What do you think?
Rate this book
Gideon Oliver #1
Fellowship of Fear
When anthropology professor Gideon Oliver is offered a teaching fellowship at US military bases in Germany, Sicily, Spain, and Holland, he wastes no time accepting. Stimulating courses to teach, a decent stipend, all expenses paid, plenty of interesting European travel . . . What's not to like?
It does not take him long to find out. On his first night, he is forced to fend off two desperate, black-clad men who have invaded his Heidelberg hotel room with intent to kill. And then there are a few trivial details that the recruiting agency forgot to mention-such as the fact that the two previous holders of the fellowship both met with mysterious ends.
From there, it is all downhill. Gideon finds himself the target in an unfamiliar game for which no one has bothered to give him the rules. What he does have is his own considerable intellect and his remarkable forensic skills. He will need them, for he is playing for some fairly high stakes: the security of Western Europe.
It does not take him long to find out. On his first night, he is forced to fend off two desperate, black-clad men who have invaded his Heidelberg hotel room with intent to kill. And then there are a few trivial details that the recruiting agency forgot to mention-such as the fact that the two previous holders of the fellowship both met with mysterious ends.
From there, it is all downhill. Gideon finds himself the target in an unfamiliar game for which no one has bothered to give him the rules. What he does have is his own considerable intellect and his remarkable forensic skills. He will need them, for he is playing for some fairly high stakes: the security of Western Europe.
265 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1982
1154 people are currently reading
2547 people want to read
About the author
Aaron Elkins
54 books338 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
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 346 reviews
May 25, 2023
Anthropology Professor Gideon Oliver is offered a fellowship to teach at U.S. military bases overseas (Europe).
What someone forgot to tell him is that, the two previous people who held his position are now dead.
On top of that, he is followed by mysterious men in black, run off the side of the road, and even has his room ransacked.
Someone is searching for someone, who he is not. Someone is searching for something he does not have.
It looks like his “too good to be true,” career is coming to an end. In some kind of way.
A great introduction to a great series. Lots of suspense and mystery. Will definitely be keeping this author on my TBR list.
Four stars. ✨✨✨✨
What someone forgot to tell him is that, the two previous people who held his position are now dead.
On top of that, he is followed by mysterious men in black, run off the side of the road, and even has his room ransacked.
Someone is searching for someone, who he is not. Someone is searching for something he does not have.
It looks like his “too good to be true,” career is coming to an end. In some kind of way.
A great introduction to a great series. Lots of suspense and mystery. Will definitely be keeping this author on my TBR list.
Four stars. ✨✨✨✨
February 6, 2017
Blech. A good, wise friend warned me that this book wasn't necessarily a good one, but the series gets better. She was definitely right about the first part. I might test her on the second part when I get over the moment when I decided to throw this one across the room:
" Come on, tell Papa," Gideon said, his naked skin jumping where her long hair lay over it.
"Well...just...take me, I'm yours." She raised her eyes to his. "If you want me."
Aaaaand, hurl.
" Come on, tell Papa," Gideon said, his naked skin jumping where her long hair lay over it.
"Well...just...take me, I'm yours." She raised her eyes to his. "If you want me."
Aaaaand, hurl.
May 31, 2012
Reading this 30 years after it was published probably didn't do the book any favors. The writing itself wasn't bad, and the author did evoke images of Heidelburg that made me want to go there. However, where the book fell down for me was on character. Simply put, I couldn't like Gideon Oliver.
Gideon is a fairly classic Gary Stu, when you look at him. He's an anthropologist (like the author) and is brilliant, tall, in incredible shape, and with apparently flawless judgement. I did not find his judgement flawless, to be clear, but the author vindicated every one of his decisions but those where he simply didn't have any information to go from. Our hero can also fend off an armed assault from two professional assailants, despite having no training and 12 glasses of wine in him.
However, to my perspective, Gideon is also a an annoying know-it-all and a prissy sexist. I think anthropology is fascinating, myself, and it actually does make some sense that an anthropologist would have enough general education to be able to make some interesting deductions. However, every one of Gideon's annoyed me. Despite having no forensic anthropology training (I believe) he is able to decipher more from a mostly burned-away skeleton than Rome's forensic expert. He makes racial judgements based on the shape of people's brow ridges- I'm talking scandanavian vs. russian here- and doesn't seem to think about that fact that the world is not a "racially pure" place. People from all over the world mix all the time, and I simply find it unbelievable that there is a typical russian skull shape. He apparently is the only person in the book who can hear that American speech patterns are different than European ones (really? I can hear them- why can't the American police stationed in Europe?). I think that the author forgot to give Gideon an eidetic memory, but should remedy that in the future. The case is solved by Gideon noticing after the fact that the guilty party used voluntary muscles instead of involuntary muscles to make a facial expression. Seriously. Unless you've got eidetic memory, there is no way that you will be able to recall a specific expression on a face in that detail. You'll remember the expression, but not why you interpreted it that way. Booooooooo.
Gideon also likes to use scientific terminology whenever possible. He describes hitting someone in the mandible instead of the jaw. I know lots of scientific terminology too, but I do not use it in common conversation for fear of being thought a pompous jackass- Gideon has clearly overcome this fear. He compliments his girlfriend's beautiful "oculi" and "gluteus maximus" (actually how he compliments her ass is even worse than I've described). Really??? Maybe if you're a 6 foot plus incredibly buff guy you can get away with this stuff, but most people will never want to talk to you again if you try to pull that off. He also orders military police around with impunity, being the most authoritative person in the vicinity.
Gideon also gets physically involved with a woman of whom he's not sure he "approves"- wow. Stuffy much? She is writing her dissertation on women book collectors in 19th century America. When Gideon hears this, he thinks (I kid you not): "oh, no, not a feminist." What-whaaaattt????!!
Apparently, they bore him, with all their talk of equality and complaining about not being taken seriously. If only Gideon could see the irony of his oh-so-priveleged position. But he can't, being a white educated male in the early 1980's who has never thought about life from another perspective (I snark). I guess the whole ERA thing just bounced right off him. It's actually kind of weird- most social scientists tend toward the liberal, and Gideon definitely doesn't care much about women's issues, although he does care very much about ancient man, language patterns and mammoth hunting.
Best part of the book? When Gideon sees a dead person on the floor and fears that it is his friend. When he finds out it is not, his relief- and the writing thereof- is well done and emotionally evocative.
However, the occasional glimmer was not enough to make me want to read any more of these. Elkins has even managed to make anthropology annoying to me, which is difficult to achieve.
Gideon is a fairly classic Gary Stu, when you look at him. He's an anthropologist (like the author) and is brilliant, tall, in incredible shape, and with apparently flawless judgement. I did not find his judgement flawless, to be clear, but the author vindicated every one of his decisions but those where he simply didn't have any information to go from. Our hero can also fend off an armed assault from two professional assailants, despite having no training and 12 glasses of wine in him.
However, to my perspective, Gideon is also a an annoying know-it-all and a prissy sexist. I think anthropology is fascinating, myself, and it actually does make some sense that an anthropologist would have enough general education to be able to make some interesting deductions. However, every one of Gideon's annoyed me. Despite having no forensic anthropology training (I believe) he is able to decipher more from a mostly burned-away skeleton than Rome's forensic expert. He makes racial judgements based on the shape of people's brow ridges- I'm talking scandanavian vs. russian here- and doesn't seem to think about that fact that the world is not a "racially pure" place. People from all over the world mix all the time, and I simply find it unbelievable that there is a typical russian skull shape. He apparently is the only person in the book who can hear that American speech patterns are different than European ones (really? I can hear them- why can't the American police stationed in Europe?). I think that the author forgot to give Gideon an eidetic memory, but should remedy that in the future. The case is solved by Gideon noticing after the fact that the guilty party used voluntary muscles instead of involuntary muscles to make a facial expression. Seriously. Unless you've got eidetic memory, there is no way that you will be able to recall a specific expression on a face in that detail. You'll remember the expression, but not why you interpreted it that way. Booooooooo.
Gideon also likes to use scientific terminology whenever possible. He describes hitting someone in the mandible instead of the jaw. I know lots of scientific terminology too, but I do not use it in common conversation for fear of being thought a pompous jackass- Gideon has clearly overcome this fear. He compliments his girlfriend's beautiful "oculi" and "gluteus maximus" (actually how he compliments her ass is even worse than I've described). Really??? Maybe if you're a 6 foot plus incredibly buff guy you can get away with this stuff, but most people will never want to talk to you again if you try to pull that off. He also orders military police around with impunity, being the most authoritative person in the vicinity.
Gideon also gets physically involved with a woman of whom he's not sure he "approves"- wow. Stuffy much? She is writing her dissertation on women book collectors in 19th century America. When Gideon hears this, he thinks (I kid you not): "oh, no, not a feminist." What-whaaaattt????!!
Apparently, they bore him, with all their talk of equality and complaining about not being taken seriously. If only Gideon could see the irony of his oh-so-priveleged position. But he can't, being a white educated male in the early 1980's who has never thought about life from another perspective (I snark). I guess the whole ERA thing just bounced right off him. It's actually kind of weird- most social scientists tend toward the liberal, and Gideon definitely doesn't care much about women's issues, although he does care very much about ancient man, language patterns and mammoth hunting.
Best part of the book? When Gideon sees a dead person on the floor and fears that it is his friend. When he finds out it is not, his relief- and the writing thereof- is well done and emotionally evocative.
However, the occasional glimmer was not enough to make me want to read any more of these. Elkins has even managed to make anthropology annoying to me, which is difficult to achieve.
December 14, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up because I know the series gets better. This is more cold war spy thriller than a mystery. I read book 4 sometime ago and it is excellent.
October 8, 2020
Having read and liked several of the Gideon Oliver books, I went back to the beginning of the series. This book had frenetic action that didn't always seem logical and Gideon was somewhat immature compared to later books. I'm glad he settled into more mature confidence in later books!
I did get to see how he and John Lau got their start working together to solve crimes.
Travel was involved in this one as well, so I guess that will be a constant theme throughout. Anthropology abounds as does Gideon's ability to read faces and bodies, sometimes saving his life. Espionage figures into this plot that is sometimes comical and usually outlandish. Had I read this book first I may not have pursued the full series as it does get a lot better.
Loan from Friend (thank you!)
I did get to see how he and John Lau got their start working together to solve crimes.
Travel was involved in this one as well, so I guess that will be a constant theme throughout. Anthropology abounds as does Gideon's ability to read faces and bodies, sometimes saving his life. Espionage figures into this plot that is sometimes comical and usually outlandish. Had I read this book first I may not have pursued the full series as it does get a lot better.
Loan from Friend (thank you!)
June 24, 2022
Very slow and rather boring
February 27, 2015
I read some books in this series years ago, but missed the earliest ones. I decided to go back and try to pick up the series in order, thanks to a review written by a Goodreads friend (thanks, Matt).
This started a little slow for me, but I soon found myself pulling this one out of my "in-process" stack most of the time--I wanted to see what was happening next in the story, which takes place in Germany and involves some espionage, and the KGB--it was written while the Cold War was still very much a factor. Gideon is working on various military bases, teaching courses in his field as a bone specialist, and inadvertently becomes involved in a spy ring. I liked the central characters, especially Gideon Oliver. I plan to go on to the next in the series.
This started a little slow for me, but I soon found myself pulling this one out of my "in-process" stack most of the time--I wanted to see what was happening next in the story, which takes place in Germany and involves some espionage, and the KGB--it was written while the Cold War was still very much a factor. Gideon is working on various military bases, teaching courses in his field as a bone specialist, and inadvertently becomes involved in a spy ring. I liked the central characters, especially Gideon Oliver. I plan to go on to the next in the series.
April 12, 2019
Book 1 of this Forensic Anthropologist series and I highly enjoyed it. Decent plot with action all over and we get enough background our hero Gideon Oliver to get an understanding of the man. A lot of technical terms, and at times an overuse of them, but all help to explain how Gideon gets his deductions on people. Interesting end of story and I hope to see a lot more of this series in my future reading!
May 7, 2019
If I hadn't already read "Old Bones" and rated it better than this, I wouldn't have made it through. First in the series, it does get better, I think, but will be checking it out soon. The sexism is a bit much at times, but...
July 5, 2021
DNF'ed this at 52%. I’m just not interested enough to finish it.
This one read more like a Da Vinci Code sort of espionage thriller, rather than a mystery. And while it wasn't a bad book, it's just not the sort of thing I enjoy reading. The book kicks off with Gideon "The Skeleton Detective" Oliver heading to Heidelberg, Germany to teach seminars at US/NATO bases in Europe. The first chapter was a nice "introduction" so to speak where Gideon meets his co-workers and learns that 2 previous people who held his Fellowship died or mysteriously disappeared. After that, the rest of the book (that I read) turned into a random spy thriller and Gideon gets attacked every couple of pages. There's no information or asides to tell you why this is happening and in the end, I didn't really care.
I did like "meeting" John Lau, as he was in the later book I read, Old Bones, and I like the guy, childish giggles notwithstanding and I enjoy the dynamic between Gideon and John Lau. "You don't have to call me Doc, my name is Gideon" "Ok, Gid!" "Ugh, why not just stick with Doc". Made me laugh, it seemed like such an organic exchange between 2 acquaintances.
I've read later books in the series and enjoyed them, and I've already started the second book in the series that's more of a mystery, so I'm just going to ignore that this book ever happened. So, if you like Da Vinci Code type thrillers, spy thrillers or action movies, you might get more out of this than I did.
This one read more like a Da Vinci Code sort of espionage thriller, rather than a mystery. And while it wasn't a bad book, it's just not the sort of thing I enjoy reading. The book kicks off with Gideon "The Skeleton Detective" Oliver heading to Heidelberg, Germany to teach seminars at US/NATO bases in Europe. The first chapter was a nice "introduction" so to speak where Gideon meets his co-workers and learns that 2 previous people who held his Fellowship died or mysteriously disappeared. After that, the rest of the book (that I read) turned into a random spy thriller and Gideon gets attacked every couple of pages. There's no information or asides to tell you why this is happening and in the end, I didn't really care.
I did like "meeting" John Lau, as he was in the later book I read, Old Bones, and I like the guy, childish giggles notwithstanding and I enjoy the dynamic between Gideon and John Lau. "You don't have to call me Doc, my name is Gideon" "Ok, Gid!" "Ugh, why not just stick with Doc". Made me laugh, it seemed like such an organic exchange between 2 acquaintances.
I've read later books in the series and enjoyed them, and I've already started the second book in the series that's more of a mystery, so I'm just going to ignore that this book ever happened. So, if you like Da Vinci Code type thrillers, spy thrillers or action movies, you might get more out of this than I did.
April 14, 2021
WOW, who can't like a book that explains the width of a woman's hips?
“The thing is, women try to look slim-hipped like men, and they can’t. Not if they have any female hormones. The very thing that makes a woman so lovely is exactly what you have: a big, beautiful trochanteric subcutaneous adipose tissue deposit.”
And so, ladies... there is appreciation in the world for our big round bottoms!!!
The book is a bit dated, being at least 30 years old, but a treasure of a read if you were alive then. Sort of like putting on a sweater that fits ever so nicely and reminds you of all the great things in your past. Gideon Oliver is a modern-day Sherlock Holmes who knows bones and linguistics. The observations are really interesting and I loved the book.... despite being a bit dated (as I mentioned) with regard to women....
It brings back the Cold War... and the Empire of EVIL (RUSSIA)... what great fun as Dr. Oliver helps determine who is selling our national secrets to the Russians. I adored his ability to use his anthropologic deduction to identify traits of the dead. I was completely engaged (I mean after all.. it is the dead).... and will have to find more of this series....
4 stars
Happy Reading!
“The thing is, women try to look slim-hipped like men, and they can’t. Not if they have any female hormones. The very thing that makes a woman so lovely is exactly what you have: a big, beautiful trochanteric subcutaneous adipose tissue deposit.”
And so, ladies... there is appreciation in the world for our big round bottoms!!!
The book is a bit dated, being at least 30 years old, but a treasure of a read if you were alive then. Sort of like putting on a sweater that fits ever so nicely and reminds you of all the great things in your past. Gideon Oliver is a modern-day Sherlock Holmes who knows bones and linguistics. The observations are really interesting and I loved the book.... despite being a bit dated (as I mentioned) with regard to women....
It brings back the Cold War... and the Empire of EVIL (RUSSIA)... what great fun as Dr. Oliver helps determine who is selling our national secrets to the Russians. I adored his ability to use his anthropologic deduction to identify traits of the dead. I was completely engaged (I mean after all.. it is the dead).... and will have to find more of this series....
4 stars
Happy Reading!
January 6, 2011
I am fond of Gideon Oliver, "The Skeleton Detective". However, I have read the series books out of order, based on which one I discovered at a used book sale.
This one is the first in the series and is not my favorite. I guess the first one has to introduce you to the character, but I found the plot convoluted and not really using Oliver's talents to solve the mystery...more to prove to you that he is talented.
The later novels in which he studies old bones and comes up with a wealth of information about them and therefore helps solve a mystery are a lot of fun. Even better if you have an interest in anthropology.
This one is the first in the series and is not my favorite. I guess the first one has to introduce you to the character, but I found the plot convoluted and not really using Oliver's talents to solve the mystery...more to prove to you that he is talented.
The later novels in which he studies old bones and comes up with a wealth of information about them and therefore helps solve a mystery are a lot of fun. Even better if you have an interest in anthropology.
June 11, 2021
Fellowship of fear by Aaron Elkins is the first book featuring anthropology professor Gideon Oliver. Professor Gideon Oliver is starting a teaching fellowship at US Military bases in Europe when he is attacked in his hotel room on his first night and discovers that two previous professors had died in suspicious circumstances. I loved this book and I loved getting to know Gideon. I enjoyed learning about his various skills and intellect and how this assisted him in identifying and reading people. I'm looking forward to reading more of the series.
August 26, 2019
Great local color! I especially enjoyed the parts about Heidelberg and a river cruise, which brought back memories of when my husband was stationed in Germany.
January 1, 2014
Goodreads ate my long and exhaustive review, so let's at least give bullets point to explain my rating.
- The writing style reads as if someone translated this story from another language into English and did a bad job with it. Really, some passages read awkward, that shouldn't be.
- The characters behave strangely. A cop with a childlike laugh who grins and laughs his way through most of his time in this book... Just no.
- A confuse storyline with NATO thinking the main characters spies for the Russians while the Russians thinks he is a NATO spy why he in fact is (unknowingly) a bit of both is not very believable.
- Neither is a main character who can defend his life, when some trained men would have died for sure, because he has good instincts and read how to defend yourself.
- Then were was your editor? The wine is called Riesling, not Reisling. What the hell is a Gemandeltes Truthahnschnitzel? I am German and never heard of that dish before. Or how about: 'In return she bestowed a highly perfunctory lip contraction that made him sorry he hadn't left well enough alone.' Something missing here?
- Last but not least. Why are all of your Germans either fa, have a sour attitude or are drunken idiots?
'There they were greeted by the cranky proprietress, Frau Gross, who seemed entirely displeased to see them...'
'At this Frau Gross's formidable jowls quivered, seemingly more in indignation than in fear; her hand moved to her breast so that she stood like Brunhilde herself; and she gave forth a shriek that stunned the senses.'
'A big-boned, middled-aged woman sat erectly at a typewriter...'
'She spoke without looking up from her typing, with a strong German accent and a distinctly chilly manner. Gideon couldn't help wondering, with uncharacteristic lack of charity, if she had come with the (Nazi) building.'
'They turned to leave and were almost bowled over by a husky, perspiring, serving wench who might have stepped out of a Frans Hals painting: rosy cheeks, cherubic smile, peekaboo seventeenth century bodice and all.'
'The age-blackened ceiling of the big tavern rang with lusty male voices raised in martial-sounding songs, and with the clank of beer steins beating time on old oak tables.'
'They had to snake along single-file to get through the crowd of beefy, blond men, many of whom tramped along singing, with arms about each others' shoulders.'
I don't think I'll stop rolling my eyes anytime soon. Anyway, I really hope the next books will be better.
- The writing style reads as if someone translated this story from another language into English and did a bad job with it. Really, some passages read awkward, that shouldn't be.
- The characters behave strangely. A cop with a childlike laugh who grins and laughs his way through most of his time in this book... Just no.
- A confuse storyline with NATO thinking the main characters spies for the Russians while the Russians thinks he is a NATO spy why he in fact is (unknowingly) a bit of both is not very believable.
- Neither is a main character who can defend his life, when some trained men would have died for sure, because he has good instincts and read how to defend yourself.
- Then were was your editor? The wine is called Riesling, not Reisling. What the hell is a Gemandeltes Truthahnschnitzel? I am German and never heard of that dish before. Or how about: 'In return she bestowed a highly perfunctory lip contraction that made him sorry he hadn't left well enough alone.' Something missing here?
- Last but not least. Why are all of your Germans either fa, have a sour attitude or are drunken idiots?
'There they were greeted by the cranky proprietress, Frau Gross, who seemed entirely displeased to see them...'
'At this Frau Gross's formidable jowls quivered, seemingly more in indignation than in fear; her hand moved to her breast so that she stood like Brunhilde herself; and she gave forth a shriek that stunned the senses.'
'A big-boned, middled-aged woman sat erectly at a typewriter...'
'She spoke without looking up from her typing, with a strong German accent and a distinctly chilly manner. Gideon couldn't help wondering, with uncharacteristic lack of charity, if she had come with the (Nazi) building.'
'They turned to leave and were almost bowled over by a husky, perspiring, serving wench who might have stepped out of a Frans Hals painting: rosy cheeks, cherubic smile, peekaboo seventeenth century bodice and all.'
'The age-blackened ceiling of the big tavern rang with lusty male voices raised in martial-sounding songs, and with the clank of beer steins beating time on old oak tables.'
'They had to snake along single-file to get through the crowd of beefy, blond men, many of whom tramped along singing, with arms about each others' shoulders.'
I don't think I'll stop rolling my eyes anytime soon. Anyway, I really hope the next books will be better.
April 3, 2019
"How can a professor of physical anthropology draw upon his special knowledge to find the solution of a mystery that is putting his own life in jeopardy? Professor Gideon Oliver certainly doesn't ask himself that question when he arrives in Heidelberg for a stint as visiting lecturer at the United States Overseas College. Pleasurable excitement is his main emotion; he is visiting abroad for the first time and he hopes the appointment will help him overcome the depression caused by the death of his beloved young wife the year before.
"When on his first evening in the German university city, Gideon is set upon as he returns to his hotel room, he is able to use his knowledge of national speech patterns to add to the police's description of his assailants. And when, in Itlay, he is brutally ambushed and barely escapes being killed, he determines to take an active part in discovering why he is inexplicably being followed, spied upon, robbed and attacked.
"Gideon and U.S. security office John Lau, assigned to his 'case,' take to one another immediately. When Gideon is able, from a handful of charred bones and a few teeth, to describe and identify the person whose sparse remains are found in a car connected with the attack on him, Lau realizes his value as a fellow investigator. Together, he and Gideon painstakingly search for the source of the danger that follows Gideon to Italy and Spain and waits for him when he returns to Heidelberg. And often Gideon's academic expertise pays off in a practical way.
"Not everything that Gideon finds awaiting him in Heidelberg, however, is unpleasant. Thee also is attractive, and very receptive, Janet Feller, a senior staff ember at the college and the first woman to interest Gideon seriously since his wife's death. In a final breathstopping climax, Janet's life is endangered, and Gideon performs the final feat of anthropological detection to uncover the person at the center of it all."
I've read several of these books before, but have now acquired all of the series and decided to reread the first books before plunging into the newer ones. And am I glad I did! I knew I liked the series (after all, it is forensic anthropology) but had forgotten how much I like them. What a joy they all are, and this first one hit the ground running. I finished it in a day and am now plunged into the second book and anticipate a smashing good read through them all.
"When on his first evening in the German university city, Gideon is set upon as he returns to his hotel room, he is able to use his knowledge of national speech patterns to add to the police's description of his assailants. And when, in Itlay, he is brutally ambushed and barely escapes being killed, he determines to take an active part in discovering why he is inexplicably being followed, spied upon, robbed and attacked.
"Gideon and U.S. security office John Lau, assigned to his 'case,' take to one another immediately. When Gideon is able, from a handful of charred bones and a few teeth, to describe and identify the person whose sparse remains are found in a car connected with the attack on him, Lau realizes his value as a fellow investigator. Together, he and Gideon painstakingly search for the source of the danger that follows Gideon to Italy and Spain and waits for him when he returns to Heidelberg. And often Gideon's academic expertise pays off in a practical way.
"Not everything that Gideon finds awaiting him in Heidelberg, however, is unpleasant. Thee also is attractive, and very receptive, Janet Feller, a senior staff ember at the college and the first woman to interest Gideon seriously since his wife's death. In a final breathstopping climax, Janet's life is endangered, and Gideon performs the final feat of anthropological detection to uncover the person at the center of it all."
I've read several of these books before, but have now acquired all of the series and decided to reread the first books before plunging into the newer ones. And am I glad I did! I knew I liked the series (after all, it is forensic anthropology) but had forgotten how much I like them. What a joy they all are, and this first one hit the ground running. I finished it in a day and am now plunged into the second book and anticipate a smashing good read through them all.
January 10, 2013
First published in 1982, this book is set firmly in the Cold War period, before Glasnost, before the Berlin Wall came down, when the KGB was the Big Bad out there in the Western world. I was alive at the time, and remember it pretty well, so the story felt nostalgic to me rather than dated, as I've seen other reviews complain of.
The protagonist is an anthropologist (as is the author), who in this first book in the series takes a temporary post in Heidelberg, and gets caught up in espionage and murder. The story itself was interesting, but I was a bit disappointed in the way the anthropology and linguistics aspect of things was incorporated into the story - it's interesting but a bit clunky, bordering on magic tricks in some places (as when Oliver works out the height, weight, ethnicity, and smoking habit of a deceased person from three charred bones), infodumpy in others (as when Oliver explains why he thinks Random Man Who May Be Following Him is Russian, or at least Balkan, or his certitude about another character's American origins, even though the guy only speaks German in the story), and isn't particularly instrumental in solving the mystery.
There is promise of more interesting and relevant anthropology stuff to come, though, so I'll give this series another chance.
The protagonist is an anthropologist (as is the author), who in this first book in the series takes a temporary post in Heidelberg, and gets caught up in espionage and murder. The story itself was interesting, but I was a bit disappointed in the way the anthropology and linguistics aspect of things was incorporated into the story - it's interesting but a bit clunky, bordering on magic tricks in some places (as when Oliver works out the height, weight, ethnicity, and smoking habit of a deceased person from three charred bones), infodumpy in others (as when Oliver explains why he thinks Random Man Who May Be Following Him is Russian, or at least Balkan, or his certitude about another character's American origins, even though the guy only speaks German in the story), and isn't particularly instrumental in solving the mystery.
There is promise of more interesting and relevant anthropology stuff to come, though, so I'll give this series another chance.
September 17, 2024
There is something this book lacks. Continuity. There's is a lot of action and chases, meanwhile all my mind id asking is "why?". That question never ended up being answered until the end. I might be stupid, but I definitely did not understand much in this book. I'll be honest, I chose this book because I thought it was some humourous afterlife fantasy and it ended up being something that confused the hell out of me.
February 4, 2019
Meh. Cold War skullduggery and academia. The hero, who can read people quite accurately through his anthropological expertise, cluelessly fumfers around Europe with KGB murderers a step behind him. Why? Who knows. Who caress? For spook lovers only.
July 31, 2019
To quote Dorothy Parker, “This is not a novel to be thrown aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force.”
The book was written in 1982 and a character refers to a Chinese-Hawaiian person as Fu-Manchu and Charlie Chan. I know things were less politically correct back then but jeez!
The book was written in 1982 and a character refers to a Chinese-Hawaiian person as Fu-Manchu and Charlie Chan. I know things were less politically correct back then but jeez!
May 1, 2020
Just discovered AAron Elkins and his Gideon Oliver character. This series features the shy and widowed forensic anthropologist, Gideon Oliver. In this installment, Gideon is offered a teaching fellowship at US military bases in Europe. Of course, he accepts the assignments.
What he thinks will turn out to be a calming, repeat of the classes/courses he is responsible for conducting in the US, turns out to be anything but.
Even before he steps into a classroom his world is turned upside down. He is confronted by two black-clad men who have invaded his hotel room and are hell bent on getting what they want or killing Gideon otherwise.
Of course, Gideon outfits these two, but what makes for a good novel, is that they will return.
What exactly do these two thugs want, we will not find out until much later in the novel, but the excitement of the novel is just that, finding out exactly what it is.
I do intend to read the next book in the series “The Dark Place”.
What he thinks will turn out to be a calming, repeat of the classes/courses he is responsible for conducting in the US, turns out to be anything but.
Even before he steps into a classroom his world is turned upside down. He is confronted by two black-clad men who have invaded his hotel room and are hell bent on getting what they want or killing Gideon otherwise.
Of course, Gideon outfits these two, but what makes for a good novel, is that they will return.
What exactly do these two thugs want, we will not find out until much later in the novel, but the excitement of the novel is just that, finding out exactly what it is.
I do intend to read the next book in the series “The Dark Place”.
July 3, 2021
This was a fairly interesting start to a series that I do want to explore further, about an anthropologist turned detective. There were some things about this book that I didn’t like — Gideon himself was rather annoying at times and very sexist & “macho” when it wasn’t necessary — but I did enjoy the twistyturny nature of the mystery and also how nerdy Gideon was at times. I grew up as the child of a professor and spent a lot of time around other professors and I can confirm that professors can (& do) refer back to their specialty area a LOT in casual conversations. So that aspect of Gideon’s personality made sense to me, including his compliments to his girlfriend(?) about her subcutaneous adipose deposits. Nerds, all of them…!
May 28, 2017
First in the Gideon Oliver Series. This was a new author for me and an enjoyable one. Gideon Oliver is a anthropology professor, who is recently widowed. In this book, Gideon travels to Europe as a visiting professor. After arriving, things are not what they seem and Gideon unknowingly becomes involved in web of spying. He meets a friend, John Lau who is skeptical of Gideon's tale of issues. There is a lot of action in this story as Gideon becomes more entangled in the web. Good ending also.
January 13, 2025
This is a nice, down to earth espionage mystery.
It's slow paced but is great at depicting human relationships.
It's also nice to dive into the year 1981, a slower time where things were done differently from now.
And (for me being a German) it was fun to see Germany, especially Heidelberg from an US citizen's point of view. :)
The story, though, was predictable and flat.
It's slow paced but is great at depicting human relationships.
It's also nice to dive into the year 1981, a slower time where things were done differently from now.
And (for me being a German) it was fun to see Germany, especially Heidelberg from an US citizen's point of view. :)
The story, though, was predictable and flat.
November 7, 2020
Great start to the series! I liked Gideon and have rest of the supporting characters. The European setting was interesting and exciting. The storyline itself was somewhat dated, not that there isn’t still international spying going on in the world. Looking forward to reading more in this series.
April 9, 2021
I'm glad I didn't start this series with this first book because I know the series will get better. The cold war spy angle coupled with some cringe-worthy complaints about feminists didn't make for a very good start.
June 27, 2019
A complete bore...
November 18, 2019
Re-reading the series and wasn't able to get the first one until several books into the re-read.
Really fun! Almost as much spy story as the mystery that the series settled into being. But still very enjoyable!
Really fun! Almost as much spy story as the mystery that the series settled into being. But still very enjoyable!
June 24, 2024
At least I decluttered my to-read shelf and I don't have to add any more from the series.
July 19, 2025
nothing special, but you can’t go wrong with an anthromurder mystery
Displaying 1 - 30 of 346 reviews