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kriscricket's review
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
bookwyrm_lark's review against another edition
3.0
Review originally published at The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
I’ve been reading the Gideon Oliver mystery series for about fifteen years now, and I generally enjoy them. Most of the books are a quick, fun read, and offer a reasonably challenging mystery in a distinctive setting. I like the character of Gideon Oliver despite -- or perhaps because of -- his tendency to lecture at the drop of a hat. (It’s a trait I’m quite familiar with; our family is full of teachers and former teachers, including me.) And I’m always fascinated by the forensic science on which each solution rests. Oliver is a forensic anthropologist, which means he’s an expert on bones and what they can tell us about the human being they once belonged to – including cause of death.
Dying on the Vine is the newest and somewhat uninspired entry in this usually satisfying series. The crime and the solution have some interesting twists, including one I really didn’t see coming (as well as one or two I did). It held my attention while I was reading it, and it was, as I expected, a light and enjoyable read. My only real problem with Dying on the Vine is that the plot seems at times almost secondary to the setting. Several days after reading the book, what lingers in my mind is neither the crime nor the characters (though I rather liked the laid-back Italian carabiniere in charge of the investigation.) Elkins is always good at evoking the setting of his mysteries, usually without overdoing it, but here his descriptions of buildings and towns read almost like a travel guide, and he spends almost as much time detailing his characters’ frequent meals and coffee breaks as he does on the crime investigation. As a result, the book feels a bit out of balance.
Overall, I’d have to say that I liked Dying on the Vine, but not as much as some of the other books in the series. If you’ve never read the series, try starting with Old Bones or Icy Clutches, both of which are pretty good. The series doesn’t have to be read in order, though doing so can help you keep track of the recurring characters. (The first book is Fellowship of Fear, which is interesting but not, in my opinion, one of the best.)
FCC disclosure: I borrowed this from the public library.
Read more of my reviews at The Bookwyrm’s Hoard.
I’ve been reading the Gideon Oliver mystery series for about fifteen years now, and I generally enjoy them. Most of the books are a quick, fun read, and offer a reasonably challenging mystery in a distinctive setting. I like the character of Gideon Oliver despite -- or perhaps because of -- his tendency to lecture at the drop of a hat. (It’s a trait I’m quite familiar with; our family is full of teachers and former teachers, including me.) And I’m always fascinated by the forensic science on which each solution rests. Oliver is a forensic anthropologist, which means he’s an expert on bones and what they can tell us about the human being they once belonged to – including cause of death.
Dying on the Vine is the newest and somewhat uninspired entry in this usually satisfying series. The crime and the solution have some interesting twists, including one I really didn’t see coming (as well as one or two I did). It held my attention while I was reading it, and it was, as I expected, a light and enjoyable read. My only real problem with Dying on the Vine is that the plot seems at times almost secondary to the setting. Several days after reading the book, what lingers in my mind is neither the crime nor the characters (though I rather liked the laid-back Italian carabiniere in charge of the investigation.) Elkins is always good at evoking the setting of his mysteries, usually without overdoing it, but here his descriptions of buildings and towns read almost like a travel guide, and he spends almost as much time detailing his characters’ frequent meals and coffee breaks as he does on the crime investigation. As a result, the book feels a bit out of balance.
Overall, I’d have to say that I liked Dying on the Vine, but not as much as some of the other books in the series. If you’ve never read the series, try starting with Old Bones or Icy Clutches, both of which are pretty good. The series doesn’t have to be read in order, though doing so can help you keep track of the recurring characters. (The first book is Fellowship of Fear, which is interesting but not, in my opinion, one of the best.)
FCC disclosure: I borrowed this from the public library.
Read more of my reviews at The Bookwyrm’s Hoard.
jcbmathcat's review against another edition
3.0
I checked out this book from the library after reading a promising review online. I took it with me to the hospital today to read while waiting for a procedure. Arriving at 9am, I learned I was far too early, so I read for three hours. I finished the book when I got home and slept off the anesthesia. It was the perfect choice for today, as it was easy to follow, descriptions of the scenery, art, food, and wine added to the book, and the characters were likable, even though there turned out to be a murderer in their midst.
Gideon Oliver is renowned as the Skeleton Detective, and even though he is on vacation, his skills are called into play the he 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.
Gideon and Julie are actually staying at the Villa Antica, as they had become friends of the family before Pietro's disappearance. His skeleton, along with that of his second wife, had just been found at the base of a cliff after a year's disappearance. Pietro's three sons, Franco, Luca, and Nico, along with his stepson, Cesare, had all helped in the family business. The family lawyer also lived at the Villa.
The mystery almost seemed secondary to the interactions of Gideon, the local carabinieri, and the family members. Of course, it was lovely to read about the food, having fasted for my procedure!
Gideon has a tendency to use every moment as a teachable moment, but he will catch himself and try to stay focused on the tasks at hand. He does not come off as insufferable, but is, rather, endearing.
I did not guess the conclusion, although it did make sense.
Gideon Oliver is renowned as the Skeleton Detective, and even though he is on vacation, his skills are called into play the he 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.
Gideon and Julie are actually staying at the Villa Antica, as they had become friends of the family before Pietro's disappearance. His skeleton, along with that of his second wife, had just been found at the base of a cliff after a year's disappearance. Pietro's three sons, Franco, Luca, and Nico, along with his stepson, Cesare, had all helped in the family business. The family lawyer also lived at the Villa.
The mystery almost seemed secondary to the interactions of Gideon, the local carabinieri, and the family members. Of course, it was lovely to read about the food, having fasted for my procedure!
Gideon has a tendency to use every moment as a teachable moment, but he will catch himself and try to stay focused on the tasks at hand. He does not come off as insufferable, but is, rather, endearing.
I did not guess the conclusion, although it did make sense.
amalyndb's review
4.0
A Gideon Oliver murder mystery. Doctor Gideon Oliver is a physical anthropologist, in Italy for a conference and vacation with his wife. During a seminar with detectives from both Italy and France across the globe, they look at recently discovered bones and Dr. Oliver throws the local police officer into a tailspin when he announces that the closed murder-suicide is not so simple - the woman did not die of a gunshot wound and then pushed over a cliff, but was pushed over the cliff while conscious - and then shot after death.
Full of references to Italian cuisine and wine, an engaging mystery set in Tuscany revolving around a family vineyard and old-fashioned values.
Full of references to Italian cuisine and wine, an engaging mystery set in Tuscany revolving around a family vineyard and old-fashioned values.
alesia_charles's review against another edition
4.0
I've found another series to read! The adventures of Gideon Oliver, professor of forensic anthropology, will be worth looking up. This one being #17 turns out not to be an obstacle - probably because the characters are visiting in Italy, so there's less of the feeling of wandering into a party that's been going on for hours than there might be.
Clever, informative (about forensic anthropology and about Italy) without being overwhelming, and amusing; and further, it pulls off that difficult trick, being suspenseful without actually putting the protagonist or his near and dear in immediate danger. Witty banter and lively characters. Perhaps a little heavy on the long paragraphs and pages of people talking for the taste of some readers.
And now it's time to head off to the public library. It looks like they might have all of them.
Clever, informative (about forensic anthropology and about Italy) without being overwhelming, and amusing; and further, it pulls off that difficult trick, being suspenseful without actually putting the protagonist or his near and dear in immediate danger. Witty banter and lively characters. Perhaps a little heavy on the long paragraphs and pages of people talking for the taste of some readers.
And now it's time to head off to the public library. It looks like they might have all of them.
canada_matt's review against another edition
4.0
Gideon is back in Europe, with the Laus and his wife, Julie, along for the trip. Lecturing at a forensic conference, Gideon teaches police officers about skeletal remains and using various techniques to aid in identification. When one of the 'class examples' turn out to hit close to home, Gideon and the local carabinieri official open an investigation. What appears to be a murder-suicide turns out to have many loose ends, some of which Gideon points out in passing. As the family members each spend time under the microscope and the case grows increasingly more confusing, a murder shakes everyone to their core and adds more questions to an already confusing tale. Authorities use Gideon's keen eye and attention to detail to piece it all together, though some things just aren't adding up. Someone's out to prove wine is thicker than blood.
Elkins entertains the reader in another instalment of the Gideon Oliver series. Complete with humourous asides, gastronomical discussions, and anthropologic teachable moments, the reader can take much away from the novel, other than a feeling of accomplishment. Many of Oliver's greatest moments come out in the book, though there are passages that do drag and (having read the entire series to date back to back to back...) some ideas that are over repeated. Overall, Elkins has kept things true to form from Book 1 through to this seventeenth in the series. It's always a pleasure to read and enjoy such a wonderful author's work.
Having undertaken the momentous task of reading the entire Dr. Gideon Oliver series, I can say that I have learned a great deal and taken away much from it. Over the span of thirty-plus years, Elkins has taken the reader on a wonderful journey that may not yet be done. Of note, something that I have not documented throughout, the series, which spans 30 years from the Book 1 publication through to this novel, does not follow the same time period. While technology and other minutiae may have progressed, the characters have aged and lived a mere ten years, as is clear in the numerous references to Gideon's marriage to Julie. That said, as long as the reader can push this out of their mind, there is much to enjoy within the story lines and the anthropologic discussions and advances are numerous. Having been a longtime fan of Kathy Reichs and Jefferson Bass, it was a pleasure to read the 'father of forensic anthropology', who laid the cornerstone in the fiction genre. I look forward to future books, should Elkins decide to extend the series, using new settings or a return to old haunts.
Kudos, Dr. Elkins for such a wonderful collection of books. I am eager to see if you have more in store for Gideon Oliver fans!
Elkins entertains the reader in another instalment of the Gideon Oliver series. Complete with humourous asides, gastronomical discussions, and anthropologic teachable moments, the reader can take much away from the novel, other than a feeling of accomplishment. Many of Oliver's greatest moments come out in the book, though there are passages that do drag and (having read the entire series to date back to back to back...) some ideas that are over repeated. Overall, Elkins has kept things true to form from Book 1 through to this seventeenth in the series. It's always a pleasure to read and enjoy such a wonderful author's work.
Having undertaken the momentous task of reading the entire Dr. Gideon Oliver series, I can say that I have learned a great deal and taken away much from it. Over the span of thirty-plus years, Elkins has taken the reader on a wonderful journey that may not yet be done. Of note, something that I have not documented throughout, the series, which spans 30 years from the Book 1 publication through to this novel, does not follow the same time period. While technology and other minutiae may have progressed, the characters have aged and lived a mere ten years, as is clear in the numerous references to Gideon's marriage to Julie. That said, as long as the reader can push this out of their mind, there is much to enjoy within the story lines and the anthropologic discussions and advances are numerous. Having been a longtime fan of Kathy Reichs and Jefferson Bass, it was a pleasure to read the 'father of forensic anthropology', who laid the cornerstone in the fiction genre. I look forward to future books, should Elkins decide to extend the series, using new settings or a return to old haunts.
Kudos, Dr. Elkins for such a wonderful collection of books. I am eager to see if you have more in store for Gideon Oliver fans!
stephang18's review
3.0
Standard Gideon Oliver mystery. Well written but nothing new here except lots of Italian.
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