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Emma Lord #28
Bitter Alpine
New year, new murder . . . Emma Lord is on the case when death finds its way back to the wintry mountain town of Alpine.
After a relatively calm and cozy holiday season, neither Emma Lord, editor and publisher of The Alpine Advocate, nor her husband, Sheriff Milo Dodge, are surprised when their new year gets off to a rocky start. A woman’s body has been found in a squalid motel. Her driver’s license shows that Dawn Purvis was in her late thirties and lived in Weaverville, California—and the only connection between that town and Alpine is their gold-mining and logging origins. When they discover that Dawn’s room reservation was open-ended, Emma, Milo, and the ever-inquisitive Advocate receptionist, Alison Lindahl, are more than mildly curious. And never mind that the youthful Alison is a bit distracted by the new county extension agent’s virile good looks. She can still sleuth while she stalks her newest crush.
But that’s not all the news that’s unfit to print. There’s something strange about the older couple who have moved into the cabin down the road that was once owned by a murder victim. The elderly wife seems anti-social. There’s got to be a reason, which Emma, Milo, and Alison intend to find out—even if it puts them in deadly danger.
After a relatively calm and cozy holiday season, neither Emma Lord, editor and publisher of The Alpine Advocate, nor her husband, Sheriff Milo Dodge, are surprised when their new year gets off to a rocky start. A woman’s body has been found in a squalid motel. Her driver’s license shows that Dawn Purvis was in her late thirties and lived in Weaverville, California—and the only connection between that town and Alpine is their gold-mining and logging origins. When they discover that Dawn’s room reservation was open-ended, Emma, Milo, and the ever-inquisitive Advocate receptionist, Alison Lindahl, are more than mildly curious. And never mind that the youthful Alison is a bit distracted by the new county extension agent’s virile good looks. She can still sleuth while she stalks her newest crush.
But that’s not all the news that’s unfit to print. There’s something strange about the older couple who have moved into the cabin down the road that was once owned by a murder victim. The elderly wife seems anti-social. There’s got to be a reason, which Emma, Milo, and Alison intend to find out—even if it puts them in deadly danger.
235 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 4, 2020
160 people are currently reading
295 people want to read
About the author
Mary Daheim
94 books443 followersMary Rene Richardson Daheim was an American writer of romance and mystery novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
February 15, 2020
Dollycas’ Thoughts
This series continues as we enter 2007. The Alpine Advocate editor Emma Lord and her new husband Sheriff Milo Dodge ring in the new year only to find themselves embroiled in another investigation. A women’s body is found in a local hotel and they can’t find any connection between her and Alpine. The new Advocate receptionist even does a little sleuthing. All three are also concerned about an older couple the have moved in down the road. Needless to say, all their snooping could be dangerous.
I have enjoyed all the previous 27 books in the series. This time Emma and Milo are even more cantankerous than usual and I felt Emma has lost some of her conviction and that detracted from the joy I usually feel when visiting Alpine. Emma also uses a derogatory term to describe her son that almost had me putting the book down for good. I know the story is set 13 years ago and the author probably used it as a reference for the time, but it is a term I believe was even seldom used even then. I was also taken aback by the way domestic abuse was handled. In fact, that word, that abuse, and some of Emma’s actions ring more from the ’50s instead of the early 2000s. As I kept reading I understood why the author handled the abuse as she did, but it was hard to read in places. Vida also has her share of troubles within these pages.
The mysteries were hit and miss for me. One of the problems with a long-running series is giving new readers background on the town and its inhabitants. It is important to learn the small-town dynamics like everyone is related to Scene Around Town columnist, Vida Runkel and that Ed Bronsky is going to drop by the Advocate office with some new scheme. Ms. Daheim did that almost too much this time. The asides messed with the flow at times. Emma seemed to be off her game with these investigations. I did think it was hilarious near the end of the book when Milo locked Emma in the car and warned her not to try to get any closer. What was sad was that she actually did it. Not all the loose ends are tied up at the end. Emma’s son Adam has been transferred from Alaska to Michigan and Vida’s replacement as she retires looks to be ad man Leo’s wife Liza.
The author continues to capture the weather and atmosphere of Alpine, Washington. January there can be brutal.
I am hoping the stumbles in this story are just a blip in the life of this series. Writing 28 books featuring the same characters and keeping things new and fresh has to be incredibly hard. I will be looking forward to the next installment because I do want to see what happens next for the residents of Alpine.
This series continues as we enter 2007. The Alpine Advocate editor Emma Lord and her new husband Sheriff Milo Dodge ring in the new year only to find themselves embroiled in another investigation. A women’s body is found in a local hotel and they can’t find any connection between her and Alpine. The new Advocate receptionist even does a little sleuthing. All three are also concerned about an older couple the have moved in down the road. Needless to say, all their snooping could be dangerous.
I have enjoyed all the previous 27 books in the series. This time Emma and Milo are even more cantankerous than usual and I felt Emma has lost some of her conviction and that detracted from the joy I usually feel when visiting Alpine. Emma also uses a derogatory term to describe her son that almost had me putting the book down for good. I know the story is set 13 years ago and the author probably used it as a reference for the time, but it is a term I believe was even seldom used even then. I was also taken aback by the way domestic abuse was handled. In fact, that word, that abuse, and some of Emma’s actions ring more from the ’50s instead of the early 2000s. As I kept reading I understood why the author handled the abuse as she did, but it was hard to read in places. Vida also has her share of troubles within these pages.
The mysteries were hit and miss for me. One of the problems with a long-running series is giving new readers background on the town and its inhabitants. It is important to learn the small-town dynamics like everyone is related to Scene Around Town columnist, Vida Runkel and that Ed Bronsky is going to drop by the Advocate office with some new scheme. Ms. Daheim did that almost too much this time. The asides messed with the flow at times. Emma seemed to be off her game with these investigations. I did think it was hilarious near the end of the book when Milo locked Emma in the car and warned her not to try to get any closer. What was sad was that she actually did it. Not all the loose ends are tied up at the end. Emma’s son Adam has been transferred from Alaska to Michigan and Vida’s replacement as she retires looks to be ad man Leo’s wife Liza.
The author continues to capture the weather and atmosphere of Alpine, Washington. January there can be brutal.
I am hoping the stumbles in this story are just a blip in the life of this series. Writing 28 books featuring the same characters and keeping things new and fresh has to be incredibly hard. I will be looking forward to the next installment because I do want to see what happens next for the residents of Alpine.
July 15, 2022
I didn't know when I began this book that it would be the last in the series. Mary Daheim died earlier this year. I'd not seen this news but had coincidentally decided to pick up the series where I'd left off years back. Racing through Alpine Xanadu, Alpine Yeoman, The Alpine Zen, Alpha Alpine and at last Bitter Alpine.
Through these books there was lots of gossipy recapping that brought the background stories of so many characters back to mind. Occasionally the devices to do this were a little obvious and not always well handled, but it didn't spoil my enjoyment.
Emma and many of the main characters are left in a really good place. I dragged out the finishing of the book and the inevitable farewell to my journey with these characters.
The books are cosy mysteries but Mary Daheim gave a buoyancy to the writing, insightful humour and such a great sense of place.
I've found a Facebook group that shares info on the original and real small town of Alpine, there's some great photos being posted ... It has helped bridge the sad realisation that Mary Daheim has passed and this cosy series will not have just one more ... What would the next one have been? Starting with C .... Cosy Alpine ?
Through these books there was lots of gossipy recapping that brought the background stories of so many characters back to mind. Occasionally the devices to do this were a little obvious and not always well handled, but it didn't spoil my enjoyment.
Emma and many of the main characters are left in a really good place. I dragged out the finishing of the book and the inevitable farewell to my journey with these characters.
The books are cosy mysteries but Mary Daheim gave a buoyancy to the writing, insightful humour and such a great sense of place.
I've found a Facebook group that shares info on the original and real small town of Alpine, there's some great photos being posted ... It has helped bridge the sad realisation that Mary Daheim has passed and this cosy series will not have just one more ... What would the next one have been? Starting with C .... Cosy Alpine ?
January 31, 2020
From Random House comes a new addition to the “An Emma Lord Mystery” cozy book series, Bitter Alpine, written by Mary Daheim.
This is a cozy book series that has been around for quite some time, and the first one I have read. I am sure that there are lots of fans of this series out there, but unfortunately, I am not going to be one of them. If this book is any indication of what others in the series are like, I can honestly say that I not only won’t be reading them, I won’t be recommending them either.
There was not a single character in this story that I liked or wanted to hear more about. There wasn’t even one likable person in the entire book. It is not often that I can’t find something to like about a book, even one that isn’t fantastic. But in this case, there isn’t a single thing I found appealing in this cozy book.
Of the issues that grated on me the most, I would say that the physical abuse is at the top of the list. Although set in 2007, the acceptance of physical violence was not okay, and the laws against abuse were plentiful. Several women are physically abused by their partners throughout this book, and none of the abusers are arrested. Even in 2007, we had mandatory arrest laws. The police had the right to arrest anyone who was accused of, or they had cause to believe had committed physical abuse to someone, even a spouse, without the spouse pressing charges. The fact that the abuse was considered routine and accepted in this book was heartbreaking.
The sheer lack of an investigation into a murder, or the abuse, is number two on the list. There is little to no investigation into the murder of a stranger in a hotel. There are no real suspects; no one was brought in for questioning about where they were the night of the murder. And several possible suspects left town and the country without anyone caring. The killer is wholly unbelievable and feels as if a murderer was thrown in at the last minute, and the motive even more so as it is nonexistent.
The main character, a newspaper publisher who doesn’t seem to do anything except drink coffee, eat donuts and gather useless info from her Sherriff husband (the couple, in reality, would never have married in the first place but most definitely would be divorced after only 1-year). The Sherriff and publisher do nothing except bully each other, yell at each other, and seem to live in the 40’s when the “little woman” had to have dinner on the table when the man of the house came home.
Throw in a brooding reporter, who doesn’t come up with any leads of his own, despises his boss’ spouse, i.e., the Sherriff, and does so openly while getting all of his leads from his boss. There's a man crazed receptionist who doesn’t seem to care who she marries as long as its soon, and a population that appears to be indifferent to the goings-on of their city leaders, including when they commit crimes, and you have a long, dull, and at times, immensely distasteful story that, in the end, doesn’t even make sense. I won’t go into the issue that the Sherriff only eats steak and burgers; the couple eats out for lunch every day, drinks alcohol heavily, and they do it all on what appears to be a meager income. The problems go on and on in this cozy book. I am sorry to say that I cannot recommend this book.
This is a cozy book series that has been around for quite some time, and the first one I have read. I am sure that there are lots of fans of this series out there, but unfortunately, I am not going to be one of them. If this book is any indication of what others in the series are like, I can honestly say that I not only won’t be reading them, I won’t be recommending them either.
There was not a single character in this story that I liked or wanted to hear more about. There wasn’t even one likable person in the entire book. It is not often that I can’t find something to like about a book, even one that isn’t fantastic. But in this case, there isn’t a single thing I found appealing in this cozy book.
Of the issues that grated on me the most, I would say that the physical abuse is at the top of the list. Although set in 2007, the acceptance of physical violence was not okay, and the laws against abuse were plentiful. Several women are physically abused by their partners throughout this book, and none of the abusers are arrested. Even in 2007, we had mandatory arrest laws. The police had the right to arrest anyone who was accused of, or they had cause to believe had committed physical abuse to someone, even a spouse, without the spouse pressing charges. The fact that the abuse was considered routine and accepted in this book was heartbreaking.
The sheer lack of an investigation into a murder, or the abuse, is number two on the list. There is little to no investigation into the murder of a stranger in a hotel. There are no real suspects; no one was brought in for questioning about where they were the night of the murder. And several possible suspects left town and the country without anyone caring. The killer is wholly unbelievable and feels as if a murderer was thrown in at the last minute, and the motive even more so as it is nonexistent.
The main character, a newspaper publisher who doesn’t seem to do anything except drink coffee, eat donuts and gather useless info from her Sherriff husband (the couple, in reality, would never have married in the first place but most definitely would be divorced after only 1-year). The Sherriff and publisher do nothing except bully each other, yell at each other, and seem to live in the 40’s when the “little woman” had to have dinner on the table when the man of the house came home.
Throw in a brooding reporter, who doesn’t come up with any leads of his own, despises his boss’ spouse, i.e., the Sherriff, and does so openly while getting all of his leads from his boss. There's a man crazed receptionist who doesn’t seem to care who she marries as long as its soon, and a population that appears to be indifferent to the goings-on of their city leaders, including when they commit crimes, and you have a long, dull, and at times, immensely distasteful story that, in the end, doesn’t even make sense. I won’t go into the issue that the Sherriff only eats steak and burgers; the couple eats out for lunch every day, drinks alcohol heavily, and they do it all on what appears to be a meager income. The problems go on and on in this cozy book. I am sorry to say that I cannot recommend this book.
January 31, 2020
Many years ago I had the pleasant task of keeping my elderly mother supplied with cozy mysteries, which we often read and shared. One such was the Alpine Advocate series featuring Emma Lord, publisher of a weekly newspaper in the small town of Alpine, Washington. They were so interesting that even my husband and daughter got into reading the series along with us.
Those books followed an A-Z pattern in the choice of their titles so we were sure that when Miss Daheim hit the letter Z, the series would be over. But no, she has resumed the series as 'Emma Lord Returns' and has started the alphabet titles over again.
Bitter Alpine is the second book in this new series and is set in January of 2007; Emma and Sheriff Milo Dodge, who are in their 50s, have been married for almost a year. Dodge is called out one evening to investigate the strangulation death of a young woman from Oakland, CA, who was staying at a local motel. No one seems to know why she was in Alpine. Emma, of course, always has to stick her nose in any case to get the news for her paper and as usual, she is fighting a deadline.
There have been some changes in her office staff: Vida, her long-time Home and Garden editor, wants to retire and it looks like the wife of Leo, the advertising man, will try to replace the formidable icon.
Emma's son Adam, a priest, announces he is being transferred to Gaylord, Michigan, from a remote Alaskan village. (Note to both publisher and author: Gaylord is NOT in the upper peninsula of Michigan; it's in the upper part of the lower portion of the state.) In the storyline, Emma does a lot of reminiscing to catch new readers up on past history and I have to say my hackles rose when she refers to her son as 'illegitimate.' I thought we had moved beyond that kind of terminology. If any one is illegitimate, it's the parents, not the child!
Newly-wed Emma seems to have fallen into the stereotype of a married woman, rather surprising for someone who has lived most of her adult life on her own and has been a modern and independent business woman: she is always the one to do the grocery shopping and cooking and Milo demands his drink and dinner as he walks in the door--and 9 times out of 10, it's steak and potatoes. He of course controls the tv remote and they watch a lot of sports every evening with frequent romantic bedroom breaks. And even knowing that Emma is once again trying to quit smoking, Milo has an evening cigarette in front of the tv. These are all personal gripes on my part, but are still things I noticed.
The focus of these mysteries has always been small town dynamics--how most everyone knows their neighbor's business. Vida for instance is related to most everyone in town and can gossip with the best of them in her Scene Around Town column, but don't you dare criticize her ne'er-do-well grandson who is serving time in prison for drug-dealing. It's a good thing a new community college and business start-ups have brought an influx of new people to the Alpine area or all the townspeople would have been murdered off by now in these books, lol.
I received an arc of this new cozy mystery from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks for a fun read!
Those books followed an A-Z pattern in the choice of their titles so we were sure that when Miss Daheim hit the letter Z, the series would be over. But no, she has resumed the series as 'Emma Lord Returns' and has started the alphabet titles over again.
Bitter Alpine is the second book in this new series and is set in January of 2007; Emma and Sheriff Milo Dodge, who are in their 50s, have been married for almost a year. Dodge is called out one evening to investigate the strangulation death of a young woman from Oakland, CA, who was staying at a local motel. No one seems to know why she was in Alpine. Emma, of course, always has to stick her nose in any case to get the news for her paper and as usual, she is fighting a deadline.
There have been some changes in her office staff: Vida, her long-time Home and Garden editor, wants to retire and it looks like the wife of Leo, the advertising man, will try to replace the formidable icon.
Emma's son Adam, a priest, announces he is being transferred to Gaylord, Michigan, from a remote Alaskan village. (Note to both publisher and author: Gaylord is NOT in the upper peninsula of Michigan; it's in the upper part of the lower portion of the state.) In the storyline, Emma does a lot of reminiscing to catch new readers up on past history and I have to say my hackles rose when she refers to her son as 'illegitimate.' I thought we had moved beyond that kind of terminology. If any one is illegitimate, it's the parents, not the child!
Newly-wed Emma seems to have fallen into the stereotype of a married woman, rather surprising for someone who has lived most of her adult life on her own and has been a modern and independent business woman: she is always the one to do the grocery shopping and cooking and Milo demands his drink and dinner as he walks in the door--and 9 times out of 10, it's steak and potatoes. He of course controls the tv remote and they watch a lot of sports every evening with frequent romantic bedroom breaks. And even knowing that Emma is once again trying to quit smoking, Milo has an evening cigarette in front of the tv. These are all personal gripes on my part, but are still things I noticed.
The focus of these mysteries has always been small town dynamics--how most everyone knows their neighbor's business. Vida for instance is related to most everyone in town and can gossip with the best of them in her Scene Around Town column, but don't you dare criticize her ne'er-do-well grandson who is serving time in prison for drug-dealing. It's a good thing a new community college and business start-ups have brought an influx of new people to the Alpine area or all the townspeople would have been murdered off by now in these books, lol.
I received an arc of this new cozy mystery from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks for a fun read!
August 7, 2020
Alpine and Emma Lord are my favorite Mary Daheim books. Until the next one, I have read them all.
February 12, 2020
Emma and her husband Milo had a lovely holiday season and all is going well in their world. The paper is doing well and Milo hasn't had a thing bad to investigate. When life is happy something bad is eventually bound to happen and in this case does. A young woman is found dead in the local dirty motel. They soon learn the young woman is from California but are having a hard time with figuring out what or who brought her to town. Meanwhile several other weird things are going.on around town, an older couple is living in a local cabin and no one is are when they moved in and how long they will be staying there. Emma's neighbor is kidnapped by her boyfriend and no one can seem to find them, with the weather it's hard to imagine they got far. With everything going on Emma has tons for the paper businesses to dig more into the young woman's murder. Can she figure it all out with the few clues that she has or will her murder remain a mystery?
February 11, 2020
This was the first book I have read from this series that I see has been around for quite some time that runs titles from A to Z. I liked it well enough as cozies go but wonder if I had read some of the previous books if I would have had a better feel or appreciation for the characters? I felt the story line was good but I never really connected to anybody and it seems a few things didn't appear to wrap up at the end but this could have very well just been an open ending for the next book so I can't say for sure as this being a first in the series for me as to the authors style about things like that.
Overall it was a fun read and I enjoyed the wintry feel of it. I would totally read more books from the series before I formed any major opinions.
*I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Overall it was a fun read and I enjoyed the wintry feel of it. I would totally read more books from the series before I formed any major opinions.
*I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 29, 2020
I wanted to like this book. I really did. But I just couldn't do it. I didn't even get past chapter 9 as hard as I tried.
There are so many entertaining books out there to read, I just couldn't dedicate my time to this one.
The characters were all a bit mean. They were always complaining to each other and saying unkind things.. The fact that it sometimes seemed like this was a form of foreplay for Emma and Milo didn't help. They had unkind things to say about former spouses (or lovers) calling them names. In conversations people said things like "You remember what happened to so-and-so a few years ago?" I don't care what happened to incidental people that are thrown into the story. I just got tired of the underlying dislike for people.
The characters constantly used slang terms for people like "vic" and "dink." I could figure out that "vic" meant "victim", but I had no idea who or what a "dink" is and the dictionary on kindle was no help telling me that it is a term for a dropped shot in tennis. The author must have watched WAY too many TV police shows.
In addition, the author gave the background of every single person ever mentioned in the book. I really don't care about the back story for the guy who drives the snow plow. Does it relate to the story line? I will never know, but certainly all the people we have learned about their past lives can't be major players. The story dragged on and on.
At 30% through my kindle edition all I knew was that a woman had disappeared years before and that the body of a young woman was found. She may have been the illegitimate child of one of the town's residents, but I will never know because I just couldn't finish this book. It was too painful and I have too many other books to read.
I will not be looking for any more books by Mary Daheim.
There are so many entertaining books out there to read, I just couldn't dedicate my time to this one.
The characters were all a bit mean. They were always complaining to each other and saying unkind things.. The fact that it sometimes seemed like this was a form of foreplay for Emma and Milo didn't help. They had unkind things to say about former spouses (or lovers) calling them names. In conversations people said things like "You remember what happened to so-and-so a few years ago?" I don't care what happened to incidental people that are thrown into the story. I just got tired of the underlying dislike for people.
The characters constantly used slang terms for people like "vic" and "dink." I could figure out that "vic" meant "victim", but I had no idea who or what a "dink" is and the dictionary on kindle was no help telling me that it is a term for a dropped shot in tennis. The author must have watched WAY too many TV police shows.
In addition, the author gave the background of every single person ever mentioned in the book. I really don't care about the back story for the guy who drives the snow plow. Does it relate to the story line? I will never know, but certainly all the people we have learned about their past lives can't be major players. The story dragged on and on.
At 30% through my kindle edition all I knew was that a woman had disappeared years before and that the body of a young woman was found. She may have been the illegitimate child of one of the town's residents, but I will never know because I just couldn't finish this book. It was too painful and I have too many other books to read.
I will not be looking for any more books by Mary Daheim.
December 20, 2021
If you are new to Alpine Washington this cozy provides a synopsis of the original Alpine A-Z series and the first book in the A-Z Alpine series, all featuring Emma Lord.
If you're already an Alpine fan the gentle reminders of Emma Lord's adventures as the small town weekly newspaper owner bring back many memories of the Alpine Advocate staff and towns people.
It's 2007 and Emma & Milo are newlyweds after sixteen years of an on-again off-again relationship. Keeping things cozy among the rain and snow of the tiny ski resort town still provides plot twists and character development.
A visit with old friends.
I volunteered to read an ARC from Alibi (Random House) through Net Galley
I listened to this as an audiobook in 2021 and narrator did a good job. I just kept getting lost in reminiscing of original stories. I owluld have preferred more new story and less review of old.
If you're already an Alpine fan the gentle reminders of Emma Lord's adventures as the small town weekly newspaper owner bring back many memories of the Alpine Advocate staff and towns people.
It's 2007 and Emma & Milo are newlyweds after sixteen years of an on-again off-again relationship. Keeping things cozy among the rain and snow of the tiny ski resort town still provides plot twists and character development.
A visit with old friends.
I volunteered to read an ARC from Alibi (Random House) through Net Galley
I listened to this as an audiobook in 2021 and narrator did a good job. I just kept getting lost in reminiscing of original stories. I owluld have preferred more new story and less review of old.
December 3, 2019
This is the first book I have read by this author, and I'm not sure there will be a second.
The storyline was a bit lackluster and the author long winded. While I feel there was a lot of unnecessary content, it seems that the author may be catering to her long time readers of her first Emma Lord series. Perhaps I would have been better served having read the first series, though I often read a book later in a series and never feel disconnected. This just isn't the author and series for me.
The storyline was a bit lackluster and the author long winded. While I feel there was a lot of unnecessary content, it seems that the author may be catering to her long time readers of her first Emma Lord series. Perhaps I would have been better served having read the first series, though I often read a book later in a series and never feel disconnected. This just isn't the author and series for me.
March 2, 2020
The new year in Alpine gets off to a rough start when a woman’s body is found in a squalid motel on the edge of town. No one knows her, and she has no apparent connection to Alpine, so her presence in town and her murder are a mystery. Emma Lord, publisher and editor of the Alpine Advocate, and her husband, Sheriff Milo Dodge, work together to solve the crime.
I have been a huge fan of this series since book 1, and book 28 is still just as good as the first one. All my favorite characters are back. As a plus, there’s less than normal of Vida Blatt, former home and garden editor. She’s retired and has a small mystery of her own, which plays into the overall mystery, but I was thankful neither it nor Vida were center stage as usual. She annoys me.
I still like the relationship between Emma and Milo, her husband. They walk a fine line between their professional and personal lives, and I find that realistic. They get on each other’s nerves, but always work things out. I dated (and then married) the city clerk of the small town newspaper where I had my first reporting job, and our relationship was much like Milo and Emma’s. The author’s depiction of small town life and the trials and tribulations of running a newspaper ring true. I like how the author weaves in the backstories (by this point, there’s a lot to cover); it’s done in a smooth, conversational way so readers can keep up.
Sometimes the mystery part of this series can be thin, but I so enjoy watching Emma and Milo solve the case that I don’t care. What draws me back each time is the depiction of small-town life and the interactions of all the characters. And the depiction of working at a newspaper. You could read these out of order, but I find them much more enjoyable in order. I own the entire first series in paperback, and have the Emma Lord Returns series on my Kindle. I’d buy them in paperback as well, but so far they are not offered in print. I like this series so much, I pre-order as soon as I know one’s coming. If you like character-driven mysteries set in small towns, with realistic plots, I highly recommend the entire Alpine lineup.
I have been a huge fan of this series since book 1, and book 28 is still just as good as the first one. All my favorite characters are back. As a plus, there’s less than normal of Vida Blatt, former home and garden editor. She’s retired and has a small mystery of her own, which plays into the overall mystery, but I was thankful neither it nor Vida were center stage as usual. She annoys me.
I still like the relationship between Emma and Milo, her husband. They walk a fine line between their professional and personal lives, and I find that realistic. They get on each other’s nerves, but always work things out. I dated (and then married) the city clerk of the small town newspaper where I had my first reporting job, and our relationship was much like Milo and Emma’s. The author’s depiction of small town life and the trials and tribulations of running a newspaper ring true. I like how the author weaves in the backstories (by this point, there’s a lot to cover); it’s done in a smooth, conversational way so readers can keep up.
Sometimes the mystery part of this series can be thin, but I so enjoy watching Emma and Milo solve the case that I don’t care. What draws me back each time is the depiction of small-town life and the interactions of all the characters. And the depiction of working at a newspaper. You could read these out of order, but I find them much more enjoyable in order. I own the entire first series in paperback, and have the Emma Lord Returns series on my Kindle. I’d buy them in paperback as well, but so far they are not offered in print. I like this series so much, I pre-order as soon as I know one’s coming. If you like character-driven mysteries set in small towns, with realistic plots, I highly recommend the entire Alpine lineup.
January 27, 2020
I Love this series :) This "chapter" in Alpine has a lot going on...A stranger comes to town, checks in the (sketchy) motel, and is found murdered. Patti is battered one times too many, lands n the hospital and finally is moved to press charges. A resident from "way back" returns to town with his wife and Vida faints when she learns of this. Vida also claims to be retiring from her long standing radio show. And Emma's son Adam is reassigned from his long held position in his Alaskan priestly duties to northern Michigan. Almost everything is tied up neatly by the end of the book but we are left wondering about Vida and I'm looking forward to learning more about Adam's move. Its always good to go back and visit Alpine :)
January 28, 2020
I think it is funny that after reading all the books in this series, the things that start sticking out to me. Emma is always the one to cook dinner. And most of the time they are eating steak. Between that and the hamburgers they frequently eat for lunch, I worry that the next book in the series might be Coronary Alpine. But the book is set in 2007 so maybe her and Dodge get more health conscious later? I doubt it! Another thought regarding the book being set in 2007, as is stated before the story begins, is that the Seahawks did not get to the SuperBowl that year (obviously not a spoiler). They did in 2005, 2013, and 2014. Apparently Ms. Daheim's sources weren't credible. The other thing I noticed was the excessive amount of foreshadowing in the book. This seems to also be new or maybe I am just more likely to notice. It wasn't overbearing, but caught my eye a few times. However, after having recently read a few less than stellar books, it is always nice to come back to a well loved cozy series with people and places that are familiar, though continued reminders of events and characters got a bit excessive. Maybe that is the upside and downside to a long running series? The author needs to find the balance between letting new readers know back story without alienating those who already read that book. But overall, similar to all that steak and potatoes, this series is comfort food.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
November 25, 2022
The 28th book in the Emma Lord series. A light, cozy mystery.
January 24, 2020
Emma and Milo are happily married and balancing her role as newspaper owner/editor and his role as sheriff. New people are coming to the small town of Alpine, a woman is murdered in a trashy motel in town, and who are the older couple who moved into a cabin where a family was killed? There’s always a lot of small-town news in town, but the pace was a little slow. I really didn’t want or need to read about Emma and Milo’s nightly whiskey and watching whatever sport was on TV that night. The series has many wonderful characters and we learn more about them in each book.
June 4, 2020
One of the most shallow books I've ever read. Would not recommend. Characters are mean, nasty and full of gossip. The Sheriff and his wife (owner of the newspaper) are something out of the 1950's, full of themselves, and selfish. This takes place in 2007 and I expected more than the little lady and a macho husband personalities. Tedious, boring, lackluster and far too much gossip about other characters who aren't an important part of the murder mystery. Don't waste your time.
February 13, 2020
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Bitter Alpine by Mary Daheim is a tale of the happenings of a small town.
Who killed the new girl in town?
Emma Lord
Emma runs the local newspaper and recently married the Police Chief. She is a journalist and, in the past, may have gotten herself in some sticky situations. She doesn't get into much trouble in this book. However, people do tend to contact Emma with local gossip.
This book is the first that I have read by Mary Daheim. I enjoyed the story, which is a continuation of the previous Emma Lord series. So, this is lots of history that Emma dishes out about the townsfolk throughout the tale. I found Emma to be knowledgeable, kind, good at dealing with prominent personalities, and I agree with her that no one should have to eat Vida's cooking.
The Mystery
A young woman new to town is murdered in the cheap local motel. Their boyfriends physically abuse two women and now missing. Vida wrecks her car as black ice forms in the winter weather. Is anything connected or all these individual crimes? This task is Chief Mitch's job to figure out, but that doesn't mean that Emma can't help.
3 Stars
Bitter Alpine by Mary Daheim is a good cozy mystery. I felt at times that the author could have moved the story along at a faster pace, but most everything works out in the end. So, my rating for Bitter Alpine by Mary Daheim is three stars.
First Book in the Emma Lord Returns Mystery Series
Prize: (3) Digital Copy (Kindle or Nook) - Bitter Alpine: An Emma Lord Mystery (Emma Lord Returns) by Mary Daheim
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Who killed the new girl in town?
Emma Lord
Emma runs the local newspaper and recently married the Police Chief. She is a journalist and, in the past, may have gotten herself in some sticky situations. She doesn't get into much trouble in this book. However, people do tend to contact Emma with local gossip.
This book is the first that I have read by Mary Daheim. I enjoyed the story, which is a continuation of the previous Emma Lord series. So, this is lots of history that Emma dishes out about the townsfolk throughout the tale. I found Emma to be knowledgeable, kind, good at dealing with prominent personalities, and I agree with her that no one should have to eat Vida's cooking.
The Mystery
A young woman new to town is murdered in the cheap local motel. Their boyfriends physically abuse two women and now missing. Vida wrecks her car as black ice forms in the winter weather. Is anything connected or all these individual crimes? This task is Chief Mitch's job to figure out, but that doesn't mean that Emma can't help.
3 Stars
Bitter Alpine by Mary Daheim is a good cozy mystery. I felt at times that the author could have moved the story along at a faster pace, but most everything works out in the end. So, my rating for Bitter Alpine by Mary Daheim is three stars.
First Book in the Emma Lord Returns Mystery Series
Prize: (3) Digital Copy (Kindle or Nook) - Bitter Alpine: An Emma Lord Mystery (Emma Lord Returns) by Mary Daheim
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This Guest Review is for Baroness' Book Trove.
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January 20, 2020
Emma Lord, owner of Alpine, Washington's local newspaper is enjoying wedded bliss with Sheriff Milo Dodge. They are both interested when a young woman is found dead in a seedy motel room. Emma wants to learn more, but is distracted when her longtime friend Vida undergoes a crisis. Could Vida's problems be connected to another mystery - an older couple living under assumed names in a cabin that was previously owned by a murder victim? Emma intends to find out.
This series went through A to Z and then started over again in the "Emma Lord Returns" series. This is the second book in that revived series. The last one was excellent and breathed new life into the long-running series. This book has a lot of strong points, but is lacking the depth that the best books in this series have. Emma and Milo still joke with each other in their usual sarcastic way with their love for each other shining through the teasing. I like it best when they work together to try to get to the bottom of their cases. Some of the side characters, such as Emma's reporter Mitch, become annoying after a while. However, I really like the new addition of Leo's wife, Liza. She is new to town and has a fresh outlook on the town and the stories the newspaper covers. I hope she continues to play a large role in future books.
The plot is interesting, but the usually sharp Emma seems to miss obvious clues and it takes a while for all the various subplots to come together. Just when things start getting good and the main mystery is solved, the book ends somewhat abruptly. Although some things are resolved, there are still loose ends that aren't tied up when the story is over. I don't know if this is setting things up for more reveals in the next book, or if a few questions will remain unanswered. I loved being able to spend more time with Milo and Emma in Alpine but was disappointed in the overall book, and I would rate it 3.5 stars.
I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Alibi. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
This series went through A to Z and then started over again in the "Emma Lord Returns" series. This is the second book in that revived series. The last one was excellent and breathed new life into the long-running series. This book has a lot of strong points, but is lacking the depth that the best books in this series have. Emma and Milo still joke with each other in their usual sarcastic way with their love for each other shining through the teasing. I like it best when they work together to try to get to the bottom of their cases. Some of the side characters, such as Emma's reporter Mitch, become annoying after a while. However, I really like the new addition of Leo's wife, Liza. She is new to town and has a fresh outlook on the town and the stories the newspaper covers. I hope she continues to play a large role in future books.
The plot is interesting, but the usually sharp Emma seems to miss obvious clues and it takes a while for all the various subplots to come together. Just when things start getting good and the main mystery is solved, the book ends somewhat abruptly. Although some things are resolved, there are still loose ends that aren't tied up when the story is over. I don't know if this is setting things up for more reveals in the next book, or if a few questions will remain unanswered. I loved being able to spend more time with Milo and Emma in Alpine but was disappointed in the overall book, and I would rate it 3.5 stars.
I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Alibi. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
February 11, 2020
Newlywed Emma and her local sheriff hubby, Milo Dodge are in their 50s, settling down to married life.
Emma has succumbed to the stereotypical housewife persona, albeit somewhat 1950s style, and seems to have become comfortable with their unusual lifestyle. As sheriff, he is often called out and spends long hours on the job; she as owner and editor of the local weekly Alpine Advocate operates on a thin budget with a few employees who handle different aspects of the news. Vida, a long time employee who handles the House and Home section along with the Scene notes she is ready for retirement, forcing a slight reshuffling of staff. Mitch handles reporting assignments.
Milo is called out to the apparent murder of a woman at the motel on the fringe of town and sets off the investigation leading to some red herrings which will definitely throw you off track in this cold, heavily snow-laden mountain community narrative. As editor of the local newspaper, of course, it's in her interest to get the news, although no one is going to break a sweat over it. Support characters and their lives provide ample distraction. Difficult to invest in most of the characters. I had some challenge with their routine (even given the year of 2007) and the interaction between Emma and Milo (why did they marry?).
More character-driven than cozy, slow pace ended with an abrupt conclusion. This would work as a standalone. I received the digital download by the publisher through NetGalley and appreciated the opportunity to read. 2.5/5 rounded down
See my review at https://rosepointpublishing.com/2020/...
Emma has succumbed to the stereotypical housewife persona, albeit somewhat 1950s style, and seems to have become comfortable with their unusual lifestyle. As sheriff, he is often called out and spends long hours on the job; she as owner and editor of the local weekly Alpine Advocate operates on a thin budget with a few employees who handle different aspects of the news. Vida, a long time employee who handles the House and Home section along with the Scene notes she is ready for retirement, forcing a slight reshuffling of staff. Mitch handles reporting assignments.
Milo is called out to the apparent murder of a woman at the motel on the fringe of town and sets off the investigation leading to some red herrings which will definitely throw you off track in this cold, heavily snow-laden mountain community narrative. As editor of the local newspaper, of course, it's in her interest to get the news, although no one is going to break a sweat over it. Support characters and their lives provide ample distraction. Difficult to invest in most of the characters. I had some challenge with their routine (even given the year of 2007) and the interaction between Emma and Milo (why did they marry?).
More character-driven than cozy, slow pace ended with an abrupt conclusion. This would work as a standalone. I received the digital download by the publisher through NetGalley and appreciated the opportunity to read. 2.5/5 rounded down
See my review at https://rosepointpublishing.com/2020/...
February 4, 2020
For a small mountain town in Washington state, there seems to be a lot of crime going on in Alpine! But such is life in a cozy mystery setting, and over this series' literary course of 16 years (or 28 years in real-time), crime will happen, even in a small town. As a long-time reader of this series, I love revisiting Alpine, with Emma and Milo and Vida in each story, and some of the "newer" characters like Leo and Mitch. There are a few interesting things happening in town: the death of a California woman with possible connections to Alpine, an older couple outside of town who keep hearing prowlers, a prison escapee, and a couple new Alpiners. We also see less of Vida, who seems ready to retire for good. Because this is the 28th book in the series, there are a lot of characters and townsfolk, but when someone from a past book is mentioned, there's usually an explanation that doesn't contain spoilers for previous books. I had a hard time putting this book down, because I just had to know what was going to happen next. I think anyone new to this series could read this book without knowing the backstory, but isn't it more fun to start from the beginning and enjoy the characters' changes and growth?
I received an advance copy of this book. This review contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
I received an advance copy of this book. This review contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
February 7, 2020
Fans of the long running Alpine series (from A to Z) are happy that Emma Lord and her husband, Sheriff Milo Dodge are still with us in this new set of mysteries set in Alpine, Washington. This is the second entry and there is lots going on for both of them to investigate. Milo, of course, because he is the sheriff but Emma runs the newspaper and reporters investigate, too. Milo wishes she's do less of that. When a young woman is found dead in the local seedy motel Emma wants to write the story.At the same time an older couple staying in a local cabin. Who are they really? and what do they have anything to do with the previous owner who was murdered? Alpine may be a small rural town but there is a whole lot going on there.
If you are new to this series, not a problem as Mary Daheim manages to find a balance between informing the new reader of the vast backstory in order to enjoy this new series and remind the long time reader of things they may have forgotten. The pace has a pleasant slowness to it as befits a small town and the puzzle is complex enough to keep the reader engaged to the final reveal. It's good to have Emma back and I'm looking forward to more news from Alpine.
My thanks to the publisher, Random House and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
If you are new to this series, not a problem as Mary Daheim manages to find a balance between informing the new reader of the vast backstory in order to enjoy this new series and remind the long time reader of things they may have forgotten. The pace has a pleasant slowness to it as befits a small town and the puzzle is complex enough to keep the reader engaged to the final reveal. It's good to have Emma back and I'm looking forward to more news from Alpine.
My thanks to the publisher, Random House and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
November 9, 2021
Bitter Alpine by Mary Daheim is a cozy mystery featuring Emma Lord. The story is set in the make believe town of Alpine, Washington and features the citizens of Alpine and the people who work for Emma at the local weekly newspaper. Emma is married to Milo, the local sheriff and has a earnest best friend who is an Alpine native and related to everyone in town, Vida. I used to read everyone of these books in the series and had not picked up one since the series ended with #26. Daheim brought the series back with episodes 27 and 28. The book lacked something which is mainly a mystery and seemed to be mostly about the weather, which was rainy and snowy. I remembered enough about the series to not be confused by the references to previous events. I don't think I will read any more of this series.
January 28, 2020
I'm one of those who didn't read the Emma Lord series the first time but who enjoyed the first Emma Lord returns because Daheim knows her cozys. This second installment is no different. Emma, the editor and publisher of the local paper, is married to Milo, the sheriff. When a woman is found murdered in a local motel, Emma, along with Alison, who works for her at the paper, begin to poke around in her background but then Emma's friend Vida has some problems and well...This is one of those it takes a village cozies, with interesting characters. If the mystery isn't that compelling, well, that's ok because it's a good read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Here's hoping long time fans enjoy this too !
February 2, 2020
I'm not sure how I missed this series, but I am glad to have found it now (and as there is a recap at various points you are not left sidelined for information!)
Emma and Milo are hoping for a peaceful start to the year, but nothing is that straight forward when a young woman is found strangled at a motel, no one seems to know who she really is and why she has come to Alpine, so not only Milo is looking into things, but Emma and her staff at the newspaper are as well, whilst that is the thread running through the book there are other problems that crop up which keeps the reader's interest, some of them do refer to happenings in previous books, hence wanting to read them - although these do not detract from the current story in any way.
Emma and Milo are hoping for a peaceful start to the year, but nothing is that straight forward when a young woman is found strangled at a motel, no one seems to know who she really is and why she has come to Alpine, so not only Milo is looking into things, but Emma and her staff at the newspaper are as well, whilst that is the thread running through the book there are other problems that crop up which keeps the reader's interest, some of them do refer to happenings in previous books, hence wanting to read them - although these do not detract from the current story in any way.
February 4, 2020
Emma & Milo are settling into married life. Things in Alpine get iffy when the snow begins to fall and an unknown woman is found strangled in the local 'no tell motel'. Patti Larsen is back in the hospital after being battered by Blackwell, who is now Milo's boss. Vida hears a name that sends her into a faint in the office and later a car crash. Next door to the log cabin there is a kidnapping and a toddler left alone. There is a lot going on in this book. It is almost overwhelming how much! While it took a while to sort it all out, eventually the murder is solved and all the other side stories are figured out. A good read, but a bit too much activity in the little town of Alpine in the winter!
February 4, 2020
Emma Lord owns the town's weekly newspaper. She's also married to Milo Dodge, the county Sheriff. The combination is a natural for some amateur sleuthing under the guise of "investigative journalism". Much to the Sheriff's chagrin. Daheim has a great story premise and some very intriguing, likeable characters. I did find the background bits of the story somewhat difficult to follow however, and that made it fuzzy in places. Overall, I'd still recommend this as a good read. And I'd definitely be interested in further installments from this husband and wife set of sleuths!
[Many thanks to NetGalley and the author for an Advance Reader Copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.]
[Many thanks to NetGalley and the author for an Advance Reader Copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.]
June 29, 2020
It is the beginning of a New Year in Alpine where winter is setting in, much colder, and bringing more snow than usual. The body of a young woman is found in the town's sleazy motel. No one knows her identity but she had been asking where Jack Blackwell lived when she first arrived. Patti Marsh needs hospitalization once again after Blackwell beats her up. Will she file charges against him this time? Vida reacts by fainting when a certain man's name is mentioned. Sherif Milo Dodge hires a new officer to increase the number of females on his force to two. Lots of things happen in this latest installment of The Alpine series. Vida seems to be taking a back seat to other characters as she edges toward retirement and her 80th birthday.
September 16, 2021
There didn't seem to be much of a mystery in this book. More like spending time with old friends. An out of towner with past connections to the community is found dead, but the book is more about Vida and her wimpy daughter, bad boy O'Neil kidnapping another woman, and Milo constantly inviting Emma to sit on his lap. Jack Blackwell beats up his girlfriend Patti Marsh and she tells Emma that this time she will press charges. Patti inherits a valuable property in Montana and ends up marrying Blackwell, even though he is obviously only marrying her for her ranch.
Emma and Milo have been married for a year now and are still very much in love. In spite of their love and their lust for each other, they do not speak nicely to each other at all! I would not find it endearing to be constantly called a big jerk. For a married couple they seem to worry too much about who pays their share of lunch.
Emma and Milo have been married for a year now and are still very much in love. In spite of their love and their lust for each other, they do not speak nicely to each other at all! I would not find it endearing to be constantly called a big jerk. For a married couple they seem to worry too much about who pays their share of lunch.
March 21, 2021
Alpine is having its post-holiday snows, thaws, rains, snows...the weather is unpleasant and unsafe, and there's a murdered woman in a seedy local motel. Emma Lord, publisher/editor of the local newspaper, and her husband of one year, the local sheriff Milo Dodge, are both professionally interested, and there are other crimes or hints of crimes that they must think about as well. The murder is eventually solved--no surprises there; this is a mystery novel--but neither of our two leads have much to do with the solution. Some incidents prove to have no connection with the main crime, or with one another--it's just life as usual in Alpine.
February 18, 2020
I have now tried 3 books in this series, the first, one in the middle and this one. I have not been able to get into the series at all. For me the sheriff's attitude comes off as feed me now, woman as soon as he comes home from work. The fact the book also covers what they have for breakfast, lunch and dinner I also found annoying.. I read cozy mysteries for the mystery and the character's relationship. It is different if I am reading a culinary cozy.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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