Aaron Elkins Books In Order

Publication Order of Gideon Oliver Books

Publication Order of The Chris Norgren Mysteries Books

Publication Order of Lee Ofsted Books

Publication Order of Alix London Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Malice Domestic Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Aaron Elkins is a multi-award winning writer and is considered to be one of the best novelists in the world. He is best known for the series of books he writes, the Gideon Oliver series and the Chris Norgen series.

Elkins was born in Brooklyn, New York in July 24th 1935. His father worked as a machinist while his mother was a home maker. Elkins studied at Hunter College in Manhattan where he got a bachelor of arts. He then went to the University of Arizona and then California State University in Los Angeles where he earned a master’s degree in the same field. He would later go on to receive his doctorate in Education (Ed.D.) in 1976 from the University of California, Berkeley.

Before he started writing, Elkin was a government employee in various fields. He also worked as a consultant and a lecturer mostly dealing in the fields of business psychology and anthropology. After this, he decided to take writing seriously and started writing his books at the age of 42. Aaron is married to the author Charlotte Elkins and the two now make their home in Sequim, Washington with their children.

Elkins has been honored with awards throughout his writing career. The fourth book in the Oliver series, Old Bones, was the 1988 Edgar Award for “Best Mystery Novel”. He was also awarded with the Nero Award for best mystery novel in 1994 for the third book in the Chris Norgren series, Old Scores. He has also written books with his wife Charlotte and the two actually earned an Agatha Award together for their short story, “Nice Gorilla”.

The series Gideon Oliver was even made into a television series on ABC that aired at in 1989. It featured Oliver as a professor at the University of Columbia. He uses his skills and understanding of cultures to solve crimes. The series was created by Dick Wolf of Law & Order fame and starred Louis Gossett, Jr. as Oliver and Shari Headley as his daughter, Zina.

Fellowship of Fear is the first book in the Gideon Oliver Mysteries series. The series follows Gideon Oliver, an anthropology professor, who takes a fellowship at US military bases all over Europe. It seems too good to be true and it soon proves to be just that. His first night in Heidelberg sees two men coming to his room to kill him. It turns out that the two previous holders of his position both lost their lives under mysterious circumstances. Gideon finds himself as a target in this unfamiliar game that he doesn’t know the rules to. He’ll need to rely on his skills if he hopes to survive as the security of Western Europe is at stake.

The Gideon Oliver Mysteries series continues with The Dark Place. In the rainforest of Washington State, a murdered man has been discovered. Gideon Oliver ends up checking out the skeletal remains and finds that the murder weapon was a primitive bone spear that hasn’t been seen in the last ten thousand years. Whoever hurled it did with superhuman force which leads many to assume Bigfoot may have been involved. Gideon isn’t buying that, but there is something killing people in these woods. Gideon must head into the heart of the wilderness if he hopes to solve this case before more bodies pile up.

A Deceptive Clarity is the first book in the Chris Norgren Mysteries series. The series introduces museum curator and Renaissance art expert Chris Norgren as he heads to Berlin to assist in a mounting an exhibit. The Plundered Past will feature twenty priceless Older Masters that were once rooted by the Nazis. The work was thought to be lost forever, but it has recently been rediscovered. Things get complicated when Chris’ boss dies after sensing a forgery. This gives Chris two more jobs he needs to get done: find the forgery and catch the killer who is setting his sights on him.

The Chris Norgren Mysteries series continues with A Glancing Light. Norgren is called to investigate after a priceless Rubens portrait is discovered in a shipment of “authentic reproductions” in a local warehouse. His job is to find out how it got there. The search to find out why will lead him to the medieval city of Bologna where he’ll enter into shady art world doings and murderous secrets.

Elkins also co-wrote the Alix London Mystery series with his wife Charlotte. The first book in the series is A Dangerous Talent. London is an art consultant with a bright career ahead of them. It seems to everyone looking in that she has it all, but Alix is not all that she seems and is hiding a dark secret. Her father went to prison for art forgery and she is struggling to get by. Her luck changes when she meets a novice art collector named Christine Lemay. She hires Alix to perform an authentication on a painting by Georgia O’Keeffe. Her work takes her to Santa Fe where she soon finds herself tangled up in a web of forgery, deceit—and murder. Alix will team up with FBI Special Agent Ted Ellesworth to uncover the truth behind the painting and those who would kill to have it.

A Long Time Coming is a standalone novel by Elkins. The story follows art curator Val Caruso who is having a rough time. His promotion was nixed, his divorce is final, and he’s about to turn forty. He gets some uplifting news when he gets the offer to take a trip to Milan to help Holocaust survivor Sol Bezzecca recover a pair of cherished sketches by Renoir. After decades in hiding, the paintings that once belonged to Sol have popped up and its up to Val to get them back. Val’s Italian trip will take a dangerous turn when he runs afoul of art thieves, forgers, and somebody who wants Val out of the picture permanently. The paintings end up stolen again and Val is now more determined than ever to recover them.

One Response to “Aaron Elkins”

1. James D. Kinsey: 3 years ago

   I love the Gideon Oliver series. Are there more to come? I learn so much and they are so interesting. I love the relationship between Gideon and Julie. Keep it up.

   Reply