Curses

I just finished reading Curses! for the third time and I enjoyed it just as much as the first two. Oh, sure, I know whodunnit now, so the enjoyment is purely in Aaron Elkins' light, charming writing and the likability of his characters. Gideon Oliver, the "bone detective" who always seems to come across ancient bodies to explore, his wife, Julie, who always figures things out before anyone else and Abe, the alter cocker who taught Gabriel everything he knows. Gideon's on a dig in Mexico, unearthing an ancient Mayan temple that just happens to be cursed. Someone else on the dig seems bent on convincing everyone that the curse is coming true. When bodies start piling up, Gideon and Julie go into action.I love the Gideon Oliver series. They are everything a mystery should be - inventive, fun, informative - and this one in particular is my favorite. I've been spoiled by Aaron Elkins' comfortable, fun style and I hope you will be, too.

After his last trip aboard, Gideon is back in his office being a professor. He is depressed over his latest birthday and wondering if his life has come to writing papers and teaching students. He wants to go back into the field and make discoveries on archaeological digs. Julie is trying to make him happier with andecadent lunch when he gets a call From Abe. Back in 1982 they were both on a dig that was shut down due to dangerous conditions and a theft. He leaps at the chance to be back digging in dirt and discovering the lost secrets of the Maya Tribe. As the title suggest their is a curse on the place whether it is real orsomeone is manipulating accidents to fit the clues only the reader can deduce that. Gideon is a character thatis easy to like and Elkins surrounds him with great settings and cast of characters that make the plot move forward without effort. Since these books take place in the 1980's it is interesting to see how they determine cause of death and identify bones without the modern technology of DNA and computers. I can'twait to read more of this series as Elkins has Gideon keeping up with current trends in his field. Unlike Sue Grafton ( Kinsey Milhone series) who doesn't equip her with modern convinces like a cell phone, I can't wait until Gideon meets a computer.

I am beginning to think that the field of archaeology is a dangerous one. Gideon is called to the Yucatan by his mentor Abe to look at a skeleton found in the Priest's House at the dig there. Gideon and his wife Julie excitedly take the trip to the excavation, only to find more than just a skeleton there. Gideon has to dredge up memories of the previous dig at the site when a Mayan codex was stolen by the leader of the dig. A curse left by the Mayans in the Priest's House warns that horrible things will happen to any person who disturbs the site. Little by little the curses begin to happen to the group. Are the Gods of the Maya exacting their revenge, or is someone trying to cover something up?Aaron Elkins is very good at spiriting the reader away to foreign lands and leading them on exciting quests and mysteries. You are sure to enjoy this one.

A. Elkins is one of my all time favorite author's. He won the Edgar award a few years ago for a number of reasons. Any fan of Oliver's is sure to like this book. Once more our hero has to get out of a pickled mess and explore the jungle. Gideon is fast becoming a world traveller! The book is a lot of fun to read at the beach and is part of a good mystery collection!