Synopses & Reviews
Edgar® Awardwinning author Aaron Elkinss creationforensics professor Gideon Oliverhas been hailed by the Chicago Tribune
as a likable, down-to-earth, cerebral sleuth.” Now the celebrated Skeleton Detective is visiting friends at a vineyard in Tuscany when murder leaves a bitter aftertaste
When Gideon Oliver and his wife, Julie, are in Tuscany visiting the Cubbiddu family, the renowned Skeleton Detective is asked to reexamine the remains of a mysterious family tragedy. Pietro Cubbiddu, former patriarch of the Villa Antica wine empire, is thought to have killed his wife and then himself in the remote mountains of the Apennines. It does not take long for Gideon to deduce that, whatever happened, a murder-suicide it was not.
Soon Gideon finds himself in a morass of family antipathies, conflicts, and mistrust, to say nothing of the local authoritys resentment. And when yet another Cubbiddu relation meets an unlikely end, it becomes bone-chillingly clear that the killer is far from finished
Review
“A mind-bending, heart-pounding read…I’m in awe.” —Ridley Pearson,
New York Times Bestselling Author
“An evocative portrayal of the inner workings of a mind tormented by terror.”— Jonathan Kellerman, New York Times Bestselling Author
“One whopper of a surprise ending…this may well be [Elkins’] best book.” —Booklist
Review
“No one does it better than Aaron Elkins.”—
The San Diego Union-Tribune
“The whole world is Gideon Olivers playing field in Elkinss stylish mysteries.”—The New York Times Book Review
“Evocations of Tuscany and a lively cast of supporting characters, notably feisty police lieutenant Rocco Gardella, balance the cerebral investigation with charm.”—Publishers Weekly
“Delivers another delicious blend of forensic science and a to-die-for setting…The family turns out to be as tricky as the Borgias, and the motives for murder elbow each other for precedence. Much about wine, Florence, forensics, and evil. Great bouquet.”—Booklist (starred review)
“Aaron Elkinss charming Gideon Oliver series—the celebrated ‘Skeleton Detective—moves to Italy in this solid entry…[Elkins] infuses the story with details about winemaking, describing it so well we can almost taste the barrel-aged vino. For mystery lovers, Dying on the Vine is indeed a tasty treat.”—Mystery Scene
“Its nice to see Gideon back in southern climes enjoying the good life.”—Kirkus Reviews
Synopsis
Edgar(r) Award winning author Aaron Elkins s creation forensics professor Gideon Oliver has been hailed by the Chicago Tribune as a likable, down-to-earth, cerebral sleuth. Now the celebrated Skeleton Detective is visiting friends at a vineyard in Tuscany when murder leaves a bitter aftertaste
When Gideon Oliver and his wife, Julie, are in Tuscany visiting the Cubbiddu family, the renowned Skeleton Detective is asked to reexamine the remains of a mysterious family tragedy. Pietro Cubbiddu, former patriarch of the Villa Antica wine empire, is thought to have killed his wife and then himself in the remote mountains of the Apennines. It does not take long for Gideon to deduce that, whatever happened, a murder-suicide it was not.
Soon Gideon finds himself in a morass of family antipathies, conflicts, and mistrust, to say nothing of the local authority s resentment. And when yet another Cubbiddu relation meets an unlikely end, it becomes bone-chillingly clear that the killer is far from finished "
Synopsis
For Bryan Bennett, designing hostage negotiation programs is the perfect job—as long as he doesn’t deal directly with kidnappers or their victims. Intense nightmares of his own abduction and imprisonment as a small boy still plague him thirty-some years later, and claustrophobia prevents him from attempting to travel.
So when Bryan’s boss asks him to fly to Reykjavik to teach his corporate-level kidnapping and extortion seminar, he initially refuses. But a CEO has specifically requested Bryan—or no one else. Finally Bryan relents…
For decades he’s treaded gingerly around his deepest terrors. Now, on this trip, Bryan’s taken hostage again and must face his fears full-on. Will he realize that in this battle of will and nerve, he is his own greatest enemy? Or has this fight already been lost years ago?
About the Author
Aaron Elkins is the author of the Edgar® Awardwinning Gideon Oliver Mysteries as well as his most recent novel, The Worst Thing. He lives with his wife, Charlotte, on Washingtons Olympic Peninsula.