Alpha Alpine by Mary Daheim is the 27th book in the Emma Lord series, and my first book of the series. I have read most of the books in the Bed and Breakfast series and enjoyed them as well. Emma Lord is the owner, editor, and publisher of the Alpine Advocate Newspaper and she is married to Sheriff Milo Dodge. When women are murdered in Alpine, the mystery begins. Once I started this book, I could not stop reading it until I was done. Not only does this book have an exciting mystery but also very refreshing and a quick read. I'm also excited that I have 26 other books in this series to read while waiting for a new one. If you love fun cozy mysteries, which are my favorite, you will love this book.

I was given a copy of this book for a fair and honest review.

I tried to keep reading but the foul language got to me. What newlyweds curse at each so much?

I loved the Alpine Series and was very sad to read Alpine Zen as I was afraid that it was the last. So it was with great anticipation that I read Alpha Alpine. As usual it felt like I was visiting long-time friends. This is another great read with a mystery that kept me guessing..... even when I thought I had it solved. However, one of my favorite aspect of this series is watching Emma and Milo's relationship continue to develop.

It will be hard to be patient while waiting for 'B' Alpine.

Alpha Alpine

by Mary Daheim

I was amazed when I saw the list of books Mary Daheim has written in the Emma Lord Series. She has already been through the alphabet once with titles in ascending order and has started again. I know I would have enjoyed the book more had I read the previous 26 books because there must be a lot of back story to Alpha Alpine, but Daheim does a great job of cluing the reader in on the many characters mentioned and how they relate to each other and to the current story. In fact I would say she is a master at making the book understandable and interesting to the new reader without being redundant.

Emma Lord is the editor and publisher of a weekly newspaper in Alpine, Washington, where if everyone is not related to everyone else, they are at least all related to Vida who is the House and Home editor and makes it her job to know everyone’s business. Emma is married to Sheriff Milo Dodge, giving her an inside edge and also causing friction when Dodge can not disclose information she wants. This mystery contains the murder of young girls, an unexpected assassination attempt, an explosion, domestic abuse, and a visit by Dodge’s brother in his Texas sized RV. All of these events keep both Emma and Milo quite busy in their jobs and at home.

The paper has an interesting staff, and the story is also fleshed out with deputies, townspeople and visitors, but despite the large number of characters, I never felt overwhelmed by them. The setting is well defined as mountainous Alpine seasonally moves from hot to cooler weather. Along with Emma and Milo, the reader is continually evaluating characters and their motives as new information and more crimes come to light. When you get to the end, you will be happy with the resolution, but you may find yourself wanting to know more about Alpine and its inhabitants.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Random House (Alibi) for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: General Fiction (Adult), Mystery

Notes: #27 in the Emma Lord Series but works well as a standalone

Publication: December 12, 2017— Random House (Alibi)

Memorable Lines:

But promises are flimsy things and easily broken.

She’d been bitten by the need-to-know bug. Sometimes that bite can be fatal.

I knew when to shut up, focusing instead on Hercule Poirot grooming his elaborate mustache while exercising his little gray cells. Ten minutes and a second murder later, my eyelids felt heavy. Milo turned off the light. I curled up next to him and fell asleep in the sanctuary of his arms.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

When I reviewed The Alpine Zen back in May of 2015 I was excited to see on Ms. Daheim’s website that the series was not ending just because we had reached the letter Z but I found that the wait would be longer than usual for book 27. Now 2+ years later I was thrilled to download it to my Kindle. It was worth the wait.

Over the years these characters have become old friends. Emma and Milo have to balance work and home life but they do it amazingly well. Their dialogue is realistic and at times quite comical. Their bickering with each other reminded me of my own parents at times. But this couple is still in the honeymoon phase of their relationship, they try to relax each evening with a drink and that usually leads them behind a closed bedroom door.

Vida is thinking of retiring from the newspaper, I will believe that when I read it. The new receptionist, Alison has jumped in with both feet, even helping Emma with her investigations. The rest of the newspaper staff is still there putting out stories online and on paper.

Milo’s daughter is doing much better and is dating a police officer, but her world is rocked when a body is found in her basement. That is not the only body found either.

The mystery itself is very interesting because there are so many things happening in Alpine. County politics is on the ballot and the vote is so close it required several recounts. An explosion at the newspaper causes major damage but no major injuries. And murder is definitely on the rise in Skykomish county. Everything may be connected to timber baron Jack Blackwell. He and Milo have never gotten along and he would like nothing better than getting Milo off the force. Milo would like nothing better to put “Jack Black” behind bars.

I really tried to slow down and savor this book, but that was almost impossible. The story has a very quick pace and we meet several new characters. The author weaves everything happening together seamlessly. Full of drama and action, I admit I was sad when I reached the end. I am already anxiously waiting for the next Emma Lord Mystery.

This is a long running series and I always recommend they be read from the start, but Ms. Daheim has included plenty of details so you shouldn’t feel lost if you start with this one. After you finish you most likely will want to go back and read them all. 🙂

This is the first book in the series that I have read. I found the mystery interesting and most of the characters. However, I just couldn't connect with the main characters relationship, which I found very jarring. I need more peace in a relationship, although at times you could see that they support each other.
I received an advanced copy from Netgalley for an honest review.

She's the newspaper editor and he's the Sheriff. When young women turn up dead, she asks about the case but he can't give her all the info he has. He's looking for a killer, she's looking for a story. Sometimes that causes conflict...

Alibi and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It has been published and you can grab a copy now.

Emma and Milo have a good marriage. They sometimes drive each other nuts but that's common in marriages. They are tight and they are in love. They each work the case from different angles. He even has her talk to women that don't want to talk to him. They make a good team.

Milo is under a lot of stress. Not only does he have two deaths to contend with, the local timber baron is trying to change how the city administration is set up. He wants a county manager. And he wants to be the manager which means Milo will lose his job because they are enemies.

Add in the fact that one of the victims was the daughter of a crazy rich woman who is showboating around town and it makes for an odd but interesting story.

The killer surprised me. Milo's older brother and his wife are a real hoot. They come to visit and they won't go away. All in all, this was a light cozy read and I enjoyed it. Give it a try and see what you think.

Lots going on in this tale. Abuse, politics, marital strife, single seeking marriage, and so much more. The dialog between Emma and Milo is amusing. I look forward to reading more about them and their adventures as newspaper publisher and sheriff. I think I have some of her previous books in my TBR pile. I need to read them. Her name is familiar and surely I have read at least one or two of the books in this series, but I read so many mysteries and cozy mysteries that I can't recall these characters.

When the murder of two young women rocks the town of Alpine their deaths are on everyone's minds. It makes great news for Emma's paper but it's not something you want going on in your town. After a third body is discovered it looks like their is a serial killer living amongst them. Follow along as Emma tries to help her husband Sheriff Dodge figure out who the killer could be and why they are committing these murders. I have to say that this series just gets better with age. I've read it from the beginning and was happy that the author didn't stop when she reached the end of the alphabet. The characters have become old friends and I love revisiting them with each new book. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Mary Daheim's alphabetical cozy mystery series set in Alpine, Washington, seemed to have run the gamut when it reached the letter Z. But Ms Daheim surprised and delighted her faithful readers when we learned about the publication of her latest book, Alpha Alpine!

From the author's website: 'A could also be for Assume. So many readers assume that because I'd gotten to the end of the alphabet with The Alpine Zen, I (would) also be ending the series. It was my original editor's idea to use the alphabet, which was fine with me. But back then in 1992 neither of us could foresee that I'd get beyond A, B, and C. Happily, I did.'

Twenty-five years have passed since the publication of that first book. Many years ago, I began purchasing these for my mother who was a voracious reader and big fan of cozy mysteries. Eventually my whole family became hooked on these stories, including my husband.

In the timeline of the series though just sixteen years have passed. Fifteen years ago, Emma Lord, a journalist and single mother of a young son, moved to small town Alpine from the Seattle area and purchased the Alpine Advocate, the local weekly newspaper. She carried with her a torch for the father of her son who was unfortunately a married man, but hung on to the dream that one day he would divorce his crazy wife and marry her.

Emma finds she has to work closely with the handsome, irascible local sheriff, Milo Dodge, the official source for many of her news stories, and it's inevitable that the two would be attracted to each other. Over the next fifteen years, they carry on an on-again/off-again love affair. As this latest book begins, the Dodges have finally married but continue their feisty way of bickering with each other, especially over what crime information can be released for publication. The sheriff tends to hold his cards close to his chest; his favorite phrase seems to be: 'that's part of an on-going investigation.' How frustrating when Emma has a deadline to meet!

In a shocking turn of events for long time readers, Vida Runkel, the paper's Home Editor and Emma's sidekick in crime solving, announces that she plans to retire. Whoa! Vida has been with the paper so long she often acts as if she owns it. She has been Emma's source for much local gossip, since she is a life-long Alpine resident and related to virtually everyone in some way. Who could possibly fill her shoes? Will it be Allison, the young receptionist who is smart but hell-bent on getting married?

When a young woman is found strangled in an empty house, Emma begins to let Allison do a bit of sleuthing on her own but could she be putting her young protege in danger if it turns out a serial killer is on the loose here?

Small towns are no strangers to violence and Emma is considering doing a series on domestic abuse. Her prime focus is on her nemesis Jack Blackwell, whom she calls Black Jack--a councilman and the owner of the biggest business in town. A few of his former wives/lovers would be more than happy to see him put in jail for domestic abuse but are they willing to press charges? Jack is hoping to appoint himself city manager if the town votes to change their mode of town government, and his first official act will be to get rid of Sheriff Dodge.

It is fun to revisit these 'old friends' but I found this outing to be a bit tedious--too much bickering between the Dodges; too much repetition of Allison's boyfriend woes. I did note that Ms Daheim is making an attempt to move the story along and freshen things up a bit with new characters. Hopefully this is a transitional story because I would wish for more drama and tension in future stories to keep me hanging in there.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an arc of this new book in a much beloved series.

Ms. Daheim begins again at A with this alphabetic cozy mystery series.

Alpha Alpine is the 27th in the Emma Lord series. It’s Labor Day in Alpine, a small town in the Cascade Range of mountains in Washington state. Emma is investigating a mysterious death of a new waitress at the Venison Inn and the shooting of the waitress’ brother. Why did the waitress wear a wig and use a false name when applying for her new position? Do the other two similar murders nearby imply a serial killer is at large? Blackwell is up to his usual shenanigans. This time he is trying to run for a City Manager position that hasn’t even been voter-approved yet and is investigating the Sheriff’s office.

I haven’t read Mary Daheim since 2001 when she was only up to letter N (Alpine Nemesis #14). I’m not sure why I stopped. Alpha Alpine is #27 in the series after Alpine Zen. The beginning of this book was pretty confusing for non-series readers (and me). All the characters are not only introduced but their relationship to other characters explained extensively in the first half of the book. I found this boring compared to solving a murder case and starting skimming at about 5% in. The first murder (of a visitor to the town of course) doesn’t occur until 20% into the book.

Much change occurred in the 16 years since I last read the series. Emma is now married to Sheriff Milo. Vida is talking about retiring. Alison is a new character who is helping Emma investigate rather than Vida this time. I always loved the small town setting of this series and that continues to be the case with this entry. The mystery wasn’t as good as I expected from this author. The extensive character explanation was a sluggish way to begin. I think Alpha Alpine deserves a solid 3 stars. However, it is not as good as her previous books. For readers just beginning the series, I would recommend starting at the first entry in the series, Alpine Advocate, rather than here.

Thanks to the publisher, Alibi, and NetGalley for an advanced review copy.

3 stars
This is a long-standing series, but the first one I have read. It might have been better if I had started earlier in the series. I picked this up because I truly enjoy Mary Daheim’s Bed & Breakfast Mystery series. The characters in the town and all the relationships were extremely hard for me to follow.
The story starts out nearing the end of the week just before Labor Day. In addition to the holiday, the town is focused on an upcoming election that would change the county government from a commission to run by a county manager. Emma’s husband’s (Sherriff Dodge) opponent, Jack Blackwell is lobbying for the role of county manager and clearly hoping to remove Dodge.
A body of a young woman is found which is thought to relate to a potential string of serial murders. So Dodge is extremely busy over the weekend. To top the weekend off, during a Labor Day celebration, Jack Blackwell is shot at.
The story is fast paced and the mysteries themselves are quite well constructed. Just not knowing all the characters in the town made for a difficult read. I really wanted to enjoy this as I have read good reviews about the Emma Lord series, but I was disappointed.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher, Random House Publishing Group – Alibi, for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Great mystery. Mary Daheim is the queen of the cozy! Love her characters and her plot lines!

Alpha Alpine is the most recent book in the Alpine series by Mary Daheim. Although this book can be read as a stand-alone story, I think I would have enjoyed it more if I knew the background of the major characters. The interaction between the characters was very good.

I guess going through the alphabet once wasn't good enough for Emma Lord, or Mary Daheim. I was delighted to see another cozy featuring the quirky characters of Alpine, Washington. As the town votes on the future of its leadership, Sheriff Dodge is dealing with a potential serial killer and an attack by his old nemesis Jack Blackwell, who thinks he can get in a position to remove Dodge from office and scare Emma into submission. I have enjoyed how Ms. Daheim has had her characters evolve. Faithful readers will wonder whether Vida really will make good on her promise to retire. Just like Emma ponders, what will the Alpine Advocate be like without her presence? Ms. Daheim starts to fill Vida's shoes a bit with the added involvement of Alison as Emma's sidekick. I always like it when there are multiple characters to draw from in each story. Ms. Daheim continues to keep the series fresh.

I have read a few, but not all, of the books in this very long running series- and am happy to have returned to it. Daheim gives you enough info so that you don't feel lost if you're like me or if you haven't read any of the books but not too much, I think, if you're a devoted reader. This is classic cozy territory, with Emma, a newspaperwoman and Milo, her husband the sheriff dealing with murder in the small town of Alpine. This time around Emma recruits Alison, who works at the Advocate, to help untangle whether Jack Blackwell, a rich man, is a serial killer even as he's running for office. The mystery is well done, the twists pretty good, and it's an entertaining quick read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

This was my first Emma Lord Mystery and I can't believe what I've been missing. The mystery was gripping, the characters engaging and the relationships interesting. I will admit that I was struck by a character who smoked as difficult to find attractive, however aside from Emma repeating she hated him excessively (once is more than enough) I did find Milo intriguing. I'm going to try to go back to the beginning and enjoy the entire series.

Alpha Alpine
Mary Daheim
Available: December 12, 2017
Thank you to NetGalley.com for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I thought my beloved Emma Lord mystery series closed its final chapter when it finally got to the letter Z last year, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out there would be a 27th installment! Emma and everyone else in Alpine are back – the good and the bad and of course there are strings at the end that have not been finished so I’m already anticipating a 28th book.
What I loved: I love Emma and Dodge as a couple – he truly loves her. Vida is still awesome although she’s getting a little crotchety in her advancing years – and no mention of her beloved birdie?
What I didn’t love: Allison and her quest to be married off are both extremely annoying. Seriously. It happens when it happens so relax a little and stop perstering Emma for advice. She’s not exactly the one I’d turn to for romantic musings. Secondly – can we kill off someone who is an actual Apline resident once in a while? It seems like anyone who is a visitor usually winds up dead in this town – hardly the Welcome Center motto.
What I learned: My local paper sucks compared to the Advocate.
Overall Grade: B

www.FluffSmutandMurder.com

I had assumed that “The Alpine Zen” was the final installment in the long-running Emma Lord series. I had read these books from A to Z and was pleasantly surprised to see “Alpha Alpine” in the new Emma Lord Returns series. The book picks up where the last one ends and doesn’t miss a beat. Emma and Milo are very much in love and enjoying married life when they’re home or out together after work. However, when they’re on the job (Emma as owner of the local newspaper and Milo as sheriff), they still engage in their usual friendly bickering and competition over solving cases. They make a great team, even though they can’t share everything the other learns due to potential conflicts of interest, and that makes things awkward but interesting.

The last few books in the Emma Lord series had lost some steam, but this one is up to the author's usual standards and seems comfortable but fresh. Vida is back to bossing Emma around, although she isn’t as involved in the investigation as usual, and other members of the “Alpine Advocate” seem more like themselves. Alison, the young receptionist for the newspaper, seems to have a knack at sleuthing, and works well with Emma during the investigation into two recent murders. Emma can have a sharp tongue, but as long as it’s not overdone, I enjoy her sarcastic sense of humor. The book is entertaining, and I hope it’s the first of many more Emma Lord mysteries.

I received this book from NetGalley, through the courtesy of Alibi. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

After 26 stories Vida Runkel announces her retirement from the Alpine Advocate, Emma Lord and Milo Dodge are married and settled into their renovated log cabin and life in Alpine is being shaken by proposed local government structural changes.

The first part of the book is bogged down with character descriptions but the rest of the story is time tested Mary Daheim cozy and the ending leaves you wanting more.

Emma arrived in Alpine in 1989 and as of this story, she has been there for 16 years.making this setting 2005 - or at least that seems to be what I can figure out. Milo & Emma's bantering as a couple is a bit dated and feels uncomfortable in 2017 standards.

Thank you Alibi and Net Galley for accepting my volunteering to read this ARC.