Unnatural Selection

by Aaron Elkins

Book Overview

When Gideon Oliver's wife Julie attends a conservation forum on the emerald Isles of Scilly, Gideon tags along, expecting a holiday. To amuse himself, he explores the Neolithic sites there. But instead of ancient ruins, he finds evidence of a very recent murder.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0425216055
• ISBN13: 9780425216057
• Release Date: July 2007
• Publisher: Berkley Books
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.2" x 6.8"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 12 and higher

Customer Reviews

Gideon Oliver continues to grow in complexity and depth of character.

I read Unnatural Selection in late July when I had a lot going on in my life and although I enjoyed it, I felt I had missed something. I read it again last weekend and found I had missed some of the plot twists because of my inattention and this time I could not put it down. The extreme egos of some of the characters and the setting itself combine to create the suspense that continues to build throughout the story. The interaction of the characters that causes increased tension in the group has some quirky bits that I thought were classic satire. (I have met people who remind me of the members of this group.) This is the kind of story, like most of the earlier Gideon Oliver mysteries, that can be read again and again and I am sure that each time I read it I will discover some nuance that I missed earlier.

One of his best yet!

I found the setting, the mystery itself and the interaction between Gideon and Julie about the best he has ever done! Although Good Blood's mystery was somewhat more convoluted and ,therefore to me, more of a puzzle to solve as I read the book, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have relayed my opinion to several of my friends who enjoy a good forensic mystery combined with a good story line. As I've personally told Aaron Elkins before, he is one of my all-time favorite writers and I always am on the lookout for a new novel from him or when he teams up with wife Charlotte

Unnatural Selection

I can highly recommend Aaron Elkins books. From the first book of his featuring "Gideon Oliver", I found both the storys and the author to be exceptionally good! I thought as a woman, these books would not be my cup of tea, but they're great. His recent book, Unnatural Selection is no exception. Don't hestiate to order this one! You'll want to read the whole series.

This should go right to the top of your pile.

I don't care who else has a book out, this one is the next to read. Aside from well defined characters, intriguing where's-he-going-with-that? tidbits of clues, and fascinating plot twists, Elkins' Gideon Oliver series always evoke an almost irresistable sense of place. This time, your page-turning mini-vacation spot is the Scilly Isles, where you'll meet an odd assortment of humans, bones, and even a few highly trained professional dogs. As usual, all the clues you need are deftly hidden in plain sight. Fans of the delightful Julie will be happy to know she's in a lot of this one. Fans of her now ritual astute insight - perfectly right, but utterly misleading to the reader -won't be disappointed. My only complaint is that Elkins doesn't write faster!