Twenty Blue Devils

Gideon Oliver #9

by Aaron Elkins

The “shrewd, witty and self-deprecating forensic anthropologist” travels to Tahiti to sniff out crime at a coffee plantation (Publishers Weekly). The dead man is the manager of Tahiti’s Paradise Coffee Plantation, producer of the most expensive coffee bean in the world, the winey, luscious Blue Devil. Nothing tangible points to foul play behind his fall from a cliff, but FBI agent John Lau, a relative of the coffee‑growing family, has his suspicions. What he needs is evidence, and who better to provide it than his friend, anthropologist Gideon Oliver, the Skeleton Detective? Gideon is willing to help, but surprisingly—and suspiciously—both the police and the other family members refuse to okay an exhumation order. As a result, Gideon, to his surprise and against his better judgment, finds himself sneaking into a graveyard under cover of night with John, a flashlight, and a shovel—not exactly up to the professional standards of the world’s most famous forensic anthropologist, but necessary under the circumstances. Gideon prefers his bones ancient, dry, and dusty, but the body he must examine had lain in the tropical sun for a week before it was found and then buried native‑style—shallow, with no casket—so it is not exactly his . . . well, cup of tea. But it is not the state of the remains that bothers him the most, it is the deeper human ugliness that his examination subtle clues that do indeed point to foul play, to mistaken identity, and to a murderous conspiracy that may have percolated through the family for decades—and brewed a taste for murder. Twenty Blue Devils is the 9th book in the Gideon Oliver Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Science Fiction, Humor, Audiobook, Cozy Mystery

234 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Aaron 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

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having really enjoyed two of these Gideon Oliver books it came as quite a surprise to find one that can only be described as absurd. That's a shame because there are only four from the series that are available through Kindle Unlimited and this does not bode well for the next book up.
I had a hard time swallowing the plot set up but persevered for a third of the book when I had to jump forward to see how this load of nonsense was going to resolve itself.
Apparently other people liked this book, so who can predict? Main Focus: coffee growers... and then throw in the mob as well as a trip to Tahiti. Gideon is hired by his friend from the FBI, John Lau. It's a family crisis as one of theirs meets his death over a Tahitian cliff. The plot and writing seemed to me to be from a different author. It was published a number of years later than the two earlier books I liked.
For me, the book was a mess.

Kindle Unlimited

[Karen Plummer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What does an old Hawaiian curse, the West Coast mob, a coffee plantation in Tahiti, an "accidental" death in New Zealand, and the FBI have in common? They are all linked to FBI agent John Lau. His family own the coffee plantation in Tahiti where a series of odd events have taken place and one of his cousins believes that a Hawaiian curse is behind it all. This cousin's partner, Brian, who was off on a hiking trip to New Zealand is suddenly discovered dead at the foot of a cliff; it is ruled an accident, but some family members do not believe it was an accident and they turn to John to try to figure out what is going on. Since Brian was found after days in the hot sun, much of the flesh is gone and John asks his friend Gideon to come along with him to look at the bones and determine what happened to Brian.

There are so many twists and turns in this one and such an insight into John Lau's background. Gideon is awesome as usual and although his wife Julie doesn't go with them, she still helps out by telephone. Still loving this series.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twenty Blue Devils by Aaron Elkins.

A murder victim is discovered on Tahiti. The body has lain in the elements for almost several days at least enough time to make a positive identification near impossible. John Lau of the FBI, Gideon's old friend and colleague, requests the pleasure of the skeleton detective to assist in the identification.
No sooner does Gideon arrive for the exhumation of the corpse, then Nick the owner of the coffee plantation cancels the autopsy he had previously requested. The complex scheme of events begins slowly to unravel as Gideon does what he does best...reveal the who, what where and why through his detections of the victims skeleton and John's deductions of the facts.

Another top notch detective novel in the Gideon Oliver/John Lau partnership. I enjoyed every page and the involvement of each character was clearly defined.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elikins returns with a different spin on his forensic novels, painting a tale surrounding John Lau and his family. When a death occurs at the family’s coffee plantation in Tahiti, Lau brings Dr. Gideon Oliver with him to help with a forensic analysis of the bones. Upon their arrival, things change and the local authorities see no point in opening an investigation. Lau and Oliver discover clues that may prove otherwise and go to great lengths to sell their case for foul play. Not only using a tropical location as a backdrop, but also an in-depth look into the world of the coffee trade, Elkins treats readers to a wonderful story, full of intrigue, mystery, and enough humour to keep the book flowing.

Elkins is known for his teachable moments, usually about anthropology and the human skeleton. In this case, great detail about coffee plantations and the world of coffee bean selling on the open market entertains and enriches the reader’s experience. I learned much about the process and the volatile industry to which I gave little thought, though its products keep me sane as I begin each morning with a chapter or two from the Elkins collection. A great story, interesting characters, and some twists to keep the reader on their toes helps propel another Elkins novel to the top of my reading list.

Kudos, Dr. Elkins on this wonderful book and highly entertaining teachable moments.

[Vasilis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading the background on the coffee production and I quite liked the main character here, but all in all, nothing spectacular in any way, so I'll probably not seek out any of the other books in the series.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The dead man is the manager of Tahiti's Paradise Coffee plantation, producer of the most expensive coffee bean in the world -- the winey, luscious Blue Devil. His fall from a cliff is the latest accident is a string of mishaps, and although nothing tangible points to foul play, FBI agent John Lau has his suspicions. What he needs is evidence -- and the best forensic expert in the business, his friend anthropologist Gideon Oliver, the Skeleton Detective.

"Gideon likes his java strong and his bones ancient, dry, and dusty. But the body he must examine had lain in the tropical sun for a week before it was found, and then buried native-style, without a casket. If this case is not exactly Gideon's cup of ... well, tea, it is not the state of the remains that bothers him. It's the real human ugliness he suspects he'll soon unearth.

"To make matters worse, Gideon finds trouble in paradise: a most unwelcoming local police commandant, a strange reluctance by the Blue Devil owners to uncover any wrong-doing, and the lack of an exhumation order. Sneaking into a graveyard with a shovel and flashlight isn't his idea of a professional analysis. And what he finds six feet under will prove the ultimate test of his skills: a subtle clue that points to foul play, and bones so puzzling that they have Gideon stumped ... for a while. Now Gideon must cut to the heart of a crime to find the motive that may have percolated through a family for decades -- and brewed a taste for murder."
~~front & back flaps

As John is trying to talk Gideon into digging up the grave themselves (what could possibly go wrong ...?) Gideon thinks: "Hehad done some damnfool things in his time, a rather high percentage of them at John's instigation ..." One of my all time favorite sentences! "... and he was sincerely afraid of getting himself talked into another." And it was even funnier when the cop caught them ...

This is a whacking god story, imho because of the interplay and affection between John & Gideon. They're chalk and cheese, but between them they always solve their cases. I don't think Mr. Elkins is writing this series any longer, which breaks my heart.

[Heatherinblack · Rating 4 out of 5]

the solution was really john

dig up a body? cops show up and are ok with it? uh, nope. John’s info was really what solved the case. Gideon proved murder but that would have been easy if they could have exhumed the body earlier. sorry Gideon, this win is all on John.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series. I usually can tell how its going to end as the "whodunit" is revealed. However, this one had a few more plot twists and I was shocked at the very end. Great series, well researched and it is neat to travel the world without leaving my couch.

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another solid entry in a good series. I enjoyed this beginning to end!

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember enjoying the book. It was very detailed in how coffee is produced. But, I did not get a true feel of the island. It I recall correctly, there was a serious feel of colonization.

[Mark Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another winning entry in the Gideon Oliver mystery series. In many of these books the setting of the events is an important part of the story. This time Gideon is in Tahiti trying to examine a body that has yet to be exhumed. His friend John Lau urges him to look into the death of one of John's relatives by marriage. The Skeleton Detective agrees, only to find that the family patriarch has changed his mind and doesn't want to dig up the body, and perhaps uncover a murderer among his own family. Tahiti is a wonderful locale and the author devotes a lot of time setting the scene, describing the vivid sunsets, lazy afternoons under cool seas breezes while taking a nap in a hammock, and the exquisite beauty of the native Tahitians.

A read

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apart from the beginning, where the characters were close to indistinguishable, this was a pretty good detective story, featuring the "skeleton detective", Gideon Oliver. here he is called to Tahiti (tough work when it's winter in Seattle) to investigate a death that has been ruled accidental, but which some of the family involved think may not be. It gets quite curious, in that the body has to be dug up first....
But Gideon is up to the challenge. The actual detection part of the book is good, with plausible bone forensics, and lots of details about the muscles of the leg work.....
I liked it. It's good that you can pick up one of these books and it doesn't matter much which, the quality is usually good. I'll certainly read another one.

[Gloria Mccracken · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book in a good series, which features a forensic anthropologist (aka the "Bone Detective") Gideon Oliver and his friend FBI agent John Lau -- this time solving a mystery in Tahiti on the coffee plantation that John's family owns, somewhat to the chagrin of several of the family members. Occasional humor, a dollop of science (although it was unfortunate that I happened to be reading this while eating my lunch just when Dr. Oliver started discussing maggots at great length), likable characters and a reasonably twisty plot make for a satisfying, light read.

[Carlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore the Aaron Elkins' mystery series. Gideon Oliver, the Skeleton Detective (a forensic anthropologist by trade), always finds the answers to any mystery if he can just find a way to examine the bones. In this story Gideon's friend John, an F.B.I. agent, asks Gideon to examine the body of Brian Scott, an in-law relative in John's family who had died while on a solo camping trip on an island near Tahiti where most of John's family live while running their coffee business. So John and Gideon head out for Tahiti from the Pacific Northwest. Some family members think Brian's death was not accidental as stated in the official police report. But the body had been buried and the family disagreed about exhumation. This story, like all in this series, is filled with humor and intrigue, but also an fascinating look at forensic anthropology. I learn something new every time I read one of these mysteries! (The fact that my undergraduate degree was in anthropology and the author has been a professor in that field certainly explains my facination with these stories; however, I highly recommend them to every mystery lover!)

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick fun read

I always enjoy a Gideon Oliver book. It is fun, informative, and creates an enjoyable sense of place -- in this book it's Tahiti. Like his previous books I've read, it is a combination travelogue, mystery, puzzle, and filled with interesting characters. At first, I was put off with all the tedious forensic details as Gideon describes how he used body structure and bones to solve a particular case. But with each subsequent book, I now look forward to learning more about what bones have to say.
Gideon's FBI friend, John, has called him in to consult on a death at his family's coffee plantation--was it accident or murder? Upon arrival in Tahiti, Gideon and John are surprised that the exhumation order has been cancelled without good explanation. John is more and more convinced that Brian was murdered, and convinces Gideon to help him dig up the body on their own. And the fun starts.....

[Oundle Crime · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this as an e-audiobook and loved it. The story unfolds at a leisurely pace, but there’s so much going on in the world of luxury coffee production and on the island of Tahiti that I was absolutely gripped before the crimes were even revealed! I'd never come across the author, Aaron Elkins before, but I've since discovered this is Book 9 of a series featuring an urbane, renowned forensic anthropologist, Gideon Oliver, who makes the most incredible deductions from studying human skeletons and cracking previously insoluble mysteries. In this, Gideon travels to Tahiti at the request of his friend, John Lau, an FBI agent, who believes the death of a member of his family on the island isn’t what it seems. Sure enough, he’s correct and the pair uncover some massive criminality. I found this novel completely intriguing and I'm looking out for more by this author now.
Review by: Silent Witness, Oundle Crime

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read. When John Lau's cousin's husband is found dead while camping alone on a secluded Tahitian island, John suspects foul play, especially since there have been other odd happenings on his uncle's coffee plantation recently. Once he convinces his uncle to arrange an exhumation, he enlists his friend Gideon Oliver to come to Tahiti with him to perform the autopsy. But it doesn't turn out to be quite that simple. Uncle Nick, convinced by his daughter Therese, changes his mind about the exhumation, so what can John and Gideon do, especially since the police chief is rather uncooperative. But when John acquires photos of the body and Gideon examines them, he too becomes convinced it was murder, and not an accident. This is a fascinating, compelling mystery that moves along at a very quick pace. Highly recommended.

[Moira L. Mefein · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, well plotted, twisty, and delightful.

From the U.S. northwest to Tahiti, Gideon Oliver can always find the murder no one else can see. This time, he's investigating family members of his FBI buddy John Lau. Talk about awkward conversation at the dinner table.... As usual, Elkins' book is a solid stand-alone read. However, for readers like me, who we actually knew the Oliver's and the Laus, the book is even more fun. Give the book, and the series, a chance. I suspect you will be very glad you xid.

[Liz V. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gideon's friend John begs Gideon to find out whether murder or an accident caused the death of John's brother-in-law. There have been a string of seeming accidents, and the patriarch of the family had been instrumental in the conviction of mobsters. It may be payback time. Yet suddenly no one wants the body exhumed, except John and Gideon.

An interesting story but too much angst over whether to investigate makes the first part drag.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, What a Tangled Coffee Bush We Weave...

Lots of surprises in this one that kept me glued to the finish. All of it wraps up, nothing left to waste, it all feeds into the denouement. Like the previous book, it takes a little while to lift off: we have to get acquainted with John Lau’s extended family, who are deep in the coffee business. But once you have everyone straight, it’s race time.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a long time since I read any of this series, eventually put off, I think, by an unlikely plot. There were certainly unlikely (at best) elements in this one, particularly an unauthorised exhumation. Oddly, I don’t find it hard to accept the level of corruption and fraud in an industry and the narrative held my attention. I don’t admire the maverick elements of detection so it’s likely to be a long time before I fill in any more gaps in my reading of this series.

[Jody Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book in the Gideon Oliver series. I loved that it featured his FBI friend, John Lau, and his family and the crime was interesting. I like the way Aaron Elkins casually mentions a tidbit of information at the beginning of the book and it becomes significant by the end. A fun read all around.

[Collin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the previous Gideon Oliver novels I have read The Dark Place and Icy Clutches. But I did not enjoy this one. The plot was absurd relating to the coffee business and the mob. I was rather bored at times I didn't care for the minor characters either and the locations were different which was good but overall I didn't like it.

[A G A VAN DEN BOS · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very cleverly plotted story with so many twists that may for some leave them a little bewildered by its complexity. While it can be read rapidly, it is a story best digested with savour so that the intricacies within it are not lost.
The insertions of travel blogs in this and his previous book is also a delightful adjunct that provide oh so accurate descriptions.

[Norla Chee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a Gideon Oliver series but it seemed more of an FBI agent John Lau series. You learn a lot about coffee while on the trail of a possible murderer. Naturally, not everybody is who they say they are and the best conversation is when Gideon Oliver is brainstorming with his wife over the phone. I would read another one of these.

[H-Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good resolution and ending, but four stars because it was difficult to get into: too many characters. Good things: Tahiti and Whidbey Island settings; learning about coffee plants and production. Warning: if squeamish, some discussions may be too much. Anthropologists like cleaned bones; however, it’s doctors that get into blood and guts. Gideon and I are anthropologists.

[Susan Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one takes place in Tahiti, the skeleton isn’t old which isn’t normal. I am in the process of reading a couple of authors I haven’t read recently, (more on that soon). I find right now since I’m busier, reading these are easier, and I have to have a book to read, it’s just in my DNA.
If you haven’t read Aaron Elkins and need a good summer book, I highly recommend him.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another goodie!

This series has become so addicting, it’s almost like candy! I love the nice, neat, slowly perfected little package that each book is, and when put all together,the whole is a wonderfully fun journey.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this mystery charming. Usually find this series hard slogging because there is usually a serial killer & I don't like books with serial killers. I would read more like this one by this author.

[Alexis(Andra) · Rating 3 out of 5]

My mother and I used to read these as soon as they came out. This mystery was not as good. Too little on the anthropological side. Not enough Bone doctor. Tahiti as a setting was fun, as was knowing about coffee pricing.