by Aaron Elkins (Author), Joel Richards (Narrator), Tantor Audio (Publisher)

An AUDIObook review by Jackie Houchin

I love Aaron Elkins’ “Bone Detective” mysteries starring the uber smart, but bumbling, Dr. Gideon Oliver. The forensic details he discovers and talks about are fascinating (but non-gory) and make excellent clues to the mysteries.

In Icy Clutches, Gideon is newly married and has gone as a “spouse” with his park ranger wife to a conference in Glacier Bay, Alaska. He is of course bored until quite by accident some human bones are found at the foot of a receding glacier. Then he is in his element. But what will he discover about the very few, and beat-up bone fragments?

The remains seem to be from a 1960 glacier expedition that was tragically lost in an ice avalanche. As it happens, a Dr. Audley Tremane, the sole survivor of the expedition is also at the conference center. He has written an account of the experience and hopes to publish the book soon. He has gathered a group of relatives of the three scientists – two men and a woman – who were on his expedition and lost their lives. He will read his manuscript and they are to ask questions and then sign an agreement with the publisher. There will be shocking details revealed in the book…but are they true?

Add a homicide or two and a few more bones, and our bone specialist is in over his head, until something his wife says clicks into place, answering his questions and putting his life in danger.

I loved the story and trying to outguess the police as they work with the Bone Detective. Elkins also puts in enough interesting history and beautiful descriptions of the setting, that I was educated as well as entertained. Masterful story telling with just enough humor and action.

The narrator, did a good job of voicing all the characters.

FIVE STARS

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