Customer Reviews

Skull Duggery (Berkley Prime Crime Mysteries)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
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For an aficionado of the traditional mystery, a four-star Aaron Elkins is a five-star work from almost anyone else.

Part of the mystery in _Skull Duggery_ is figuring out what the mystery will be. Elkins structures the novel around a neat little reversal. It's clear right from Chapter 1 that a murder has been committed--but not *what* murder! The body of the story is almost archaeological in its effect, concerning as it does the reconstruction of past events rather than the consequences of a crime in the present. It's beautifully paced--new twists appear roughly every other chapter--and it's also endlessly fascinating for anyone with an interest in forensics.

If there's a weakness in this process, it's one that will mainly afflict analytically-minded mystery mavens. If you're the right (or possibly wrong) sort of reader, you may figure out the truth well in advance based, not on the text, but on meta-knowledge of how these stories work. I hasten to add that there are also a good many clues planted fair and square in the narrative itself.

Aside from that, the usual Elkins charms are all on display: a vivid setting, a likable protagonist, well-drawn secondary characters, scientific tidbits galore, and a well-thought-out denouement. I reiterate, as I always do, that Elkins is the best writer of classical mysteries working today. If you revel in smarts rather than violence, if you want to be surprised and enlightened rather than merely shocked, you'll like _Skull Duggery_.

Julie and Gideon Oliver visit Oaxaca, Mexico for a little working vacation--for Julie, that is. She agreed to help run her cousin's resort/ranch, Hacienda Encantada, for a few days while members of the cousin's family are otherwise occupied. Gideon is at loose ends until some mummified remains turn up and the local chief of police asks for his help. So Gideon investigates the mummy, and by pulling on that one forensic string he starts unraveling an entire fabric of lies, deceptions and murder.

When I read a mystery novel, I love to feel like I'm really visiting the world of the story, and I love to learn new things. This story did both for me.

The setting was delightful, full of great little details that (for me) brought back fond memories of my years in Mexico. For example, the colorful bustle in the marketplaces, the crumbling grandeur of certain official government buildings, and the scent and flavor of wonderful Mexican food--perfect.

And I enjoyed sharing Gideon's investigations. I always learn something new and fascinating about the human body--just enough detail to allow me to understand the logic involved, not so much that I get confused. It's a tricky balance, I'll bet, but the end result allows me to feel the same sense of discovery that Gideon feels.

The solution to the mystery felt very satisfying, too. For me it was unexpected, but very logical.

Altogether a terrific book.

Julie Oliver's cousin Anne invites her and her "Bone Detective" husband Gideon to spend some time at the family's owned Hacienda Encantada dude ranch in Teotitlan del Valle, Mexico. The pair looks forward to escaping wintry Washington State. Upon arrival in Mexico, Julie is put to work to filling in for relatives missing in action.

Soon afterward, temporary and definitely reluctant police chief Flaviano Sandoval invites Gideon to look at the mummified remains of a drifter Manuel Garcia, and then the bones of a long-dead little girl who's never been identified. Meanwhile another theory debunked by the visitors is what happened to Anne's mom who allegedly ran off with a thief as Gideon ties past and present by reading the bones.

This is a terrific forensic anthropologic whodunit as Gideon widens his inquiry into the past and present happenings at Hacienda Encantada where he and his wife suddenly find themselves amidst UNEASY RELATIONS. The story line is fast-paced from the onset and never decelerates until the climax; yet there is plenty of forensic insight provided by the Bone Detective. SKULL DUGGERY is a fabulous investigative mystery.

Harriet Klausner

This was my first Aaron Elkins mystery in too long a time. There are some I like better (Icy Clutches or In The Queen's Armes are both tours de force) but this was a truly enjoyable, satisfying story.

The mystery (what's the murder? Who's the victim? What the heck is going on?) is handled interestingly. The interaction between the characters, especially between Inspector Javier Marmolejo (who made his appearance in Curses!) and Gideon Oliver, is deftly handled and deliciously amusing.

Mr. Elkins is an amused observer of human nature and has deft touches with some of the minor characters. The local chief of police, for example, manages to provide comic relief while being a very admirable person. Refreshingly for me, Mr. Elkins delves into the HOWdunit rather than the WHYdunit and highlights the way the truth is found.

If this story has one weakness, it is that there are some loose ends that need to be tied. Or, to put it another way (without giving the plot away), Gideon drops a bombshell in the midst of a group of people at the end of the book and then departs. I'm left wondering how they assimilated the news...

I highly recommend this - relaxing, entertaining, interesting and enjoyable

[This is the latest in a long line of mystery novels by Elkins featuring Gideon Oliver. You can read this one on its own as far as the plot is concerned, but the characterization really does presume you know who Gideon and Julie are.]

Gideon is back, and as good as ever. In fact, this is possibly the best Gideon Oliver book in a decade or more. Fans of John Lau will miss his absence, but Gideon and his wife Julie share center stage in a satisfying way.

As with all the best books in this series, Gideon happens to get drawn into investigating several skeletons. As usual, it turns out that they have been both murdered and misidentified. One of them has been murdered in an unusual way. The other has been murdered in a quite normal way, but has some very unusual bone characteristics. And it is up to Gideon to solve both puzzles. Which he does, in fine form.

Gideon and Julie are staying in Mexico, at a guest ranch owned by her relatives. His involvement in a murder investigation leads him to team up with Javier Marmolejo, the detective who featured in an earlier (1989) Gideon novel, "Curses". But it is Gideon who solves the mystery (with help, of course, from Julie).

The plot is nifty, because it isn't too hard to guess who the skeletons will turn out to be, but that still doesn't explain why they were killed. And yet, Elkins provides us with enough clues to make it quite believable when Gideon resolves the whole situation.

Any fan of Elkins, and especially of the early Gideon Oliver books, will enjoy this one. Probably so will any fan of mystery novels.

This review applies to the Kindle edition only: I am about 4 chapters into this book and have found that, about 98% of the time, whenever you come across a word that starts with the letter s, the s is in upper case.
IE: She went to the Shaded Side of the Street.
It's annoying, but Arron Elkins is worth it.

This was the first book I have read by this author. I liked it because it held my interest, but the plot wasn't so convoluted I couldn't follow it. Like any good mystery it has a few twists and turns, and even a surprise or two. I've already ordered more books by Mr. Elkins and will let others readers know what I think of them. Its hard to gather too much info about an authors style with only one book. But I can recommend this particular book to readers who like murder mysteries set in the modern era that are peopled by well developed characters.

AAron Elkins books are always worth buying. This one is no exception. Although his story lines are serious, this one even has a dash of humor, which was not overdone and added to the enjoyment of this book. Mr. Oliver, his main character is very likeable and knows his stuff about bones. The 'bones' really tell a story all by themselves and can be considered a character in the story as well. I hightly recommend all of his books, and this one is no exception.

Another fine "Skeleton Detective" novel from Aaron Elkins! Keep 'em coming, Aaron!
Thanks!

Aaron Elkins' SKULL DUGGERY tells of Gordon, who accompanies his wife to a charming little Mexican village to visit a relative's dude ranch resort - only to find no relief from his job in forensics when a mummified corpse is found nearby. Gordon's investigation involves an old friend, a child's murder thirty years ago, and a mystery that holds dangerous ramifications for new generations. Any mystery library will relish this.