Aaron Elkins is an American mystery novel author, who was born in Brooklyn on July 24, 1935. Before becoming a writer, Elkins worked as an anthropologist, which is reflected in his main character, forensic anthropologist Gideon Oliver, also known as the 'skeleton detective'. Elkins has received critical acclaim for his work, including the Edgar Award for Best Novel in 1988 for the fourth book in the Gideon Oliver series, "Old Bones".
Elkins is considered to be one of the best novelists in the world and is best known for the Gideon Oliver series and the Chris Norgen series. His writing is highly regarded, and he has won numerous awards for his work, including multiple Edgar Awards and an Agatha Award. The Gideon Oliver series has been translated into several languages and has been adapted into a major ABC-TV series.
In addition to the Gideon Oliver series, Elkins has also written a series about museum curator Chris Norgren, an expert in Northern Renaissance art. He has also penned several stand-alone thrillers, including "Loot," which deals with art stolen by the Nazis and introduces protagonist Dr. Benjamin Revere. Furthermore, Elkins, along with his wife Charlotte, co-authors a series of golf-themed mystery novels featuring LPGA member Lee Ofsted. They shared an Agatha Award for their short story "Nice Gorilla".
Elkins and his wife Charlotte live on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. He remains active in real-life forensics, serving as the forensic anthropologist on the Olympic Peninsula Cold Case Task Force. This further highlights his expertise and knowledge in the field of anthropology and forensics, which he incorporates into his writing.