"There's a family plot unfolding in the northern uplands of Hawaii -- on the magnificent 11,000-acre spread of ranching heir Axel Torkelson. After going missing ten years ago, the small private plane of Axel's uncle Magnus has finally been found in a remote lagoon, hundreds of miles south of the Big Island. So too have Magnus's few and scattered skeletal remains, exhumed by divers and now handed over to the only man who can fit together the pieces of this mystery.

"What forensic detective Gideon Oliver is discovering could shake the Torkelson family tree to its very roots. But this time his work is yielding more questions about the past than answers. Questions about the long-ago execution-style murder of Magnus's brother ... about a deadly dispute between rival ranching syndicates ... about a mysterious will that benefits -- as well as incriminates -- its heirs ... and most disturbing of all: questions as to the true identity of the corpse in the lagoon. But if it isn't Uncle Magnus ...

"As lie upon lie is revealed, as secret upon secret is exposed, Gideon's only hope is to let the bones of the dead condemn the living -- before the living takes revenge.
~~front flap

This one was really convoluted! The plot thickens as each layer is examined and discarded, right to the end. Two brothers and two sisters, and Aunt Daphne, the sister of Magnus and Torkel ... do they all know? Does only one of them know? If so, which one? This book will keep you guessing all the way through to a very satisfactory denouement. ( )

This is a mildly entertaining little mystery novel. Even given the conventions of its genre, it still feels too formulaic and contrived. The plot twist is never fully convincing, and the ending fails to completely tie up all the loose ends. Its a pleasant beach or airplane read, especially for those who are looking for murder mysteries without much in the way of violence, but it's neither compelling nor satisfying. ( )

Solid Skeleton Detective story. I had read it before, but not recently - I recognized each bit as it happened, and started figuring out the answers as soon as the first few clues showed up rather than waiting until it was fully explained (like, I knew who was in the plane. And when Gideon read the thing in the autopsy report, I remembered about the gun. And when the captain showed up, I knew who he was - but didn't remember about the leg until just before he showed that. And so on). I didn't remember who the murderer was, though, until Gideon had the brainwave at the memorial. Nice characterization - Gideon, Julie, and John were solidly drawn, as were the various secondary characters - no cardboard here, even though several of the family were expressed mainly as cliches. They were very _solid_ cliches, with their own quirks filling them out. Good story - not a favorite, but interesting and well-done, both the writing and the mystery. And some lovely twists. ( )

The book opens in 1994 with a female pilot, Claudia, and an oldish man, a Torkelsson brother, fleeing Hawaii in the night. The plane gently glides down to the ocean from 10,500 feet ("A light plane that has run out of fuel at an altitude of 10,500 feet does not plummet to earth like a safe falling out of a window"), a wing hits the water, and its all over for that flight.

Jump forward 10 years and some swimmers from a cruise ship spot the plane and investigate it (despite what may have been implied, there are not two complete skeletons in the plane). Going by the plane's registration number, the Torkelsson family is informed of the find.

The Torkelsson family lost two brothers on the same day in 1994, one apparently murdered by hitmen, and the other apparently fleeing for his life. Now that they know that plane went down, they have to reopen old wounds (three years after having the second brother declared legally dead). And, the family worries about their future. Dagmar, the sister, and the two brothers Magnus and Torkel lived together and built a large cattle ranch in Hawaii (an older brother also was involved, Andreas, but was long out of the picture in 1994-2004, though it is his children that fill out the Torkelsson next generation). As far as the family is concerned, Torkel died first in 1994, and then Magnus was declared dead in 2001 (I might have that last date wrong). If Torkel's will had been in effect, the nephews and nieces would have received a small amount of money. Since Magnus' will was in effect, as he was declared dead second, the nephews and nieces received very valuable pieces of the huge cattle ranch. With Magnus "alive" after Torkel, Magnus and Dagmar received the bulk of Torkel's estate, and then after Magnus was declared dead, the nephews and nieces received their cut. The business of the dueling wills plays in the background of the book.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, Gideon Oliver, the "Skeleton Detective," and his friend John Lau, FBI Agent, are visiting the family and are able to provide their particular expertise.

For the most part, the characters have distinct personalities and appear to be more than mere ciphers. There is a real feel that we might actually be in the Hawaii islands, and the plot is workable. Unfortunately, Aaron Elkins alternates from some very good books, to some pretty lousy books. This book falls in the middle. It is a little to shallow, though if you like the series, it is a nice short read.

- Michael S. Briggs -
(review also appears on Amazon, and is currently spotlighted, but not sure how to get a URL for an Amazon review). ( )