Yeah, it definitely has an addictive quality to it! But since the books usually trump the movies anyway, I try to enjoy it as if it were not an adaptation... It's less disappointing!
I used to want to work on homocide investigations, but since I'd rather not actually *work* with the corrupt law enforcement... Might as well watch the romanticized tv/movie versions of it. And the true crime books by Ann Rule. Those are good too.