Murder in the Queen's Armes

Gideon Oliver #3

by Aaron Elkins

Edgar® winner Aaron Elkins follows "skeleton detective" Gideon Oliver on his honeymoon, one that will prove none too sweet.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Audiobook, Contemporary

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

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

[Blaine DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third entry in this series sees Anthropologist Gideon Oliver over in England on his honeymoon with his wife of must a few days, Julie. Here Gideon quickly discovers a robbery at a museum and then is roped into going to his friends dig site also in England. As with all of these books, we discover a lot about bones - as Gideon is now a well known bone detective - and he uses his knowledge to try and wade through all the issues, including murder that crop up of this trip. Supporting characters are not necessarily that well fleshed out, but we get just enough to figure out everyones place in the book and mystery. Each of the books so far have been enjoyable and light reading and I enjoy the fact that the "detective" in the book is actually a scientist. For fans of this series this is a solid work that takes Gideon over to Jolly Olde England, and no matter what he does, he cannot escape from being involved in the mystery.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just my second book from this great series and I found this absorbing, entertaining and a very good read. Published originally in 1984.
Gideon is on his honeymoon in England with his bride Julie, the former park ranger. They intend to take some great walks as well as check in with old acquaintances working a dig. We meet a number of archaeologists and anthropologists with shady dealings in mind and murder never far away.
Funnily enough, the story begins with Gideon stopping in Dorchester to visit a museum that held a bone from the ancient past that had been found after a WWII bombing. When he is allowed to touch it he informed the very shocked curator that it was not the bone of a man. This prop will play important role in the action that follows when Gideon and his wife visit a dig site in Charmouth.
The cast of characters is interesting and the area is beautifully brought to life. Scotland Yard will play a part in this story of deceit, jealousies and murder.

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[Mystereity Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not really sure how to rate this one. On one hand it was compelling, exciting, picturesque, and not your ordinary mystery. On the other hand it was a bit convoluted, long winded and…well, a bit weird.

Gideon and new wife Julie are in England on their honeymoon (why they went to England in the winter, I can’t guess. Well, apparently to tour Thomas Hardy's old stomping ground but…?) Anyway, While they’re in Dorchester, Gideon goes to a museum to see a anthropologically exciting skull fragment, only to find it's been stolen. Next, Gideon and Julie head to Dorset to check into their hotel. Gideon plans to check in on an old friend's archaeological dig and finds the dig in a shambles and old friend Nate on the verge of being discredited by the archaeological groups in charge of the site. Much shenanigans ensue, Gideon is drawn in and in the end two people are dead and Gideon sleuths out the killer.

At the heart of the book, I really enjoyed the mystery and the picturesque scenery. I was able to figure out a lot of it as it happened (sorry, Gid!) but not the who, and it seems to me the story could’ve been wrapped up a lot faster without a lot of the extraneous information woven in, like the newspaper editor (none of that was relevant to the story really, and if it was a red herring, not a very good one.) but overall it was an interesting read. I liked it, but I didn't love it, so 3 1/2 stars.

[June Ahern · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like Aaron J. Elkins’ mysery series about physical anthropologist Gideon Oliver, mysteries, you won't be disappointed with the "Murder in the Queen’s Armes" because it’s one of the better stories of this series. Mr. Elkins books are quite easy reads, plus I have to say I truly enjoy learning about anthropology and history plus a good mystery novel. One of the problems I have with his stories is keeping a straight with the, often too many, characters involved in the whodunit. Nevertheless, I found several characters in this book, colorful and lively. This particular one is a real page turner. My only negative reaction in it was, As another reviewer said, the picture Elk Elkins painted of the sleuth's bride, Julie. Other than that, happy reading!The Skye in June

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

More meh. This will be the last one I read in this series.

[Cristine Eastin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read "Murder in the Queen's Armes" on a recommendation to see how to handle writing the setting as an actual place. What I learned was, if you're going to write in an exact locale, make it EXACT, or else, fictionalize it. Someone will notice the inaccuracies and be distracted by same.

In this book, because I've spent some time in Charmouth, England, I know you cannot walk up the Stonebarrow Hill and have Lyme Regis at your back to the East, it's West. I also know the correct name of the watering hole at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to be the Rathskeller. (Someone else had underlined that error in the library book before me.)

This isn't a bad book—a fluffy little mystery—worth reading.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even on his honeymoon murder and mayhem follows!

[Natalie aka Tannat · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This series definitely picks up once Gideon gets married.

[Douglas Chaffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved the twist at the end. You are lead to think Gideon has found the killer then there is a shocking discovery.

[John Leland · Rating 3 out of 5]

In some ways, this is the kind of mystery I normally like very much. The detective is an agreeable academic, to be precise a professor of physical anthropology, who is normally "the smartest man in the room" (as a devoted Holmes fan, I am not fond of bumbling detectives or those who struggle through repeated false theories like Asimov's Elijah Bailey) . In this novel he is enjoying a delightful honeymoon (I am not fond of detectives with tortured private lives) in rural (or at least small-town) Britain (which I love from my experience), though he himself is from the US northwest. On the other hand, on page 13 it had a flagrant historical error, describing Judge Jeffreys and "the Bloody Assize of 1685 when seventy-four of Cromwell's royalist opponents had been executed " Considering that Cromwell died in 1658 and King Charles II's Restoration was in 1660, followed by his brother James II's reign starting in 1685, this is an extremely obvious error. In fact , the victims in the Bloody Assize were supporters of the duke of Monmouth's Protestant rebellion against the Catholic James II --ideologically, Monmouth's revels were much closer to Cromwell than the royalist Jeffreys who condemned them. perhaps because I was sensitized by this error, I began to question more significant aspects of the story -- why would Oliver, who is an expert on prehistoric bones, notice obvious defensive injuries on a modern corpse sooner than a pathologist much more experienced with modern victims of violence, injuries that Oliver notes despite the shattered bones being covered with rotting flesh (to which the pathologist is accustomed and Oliver is not) ? (The explanation given, that pathologists neglect the long bones, seems unlikely). Why would an archaeologist noted for his meticulous excavation technique overlook obvious signs that a bone has been "planted" in his dig, signs that Oliver spots immediately? (The explanation, that the find confirms the archaeologist's pet theory, is possible, but goes counter to the plot-important stress on his insistence on meticulous technique elsewhere.) For that matter, why would that one bone still be in the ground weeks after it is discovered, when all the other finds are carefully removed and cataloged? No explanation is given, and this variation in practice is necessary for Oliver to spot the evidence of its being planted, though since he also recognizes it as a famous bone stolen from a museum, the evidence of planting is superfluous. . Why would a young man in about 1985 exhibit the psychological symptoms resulting from being forced to shift from left to right handedness, when this practice has been abandoned in western countries? I think this one is actually more debatable --by the time the book was republished in 2005, the practice of "correction" was outdated, but it might not have been in the 1960s when a young man of 1985 would have been growing up. Overall, I thought the book was enjoyable light reading, but carelessly contrived. I like a genuinely superior detective, not on whose "evidence" is pre-cooked for him to discover.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun series, even though it’s rather dated (published in the mid-80s). I like Gideon, the MC, and I love Abe, his mentor. They work well together and don’t dismiss any possibilities without giving them careful consideration first. The reader somehow knows that everything will tie together at the end – the fun part is watching them put the pieces together.

There is always something to learn from these books, and although Gideon sometimes forgets that his audience doesn’t usually understand what he’s talking about, one of the other characters (in this book, it was usually his new wife, Julie) always asks him to translate his point into plain English.

My mental list of suspects kept changing as new clues were introduced, but I never guessed the identity of the bad guy, although the motive made sense once that was revealed. I’m curious to see where Gideon ends up next in his role as America’s “skeleton detective.”

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though the second book is better, this one definitely ranks second in the best one in the series so far.

I won't go into too much detail, but Gideon is at his best with this, and his new wife Julie really has an amazing relationship. It's stronger than the previous book and this book really showcases how she helps him and not hinders him.

There are fun moments and suspense that keeps you at the edge of your seat. The mystery is good and it keeps you guessing, but not for long. It kind of is predictable, but it is interesting. Actually, it reminds me of a grown-up Hardy Boys mystery with anthropology words thrown in.

Once again, there are words that you have to look up in order to understand what Gideon is talking about at times. It's not bad but be warned. It's kind of like watching the show "Bones" and hearing Temperance Brennan talk. Otherwise, it's fun.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tricky Mystery

Lots of things happening in this puzzler. I like when a mystery has more than a few simple components (ie plot lines) hidden from the reader, and this one was a lot of fun, and tricky.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd say 3.5 stars if I could. I liked the mystery and setting - feuding archaeologists at an English dig site-- but was put off by the old-fashioned sexism and the physical commentary on the beautiful Julie (hero's wife) and stuff about manly hairy chests.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great mystery. Anthropology and forensics fun and right on. Decsription of the area were very well done- followed on Google map.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit grittier than my usual read, but the locked-room aspect felt familiar and the plot was appropriately labyrinthine. I will read more of this author.

[Debra Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent cozy mystery. Will definitely read more.

[William · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like several other readers, I would give this 3.5 stars if I could. I enjoyed reading it for the most part, though the final reveal was more complicated than I would have preferred. But the plot as a whole is pretty good. It has lots of twists and turns, but they are clear and easy to stay on top of.

This is an odd combination of a cozy mystery with intellectual elements. There are a lot of archeological and anatomical terms, and even a fair amount of Yiddish (not all of which is translated).
I was surprised to find that town where the events happen really exists. I have mixed feelings about the tourism elements.

The weakest aspect of the book is Gideon Oliver's relationship with his new bride, Julie. It seems pretty bland and sophomoric, and, Julie is more of a 1950's wife than one would expect in a book written in 1985. I actually found most of the characters a bit flat and stereotypical: a very Jewish elderly anthropologist who still does not speak conventional English, a characterless head cop in the village, etc.

A couple of small things bothered me, but I may be wrong. I don't think the English have mint jelly with lamb; they use a thin mint sauce. And if aged Brie exists, I have yet to encounter it.

Anyway, this book is sort of fun, but unfortunately not very memorable.

[Britta · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's so much I didn't like about this third book in the Gideon Oliver Series.
First of all, it had very little to do with Gideon's special knowledge. So we didn't learn as many astounding things as we did in the previous books.
Second : The case was even more simple and predictable than the previous ones. So much so, that it took the fun out of reading.
And third ( and most offputting to me): the way his new wife Julie was depicted.
Having been a competent park ranger in the previous book, she now has quit her job to be Gideon's wife. Gideon does all sorts of things alone on their honeymoon and all she does is smile happily and let him do whatever he wants. She also has no contribution at all to the book but to warm his bed and appear at his side, looking pretty.
This probably irks me so much because I liked the very balanced depiction of (romantic) relationships in the books before this.

If I had been in it for an intriguing mystery or good characters/relationships, then this book would absolutely get zero stars from me.
But because I like hanging out with archaeologists and scholars so much it wasn't a complete waste of time and the book still gets two stars.

[Vickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've wanted to read from this series for quite a while. I'm not sure what took me so long to meander in but I will definitely remedy for the rest of the series as I find them. I have some print books on Mt Git'r'Read and some in my Audible library and I feel fine with not reading them in order and mixing it up with print and listening. I don't always like doing that but I can here.
I liked this book, it's a bit intricate but not overwhelmingly so. I like seeing the inner workings of an archeological dig and seeing the scientists go back and forth on anthropology and archeology on which is better or adds more to the picture. They do go hand in hand but specialists will specialize.
I like the characters and the setting for all that it wasn't in their home stomping grounds. I liked when I was stationed in England and feel badly that I didn't see as much as I should have while I was there. I would have loved to have seen an archeological dig there.
There are plenty of suspects and the 'no one is who they seem' is perfectly done.
I can definitely recommend this book, series and author.

[Randolph King · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gideon and Julie are on their honeymoon in this book, the third book in the Gideon Oliver series. Gideon wants to visit a local museum where he notices that an old skull is not what it seems. Then he visits a dig site where a friend is managing a dig site, while the friend is excited with a secret he is waiting to reveal, that the Micenean cultural diffusion to England might be related to an actual landing instead. One of his students is anxious to share some important information with Gideon, after making an appointment with Gideon, he goes missing.

With a missing skull, a missing student and a friend who is possibly about to make a fool of himself and destroy his career, Gideon has to explore the dig site and talk to people about the mysteries. Trying to find time for his very understanding wife, he works with the police to find the truth and weave everything together.

[Janet Mahlum · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do wish we could give .5 stars. This would definitely be a 3.5, but I chose not to round it up. The anthropological and archeological facts were certainly interesting, and the supercilious Dan Brown explanations to supposed morons were handled in a much kinder manner than in the previous book. My main objection was all the romantic interludes with Gideon and Julie. Apparently, deceased-wife, Nora, is completely forgotten and ex-lover Janet discarded without a second thought. I really find lurid bedroom scenes unnecessary and a distraction from the story. I don't care what goes on behind closed doors.

[Hugh Heinsohn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Elkins never met an adverb or adjective he didn’t like. Good set up for a series but needed a much better editor. The characters are fleshed out as well as they are in an episode of Murder, She Wrote.

[Gary and Sandra Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great storytelling

Very good murder mystery. Interesting story with many complex suspects to keep your investigative hat on as you sort through the clues that are scattered throughout the story. Hard to put down.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A complicated murder or two really along with a vicious dog and the usual Gideon Oliver’s amazing deductions about skeletons and handedness. And lots of love between Gideon and his new bride Julie. It was a good escape for me today.

[Leslie Heighberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

very enjoyable read!

Love the characters, the author balances anthropology and mystery with ease. With each book- I still get the Ah-Ha moment. A wonderful series to enjoy!

[Oliver Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Agatha Christie’s meets Bones

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second time to read it. First time was Jan 24. Guess wasn’t impressed because it read like a new book to me.

[Cayden Kirkpatrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, standard murder mystery.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I quite liked the combination of anthropology, archeology, murder mystery and some interesting characters. Will go back and read Books 1 and 2 of the series.