The Alpine Scandal: An Emma Lord Mystery (Emma Lord Mysteries) [Mass Market Paperback]

Mary Daheim (Author)

Book Description

Series: Emma Lord Mysteries | Publication Date: January 29, 2008

Welcome to mystery lovers’ favorite destination: Alpine, Washington, Mary Daheim’s picturesque old logging town in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. From the Venison Inn to the Upper Crust Bakery, Front Street is jumping–and the nerve center of the community is the office of The Alpine Advocate, Emma Lord’s weekly newspaper, which keeps folks up to speed on everything from joyous weddings to sudden, violent death.

THE ALPINE SCANDAL

It’s a quiet morning at the Advocate until the mail brings shocking news: a formal obituary for Alpiner Elmer Nystrom. As far as anyone knows, Elmer is alive and well. But he hasn’t turned up for work, so Emma and her unstoppable House & Home editor, Vida Runkel, rush to the Nystrom home, where they find Elmer’s lifeless body in the henhouse, half buried under straw. Not only has he been murdered, but his obituary had been mailed before he died. Though Elmer was well liked by everyone, the same cannot be said of his standoffish wife or his son, the town’s new orthodontist.

Rumors fly–straight into the office of the Advocate. Why did Dr. Nystrom’s new receptionist resign at the end of her first day? Why are the Nystroms’ neighbors so close-mouthed? Who mailed that prophetic obituary? With Sheriff Milo Dodge in the hospital, it’s up to Emma and Vida to get to the bottom of the tragedy. Alpiners love scandal, and with Elmer’s murder, they’ll get their fill.

The Alpine Scandal, number nineteen in this bestselling series, is as suspenseful and charming as its predecessors, a delicious look into the life of a small town where all inhabitants know one another–just not as well as they thought.


From the Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Mary Daheim and her Emma Lord mysteries

“If you like the Cat Who mysteries by Lilian Jackson Braun, you’ll find similar fun here.”
–San Antonio Express-News

“Mary Daheim writes with wit, wisdom, and a big heart. I love her books.”
–Carolyn Hart

“Recommended . . . If you like cozy mysteries, you need to try Daheim’s Alpine series.”
–The Snooper

“Daheim writes . . . with dry wit, a butter-smooth style, and obvious wicked enjoyment.”
–The Oregonian

“The characters are great, and the plots always attention-getting.”
–King Features Syndicate

“Witty one-liners and amusing characterizations.”
–Publishers Weekly


From the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Mary Daheim is a Seattle native who started spinning stories before she could spell. Daheim has been a journalist, an editor, a public relations consultant, and a freelance writer, but fiction was always her medium of choice. In 1982 she launched a career that is now distinguished by more than forty novels. In 2000, she won the Literary Achievement Award from the Pacific Northwest Writers Association. Daheim lives in Seattle with her husband, David, a retired professor of cinema, English, and literature. The Daheims have three daughters: Barbara, Katherine, and Magdalen.


From the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (January 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345468171
• ISBN-13: 978-0345468178
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.9 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #371,166 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #13 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Mystery & Thrillers > Authors, A-Z > ( D ) > Daheim, Mary

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Need an egg?, April 2, 2007

By 

Puzzler (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Alpine Scandal: An Emma Lord Mystery (Emma Lord Mysteries) (Hardcover)

If so, don't look for one in the Nystrom chicken house. You could find yourself hurt or even worse there.

This is the 19th book in the series that is my personal favorite cozy mystery set. It is amazing that a town of 7000 can provide so many adventures and so many murders. Granted, Emma and Vida have occasionally wandered away from Alpine, but most have occured right there. This time we find the local Chevy repair manager down in the henhouse. It seems impossible, as everyone in town seemed to like him. Well, maybe not everyone, but that is not evident for a while. The mystery is well drawn with some interesting twists and turns along the way. A number of "possible leads" end up having very plausible explanations. The story should hold the interest of those who enjoy reading books of this genre.

For those of us who have read all the books, the more interesting play is often that retelling of smalltown life in the mountains. It was great to have Ben so prominently featured in this one. One hopes that Ben could be transferred to a permanent assignment there. The latest adventures of buffoon Ed Bronsky provide some chuckles. Vida is Vida. No more needs to be said. Milo's role is very interesting here. One sees a bit of vulnerability and even a tenderness that we have not seen so much before. Personally, I am a champion of Milo. I can hardly wait for Emma to come to her senses and realize that he stands head and shoulders above the likes of Tom, Rolf, and the other rather "plastic" men who have walked through her life.

For those who are new to this series, I would urge you to take them in order. There is a terrific story there. Mrs. DaHeim does a wonderful job of painting her characters, both those who continue through and those who show up for only a few books and then move on. My personal favorites are "Alpine Christmas" and "Alpine Quilt", but I do believe there is great value in walking the complete path of life in Alpine, Washington, during the last 13 years.

Enjoy your reading!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Emma searches for a killer, April 25, 2007

By 

Karen Potts (Lake Jackson, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Alpine Scandal: An Emma Lord Mystery (Emma Lord Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Emma Lord is the owner and publisher of the "Alpine Advocate" a weekly newspaper in the small community of Alpine, Washington. When she and her friend and employee, Vida Runkel, receive an obituary for Elmer Nystrom they are surprised because they did not realize that the car dealer had died. Upon investigation they discover Elmer's dead body in the henhouse behind his home. Emma Lord enjoys playing amateur detective, so she begins her own investigation alongside the "official" one which is being run by Milo, the town sheriff and Emma's occasional love interest. She uncovers some interesting relationships between Elmer's family, the neighbors, and Elmer's son's employees. Author Daheim includes all sorts of red herrings in her book, and the revelation of the truth will come as a surprise to the reader. The ending is a bit far-fetched, but it doesn't detract much from another enjoyable book in this long-running series.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Alpine Scandal: an Emma Lord Mystery, May 7, 2007

By 

D. Thiel "Book It" (Idaho) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Alpine Scandal: An Emma Lord Mystery (Emma Lord Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Mary Daheim is one of my favorite mystery writers. This series is her best. This book was a tiny bit anti-climatic at the end, but was a worthwhile read, never-the-less. Enjoy and rollicking ride in Alpine!