What do you think?
Rate this book
Emma Lord #26
The Alpine Zen
As an early summer heat wave beats down on Alpine, Emma and her staff are treading very lightly. For unfathomable reasons, the paper’s House & Home editor, Vida Runkel, is in a major snit, refusing to speak to her colleagues, or even her boss. So when a peculiar young woman walks in claiming her parents have been murdered, and that she’s in mortal danger, too, it fits right in with the rest of the craziness. Then, to the utter bafflement of her colleagues, Vida vanishes without a word to anyone. And just when Emma and her husband, Sheriff Milo Dodge, start to unsnarl these tangles, a male body, dead too long to identify, surfaces at the town dump—making what seemed merely weird feel downright sinister. Has the hot weather driven everyone nuts, or are cold-blooded forces committing deadly misdeeds?
Audiobook
First published April 7, 2015
77 people are currently reading
568 people want to read
About the author
Mary Daheim
94 books441 followersMary Rene Richardson Daheim was an American writer of romance and mystery novels.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
June 14, 2015
The problem with starting an "alphabet series" is that you're committed to write twenty-six books featuring the same characters, which is a lot of books and quite a challenge to keep fresh. Sue Grafton started fading around "Q," I would say. Mary Daheim, on the other hand, has made it all the way to "Z" in fine style. If this indeed the last book, I will miss the people of Alpine.
May 1, 2015
****I received this book from Random House Marketing in exchange for my honest review*****
"The Alpine Zen" is a light-hearted mystery, set in a small town in Washington state. Ren, a strange, young woman, comes to town and asks Emma Lord, the owner of a weekly newspaper, to help her find out what happened to her birth mother, who she thinks was killed by her father, right there in Alpine. Suddenly things take a turn for the worse for this small town-- a body is unearthed at the landfill, a creepy person has been seen stalking outside of houses, Ren swears she is in danger, and one of Emma's staff turns up missing. Mary Daheim mixes in what seems to be a characteristic amount of local, small town gossip that makes this a 'soft' mystery. The\is book isn't deep enough for me, but fans of light, cozy mysteries will find this a charming, easy, and enjoyable read.
"The Alpine Zen" is a light-hearted mystery, set in a small town in Washington state. Ren, a strange, young woman, comes to town and asks Emma Lord, the owner of a weekly newspaper, to help her find out what happened to her birth mother, who she thinks was killed by her father, right there in Alpine. Suddenly things take a turn for the worse for this small town-- a body is unearthed at the landfill, a creepy person has been seen stalking outside of houses, Ren swears she is in danger, and one of Emma's staff turns up missing. Mary Daheim mixes in what seems to be a characteristic amount of local, small town gossip that makes this a 'soft' mystery. The\is book isn't deep enough for me, but fans of light, cozy mysteries will find this a charming, easy, and enjoyable read.
April 7, 2015
Emma Lord receives a visit from a newcomer to Alpine who says she is looking for parents who came from Alpine. Vida does know either of them. Vida is not herself since Roger was convicted and sentenced to jail. She brings her grandson Dibby to the office. Emma finally convinces Milo to dig up the garbage dumb and he finds a skeleton. There are more problems at Resthaven and Jack Blackwell is causing trouble.
No wonder everything is crazy as It is summer and the temperature is extremely high and climbing with no rain sight. I enjoyed my visit to Alpine and would like to read more of the Alpine and it residents. This series one of my favorites.
Full Disclosure: I received a free copy from Randon House Publishing group- Ballantine through Netgalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for the opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions are my own.
No wonder everything is crazy as It is summer and the temperature is extremely high and climbing with no rain sight. I enjoyed my visit to Alpine and would like to read more of the Alpine and it residents. This series one of my favorites.
Full Disclosure: I received a free copy from Randon House Publishing group- Ballantine through Netgalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for the opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions are my own.
January 3, 2018
I loved this series and put off reading it because I didn’t want it to end. The ending wrapped up the characters, but I didn’t feel satisfied.
February 28, 2025
The “last” in the series, as the title includes Z, is as good as its predecessors. A complex series of events has Emma, and her husband, Milo, the sheriff, searching everywhere for clues, both to the identity of the body unearthed and the events that led to his death. Meanwhile, they get closer to a church wedding, as they find a clue that may get Milo’s marriage annulled.
May 24, 2015
The Alpine Zen by Mary Daheim is a 2015 Ballantine publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher as a part of the LibraryThing early review program.
It's hard to believe we have gone from A-Z in the Emma Lord Mystery Series. While it seems to be a forgone conclusion that this book is the wrap up of the series, I hope that isn't the case. However, the story does seem to lean on the nostalgic side just a little and takes us down memory lane on a few occasions. The mystery was even kind of poignant.
A women calling herself “Ren” arrives in town claiming her mother, a one time Alpine resident, was murdered. Then a dead body is discovered in the dump, and while it may be a hippie, like it's suspected Ren's mother was, this is the body of a man. In the meantime, Ren has a breakdown of sorts and ends up in the hospital.
Emma's nose for news can't resist a good mystery, so she and Milo team up once again in their cute way to solve a mystery. But, if that weren't enough to keep them busy, it's seems Vida has finally cracked up and is in one long running foul mood from sun up to sun down, seven days a week... and the unseasonably hot weather is only making matters worse for all of them.
The mystery, while certainly puzzling, is not really the main focus in what could to be the last book in the series. However, some really shocking secrets are revealed involving some long time residents of Alpine.
Having settled into married life, Emma and Milo have perhaps moved out of the honeymoon phase a little bit, but their banter was as sharp as ever. It was wonderful to know that Emma is finally going to have some peace of mind in regards to a situation that has been the only stumbling block to her complete happiness and contentment.
The author reminds us in small ways of all Emma has gone through in the course of this series and it is so nice to see her finally settling into a stable relationship with most of the I's dotted and T's crossed. She is content and at peace I think, and although she and Milo often have conflicting agendas due to their perspective careers, they make a great detective team. So, even though we have worked through the alphabet- maybe the next title will have a number in it and those could go on for a finite amount of time- which would be fine by me.
It's hard to believe we have gone from A-Z in the Emma Lord Mystery Series. While it seems to be a forgone conclusion that this book is the wrap up of the series, I hope that isn't the case. However, the story does seem to lean on the nostalgic side just a little and takes us down memory lane on a few occasions. The mystery was even kind of poignant.
A women calling herself “Ren” arrives in town claiming her mother, a one time Alpine resident, was murdered. Then a dead body is discovered in the dump, and while it may be a hippie, like it's suspected Ren's mother was, this is the body of a man. In the meantime, Ren has a breakdown of sorts and ends up in the hospital.
Emma's nose for news can't resist a good mystery, so she and Milo team up once again in their cute way to solve a mystery. But, if that weren't enough to keep them busy, it's seems Vida has finally cracked up and is in one long running foul mood from sun up to sun down, seven days a week... and the unseasonably hot weather is only making matters worse for all of them.
The mystery, while certainly puzzling, is not really the main focus in what could to be the last book in the series. However, some really shocking secrets are revealed involving some long time residents of Alpine.
Having settled into married life, Emma and Milo have perhaps moved out of the honeymoon phase a little bit, but their banter was as sharp as ever. It was wonderful to know that Emma is finally going to have some peace of mind in regards to a situation that has been the only stumbling block to her complete happiness and contentment.
The author reminds us in small ways of all Emma has gone through in the course of this series and it is so nice to see her finally settling into a stable relationship with most of the I's dotted and T's crossed. She is content and at peace I think, and although she and Milo often have conflicting agendas due to their perspective careers, they make a great detective team. So, even though we have worked through the alphabet- maybe the next title will have a number in it and those could go on for a finite amount of time- which would be fine by me.
January 31, 2018
If the author decides to end the series here it goes out on a good note. Emma and Milo are happily married. The bickering is within acceptable limits (although the height jokes veered to the offensive). A woman looks for her longlost mother, we learn more about the artist in the woods, and a body is identified. If you're a fan of the series, you will like this one.
March 24, 2018
This book was really hard for me to enjoy mainly because of the adolescent name calling and “shrieking” between Emma and Milo. Good grief!!!
April 27, 2015
Emma Lord, having married her police officer, Milo Dodge, is enjoying marital bliss when a young woman bursts into her office with a picture of Alpine on a postcard. She thinks it might have something to do with her biological mother, whom she thinks was murdered, and wants to know if Emma knew her. Emma, of course, has no idea, and sends the woman to a local art gallery, hopes that someone there might recognize the picture and know something. Along the way, the young woman stops everywhere searching, and tells everyone Emma sent her - which, of course, she didn't. When the woman passes out at the art gallery and is sent to the hospital, we have the beginning of a mystery. And there it stops. We never know why she wants to know if her mother was murdered, and I really didn't even care about her or her parent. I don't feel that we are ever really involved in this woman's life, and I never understood why she was searching for her birth mother anyway, especially since she said that she had wonderful adoptive parents and considered them her "real" parents. If that were the case, then why would she even care? There are also subplots involving the discovery of a human skeleton and Vida's disappearing for a few days without a trace.
This, the 26th installment in the Emma Lord mysteries, is more an homage to the other 25 books and merely gives us an update on everyone who was ever involved in those books, and the mysteries take a back seat to the people of Alpine. Unfortunately, there were a couple of things that really bothered me:
Emma doesn't act like she's in love with Milo. They bicker constantly, she 'glares' at him, calls him names and tells him she hates him; he calls her nicknames he knows she doesn't like, and expects her to feed him. Why did they get married? There are also renovations to her house, courtesy of her new husband, but they never thought to add air conditioning, and she complains constantly about the excessive heat - even mentioning that it might get to eighty degrees by the weekend - which made me laugh, considering we call that 'a nice Spring day' where I live. But the big thing is the fact that Emma and Milo have no problem drinking and driving. Even in 2005, there were drunk driving accidents.
I thought the book could have been more interesting if there were less reliance on all the intertwining stories of all the characters; since the first book was published in 1992, and they were read sporadically throughout, I would be hard pressed to remember everyone without reading the books back-to-back again, and for someone new to the series, it would be downright confusing, especially with characters with similar names (Rosemary, Rosemarie.) I would suggest if you have never read the series that you start at the beginning, with The Alpine Advocate.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review, but this in no way influenced my decision.
This, the 26th installment in the Emma Lord mysteries, is more an homage to the other 25 books and merely gives us an update on everyone who was ever involved in those books, and the mysteries take a back seat to the people of Alpine. Unfortunately, there were a couple of things that really bothered me:
Emma doesn't act like she's in love with Milo. They bicker constantly, she 'glares' at him, calls him names and tells him she hates him; he calls her nicknames he knows she doesn't like, and expects her to feed him. Why did they get married? There are also renovations to her house, courtesy of her new husband, but they never thought to add air conditioning, and she complains constantly about the excessive heat - even mentioning that it might get to eighty degrees by the weekend - which made me laugh, considering we call that 'a nice Spring day' where I live. But the big thing is the fact that Emma and Milo have no problem drinking and driving. Even in 2005, there were drunk driving accidents.
I thought the book could have been more interesting if there were less reliance on all the intertwining stories of all the characters; since the first book was published in 1992, and they were read sporadically throughout, I would be hard pressed to remember everyone without reading the books back-to-back again, and for someone new to the series, it would be downright confusing, especially with characters with similar names (Rosemary, Rosemarie.) I would suggest if you have never read the series that you start at the beginning, with The Alpine Advocate.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review, but this in no way influenced my decision.
April 25, 2015
A young woman arrives in Alpine trying to find her mother that she feels was murdered there. That leads to RestHaven Hospital where administrators all seem to have secrets. Then a body that may or may not have links to Alpine is found at a local landfill. Add in Vida acting irrationally, characters having breakdowns, the looming possibility of Leo heading back to California, childbirth, death of a deputy's gramma, a peeping Tom, trying to get Milo's annulment and you have a huge amount to keep track of. In fairness Ms Daheim may have written this under the assumption it would be the final Alpine book.
Too many storylines notwithstanding, my biggest irritation was what I'm assuming is supposed to be playful banter between Emma and Milo. I found it cringeworthy to repeatedly call your husband a jackass, to tell him you hate him (even in jest) or to call your wife nicknames she pleads with you not to use. It seems more 6th Grade behavior than reflective of the loving relationship that they've both worked so hard for. And speaking of immature, in 2005 Washington passed a law against smoking in public places. Highly doubtful law enforcement would flout that.
As a huge fan of this author I wouldn't have skipped this book for the world. But sadly, I can't give it more than 3 stars. As someone who has read A to Y, too many deeply intertwined plots involving characters and events from much earlier in the series make it overwhelming to keep track of who's who and did what/when. Maybe if I'd read them closer together it would have been clearer but since The Alpine Advocate was published in 1992, that's a lot of books over a lot of years to recall characters and events.
As one extra distraction, the number of times it was alluded to that Mitch is from Detroit. Kept expecting it to mean something. If someone happens to keep a stroke tally as they're reading, maybe they could let me know the total of how many times Detroit is mentioned.
Too many storylines notwithstanding, my biggest irritation was what I'm assuming is supposed to be playful banter between Emma and Milo. I found it cringeworthy to repeatedly call your husband a jackass, to tell him you hate him (even in jest) or to call your wife nicknames she pleads with you not to use. It seems more 6th Grade behavior than reflective of the loving relationship that they've both worked so hard for. And speaking of immature, in 2005 Washington passed a law against smoking in public places. Highly doubtful law enforcement would flout that.
As a huge fan of this author I wouldn't have skipped this book for the world. But sadly, I can't give it more than 3 stars. As someone who has read A to Y, too many deeply intertwined plots involving characters and events from much earlier in the series make it overwhelming to keep track of who's who and did what/when. Maybe if I'd read them closer together it would have been clearer but since The Alpine Advocate was published in 1992, that's a lot of books over a lot of years to recall characters and events.
As one extra distraction, the number of times it was alluded to that Mitch is from Detroit. Kept expecting it to mean something. If someone happens to keep a stroke tally as they're reading, maybe they could let me know the total of how many times Detroit is mentioned.
March 30, 2015
Don't expect a typical murder mystery when you pick up The Alpine Zen. Daheim's newest Emma Lord novel is a depiction of the ins and outs of life in Alpine, a gossipfest following up on characters introduced in the earlier Alpine novels. Readers new to the series will be flummoxed by the complicated relationships and myriad references to earlier events. Fans of the series who are familiar with Alpine are less likely to be lost.
The mysteries presented in The Alpine Zen are intriguing but not overly compelling. A young, apparently disturbed woman arrives in Alpine seeking information about her birth mother who she believes has been murdered. No real information is given as to why she believes this, and Daheim's portrayal makes her an unsympathetic individual. The skeleton of an unidentified man is found buried. Vida Runkel, who has been more irascible than usual, disappears unexpectedly, throwing her family into a tizzy.
The bulk of The Alpine Zen focuses on the relationships between the varied Alpine residents, the disputes, and the reactions to the unseasonably hot weather. Newcomers will be mystified by the relationship between Emma and her husband, Sheriff Milo Dodge. The varied Alpine personalities, although quirky, are not very likable, making them difficult to empathize with. The mysteries are speedily solved at the end, almost as an afterthought.
The Alpine Zen is a book that will appeal to die hard fans of Emma Lord and Alpine much more than mystery fans in general. Newcomers interested in Alpine should first read the earlier Emma Lord novels.
I received a copy of The Alpine Zen from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
The Alpine Zen is available for preorder and will be released April 7, 2015
--Crittermom
The mysteries presented in The Alpine Zen are intriguing but not overly compelling. A young, apparently disturbed woman arrives in Alpine seeking information about her birth mother who she believes has been murdered. No real information is given as to why she believes this, and Daheim's portrayal makes her an unsympathetic individual. The skeleton of an unidentified man is found buried. Vida Runkel, who has been more irascible than usual, disappears unexpectedly, throwing her family into a tizzy.
The bulk of The Alpine Zen focuses on the relationships between the varied Alpine residents, the disputes, and the reactions to the unseasonably hot weather. Newcomers will be mystified by the relationship between Emma and her husband, Sheriff Milo Dodge. The varied Alpine personalities, although quirky, are not very likable, making them difficult to empathize with. The mysteries are speedily solved at the end, almost as an afterthought.
The Alpine Zen is a book that will appeal to die hard fans of Emma Lord and Alpine much more than mystery fans in general. Newcomers interested in Alpine should first read the earlier Emma Lord novels.
I received a copy of The Alpine Zen from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
The Alpine Zen is available for preorder and will be released April 7, 2015
--Crittermom
February 8, 2015
Journey again to Washington State’s Cascade Mountains to the tiny
town of Alpine to spend some time with Emma and her varied staff of
her weekly paper, THE ALPINE ADVOCATE, where a small tempest can often be found.
Her staff is like a small family, working together, having some spats, but weekly turning out a paper of town happenings and larger events
too often it’s something unusual, such as the strange woman who turns up from California looking for her birth mom, or the murder that happens with some frequency it seems in and around this small Northwest town.
Never been to Alpine? Here’s your chance to settle down with this super cozy and spend a relaxing few hours there. Why super cozy? This addition to the many novels about Alpine seemed a little long to me – or was it me? I am sure you will have a good time there even if you spend an hour or two longer than you thought you might…why not?
town of Alpine to spend some time with Emma and her varied staff of
her weekly paper, THE ALPINE ADVOCATE, where a small tempest can often be found.
Her staff is like a small family, working together, having some spats, but weekly turning out a paper of town happenings and larger events
too often it’s something unusual, such as the strange woman who turns up from California looking for her birth mom, or the murder that happens with some frequency it seems in and around this small Northwest town.
Never been to Alpine? Here’s your chance to settle down with this super cozy and spend a relaxing few hours there. Why super cozy? This addition to the many novels about Alpine seemed a little long to me – or was it me? I am sure you will have a good time there even if you spend an hour or two longer than you thought you might…why not?
August 8, 2015
I am glad that Emma finally has found happiness. Their insults of each other is fiery, a passion, but I don't really enjoy their normal antagonistic knee-jerk reaction to one another.
The mystery plot, as is often the true with this author, was rather wacky. It's why I stopped reading her other series. This series seemed more smart.
I'm tired of some of the town's weird characters and don't find them endearing. I also don't like the religious bits.
Being this is Alpine Zen, it makes me wonder if it is the last book in the series. It is #26. I do feel like there are some things left hanging though. They aren't big things, just general wondering about Leo's retirement, Vida and Buck, everyday things. Will Mitch and Brenda stay once Troy is out of prison?
The mystery plot, as is often the true with this author, was rather wacky. It's why I stopped reading her other series. This series seemed more smart.
I'm tired of some of the town's weird characters and don't find them endearing. I also don't like the religious bits.
Being this is Alpine Zen, it makes me wonder if it is the last book in the series. It is #26. I do feel like there are some things left hanging though. They aren't big things, just general wondering about Leo's retirement, Vida and Buck, everyday things. Will Mitch and Brenda stay once Troy is out of prison?
December 28, 2015
I finished the whole series! WooHoo! It was that good to keep my interest throughout 26 books. I am happy to take a break, however. Milo and Emma have reached a good point and are now partners in solving mysteries as well as in life. At first I couldn't imagine them married, but the author did a good job of bringing them together. The other characters are still strong in Alpine. What will happen with Emma and Leo and Mitch remains to be seen. I understand there will be a continuance. I hope it doesn't take too long. I have gotten to be close to these characters.
October 8, 2015
I have missed a few books in the series, and circumstances in Emma's life have changed.
I feel rather foolish, it took this series getting to "Z" for me to realize it's an alphabetic series - unlike a different alphabetic murder series, I have not got tired of it, or has it felt forced.
I feel rather foolish, it took this series getting to "Z" for me to realize it's an alphabetic series - unlike a different alphabetic murder series, I have not got tired of it, or has it felt forced.
August 10, 2016
I hated to see this series end, I enjoyed Emma Lord's character. I felt that there were a few things rushed through at the end, but other than that, it was a good book. All 26 in this series are good. I recommend them.
March 23, 2021
Perhaps since we are at Z it is the end of Emma and her sheriff husband....2 more bickering people you can hardly imagine.
It was an interesting plot but too many people and too convoluted.
The end would be good....
It was an interesting plot but too many people and too convoluted.
The end would be good....
January 17, 2016
Ok, but not great
August 11, 2017
Things are hot in Alpine, and it's not just the unseasonable heat wave.
A young woman comes to Alpine, seeking her birth mother, Kassia Arthur ...
Some college students discover skeletal remains and an old painting at the town dump ...
A lurker is terrorizing neighborhoods by peeping in the town's windows ...
Vida Runkel goes missing over the Fourth of July weekend, and no one in her extended family seems to know her whereabouts ...
And Emma and Milo are trying to finalize Milo's annulment from his first wife, so that the Catholic Church will recognize their union.
There is only one problem with writing a series based on the alphabet: You are automatically limited to a maximum of 26 books. The Alpine Advocate series comes to an end with this installment. I'm going to miss Emma Lord, Milo Dodge, Vida Runkel, and all the other residents of Alpine who have come to seem like friends over the last 20-plus years. Farewell, Alpine!
(Later) Oops! Apparently I spoke too soon. There is supposed to be another book, Alpha Alpine, coming out in December 2017. Hooray!
A young woman comes to Alpine, seeking her birth mother, Kassia Arthur ...
Some college students discover skeletal remains and an old painting at the town dump ...
A lurker is terrorizing neighborhoods by peeping in the town's windows ...
Vida Runkel goes missing over the Fourth of July weekend, and no one in her extended family seems to know her whereabouts ...
And Emma and Milo are trying to finalize Milo's annulment from his first wife, so that the Catholic Church will recognize their union.
There is only one problem with writing a series based on the alphabet: You are automatically limited to a maximum of 26 books. The Alpine Advocate series comes to an end with this installment. I'm going to miss Emma Lord, Milo Dodge, Vida Runkel, and all the other residents of Alpine who have come to seem like friends over the last 20-plus years. Farewell, Alpine!
(Later) Oops! Apparently I spoke too soon. There is supposed to be another book, Alpha Alpine, coming out in December 2017. Hooray!
February 22, 2024
Emma is an independent woman yet she lets her husband call her a twerp or little Emma. I’m tired of Dodge smoking in no smoking restaurants and buildings. I have don’t care if he is a Sherif in Alpine I doubt that a lawman would be so brazen in such a small town. Between all the time spent on Dodge smoking and causing Emma to start up every time she tries stopping; the hot weather, and what to eat due to the weather would have cut down the pages considerable and make it more readable. And surprise, surprise; Vida is spoiling and thinking everything her great-grandson does is so cute and smart like she did her grandson who escaped a prison term the first time he got into serious trouble and now is serving a four year prison term. It took the last page in this book to learn Emma will be able to marry in the Catholic Church.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2019
I read almost all the books in this enjoyable cozy mystery series. Much of my enjoyment is due to the wonderful continued development/carry through of the characters along with quirky, mystery plots. I noticed that toward the end of the series the "timing" of the books is closer. While missing a few books at the near the start (as I did because I was unable to locate them) is OK, from "N (Nemesis)" - "Z (Zen)" it is probably better to read them all. The Alpine Zen ties up some loose ends and concludes on a positive note. I was a bit sorry to "leave" Alpine, but was glad to see a few books that will allow me to visit Alpine again. I am looking forward to those.
June 18, 2018
An Excellent Read
Mary Daheim once again told her stories that were exceptional in details, characters, and setting! She brings her characters to life as if you live in Alpine with them. She intertwined Emma's personal life along with the business side of The Advocate to keep high interest in different plots of the book. Once again Daheim's writing and vocabulary are suberb! I can not wait to read her newest book The Alpha Alpine!
Mary Daheim once again told her stories that were exceptional in details, characters, and setting! She brings her characters to life as if you live in Alpine with them. She intertwined Emma's personal life along with the business side of The Advocate to keep high interest in different plots of the book. Once again Daheim's writing and vocabulary are suberb! I can not wait to read her newest book The Alpha Alpine!
July 23, 2018
As with a lot of the later Alpine books, this one had so many disparate threads to a mystery that wasn't really a mystery and then another one comes in that no one expected and STILL doesn't make that much sense. The best part was figuring out a couple of Alpine identities, but it really didn't need to take a whole book to do this. 3 stars for the fact that it's the last book in a series that I've been reading for years.
September 17, 2019
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*
I felt it moved to slowly. It was just dragging me along. It didn't really get rolling until just towards the end. The book introduces too many people into the story (the whole town) at the beginning. Hard to keep track (the daughter-in-law, the husband, the niece, etc) of everyone!
This is Z of an A-Z series
I felt it moved to slowly. It was just dragging me along. It didn't really get rolling until just towards the end. The book introduces too many people into the story (the whole town) at the beginning. Hard to keep track (the daughter-in-law, the husband, the niece, etc) of everyone!
This is Z of an A-Z series
December 25, 2020
I got to Z! Didn’t think I was going to get there. I left this series a while back because it started getting stuck in a rut. However finding the last three at a book sale I gave it another try and glad I did. I think having Milo and Emma married but more life into the series. This one had a couple of mysteries to get through and the Alpine crew came through. I may continue on with the new books. If only book sales could happen.......
May 22, 2023
I didn’t realize this was part of an alphabet series, so of course I started with Z lol. I still enjoyed it and didn’t feel like I was missing a bunch of background. I really enjoyed how the sheriff and his wife interact, it felt very real. The story also held surprises which was fun. Overall a very entertaining cozy mystery. I already have two more checked out from another library as I could only get this one as an audiobook from that library.
November 30, 2019
Emma is good
Very good story. Lots of turns curved and things you'd never expect. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Emma got the things right most of the time. Milk was on track and a help. Characters nicely rounded and full of life. I never saw any of things coming. Truly enjoyable. Waiting for next book.
Very good story. Lots of turns curved and things you'd never expect. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Emma got the things right most of the time. Milk was on track and a help. Characters nicely rounded and full of life. I never saw any of things coming. Truly enjoyable. Waiting for next book.
May 20, 2022
Jam packed with seemingly unrelated thefts, deaths, and physical abuse, all come to a satisfying conclusion. This small town has more crimes than some big cities.
Milo and Emma possibly resolve their secular marriage to become accepted in Emma's church and with her priest son and brother.
The descriptive prose in the beginning of this story makes me want to move back to the Northwest.
Milo and Emma possibly resolve their secular marriage to become accepted in Emma's church and with her priest son and brother.
The descriptive prose in the beginning of this story makes me want to move back to the Northwest.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2017
Emma and Milo are settling into their new married lives with energy and wit. They sass each other and moan and groan, and yet, we like this married couple and all their idiosyncrasies. The usual twisty “turny” plot progresses with hickups and intrigue. A good read.
April 28, 2018
Final Alpine book?
I liked the book but approached it with the thought of being “z”. There was a wrap up to it but many more stories could come out of Alpine and the relationships of Emma, Sheriff Dodge, Vida and the other news staff.
I liked the book but approached it with the thought of being “z”. There was a wrap up to it but many more stories could come out of Alpine and the relationships of Emma, Sheriff Dodge, Vida and the other news staff.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews