Elkins began his first novel (the first in the Gideon Oliver series) in 1978, at the age of 42. The fourth Oliver book,
Old Bones, received the 1988
Edgar Award for "Best Mystery Novel" and was nominated for the
1988 Anthony Award in the same category. The seventh Gideon Oliver novel,
Make No Bones, was nominated for an
Agatha Award in 1991. In another series, the protagonist is
museum curator Chris Norgren, an expert in Northern Renaissance art. His third novel in the Chris Norgren series,
Old Scores, won a
Nero Award for best mystery novel (1994), and was also nominated for an Agatha Award for "Best Novel". One of his stand-alone thrillers,
Loot, deals with art stolen by the Nazis and introduces protagonist Dr. Benjamin Revere. With his wife, he has also co-written a series of golf mysteries about LPGA member Lee Ofsted. They shared an Agatha Award (1992) for their short story "Nice Gorilla". ==Works==