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Gideon Oliver #13
Unnatural Selection
When Gideon Oliver's wife Julie attends a conservation forum on the emerald Isles of Scilly, Gideon tags along, expecting a holiday. To amuse himself, he explores the Neolithic sites there. But instead of ancient ruins, he finds evidence of a very recent murder.
272 pages, ebook
First published June 6, 2006
33 people are currently reading
448 people want to read
About the author
Aaron Elkins
53 books335 followersAaron J. Elkins, AKA Aaron Elkins (born Brooklyn July 24, 1935) is an American mystery writer. He is best known for his series of novels featuring forensic anthropologist Gideon Oliver—the 'skeleton detective'. The fourth Oliver book, Old Bones, received the 1988 Edgar Award for Best Novel. As Oliver is a world-renowned authority, he travels around the world and each book is set in a different and often exotic locale.
In another series, the protagonist is museum curator Chris Norgren, an expert in Northern Renaissance art.
One of his stand-alone thrillers, Loot deals with art stolen by the Nazis and introduces protagonist Dr. Benjamin Revere.
With his wife, Charlotte Elkins, he has also co-written a series of golf mysteries about LPGA member Lee Ofsted. They shared an Agatha Award for their short story "Nice Gorilla".
Aaron and Charlotte live on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State.
Japanese: アーロン エルキンズ
Series:
* Lee Ofsted (with Charlotte Elkins)
Series contributed to:
* Malice Domestic
In another series, the protagonist is museum curator Chris Norgren, an expert in Northern Renaissance art.
One of his stand-alone thrillers, Loot deals with art stolen by the Nazis and introduces protagonist Dr. Benjamin Revere.
With his wife, Charlotte Elkins, he has also co-written a series of golf mysteries about LPGA member Lee Ofsted. They shared an Agatha Award for their short story "Nice Gorilla".
Aaron and Charlotte live on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State.
Japanese: アーロン エルキンズ
Series:
* Lee Ofsted (with Charlotte Elkins)
Series contributed to:
* Malice Domestic
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
August 7, 2020
It turns out that this book I found for a paleontology tag is the thirteenth in a series; this is the first one I've read, but I managed to be able to jump right in even if I might have known more about the protagonist if I'd read the others. Gideon Oliver is an American forensics paleontologist and also a professor. He accompanies his wife to England for a week, and while she is busy with meetings, he visits a museum with someone to see some old bones. However, one of the bones was from the past 10 years and obviously the result of foul play. How did he know? His knowledge of forensics and it sounded plausible to me. He takes this bone to the local constabulary and soon he is helping them with the case (it's an island off the coast of England and there is a big fog there so no one can fly in to help, etc).
This was a fairly good whodunnit if you don't mind reading about bones; there is more to the story than just that, of course.
This was a fairly good whodunnit if you don't mind reading about bones; there is more to the story than just that, of course.
May 23, 2015
Unnatural Selection by Aaron Elkins.
Gideon Oliver never fails! Julie has been invited by Vasily Kozlov to his castle on the Isles of Scilly for an annul meeting of fellows. Gideon is Julie's guest for the week of discussions as well as disagreements. The first discussion group allows Gideon some time alone and he goes off to explore the lush environment outside the castle.
Gideon prods along the beach and turns up a bone, but not just any animal bone. this bone once belonged to a human. He goes to the police station and is introduced to Constable Robb a young lad fresh out of college. Later Sergeant Clapper joins in the conversation and the first mystery begins. Who did this bone belong to and how did it arrive buried on the beach. However, Gideon has a much more macabre point of reference...this bone has been dismembered. and if it has been dismembered then there was a murder.
This is about my 14th book in the Gideon Oliver series. Let me first highly recommend this book to any serious mystery lover. It's more than another mystery...it's an evolving story of Gideon and his wife Julie-old friends and new friends as well as a classroom learning experience presided over by THE SKELETON DETECTIVE.
Gideon Oliver never fails! Julie has been invited by Vasily Kozlov to his castle on the Isles of Scilly for an annul meeting of fellows. Gideon is Julie's guest for the week of discussions as well as disagreements. The first discussion group allows Gideon some time alone and he goes off to explore the lush environment outside the castle.
Gideon prods along the beach and turns up a bone, but not just any animal bone. this bone once belonged to a human. He goes to the police station and is introduced to Constable Robb a young lad fresh out of college. Later Sergeant Clapper joins in the conversation and the first mystery begins. Who did this bone belong to and how did it arrive buried on the beach. However, Gideon has a much more macabre point of reference...this bone has been dismembered. and if it has been dismembered then there was a murder.
This is about my 14th book in the Gideon Oliver series. Let me first highly recommend this book to any serious mystery lover. It's more than another mystery...it's an evolving story of Gideon and his wife Julie-old friends and new friends as well as a classroom learning experience presided over by THE SKELETON DETECTIVE.
October 23, 2020
Another greatly enjoyed book from the Gideon Oliver series that takes us to Isles of Scilly where Julie has been invited to a conservation forum, a consortium she has attended previously. This is the first visit for Gideon who is welcomed to join her. When Gideon thinks "vacation" it always equals bone work. In this case there will be a discovery of bones on remote beach area and we get to observe a trained dog assisting in their recovery. Other highlights of the book include a detailed autopsy, not Gideon's favorite activity. We meet interesting characters throughout this tale and get treated to some great lessons in science.
As usual, Elkins describes the setting in a such appealing detail it will cause the reader to want to book a trip to the area.
"A crime of passion, Clapper had called it, and most assuredly it was. But crimes of passion were hardly limited to sexual jealousies, let alone resentments over academic disputes or prima donna status."
Loan from Friend (Thank You!)
As usual, Elkins describes the setting in a such appealing detail it will cause the reader to want to book a trip to the area.
"A crime of passion, Clapper had called it, and most assuredly it was. But crimes of passion were hardly limited to sexual jealousies, let alone resentments over academic disputes or prima donna status."
Loan from Friend (Thank You!)
November 23, 2011
I've been slowly reading all of the Gideon Oliver mysteries in order by when they were first published. This is the 13th and one of the better ones. The series can be quite uneven and Elkins has a real thing about Nazis and WWII that I think intrudes too much into what are really very simple stories. This particular one, however, does not include any of those areas and is pretty straightforward and a very fast read.
June 3, 2009
I really enjoyed the slower more thoughtful pace of this detective mystery.
April 25, 2011
I learned more about forensic anthropology by reading this book than I have watching 5 seasons of "Bones". The detective is a "skeleton doctor" and the setting was Cornwall in England.
April 30, 2019
"Green with lush life, the enchanting Isles of Scilly dot the sea like an emerald necklace. Fabled to be the ancient realm of King Arthur, they lie thirty miles off the coast of Cornwall, forming an archipelago forgotten by time.
"Forensics professor and sometime detective Gideon Oliver accompanies his wife to the Isles. A wildfire expert, Julie has been invited here by Russian expatriate Vasily Kozlov, scientist, millionaire, and eccentric. At his home, Star Castle, he regularly hosts a consortium on conservation, inviting guests of differing opinions -- which makes for some very heated arguments.
"While Julie is stuck indoors, Gideon looks forward to puttering around the little-visited Neolithic sites scattered among the islands. But before day one is through, a not-so-Neolithic bone turns up -- this tibia is only a few years old -- and all signs point to murder. And just as Gideon and the local law puzzle over whose bones these might be, another murder happens at Star Castle. Could it just be bad luck, two murders within a couple of years? Or do Kozlov's lively debates have a way of turning deadly?
~~front & back flaps
Another exciting adventure for the Skeleton Detective, along with great description of St, Mary's island, where the consortium and the mystery take place. The reader is introduced to the usual stellar cast of wonderful new characters, among them: Madeleine Goodfellow, director of the Isles of Scilly Museum -- a buxom, amiable woman in her fifties who wore her glasses on a lanyard and several rounds of jangling jewelry on her wrist; Constable Kyle Robb, a smiling, clean-cut, red-haired young man; and Sergeant Clapper, a broad, heavy man of fifty-five or so with a sad, dull-brown slick of hair pulled across his scalp, a heavy red drinker's face, and tired, seen-everything, don't even-think-of-putting-anything-over-on-me eyes. Well plotted as always, and a hair-raising encounter for Gideon. The only thing missing is John Lau, but the reader won't miss him what with all the other excitement and murder.
"Forensics professor and sometime detective Gideon Oliver accompanies his wife to the Isles. A wildfire expert, Julie has been invited here by Russian expatriate Vasily Kozlov, scientist, millionaire, and eccentric. At his home, Star Castle, he regularly hosts a consortium on conservation, inviting guests of differing opinions -- which makes for some very heated arguments.
"While Julie is stuck indoors, Gideon looks forward to puttering around the little-visited Neolithic sites scattered among the islands. But before day one is through, a not-so-Neolithic bone turns up -- this tibia is only a few years old -- and all signs point to murder. And just as Gideon and the local law puzzle over whose bones these might be, another murder happens at Star Castle. Could it just be bad luck, two murders within a couple of years? Or do Kozlov's lively debates have a way of turning deadly?
~~front & back flaps
Another exciting adventure for the Skeleton Detective, along with great description of St, Mary's island, where the consortium and the mystery take place. The reader is introduced to the usual stellar cast of wonderful new characters, among them: Madeleine Goodfellow, director of the Isles of Scilly Museum -- a buxom, amiable woman in her fifties who wore her glasses on a lanyard and several rounds of jangling jewelry on her wrist; Constable Kyle Robb, a smiling, clean-cut, red-haired young man; and Sergeant Clapper, a broad, heavy man of fifty-five or so with a sad, dull-brown slick of hair pulled across his scalp, a heavy red drinker's face, and tired, seen-everything, don't even-think-of-putting-anything-over-on-me eyes. Well plotted as always, and a hair-raising encounter for Gideon. The only thing missing is John Lau, but the reader won't miss him what with all the other excitement and murder.
November 29, 2021
A cadaver dog (border collie, unsurpassed in intelligence and playfulness—I know—I’ve had two of them); depressed fractures; u-shaped grooves; one or two hungry bears; and ecologists disputing over the ethics of eating meat, hunting, and wilderness for its own sake draw anthropologist Gideon Oliver into sleuthing the whereabouts and ultimate fate of an auto mechanic and an environmental advocate. As usual, the local constabulary is flummoxed and bows to Oliver’s greater knowledge; plenty of wine, English pub fare, and too much wicked, overcooked coffee are consumed; and we learn something about little known isles in the Channel Islands chain. The plot and solve are clever and totally dependent on bones being found or not found and matched with the right or wrong missing or not-missing person; the banter is light and engaging; and when the perp is finally revealed, you will say, “Oh, yeah, that makes sense, of course”, but odds are you will guess neither perp nor motive.
September 16, 2020
Another interesting, entertaining, and at times, educational book in this always enjoyable series. Oddly enough, it is the second mystery I have read recently set in the Isles of Scilly. Gideon and Julie are there for Julie to present a paper at a local consortium, so Gideon is at loose ends. While visiting the local museum, he is offered an opportunity to examine bones that have been found on the main island. One in particular draws his attention, which leads to a search for additional bones, and a surprising revelation. Interesting characters and an inventive plot, spiced with humor, make this hard to put down. Recommended.
April 28, 2018
Started out a little slow but very interesting setting (Scilly Isles using an actual hotel/restaurant here serving as the estate of an eccentric millionaire so you could see pictures of the place online-cool). This (#13) is my first Gideon Oliver but I didn't feel lost. Very interesting information about bone growth and forensic anthropology. Some humor and good observations about nature. Could definitely consider another adventure with Gideon. Do love the covers for this series with the clever use of skeletons and bones.
July 8, 2022
Another Gideon Oliver Mystery...
...full of twists, turns, science, and an occasional chuckle. As usual, this book can stand on its own, but works equally well when read in conjunction with the rest of the series. Personally, I wish several of the characters in this book were real, and that I could spend a weekend or ten just enjoying being in their company. Enjoy reading the book.
...full of twists, turns, science, and an occasional chuckle. As usual, this book can stand on its own, but works equally well when read in conjunction with the rest of the series. Personally, I wish several of the characters in this book were real, and that I could spend a weekend or ten just enjoying being in their company. Enjoy reading the book.
April 7, 2023
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. I wouldn't have chosen it myself, but it was for a bookclub I participate in. Well, now I want to read all of the other Gideon Oliver books, along with his other series! And since I'm one who prefers to read a series in order of written, I'll start looking for the beginning books in this series. I was a bit suspicious about the real murderer, but I sure didn't have it all figured out!
May 22, 2018
This is the second book I’ve read about Gideon Oliver. As usual, the plot and details are fascinating. I very much enjoyed Gideon and Juliet’s foray to the Scilly Islands. The only reason I took off a star is that, as with the first one, I figured out whodunnit before the reveal. Nevertheless, I didn’t guess the motive so I still enjoyed the book.
August 29, 2017
Another great story from this author, and sometimes more bone information than you might like, but for all that, you will find yourself being very interested in how he comes to his conclusion at the end.
May 23, 2020
Enjoyed the setting and the characters, particularly Mike Clapper. However, there was too much forensic detail for me--yes, I know Gideon Oliver's life is bones, it just wasn't that interesting to me. So, good book, just not all that enjoyable for me.
June 17, 2021
I usually love Aaron Elkins' Gideon Oliver series but Unnatural Selection was boring until halfway through the book. When it finally got to the plot, it moved quickly and I didn't want to put it down.
February 17, 2022
That's more like it! After a very weak book 12 we are back to a good plot and good characters. It's important for the formula's success how contrived Gideon's initial involvement is, and after a real lazy trick in the last one, this time it's managed in a natural and believable way.
June 19, 2023
This is a review of the entire Gideon Oliver mystery series.
Unnatural Selection is the thirteenth of an eighteen-book mystery series with forensic anthropologist Gideon Oliver, Ph.D. as the protagonist. I started with Dead Men’s Hearts (#8 in the series) and liked it enough I started collecting individual books as they came on sale, saving them until I could read the entire series in one fell swoop. The day came when I had almost the entire series, so I bought the last two and settled in for two weeks of reading. Roughly 250 pages each, they are quick reads; some days I could get through two.
Elkins is an anthropologist, and his knowledge of the human body is apparent. As a physician, I enjoyed the science and the anatomy of Gideon’s forensic work with the police and FBI. He visits several foreign countries as well as some of the United States, and these locales seem accurately depicted to this world traveler. There is some romance, rather old-fashioned and staid, but Gideon is that kind of guy. He marries the woman in question and they remain happily married through the series.
Some books, of course, were better than others (I thought Dying on the Vine set in Tuscany, was probably the weakest), but overall, the series rates a solid four stars and are a predictably fast, interesting read with widely varied locales and plots.
Unnatural Selection is the thirteenth of an eighteen-book mystery series with forensic anthropologist Gideon Oliver, Ph.D. as the protagonist. I started with Dead Men’s Hearts (#8 in the series) and liked it enough I started collecting individual books as they came on sale, saving them until I could read the entire series in one fell swoop. The day came when I had almost the entire series, so I bought the last two and settled in for two weeks of reading. Roughly 250 pages each, they are quick reads; some days I could get through two.
Elkins is an anthropologist, and his knowledge of the human body is apparent. As a physician, I enjoyed the science and the anatomy of Gideon’s forensic work with the police and FBI. He visits several foreign countries as well as some of the United States, and these locales seem accurately depicted to this world traveler. There is some romance, rather old-fashioned and staid, but Gideon is that kind of guy. He marries the woman in question and they remain happily married through the series.
Some books, of course, were better than others (I thought Dying on the Vine set in Tuscany, was probably the weakest), but overall, the series rates a solid four stars and are a predictably fast, interesting read with widely varied locales and plots.
March 17, 2018
A lot to be learned about chopping up bones. Elkins does a good job making the minor characters seem fully realized.
March 3, 2019
Per usual, Gideon Oliver never ceases to amaze and entertain.
May 5, 2019
In this book, Elkins draws realistic and sometimes complex characters, puts them in an interesting setting, and has a plot that is pretty good.
September 22, 2019
This was my first Aaron Elkins book and I enjoyed it. I loved the setting and the mystery.
March 24, 2020
I enjoyed this mystery and I look forward to the rest of the series.
September 24, 2020
Not my favorite - a little drier than some of the others but a lesser Gideon Oliver is better than the best of many series.
November 7, 2021
This was very enjoyable. A human bone is found; it has been cut/sawn from the remains. Where are the remains? How many pieces to look for? Who cut up the body?
May 31, 2023
I always enjoy reading another Gideon Oliver mystery. The science is interesting and this one had a nice cast of supporting characters.
August 11, 2023
Very satisfying mystery and a good deal less of the main character’s droning on every _single_ piece of minutia that could be relevant.
July 9, 2024
This series is fun and both books I've read have kept me interested the entire time.
April 22, 2025
Just love Aaron Elkins - and have learned a great deal about bones and skeletons!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews