Welcome to Alpine, Washington, where murder and mayhem is all in a day’s work!
Sassy, intelligent, single mother Emma Lord has always wanted to own a newspaper. And when she inherits half a million dollars from an ex-boyfriend, she is able to do just that. She buys The Alpine Advocate, local paper of the sleepy town of Alpine, Washington. Unfortunately, there’s not much to write about in a small town. But then the murders start, and Emma finds that not only does she have front-page stories to write, she also has killers to uncover!
In this volume, the first three Alpine Advocate novels are included in their entirety. Whether you’re already a fan of Emma Lord and the residents of Alpine, or this is your first visit to the Cascade Mountains, you’ll love the quirky characters, surprising plot twists, and fast-paced writing that exemplify this series. Welcome to Alpine!
In The Alpine Advocate, family drama reaches a fever pitch when rich old Neeny Doukas’ handsome grandson Mark Doukas is found murdered. Evidence suggests that Mark’s brother Chris, the black sheep of the Dooukas clan, may be to blame, but suddenly everyone in the family is acting suspicious. Emma and her trusted assistant Vida, who knows everyone in Alpine and is related to most of them, are on the case!
Next in The Alpine Betrayal, Dani Marsh, who left Alpine years ago to become a Hollywood movie star, returns home to shoot her latest movie. Soon after her arrival, her ex-husband Cody Graf goes berserk with an axe, and is later found dead on a deserted back road. Emma covers the story for the local paper, but she and her friend Milo, the local sheriff, don’t think they’re getting the whole story. Why does everyone in town seem to hate Dani? Did Cody Graff really overdose, or was he murdered? Emma is determined to find out!
Finally there’s The Alpine Christmas. Winter in Alpine is picturesque, with deep snow, Christmas trees, frozen lakes, and carolers. But the beauty is tarnished when a woman’s severed leg is found in the lake, and another woman’s dead body turns up in the forest. Emma Lord is joined on the case by her brother Ben, an irreverent priest visiting from Arizona. Can they find the killer before more women wind up dead?
Great start to the series. I have read several toward the end of the series, but had missed the earlier ones. Although you can follow the action without having read any of the previous books, character development plays a role in these first three books in the series. I enjoyed them because of their journalist focus, as the sleuth is a publisher. I also enjoyed them for their small town setting. Highly recommended series for anyone who likes cozy mysteries, similar to Agatha Christie or Ngaio Marsh.
Good way to get caught up on this series. I enjoy that the stories take place in the Pacific Northwest, lots of familiar places. Fun mysteries, with great characters.