Customer Reviews

Murder in the Queen's Armes (A Gideon Oliver Mystery)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

One of Aaron Elkins' better works, but then his earlier works are my favorites and I believe I've read most if not all he has written. Elkins has a wonderful, almost dry sense of humor which works quite well given the European setting. I rate this one definitely higher than I would his last three, beginning with the one set in South America.

Gideon and his new bride spend their honeymoon in merry olde England. Of course everything isn't tea and crumpets. Gideon finds stolen bones, murdered anthropologists and mysteries galore. Spend some time digging in the dirt with Gideon, you'll be glad you did.

Fans of Aaron Elkins won't be disappointed. A light read but good on a rainy afternoon!

Aaron Elkins always delivers a pleasantly engaging mystery. "Murder in the Queen's Armes" finds forensic anthropologist Gideon Oliver on honeymoon in England, where he is drawn into a bizarre series of crimes involving an archaeology excavation -- which culminate in two murders. Although a few of the plot twists can be seen from a mile away, at least one bit of danger to our intrepid hero and his new wife is a real white-knuckle terror, and the denoument is quite satisfactory.

Excellent story that keeps you guessing right up until the very end. However, the author's portrayal of Gideon's wife Julie is rather offensive.

In the previous books, Julie was written as Gideon's intellectual equal. She was independent, opinionated, and capable. Now that they're married, Julie's character has regressed to something straight out of the 1950's. In this book, Julie exists only to have sex with Gideon whenever he wants, to ask silly questions in order to make Gideon look more intelligent, gets bored when Gideon talks about archaeology because she claims it's over her head (which it isn't), and whines when she's away from Gideon for longer than one afternoon. This is not the Julie we've been reading about. She is a complete ditz in this book!

The book is a page turner and the story is great, but I'm dissapointed that Aaron Elkins felt the need to strip Julie of her personality and instead make her Gideon's airheaded play thing. She is no longer the capable sidekick - she's simply an annoying fly that buzzes around with nothing to do.

The Aaron Elkins- Gideon Oliver books are alway excellent and it was a pleasure getting such a good copy, so quickly, in hardcover.

I have read all of Aaron Elkins books and "Murder in the Queen's Arms" is one of Elkins best. But beware, you will find this mystery addictive! So plan to spend your afternoon at The Queen's Arms, and enjoy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this 3rd in the series. Bravo. I can't wait to read #4 through #9!
I love THE SKELETON DETECTIVE! Keep the anthropology trivia and details coming!