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"The pleasure of summer reading lies not in resolution but in investigation, and Elkins keeps things moving with plenty of local atmosphere, compelling characterization, and a refreshingly low level of violence. " Natural History Magazine "When Agatha Christie was the world's most popular author, the whodunit consisted largely of a puzzle wherein the reader was challenged to come up with the solution before reaching the final pages. Today, the emphasis is on shock rather than surprise, and the eccentric sleuth of yesteryear has been all but offed by the maniacal serial killer. But there remains a stubborn handful of writers who continue to labor in that gentler genre. Among them, no one does it better than Aaron Elkins. Check out the latest entry in his series starring forensic anthropologist Gideon Oliver" The San Diego Union Tribune. "Engaging.... Elkins excels in making his hero's skills plausible and accessible to a lay audience." Publishers Weekly "The forensic accuracy is admirable, and the plotting compelling." Booklist |
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Where There's a Will takes the Skeleton Detective to the vast, rolling ranchlands of the Big Island of Hawaii, where he finds himself enmeshed in old enmities, old rivalries, old jealousies...and of course, old bones."Gideon Oliver is back. For his fans, that's the only thing that needs to be said." Oregon Statesman-Journal"Stylish." The New York Times Book Review  |
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FELLOWSHIP OF FEAR The very first Gideon Oliver novel. (reissued 2006) This is where it all began: Gideon Oliver before the Edgar, before the TV series, before they called him the Skeleton Detective . . before even Julie. "At last . . . a new Sherlock Holmes rises before us." --The Houston Post "Great stuff!" The New York Times
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THE DARK PLACE The second Gideon Oliver novel Only a small pile of bones remains from a hiker who recently vanished in the Olympic Peninsula's dense, remote, primeval rainforest--just enough for Gideon Oliver to deduce that someone, or something, of superhuman strength had killed him . . . with a bone spear point! And now a young woman has disappeared as well. What's out there? "A thundering adventure, to be savored for Elkins' insouciant wit, the thrill of the chase and, not least the love affair between Gideon and Julie" --Publishers Weekly |
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MURDER IN THE QUEEN'S ARMES The third Gideon Oliver novel. "But why would anyone steal a thirty-thousand-year-old parieto-occipital calvareal fragment?" asks the distraught curator of the Dorchester Museum of Archaeology, staring at the empty case. "Beats the hell out of me," is Gideon's reply, but it doesn't take long for him to roll up his sleeves and get to work ferreting out the startling--and murderous--answer. "A breathtakingly well-worked mystery." --Booklist |
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OLD BONES The fourth Gideon Oliver novel, winner of the 1988 Edgar for best mystery of the year. "With the roar of thunder," goes the old Breton nursery song, "and the speed of a galloping horse, comes the tide to Mt. St. Michel." Family secrets, murders, and old Nazis in Normandy. "The action gallops along as fast and compelling as the tide itself."-- Publishers Weekly |
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GOOD BLOOD Even on an Italian holiday, forensic anthropologist Gideon Oliver
and his wife can't seem to find any R & R. They're houseguests at a
palatial island estate in Lake Maggiore. But the breathtaking views
and sumptuous food come at a price. The padrone's only child,
Achille, has been kidnapped, buried bones are soon found . . . and
Gideon must mix business with pleasure. "This is vintage Elkins: well-drawn supporting characters, lovely scenery, and . . . interesting science." --Library Journal "The Gideon Oliver series is noteworthy for its witty dialogue and clever plotting; Elkins delivers on both counts here." --Booklist
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TURNCOAT For everybody else in America it was the day JFK was killed in Dallas. For me it would always be the day Lily's father turned up on our doorstep. Pete Simon's all-American life was everything he ever wished for: a good home, a satisfying career, and a marriage still strong and loving after nearly twenty years. But in the days following the assassination of John F. Kennedy, everything is about to change. And it begins with the appearance of a disheveled stranger at his door, an unwelcome visitor madly ranting in French about money, death, and forgiveness . |
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SKELETON DANCE There is a small village in France that is known for three things: pâté de fois gras, truffles . . . and bones. Boasting the largest collection of prehistoric fossils in Europe, Les Eyzies-de-Tayac is the home of the prestigious Institut de Préhistoire--where eminent scientists study ancient man and squabble . . . and perhaps, on occasion, commit murder. |
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LOOT April 1945: In the last convulsive days of World War II a convoy of Nazi trucks loaded with Europe's greatest art treasures winds its way through the Alps toward a cavernous Austrian salt mine. With the Allies closing in and chaos erupting, a single truck silently disappears into a mountain snowstorm with its cargo of stolen masterpieces... "A tale of greed, deception, and murder ...Elkins is a master.... In Ben Revere he has created a detective with ample knowledge of his subject as well as a conscience that drives him to an honest, satisfying conclusion." --The Dallas Morning News"Enthralling...A fast-paced and tightly written thriller." --The Seattle Times "This one is as good as it gets."--The New York Daily News "Unbeatable...a fast-paced, terrific book...Elkins's story has it all."--The Kansas City Star "Elkins uses his low-key narrative voice, personably erudite central characters, and historically intriguing plot to enthrall readers. Highly recommended."--Library Journal "The compelling plot alone could carry the novel, but what makes Loot one of the most uniquely fascinating crime novels in recent months are the incredible history lessons Elkins imparts--not just about art but also about war, cities, and humanity. Not only does he know his stuff, but he conveys it in a lively, compelling style that would hook even the most reluctant reader. Manna for those who love art and just plain irresistible for anyone else."--Booklist (starred review)
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DEAD MEN'S HEARTS A role in a documentary film draws Gideon Oliver to Egypt's famed Valley of the Nile, where he expects an undemanding week of movie-star treatment and a top-of-the-line river cruise with his wife Julie. But a skeleton unexpectedly turns up in the garbage dump . . . |
NOT CURRENTLY IN PRINTAlthough not currently in print, the following books are plentifully available in libraries, in used bookstores, and online at: Amazon and Barnes & Noble
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A DECEPTIVE CLARITY The first Chris Norgren. Murder and art forgery in Berlin and Florence. "Chris is an appealing hero with a sense of humor and some very definite opinions on art. The reader gets a smoothly written mystery and an entertaining dose of art history." --The Tampa Tribune |
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CURSES! Mayan ruins in the Yucatan . . . a secret room in a tomb . . . a prehistoric skeleton. To Gideon Oliver, the archaeological site of Tlaloc is paradise on earth. Until the old Mayan curse that was laid on "despoilers" of the ancient city begins coming true, literally and murderously. "Curses! is a pleasure . . . sit back and enjoy it." --USA Today |
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A WICKED SLICE (with Charlotte Elkins) The first Lee Ofsted. Having just barely gotten under the wire into her first big tournament, Lee's usually reliable drives are plagued with an inexplicable slice. But when she discovers the body of her mentor at the bottom of the course lake, her own problems quickly pale. "(An) engagingly humorous thriller." --Publishers Weekly |
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CLUTCHES In 1960, three members of a scientific expedition are killed in a tremendous glacial avalanche in Alaska. Thirty years later, human bones begin popping out of the foot of the glacier. But there is something strange about them, and Gideon Oliver is the man to find out what it is. "A marvelous mystery" --The Baltimore Sun-Times |
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A DECEPTIVE CLARITY The first Chris Norgren. Murder and art forgery in Berlin and Florence. "Chris is an appealing hero with a sense of humor and some very definite opinions on art. The reader gets a smoothly written mystery and an entertaining dose of art history." --The Tampa Tribune |
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A GLANCING LIGHT Mild-mannered Chris Norgren, curator of Baroque art, is an unlikely undercover investigator, but when a priceless stolen masterpiece is discovered in a shipment of reproductions, Chris reluctantly agrees to find out how it got there. All too soon, he is up to his ears in a bizarre Italian odyssey into shady art world doings and deadly secrets. "Lots of action, lots of painterly lore. . . Elkins thoroughly understands the art of the murder mystery." --The Philadelphia Inquirer |
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MAKE NO BONES Gideon Oliver faces his most formidable and clever antagonist--a murderous fellow anthropologist who knows every bit as much about disguising forensic clues as Gideon knows about uncovering them. "Rates four stars. Well-plotted, intelligent murder fiction doesn't come any better." --The Chicago Sun-Times |
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OLD SCORES Art curator Chris Norgren makes the ultimate discovery: a previously unknown Rembrandt. Murder and art lore in Seattle, Paris, and Dijon. "The thrills are indeed heady . . . Mr. Elkins and his insouciant hero have their witty fun with the corps d'elite of the international art establishment while providing some pretty amazing information on the . . . forgeries and . . . art scams that give the experts nightmares." --The New York Times Book Review |
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ROTTEN LIES (with Charlotte Elkins) Playing in a New Mexico tournament with thunderstorms on the horizon, Lee Ofsted's round is spoiled when she runs into a lightning-struck body on the fairway. And things get worse from there. "Even if your idea of golf is a par six with a shot through the dinosaur's mouth, you'll enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at both golf and television sports." --Mostly Murder |
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TWENTY BLUE DEVILS Gideon Oliver is up to his elbows in bones, stones, and murder in Tahiti, at the Paradise Coffee plantation, producer of the world's most expensive coffee, the winey, luscious Blue Devil. "This tale . . . balances tangy Tahitian backgrounds with a deft and brainy whodunit." --Publishers Weekly |
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NASTY BREAKS (with Charlotte Elkins) Struggling but spunky pro golfer Lee Ofsted thinks she got herself a plum when she landed a weeklong job teaching golf at an executives' retreat on rustic Block Island. But kidnapping and murder make her think again. "A winning heroine . . . racks up another hole in one as a crime solver." --The Houston Chronicle
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WHERE TO BUY: BOOKSTORESTHE INDEPENDENT MYSTERY BOOKSELLERS ASSOCIATION These are the bookstores that keep the mystery alive and well. They know and love mysteries and thrillers as no one else does, and they deserve your support. Find your local independents here. WHERE TO BUY: ONLINEAmazon and Barnes & Noble |
