As the body count rises following the plot of his book, the team must figure out how the manuscript was leaked. They eventually discover the killer didn't hack a computer or steal a file; they were from the trash to read his work. Key Highlights
The episode begins with the team investigating the murder of a Navy Petty Officer, but McGee is quickly shaken when he realizes the crime scene is an exact replica of a murder from his unpublished second novel. Writing under the pen name (an anagram of his name), McGee has based his characters on his real-life teammates—Agent Tommy (Tony), Officer Lisa (Ziva), and L.J. Tibbs (Gibbs).
The 20th episode of Season 4, titled " Cover Story ," is a fan-favorite that dives into the secret life of Agent Timothy McGee as a best-selling novelist. The Plot: Life Imitates Art
The episode pokes fun at McGee’s writing, especially when the team discovers he gave his Gibbs-inspired character a love interest who is an Army Lieutenant Colonel—strikingly similar to Gibbs' real-life romantic interest at the time, Lt. Col. Hollis Mann. Where to Watch
You can currently stream "Cover Story" on Paramount+ or purchase it on platforms like Apple TV .