CSI tech; drug addicted and working as a prostitute, he is befriended by Nick when they meet at a crime scene. When Nick is kidnapped, the police's suspicions turn briefly to Greg, who is terrified for his friend. The events lead to some major changes in both their lives.

Gripping and thrilling, this story pulls you right into Greg's head, his uncertainty and nerves and fear. This is a Greg that lived through events similar to the episode "Play with Fire," but without the support of his friends and colleges fell apart. It has a really intriguing characterization and character voice.

There are also some great cameos by Grissom, Sara, and the whole Stokes family, as well as too brief sections with Nick. This story is pre-slash, so while there is a definite movement toward a relationship between Greg and Nick, it's really about Greg's growth and recovery.

A wonderful story that has stuck with me for years. Mind the warnings, however, this fic does deal with some heavy issues.

( Click here to read an excerpt. )

Fibonacci (AO3) (Author's site)
also available as a podfic read by 2naonh3_cl2

Title: Fibonacci
Fandom: CSI: Las Vegas
Pairing: Greg/Nick
Categories: AU, Angst, Drama, Pre-Slash
Length: Medium (6,709 words)
Warnings: Spoilers/AU of 5x24/25 "Grave Danger," drug use/addiction, prostitution, implied past dub- and non-con, kidnapping.

Author on LJ: rageprufrock / rageprufrock
Author Website: rageprufrock / glitterati

Summary:
Greg likes to think it's one of those patterns in nature, like Fibonacci but with narcotics.

Review:
Greg never became a CSI tech; drug addicted and working as a prostitute, he is befriended by Nick when they meet at a crime scene. When Nick is kidnapped, the police's suspicions turn briefly to Greg, who is terrified for his friend. The events lead to some major changes in both their lives.

Gripping and thrilling, this story pulls you right into Greg's head, his uncertainty and nerves and fear. This is a Greg that lived through events similar to the episode "Play with Fire," but without the support of his friends and colleges fell apart. It has a really intriguing characterization and character voice.

There are also some great cameos by Grissom, Sara, and the whole Stokes family, as well as too brief sections with Nick. This story is pre-slash, so while there is a definite movement toward a relationship between Greg and Nick, it's really about Greg's growth and recovery.

A wonderful story that has stuck with me for years. Mind the warnings, however, this fic does deal with some heavy issues.

( Click here to read an excerpt. )

Fibonacci (AO3) (Author's site)
also available as a podfic read by 2naonh3_cl2

Title: Fibonacci
Fandom: CSI: Las Vegas
Pairing: Greg/Nick
Categories: AU, Angst, Drama, Pre-Slash
Length: Medium (6,709 words)
Warnings: Spoilers/AU of 5x24/25 "Grave Danger," drug use/addiction, prostitution, implied past dub- and non-con, kidnapping.

Author on LJ: rageprufrock / rageprufrock
Author Website: rageprufrock / glitterati

Summary:
Greg likes to think it's one of those patterns in nature, like Fibonacci but with narcotics.

Review:
Greg never became a CSI tech; drug addicted and working as a prostitute, he is befriended by Nick when they meet at a crime scene. When Nick is kidnapped, the police's suspicions turn briefly to Greg, who is terrified for his friend. The events lead to some major changes in both their lives.

Gripping and thrilling, this story pulls you right into Greg's head, his uncertainty and nerves and fear. This is a Greg that lived through events similar to the episode "Play with Fire," but without the support of his friends and colleges fell apart. It has a really intriguing characterization and character voice.

There are also some great cameos by Grissom, Sara, and the whole Stokes family, as well as too brief sections with Nick. This story is pre-slash, so while there is a definite movement toward a relationship between Greg and Nick, it's really about Greg's growth and recovery.

A wonderful story that has stuck with me for years. Mind the warnings, however, this fic does deal with some heavy issues.

( Click here to read an excerpt. )

Fibonacci (AO3) (Author's site)
also available as a podfic read by 2naonh3_cl2

I honestly couldn't decide which fic by this author to rec for this month's theme week so you're getting two recs for the price of one. :)

Title: New York State of Mind by amejisuto
Fandom: CSI:NY/CSI: Miami
Pairing: Danny Messer/Tim Speedle
Categories: Crossover, Romance
Length: Medium (2000+)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: amejisuto @ IJ
Website: n/a

Review:
Danny's new lover comes to New York for a visit on vacation.

I won’t deny that this fic is relatively short – it just barely squeaks by the medium mark by the community standards – but there’s something really charming about it. Written in a slice-of-life style, I really enjoyed this snapshot into Danny and Speed’s relationship, which has just tipped from friendship into something that has the potential to be much more. Though, again, there’s not a lot of meat on the bones of this story, on the whole it’s a solid little fic that won me over for this pairing.

New York State of Mind

I honestly couldn't decide which fic by this author to rec for this month's theme week so you're getting two recs for the price of one. :)

Title: New York State of Mind by amejisuto
Fandom: CSI:NY/CSI: Miami
Pairing: Danny Messer/Tim Speedle
Categories: Crossover, Romance
Length: Medium (2000+)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: amejisuto @ IJ
Website: n/a

Review:
Danny's new lover comes to New York for a visit on vacation.

I won’t deny that this fic is relatively short – it just barely squeaks by the medium mark by the community standards – but there’s something really charming about it. Written in a slice-of-life style, I really enjoyed this snapshot into Danny and Speed’s relationship, which has just tipped from friendship into something that has the potential to be much more. Though, again, there’s not a lot of meat on the bones of this story, on the whole it’s a solid little fic that won me over for this pairing.

New York State of Mind

I honestly couldn't decide which fic by this author to rec for this month's theme week so you're getting two recs for the price of one. :)

Title: New York State of Mind by amejisuto
Fandom: CSI:NY/CSI: Miami
Pairing: Danny Messer/Tim Speedle
Categories: Crossover, Romance
Length: Medium (2000+)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: amejisuto @ IJ
Website: n/a

Review:
Danny's new lover comes to New York for a visit on vacation.

I won’t deny that this fic is relatively short – it just barely squeaks by the medium mark by the community standards – but there’s something really charming about it. Written in a slice-of-life style, I really enjoyed this snapshot into Danny and Speed’s relationship, which has just tipped from friendship into something that has the potential to be much more. Though, again, there’s not a lot of meat on the bones of this story, on the whole it’s a solid little fic that won me over for this pairing.

New York State of Mind

I honestly couldn't decide which fic by this author to rec for this month's theme week so you're getting two recs for the price of one. :)

Title: New York State of Mind by amejisuto
Fandom: CSI:NY/CSI: Miami
Pairing: Danny Messer/Tim Speedle
Categories: Crossover, Romance
Length: Medium (2000+)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: amejisuto @ IJ
Website: n/a

Review:
Danny's new lover comes to New York for a visit on vacation.

I won’t deny that this fic is relatively short – it just barely squeaks by the medium mark by the community standards – but there’s something really charming about it. Written in a slice-of-life style, I really enjoyed this snapshot into Danny and Speed’s relationship, which has just tipped from friendship into something that has the potential to be much more. Though, again, there’s not a lot of meat on the bones of this story, on the whole it’s a solid little fic that won me over for this pairing.

New York State of Mind

I honestly couldn't decide which fic by this author to rec for this month's theme week so you're getting two recs for the price of one. :)

Title: New York State of Mind by amejisuto
Fandom: CSI:NY/CSI: Miami
Pairing: Danny Messer/Tim Speedle
Categories: Crossover, Romance
Length: Medium (2000+)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: amejisuto @ IJ
Website: n/a

Review:
Danny's new lover comes to New York for a visit on vacation.

I won’t deny that this fic is relatively short – it just barely squeaks by the medium mark by the community standards – but there’s something really charming about it. Written in a slice-of-life style, I really enjoyed this snapshot into Danny and Speed’s relationship, which has just tipped from friendship into something that has the potential to be much more. Though, again, there’s not a lot of meat on the bones of this story, on the whole it’s a solid little fic that won me over for this pairing.

New York State of Mind

I honestly couldn't decide which fic by this author to rec for this month's theme week so you're getting two recs for the price of one. :)

Title: New York State of Mind by amejisuto
Fandom: CSI:NY/CSI: Miami
Pairing: Danny Messer/Tim Speedle
Categories: Crossover, Romance
Length: Medium (2000+)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: amejisuto @ IJ
Website: n/a

Review:
Danny's new lover comes to New York for a visit on vacation.

I won’t deny that this fic is relatively short – it just barely squeaks by the medium mark by the community standards – but there’s something really charming about it. Written in a slice-of-life style, I really enjoyed this snapshot into Danny and Speed’s relationship, which has just tipped from friendship into something that has the potential to be much more. Though, again, there’s not a lot of meat on the bones of this story, on the whole it’s a solid little fic that won me over for this pairing.

New York State of Mind

Posting this on behalf of jane_elliot:

Title: Death by Chocolate by Beth Einspanier
Fandom: CSI/Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Pairing: gen
Categories: humor, casefile, mystery, drama, angst, crossover
Length: Long (~27,000 words)
Warnings: CHARLIE IS DEAD!!!

Author on LJ: n/a?
Website: n/a

Review:
When Charlie Bucket (yes, *that* Charlie) is found dead in the Nevada desert, it's up to our intrepid CSIs to find the killer. If only there weren't so much weird shit going on in the process...

Wow. Just... wow. I cannot tell you how impressed I am with how gracefully Beth managed to merge the dark and grim CSI world with the bright and candy-coated world of Willy Wonka. It's not something I would have thought possible, but she pulls it off with aplomb. The biggest stroke of genius was telling the story through the eyes of CSI characters and playing it as straight as possible considering the Wonka cast. As a result the humor develops organically (Warrick and Nick's initial discovery of the Oompa-Loompas is *hilarious*) while at the same time allowing for moments of realistic drama and pain (Wonka hearing about Charlie's death brought me to tears).

If you're in the mood for a surprisingly complex crossover with solid writing, an ensemble cast, and an engaging mystery, this is the fic for you.

Death by Chocolate

Posting this on behalf of jane_elliot:

Title: Death by Chocolate by Beth Einspanier
Fandom: CSI/Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Pairing: gen
Categories: humor, casefile, mystery, drama, angst, crossover
Length: Long (~27,000 words)
Warnings: CHARLIE IS DEAD!!!

Author on LJ: n/a?
Website: n/a

Review:
When Charlie Bucket (yes, *that* Charlie) is found dead in the Nevada desert, it's up to our intrepid CSIs to find the killer. If only there weren't so much weird shit going on in the process...

Wow. Just... wow. I cannot tell you how impressed I am with how gracefully Beth managed to merge the dark and grim CSI world with the bright and candy-coated world of Willy Wonka. It's not something I would have thought possible, but she pulls it off with aplomb. The biggest stroke of genius was telling the story through the eyes of CSI characters and playing it as straight as possible considering the Wonka cast. As a result the humor develops organically (Warrick and Nick's initial discovery of the Oompa-Loompas is *hilarious*) while at the same time allowing for moments of realistic drama and pain (Wonka hearing about Charlie's death brought me to tears).

If you're in the mood for a surprisingly complex crossover with solid writing, an ensemble cast, and an engaging mystery, this is the fic for you.

Death by Chocolate

Posting this on behalf of jane_elliot:

Title: Death by Chocolate by Beth Einspanier
Fandom: CSI/Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Pairing: gen
Categories: humor, casefile, mystery, drama, angst, crossover
Length: Long (~27,000 words)
Warnings: CHARLIE IS DEAD!!!

Author on LJ: n/a?
Website: n/a

Review:
When Charlie Bucket (yes, *that* Charlie) is found dead in the Nevada desert, it's up to our intrepid CSIs to find the killer. If only there weren't so much weird shit going on in the process...

Wow. Just... wow. I cannot tell you how impressed I am with how gracefully Beth managed to merge the dark and grim CSI world with the bright and candy-coated world of Willy Wonka. It's not something I would have thought possible, but she pulls it off with aplomb. The biggest stroke of genius was telling the story through the eyes of CSI characters and playing it as straight as possible considering the Wonka cast. As a result the humor develops organically (Warrick and Nick's initial discovery of the Oompa-Loompas is *hilarious*) while at the same time allowing for moments of realistic drama and pain (Wonka hearing about Charlie's death brought me to tears).

If you're in the mood for a surprisingly complex crossover with solid writing, an ensemble cast, and an engaging mystery, this is the fic for you.

Death by Chocolate

Posting this on behalf of jane_elliot:

Title: Death by Chocolate by Beth Einspanier
Fandom: CSI/Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Pairing: gen
Categories: humor, casefile, mystery, drama, angst, crossover
Length: Long (~27,000 words)
Warnings: CHARLIE IS DEAD!!!

Author on LJ: n/a?
Website: n/a

Review:
When Charlie Bucket (yes, *that* Charlie) is found dead in the Nevada desert, it's up to our intrepid CSIs to find the killer. If only there weren't so much weird shit going on in the process...

Wow. Just... wow. I cannot tell you how impressed I am with how gracefully Beth managed to merge the dark and grim CSI world with the bright and candy-coated world of Willy Wonka. It's not something I would have thought possible, but she pulls it off with aplomb. The biggest stroke of genius was telling the story through the eyes of CSI characters and playing it as straight as possible considering the Wonka cast. As a result the humor develops organically (Warrick and Nick's initial discovery of the Oompa-Loompas is *hilarious*) while at the same time allowing for moments of realistic drama and pain (Wonka hearing about Charlie's death brought me to tears).

If you're in the mood for a surprisingly complex crossover with solid writing, an ensemble cast, and an engaging mystery, this is the fic for you.

Death by Chocolate

Posting this on behalf of jane_elliot:

Title: Death by Chocolate by Beth Einspanier
Fandom: CSI/Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Pairing: gen
Categories: humor, casefile, mystery, drama, angst, crossover
Length: Long (~27,000 words)
Warnings: CHARLIE IS DEAD!!!

Author on LJ: n/a?
Website: n/a

Review:
When Charlie Bucket (yes, *that* Charlie) is found dead in the Nevada desert, it's up to our intrepid CSIs to find the killer. If only there weren't so much weird shit going on in the process...

Wow. Just... wow. I cannot tell you how impressed I am with how gracefully Beth managed to merge the dark and grim CSI world with the bright and candy-coated world of Willy Wonka. It's not something I would have thought possible, but she pulls it off with aplomb. The biggest stroke of genius was telling the story through the eyes of CSI characters and playing it as straight as possible considering the Wonka cast. As a result the humor develops organically (Warrick and Nick's initial discovery of the Oompa-Loompas is *hilarious*) while at the same time allowing for moments of realistic drama and pain (Wonka hearing about Charlie's death brought me to tears).

If you're in the mood for a surprisingly complex crossover with solid writing, an ensemble cast, and an engaging mystery, this is the fic for you.

Death by Chocolate

Posting this on behalf of jane_elliot:

Title: Death by Chocolate by Beth Einspanier
Fandom: CSI/Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Pairing: gen
Categories: humor, casefile, mystery, drama, angst, crossover
Length: Long (~27,000 words)
Warnings: CHARLIE IS DEAD!!!

Author on LJ: n/a?
Website: n/a

Review:
When Charlie Bucket (yes, *that* Charlie) is found dead in the Nevada desert, it's up to our intrepid CSIs to find the killer. If only there weren't so much weird shit going on in the process...

Wow. Just... wow. I cannot tell you how impressed I am with how gracefully Beth managed to merge the dark and grim CSI world with the bright and candy-coated world of Willy Wonka. It's not something I would have thought possible, but she pulls it off with aplomb. The biggest stroke of genius was telling the story through the eyes of CSI characters and playing it as straight as possible considering the Wonka cast. As a result the humor develops organically (Warrick and Nick's initial discovery of the Oompa-Loompas is *hilarious*) while at the same time allowing for moments of realistic drama and pain (Wonka hearing about Charlie's death brought me to tears).

If you're in the mood for a surprisingly complex crossover with solid writing, an ensemble cast, and an engaging mystery, this is the fic for you.

Death by Chocolate