Curses!

Gideon Oliver #5

by Aaron Elkins

An archaeological dig on the Yucatan Peninsula uncovers an ancient Mayan curse, but anthropology professor Gideon Oliver suspects the spate of murders that follow may have a more corporeal cause.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Archaeology, Anthropology, Crime, Cozy Mystery, Mystery Thriller

254 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

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

[Jennifer S. Alderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read! Sucked me in on page one and I would have read it in one go if I'd had the chance. Really enjoyed the author's descriptions of the Central American setting, Mayan ruins, forensic research, archaeology, and ferry boats in the San Juan Islands. The mystery was interesting, though it was the characters and author's style of writing that really piqued my interest. Highly recommended! I have two more from this series on my Kindle, ready to go.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gideon and Julie were feeling a tad morose enduring the rains of the Pacific Northwest when they were presented with the opportunity to head for Yucatan and a dig of importance to Abe as well as Gideon as they both had been there before. There is a fairly complicated tale of what had happened in the '80's when the government shut down the dig. However, Abe is excited to have been invited back and wants Gideon and Julie to join the effort.
There is a group of fairly goofy people they have to work with as well as curses being held over Gideon's head as it turns out...not to be taken lightly. A mystery will be solved at cost. There are so many characters in this book it gets a bit confusing and/or irritating at times. Not my favorite.

Loan from friend (Thank You!)

[Mystereity Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gideon, struggling with writing a boring manuscript and with the cold, gray, rainy Washington weather, gets an offer he can’t refuse: a return to a disastrous Mayan dig that was scrapped years before after a scandal left an important priceless artifact missing. Invited by old friend and mentor Abe to investigate a skeleton found at the now re-opened dig, Gideon and Julie pack up and head for the Yucatán. Upon arrival, Gideon finds many of the same people from the first dig, as well as a host of new problems; an unauthorized excavation occurring surreptitiously at night where the artifact had gone missing years before, a recently translated curse that a New Age couple are convinced will come true, strange happenings, attacks and then a murder. Can Gideon unravel all the secrets before the curse comes true?

I enjoyed this one, what’s not to love about mayan ruins, archaeology, the lush rain forest, and an ancient curse? Made for an exciting read, with lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing. I would’ve loved to have seen the the sound and light show at Chichen Itza (as a gen X’er, I remember the Choose Your Own Adventure book I read 30 years ago and it brought back sooooo many memories) and you know, now that I think about it, the amazing descriptions of the locale is what helps bring these stories alive. As for the plot - dizzying. The pace never lagged, with something new popping up with every page and it really kept me guessing. In the end, the impossible to guess ending made for a satisfying read. I think this series is really hitting its stride and I look forward to the next Gideon adventure.

[Karen Plummer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gideon is tired of the rainy gray Pacific Northwest bored with editing his latest manuscript, and wishes for a break when he receives a call from his mentor and friend, Abe, who invites him and his wife to journey to Yucatan to work on a dig. It's a dig with a history for Gideon. Years ago, he worked on this dig and as the team made their way into the stairway of a temple, they made a huge discovery...a rare Mayan Codex. It all ended in scandal when the leader of the dig disappeared with the Codex, causing a scandal which closed down the dig. Now with new permissions to resume the work with Abe in charge, there may be more exciting discoveries as they have unearthed a skeleton and a pamphlet-like document that appears to be some sort of curse.

In this entry to the Gideon Oliver series, he may have gotten more than he wished for as the curse seems to be coming true, people are threatened, and nothing is what it seems. I really love this series!! Gideon and his wife Julie are just awesome characters and Abe is someone I would love to have a discussion with on a cold, gray evening.

[Kamas Kirian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome little story about murder at an archaeology dig in the Yucatan Peninsula. I really loved this one. I'm possibly biased having wanted to be an archaeologist at one time and studied anthropology for a time in college. I even got to see some Mayan ruins on a trip to Belize back in '08. So yeah, I guess I'm a bit biased. Sue me.



I love the interactions between Gideon and Abe. And I liked the police inspector as well. Most of the characters weren't very deep though. The ending was no great surprise. But the pacing was excellent, it moved right along and held my interest well. My biggest surprise was finding out that the Mayaland Hotel is a real place. I like to use internet mapping to get an idea of what the geography of the area in the story is, and lo-and-behold the Mayaland Hotel popped up right outside Chichen Itza!

The eBook was formatted well with only a couple of noticeable spelling/punctuation errors.

[Les · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Skeleton Detective & the Curse of the Aztec Mummy *

Okay I am being over dramaticiky (sic) the tombs are Mayan and there are no mummies.
Gideon and Julie are enjoying their HEA in rainy Washington when Gideon is summonded by his old friend and mentor Abe to head to the Yucatan for dig of historic proportions. It is a familiar dig because a few years earlier Gideon was there when the dig leader uncovered, stole and vanished with a Mayan Codex
At the dig site a curse is uncovered and it seems to be headed for our team will they survive??
of course they will this is book 5/18.


* As I used to work in a video store I am borrowing from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cur...

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a rainy January in Washington State, and Gideon and his wife are both struggling to be motivated to finish some work projects. Both feel a need for somewhere hot and sunny. Just as the thought forms, Gideon's phone rings and he's invited to a dig in the Yucatan where a skeleton has been found in a recent excavation of a Mayan temple and pyramid celebrating the Water God, Tlatoc. They hop on a plan and arrive the next day to the Mayalanda Luxury hotel at Chichun Ixta site, which is serving as the base for those involved in the excaation as it's only a short walk to the site. What also was found was a Mayan curse. One of the reasons Gideon is asked to join the excavation to consult is that this excavation is the reopening of the site for work after it was locked down by the Mexican government after a disastrous series of events 5 years early, in 1982, when Gideon was part of the crew. Things are happening that may relate back to then.

As soon as Gideon arrives, it looks like the curse is coming to life, progressively. Gideon's life is threatened, a murder does happen, and while not believing in curses, there is definitely evil afoot.

Elkins writes a really enjoyable series here, especially in painting the setting, the cultures, and the scientific side of things. In fact, I give this a 3.5 star rating rounded down because tehre were a few too many times in this particular entry in the series where the science drops were a tad much. Some of them were meant to be humorous (i.e. the discuss of the long boring titles to monographs) but for me others went on too long on technicalities. But the Manya culture and history revealed - 5 stars.

These books are very easy to read as standalones and in any order.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Gideon is enlisted by his mentor, Dr. Abraham Irving Goldstein, to travel to the Yucatan Peninsula and inspect a skeleton in the reopened ruins of the archaeological dig at Tlaloc. Gideon had worked the dig five years earlier, when a colleague of dubious repute discovered a fabulously rare and valuable Mayan codex (a pre-conquest book of cultural lore) -- and subsequently made off with it, to parts unknown.

"But now an eerie new element has cast a spell over the dig. Shortly before Gideon's arrival, a set of Mayan hieroglyphs was discovered by the scientific team. Once translated, they reveal a series of ancient curses which threaten the destroy all desecrators of the site.

"One of the curses, that 'the one called Xecotcavach will pierce their skulls so that their brains will spill onto the earth,' comes fatally true when an annoying reporter, searching for a sensational scoop, is shot through the head.

"The steamy jungles of the Yucatan weigh down upon the band of eccentric amateur anthropologists as one by one he curses materialize among their party. Gideon's special talents for deduction are brought into play to decipher mysteries of the present ... of five years past ... and those much more ancient."
~~front cover

Of course this is a terrific mystery, and our Gideon is brilliant and immersed in the proceedings, as usual. Nice touch that his wife was also instrumental in solving the puzzle, although I glimpsed at least part of the ending about half-way through, and even guessed the murderer.

The only flaw is that the author repeatedly refers to the scientists working the excavation as anthropologists, which technically they are since archaeology is a subdiscipline of anthropology, but archaeology is a whole different ballgame than anthropology, and in my opinion, those people in charge at least should be called archaeologists. Aside from that little quibble, it's a grand book and you won't be able to put it down.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aaron Elkins book still holds an interest despite being decades old.

Today's mysteries are full of modern technology and up to date forensics. But, Dr. Oliver lives in the 1980s and this book reflects it as with his others.

Dr. Oliver is delighted to participate in a Yucatan dig. Along with him is his old mentor Abe, his lovely wife Julie and others. They have an opportunity to right a wrong and hopefully find some fascinating relics.

Along for the ride is a curse that goes with the dig. And when parts of the curse become reality, the Mexican po!ice step in.

Our Mexican detective is no small minded corrupt police officer. He is part of the new uncorrupt police force that is college educated. He is still a skeptic with the newish forensic stuff but open minded.

A nice mystery with a basic background of the Yucantan . Nice to read about policemen who are not described as ignorant jerks.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Curse you Aaron Elkins

I only meant to read a couple chapters until bedtime but then got engrossed in the steamy jungles of the Yucatan with Gideon Oliver at an archeological dig and had to read until I finished. Elkins novel 'Curses' is, as all his books, fun and educational and almost impossible to put down.
The discovery of a tablet reveals, once translated, a list of curses designed to frighten anyone who disturbs the place. No one takes it seriously until one by one the curses seem to be coming true. I recommend this book. Just don't start reading it right before bedtime.

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A newly discovered Mayan codex is stolen by an unscrupulous archaeologist. The scandal closes down the site. Five years later, the site is reopened and an ancient Mayan curse comes to light. Someone seems to be working at bringing about all the disasters of the curse. But Gideon Oliver is there to solve the mystery. Or is he? The setting isn't an English manor house (the butler in the dining room with the candlestick), but this is a classic cozy mystery.

[Betsy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have only read 2 of the Gideon Oliver books, but have not been impressed with either one. And I am not fond of Julie as a character. The author seems to use her as a quirky sounding board for letting Gideon 'explain' things. No wonder no one wants to play Trivial Pursuit with them! I did like the Mayan Inspector though. He would be good at the center of a series.

[Melisende · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice little archaeological mystery set in the 1980s - so no computers, internet. Picked this one up earlier in the year at a book sale - pity I could not find the rest there as well. I enjoyed it.

[Ladyhawk · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good mystery. I must give Elkins credit for his great use of adjectives! Learned some fun phrases.

[Biff Van Cleve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always an interesting read.

It still bothers me that the good doctor Oliver, as brilliant as he is supposed to be, frequently shows a total lack of common sense and foresight. Perhaps it is Elkin’s way of making his readers feel superior to either the protagonist or the writer.

[JanÃÂ Klos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Archeology and a murder

Gideon is an expert at solving the mysteries of old bones in archaeological digs. He returns to the site of a dig that had gone horribly wrong when an important item was stolen or missing. Strange things begin happening and Oliver is trying to solve an old mystery. If you enjoy reading about the Mayans and archaeology, including a more modern murder, you’ll enjoy this.

[Mal Warwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now 41 years of age and happily married for two years, Gideon Oliver is a tenured professor of physical anthropology at a university near Seattle. He is known far and wide as “the Skeleton Doctor” for his work in forensic anthropology with the FBI. As Curses! opens, Gideon is between terms and feeling restless. He has been imprisoned behind his desk for far too long, writing academic papers that practically nobody will ever read. Then he receives a call from his onetime professor and ongoing mentor, Abe Goldstein (nee Avram Yitzchak Goldstein of Minsk).

Together with his wife Julie, Gideon drops his latest scholarly article in mid-draft and flies to the Yucatan to help Abe with a problem that has arisen at a Mayan dig. The site, Tlaloc, had been closed in 1982 after a scandalous incident that Gideon and Abe themselves observed. At the time, the Mexican Institute of Anthropology declared the closure permanent. But now, five years later, Abe has persuaded them to allow him and his team to reopen the site. Still, the shadow of the scandal looms large. In 1982, shortly after the discovery there of only the fourth Mayan codex (book) anywhere, both the director of the project and the codex disappeared. Two years later a letter arrived from the director bragging about stealing the book. Now, Abe has asked Gideon for help because the team has unexpectedly turned up a skeleton.

Quickly, the plot thickens. The dig progresses and Gideon gradually moves closer toward identifying the remains. Soon the 16th-century Mayan curse that hangs over the site begins to come true. Gideon is nearly murdered, and later a freelance journalist hanging about the site is brutally killed. The Mexican police enter the scene. Suspicion falls on all the volunteers, and the story devolves into a whodunit, the least creative form of the murder mystery. Normally I find whodunits tedious. But Elkins displays an impressive knowledge of forensic anthropology and ancient Mexican history that rescued me from boredom. In the final analysis, Curses! is entertaining.

About the author

Gideon Oliver is a forensic anthropologist, but Aaron Elkins is not. He has held many jobs in his life but has been writing fiction since 1978. His first novel, the inaugural volume in the Gideon Oliver series, was published in 1982. Curses! is one of his 33 novels and the fifth in the Gideon Oliver series. An American, Elkins lives with his wife in Washington State.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elkins takes the readers on yet another international adventure with Dr. Gideon, this time down to Mexico. When invited to work on a dig by his long-time mentor, Gideon and his wife rush down to Mexico to work on excavating the ruins of a temple and its inhabitants. Mystery surrounds the site, as one of the previous workers is said to have stolen an important codex and simply disappeared years before. When Gideon is attacked and a letter warning him to leave does not do the trick, the 'gods' begin wreaking havoc on him and harming those at the site. With a murder and the discovery of a set of bones at the dig site, Gideon must determine who is behind all this before he becomes the ultimate victim and the gods get their final revenge. An interesting read for the series fan, but perhaps not one best used to coax new admirers.

I found the book dragged in its opening half, so much so that I put it down on my holiday and tried to refocus myself. When I returned, I dove right in and sped through to the end, more to find out what happened than due to the excellent prose. The story is tepid, but the 'teachable moments' are surely well done. Nothing as exciting as a Jefferson Bass or Simon Beckett novel (or Reichs for that matter), all of the same genre, but a good read. Taking in its chronological context, Elkins does a good job of keeping the reader entertained.

Good job Dr. Elkins. Not your best work, but a decent approach to keep the series moving.

[Suanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a review of the entire Gideon Oliver mystery series.

Curses! is the fifth of an eighteen-book mystery series with forensic anthropologist Gideon Oliver, Ph.D. as the protagonist. I started with Dead Men’s Hearts (#8 in the series) and liked it enough I started collecting individual books as they came on sale, saving them until I could read the entire series in one fell swoop. The day came when I had almost the entire series, so I bought the last two and settled in for two weeks of reading. Roughly 250 pages each, they are quick reads; some days I could get through two.
Elkins is an anthropologist, and his knowledge of the human body is apparent. As a physician, I enjoyed the science and the anatomy of Gideon’s forensic work with the police and FBI. He visits several foreign countries as well as some of the United States, and these locales seem accurately depicted to this world traveler. There is some romance, rather old-fashioned and staid, but Gideon is that kind of guy. He marries the woman in question and they remain happily married through the series.
Some books, of course, were better than others (I thought Dying on the Vine set in Tuscany, was probably the weakest), but overall, the series rates a solid four stars and are a predictably fast, interesting read with widely varied locales and plots.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't start this series until just a few years ago, but the books are both fun to read and educational at the same time. Similar to the Amelia Peabody books, I always learn a bit about whatever dig or site Gideon is investigating, this time adding to the little bit I knew about the Mayan culture.

I like both Gideon and Julie, his new wife, and the way they both are able to contribute to the puzzles that arise during the dig. I wasn't sure about some of the people they were working with, but that was the point of the story :) Having visited the Yucatan Peninsula years ago, it wasn't too hard to picture the setting in my mind's eye while I listened, always an added bonus.

At first there was simply a puzzle to solve, although a puzzle with several different parts. Eventually, though, there was a murder added to the mix, and figuring out who the victim was became the primary part of the puzzle. I had suspicions about what was going on and who was behind it, but it wasn't until just before it was revealed in the book that I was sure of my solution.

The next book in this series takes Gideon to Alaska, a place that has been on my bucket list for years, and I'm looking forward to traveling there through the pages of a book.

[Cat. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Back to the Skeleton Doctor we go. This one follows Gideon and his wife to the Yucatan area where Gideon's mentor is running a dig. This site was originally worked five years earlier but closed down because a valuable artifact was stolen by one of the archaeologists.

Soon after Gideon arrives, an ancient curse is deciphered which threatens anyone working in the area, and things begin to happen that seem to fulfill the curse. It's not until someone is murdered that the pieces of the puzzle begin to coalesce into a coherent whole.

Unfortunately, one of the big pieces of the puzzle, one that is uncovered (literally) late in the story, is telegraphed very early and I spent much of the book muttering about how stupid the characters were for not guessing the right answer.

Not one of the best of the series, although I really liked the Mexican police officer.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am enjoying these quick reading Gideon Oliver mysteries. This one takes us to the Yucatán peninsula where Gideon has been asked to examine a body in a dig. This particular dig was stopped years ago when the shoring up began to crumble. Now, however, permission has been granted to return to continue searching for an ancient book like artifact called a codex. It had been discovered the first time was was buried when the site began to cave in.
There’s an ancient curse involve. Some of the original people are back . The group also includes wife, Julie, and mentor Abe.
Of cours, Gideon does find himself in danger, a situation found in each story which I’m not crazy about.
Surprises abound and Gideon does deliver, as always. The area is nicely described and gives one a pretty picture. I recommend this book.

[Nancy]

Mayan ruins in the Yucatan...a secret room in a tomb...an ancient skeleton. To Gideon Oliver, anthropologist, this archaeological find is paradise on earth. He and his wife, Julie, have joined his old mentor, Abe Goldstein, at Tlaloc, Mexico, to make sure there are no dirty doings at the dig. Five years before scandal rocked the site when a colleageue ran off with a priceless relic. Now Abe suspects something illegal is again going on. The discovery of a Mayan curse protecting the ruins suddenly make Tlaloc seem closer to hell than heaven. But the mysteries waiting inside the sone temples are too tempting to let mere words scare away the famous "skeleton detective." Only when the curse seems to be coming true and Gideon has a modern murder to solve does evil stop being academic...and death in the Yucatan seems imminently real. (less)

Skipped through it. Not as good as others.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Curses! by Aaron Elkins.

Gideon Oliver receives a call from his old mentor, Abe Goldstein. Abe is in the Yucatan Peninsula at an archeological site they had unearthed together in 1982. It seems Abe and his team of Mayans have uncovered a skeleton at Tlaloc. Gideon's assistance is urgently required for identification of that skeleton by Abe.
Gideon and Julie are on the first plane out of Washington State headed to the Yucatan and on to their new adventure.

This story ties in with a former adventure Gideon had been on 5 years ago when it was believed Howard Bennett had stolen the treasured codex and disappeared from sight.

This was another excellent entry into the adventuress world of Gideon Oliver along with his wife, Julie, and beloved mentor, Abe Goldstein.

[Glynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another in the series of stories about Gideon Oliver, The Skeleton Detective. I hadn’t realized it but this series of books was actually made into a TV series in the late 1980’s. The show only ran for 5 episodes.
In this book we are treated to a visit to a Mayan ruin called Tlaloc, in the Yucatan. When Gideon is on site checking out a skeleton that was discovered there, a series of curses seem to come true, one of which results in a man’s murder. Gideon uses his skills as a bone detective to try and solve the murder.
I liked this book because I learned some anthropology and a bit about Mayan mythology while being entertained by the likeable characters and storyline. It is a fun, quick and easy read.

[Linda Appelbaum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty snappy mystery that reminded me of the Thin Man movies with Nick and Nora bantering. The mystery wasn't complex or convoluted but it was intriguing and kept my interest. Set in the Yucatan near Chichen Itza, it involves a dig at a Mayan temple and there are many interesting facts and details about anthropology and the ancient Mayan civilization. I always enjoy a book that expands my knowledge. thus the 4 stars. Gideon and his wife have a breezy, lighthearted, loving relationship and she is not slouch either when it comes to picking up some of the finer points of the mystery. This is the first of the series of several Gideon books and I think I'd like to explore another one or two. I liked the writing and the characters as well as the story.

[Carlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do love the Aaron Elkins series about the "Skeleton Detective." I studied anthropology and archeology in the 1960s and always recognized the techniques in both disciplines from reading Elkins' books. They are even more interesting to me now since there have been great strides in the fields and new discoveries about ancient civilizations like the Mayans. I recently viewed an exhibit about Stonehenge and how the analysis of DNA evidence from buried skeletons has given us so much more information about the people that built it and those who came before (no, they weren't aliens!). I do recommend this series and will continue to reread the books as classic cozy mysteries with the added enjoyment of of the protagonist's profession.

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Winter in the Pacific Northwest is really getting Gideon down, so he jumps at a chance to join his mentor, Abe Goldstein, at a dig in the Yucatan. His wife Julie accompanies him. This dig is finally being resumed after having been closed five years earlier, and many of the same people have returned. But somehow, it seems to be cursed — perhaps Gideon and Julie would have been safer at home, despite the weather. Great characterization and an interesting setting add up to make this book hard to put down, especially with the slight touches of humor that frequently lighten the tension. Highly recommended.

[RC Prentice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, as in others in the Skeleton Detective series, we are placed in a setting that even without the curse and the skeleton would be fun to read about. An archaeological dig amidst Mayan ruins is bound to draw a raft of enthusiasts, and some with a not-so-archaeological agenda. To the excitement of discovery is added the puzzle of just who, amongst the wielders of spades, trowels and camels-hair brushes, is there to commit monkey business. Face-paced, with spirited dialogue, unanticipated twists, and a solve to keep you guessing ‘til the end, this complex tale drips ambience, outlandish possibilities, and a fun, goofball sampling of the shovel-bum tribe.

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy Aaron Elkins books like I enjoy Diet Coke, I don't expect it to nuture my body or soul but I love every swallow of it anyway. This book was no different, the mystery wasn't tremendously mysterious but the ups and downs of getting to the conclusion made me turn pages as fast as I could. I remember Agatha Christie's Miss Marple say once that it was the stupid killers that got caught and this book proves that. All that work and mayhem for a piece of highly circumstantial evidence that any decent (not even good) defense attorney could overturn in 10 minutes! Stupid stupid killer!