Customer Reviews

Alpine Icon (Emma Lord Mysteries)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Things aren't going well at St. Mildred's Catholic Church. There's a fight going on in the Parish Council and on the St. Mildred's school board. The traditional memebers are worried that the non-catholic members are trying to change the school into a private school.

Father Kelly, the African American priest is finding it difficult to settle the problems between them, formerly a teacher at the seminary, this is his first church and it's hard to be authorative when your members are thinking about complaining to the Church Council and having you removed.

Deciding to expand the Parish council membership, an election is underway. Into this mess comes, Ursual O'Toole Randall, who has returned to Alpine with her fiancee, Warren Wells. Ursula, who is now a wealthy woman decides to run for the council and manages to tick off many members of the group with her superior attitude.

When Ursula winds up dead, drowned in the river, there is no lack of suspects.

Emma Lord, owner and editor of the Alpine Advocate hates to think that a member of her church would do away with Ursula, but there were a lot of suspects.

Such as: Francine Wells, owner of the Fine Apparal Shop, who is Warren's ex-wife, and a member of the Parish Council. She's still bitter about the divorce and hates Ursula, as does her daughter who has just returned to town for a visit.

Ursula's two brother's Jake & Buzzy. Jake is doing ok with his store, but Buzzy has been unemployed for years since the timber industry has shut down and he and his wife have recently separated.

Ski shop owner, Verb Vancich, who hated Warren Wells and was worried when Warren announced he was opening another ski shop in town. Did he know Ursula would be paying for it and so tried to kill off the competition?

Emma decides to help solve the mystery, while covering the story, along with her side kick Vida Runkel.

Meanwhile, Ed Bronsky, former ad manager for Emma, and recently inherited millionaire has finished his autobiography. Deciding what it needs is a short, snappy, rememberable name, Ed has chosen the classic title of "Mr. Ed."

Plus Polly Patricelli see's a holy vision in a cracked vase which brings hundreds of visitors to see it.

Highlights:

Emma and the Sheriff Milo Dodge have finally gotten together.

Ed Bronsky has turned into a hilarious character. With his new million, he attempts to throw his weight around and get involved with everything, although now that he's in charge of St. Mildred's food bank, there is suspicion about the amount of day old pastries from the Upper Crust Bakery that seems to disappear when he's on duty.

Adam, Emma's formerly turnip brained son has finally decided on a career. You've had a hint for the last couple of books, so it wasn't as much of a surprise to me as it was a shock to Emma.

Lowlights:

Unbelievably, it's also the fact that Emma and Milo have finally gotten together. For some reason, now that these two are together, the author writes them as if she doesn't want them together. I was depressed throughout the story that these two are not going to be kept together. And it's equally frustrating that Emma's close friend Vida Runkel doesn't think they belong together and that Emma should get back together with the married jerk who fathered Adam. (I promised in an earlier review not to discuss this person again. See previous reviews for my look at this relationship).

There are several storylines which go no where in this book. Why did the lawyer call Father Kelly right after she talked to Emma? Everything just ends with the discovery of the killer.

I figured out who the killer was early in the book, but the ending was badly written, that I had to read it twice as I thought someone else was the killer when it was all over.

Emma's employee's are barely in the story. Leo Walsh is only mentioned a couple of times. I also get a feeling now that he's next in line to be Emma's boyfriend. I hope I'm wrong about this. Carla appears only to take some pictures, Ginny only as a sideline character.

Vida Runkel is beginning to be a pain. She is so convinced Emma should go back to Tommy Boy, who is still married and won't leave his wife. She has become terribly bossy. Emma needs to remember Vida is an employee, not the owner of the Advocate.

Every series has one or two bad books, and this is definitely the one for this series. (I hope there aren't any more). I had thought the book that finally got Emma and Milo together would be a 5 star, but with the convuluted mystery, too many characters who have nothing to do with the plotline, it was a disappointment.

Still looking forward to the next book.

Alpine is full of talk about the return of Ursula O'Toole. Having grown up in the small town, she married a wealthy doctor and is now returning to her birthplace to marry Warren Wells, another native of Alpine. Ursula immediately becomes embroiled in church politics and plans to run for the board of the Catholic school. Before that happens, however, she is found dead in the river. Some people think it was an accident but Emma Lord, local newspaper editor disagrees. She and her intrepid friend, Vida, do some investigating on their own. Did Ursula's future husband kill her for insurance money? Did Ursula's political enemies do her in? Did she have an old enemy in Alpine? Emma and Vida, together with Emma's boyfriend Sheriff Milo Dodge, finally uncover the answers to these question.

This is truly a great series. It is full of small town characters who are lively and sometimes odd. The plots are credible and exciting and the main character is believable. Never a disappointment!

For the fans of Mary Daheim's "Alpine" series, this is a pleasant addition. We see Emma Lord more comfortable in Alpine, accepted by the townspeople and coming to terms with her faith. The domestic violence, economic crisis are portrayed in a way to make you think about these issues. Small-town living? Not what everyone makes it out to be. In "The Alpine Icon", Ursula O'Toole Randall comes home to Alpine, engaged to another former Alpine resident,Warren Wells. A few things crop up that would make this move a bit uncomfortable. Warren's ex-wife, Francine, still lives in Alpine and runs an exclusive dress shop. Ursula manages to step on toes by making callous comments and a "holier than thou" attitude. She stepped on one toe to many and ended up dead. The sheriff, Milo Dodge, with Emma Lord's help and that of her House & Home editor, Vida Runkel, goes after leads all over Alpine. He sees more action in this book: domestic violence, drugs, attempted shooting and...love. A super continuation in "The Alpine Advocate" series. But for a first time reader, I would suggest the first book in the series "The Alpine Advocate".

Very nice book, clean with no rumpled pages. This book fits in with my other books from the same author. So far I have not read it yet as I am still behind on the others of the same group. Very glad that I purchased it.

My very busy wife enjoys this series for relief and relaxation reading. Have fun and read out sid the daily box of work.

The story is good but all the typos ruin the experience. I expect better quality from Kindle.

Best read in sequence, this Nancy-Drew-for-Adults series is peopled with delightful characters. Though propelled by a murder (or two) it is the antics of the townsfolk that pleases. "Icon" is the best so far. All are recommended except "Escape," a total muddle, though it introduces an on-going character.