Mary Daheim’s bestselling novels, set in Alpine, a picturesque village tucked away in the Cascade Mountains, have charmed a generation of mystery lovers with suspenseful tales of the peril that bubbles up from below the serene surface of small-town life. An ill wind blows through Alpine, but Advocate publisher Emma Lord and Sheriff Milo Dodge seem immune to the prevailing angst. The newlyweds’ domestic idyll is most definitely over when a dead man is discovered near the fish hatchery and nobody has a clue as to his identity. Vida Runkel may have insight, but Emma’s redoubtable House & Home editor is mad at the world and saying little. Moreover, whispers of scandal travel through the quaint streets when some high school girls mysteriously take a walk on the wild side. And then Milo’s dedicated deputy, Sam Heppner, a true yeoman, suddenly goes AWOL. What’s happening in Alpine? If Milo knows, he’s not telling Emma. And Emma’s again headed for trouble when she starts snooping. The situation grows even more fraught when a shocking link is revealed between the mystery corpse and one of Alpine’s own, unearthing a long-buried dark secret. Tongues are wagging on Front Street—and the gossip contains an air of menace. Meanwhile, Mary Daheim has written her best book yet. Praise for The Alpine Yeoman “Daheim injects enough wit and color to make her tale more entertaining than the standard small-town mystery.”—Kirkus Reviews “A core of familiar characters adds charm to all Daheim’s ‘alphabet’ stories. Readers will find this new one similarly enjoyable.”—Fredericksburg Free Lance–Star “A witty and wonderful story that will keep readers glued to the pages . . . This author should be given a pat on the back considering this is the twenty-fifth novel in the Emma Lord series . . . and each one just keeps getting better and better!”—Suspense Magazine “This is the twenty-fifth Alpine mystery and Mary Daheim continues to delight readers with new twists and a wonderful and ever-evolving cast of eccentric characters. Highly recommended.”—I Love a Mystery Praise for Mary Daheim and her Emma Lord mysteries “Always entertaining.”—The Seattle Times “Mary Daheim writes with wit, wisdom, and a big heart. I love her books.”—Carolyn Hart “Daheim writes . . . with dry wit, a butter-smooth style, and obvious wicked enjoyment.”—The Oregonian “The characters are great, and the plots always attention-getting.”—King Features Syndicate “Even the most seasoned mystery fans are caught off-guard by [Daheim’s] clever plot twists.”—BookLoons “Witty one-liners and amusing characterizations.”—Publishers Weekly

SPECIAL EDITION: MURDER Not even in Alpine, Washington, could the death of octogenarian Jack Froland be considered big news—except by his drinking buddies at Mugs Ahoy. But that suddenly changes when in the middle of the funeral, Jack’s widow hysterically insists that he was murdered. Emma Lord, publisher of The Alpine Advocate, who is already investigating a threatening letter received by the town’s beautiful blonde judge, now suspects she has two hot stories to unravel. Backed by her House and Home editor, that bottomless repository of scandal Vida Runkel, she prepares for a triple-threat special: murder, blackmail, and—as wildfire sweeps the mountainside— possible arson as well. But success will not come cheap. With a killer roaming the woods, it may cost Emma her life. . . . READ ALL ABOUT IT! The Alpine Advocate Novels by Mary Daheim

Emma Lord is back and better than ever! This time around, the amateur detective partners up with a rookie sleuth to investigate a string of murders in her beloved Alpine, Washington. For a small town nestled in the Cascade Mountains’ foothills, picturesque Alpine provides more than enough headlines to fill the pages of editor and publisher Emma Lord’s Alpine Advocate. The Labor Day edition’s lead story features controversial timber baron Jack Blackwell’s scheme to become Skykomish county manager. But the recent strangling deaths of two young women are all anyone can talk about. After a third body is found, Emma’s husband, Sheriff Milo Dodge, suspects there’s a serial killer in their midst. The latest victim is the sister of a dashing newcomer rumored to be working for Blackwell. “Black Jack,” as he’s known to his non-admirers, has a long-standing rivalry with Milo. To discover if there’s any connection between the mogul and the murders, Emma recruits the Advocate’s receptionist, Alison Lindahl, to do a little digging. Still recovering from a recent breakup, Alison welcomes the distraction. But when the investigation puts the eager protégé in the line of fire, Emma worries that the cub reporter’s career will be over before it even begins. Praise for Alpha Alpine “Part of what makes this series so great is touching base with the characters, returning to the idyllic locale of Alpine, and spying on all the drama and mayhem. . . . Fans of Emma Lord will love this one, but this one might [also] be a great place for people who haven’t read the series to jump on board.”—The Book Review “Full of drama and action . . . I really tried to slow down and savor this book, but that was almost impossible. . . . I am already anxiously waiting for the next Emma Lord Mystery.”—Escape with Dollycas “I always know I can count on a good read with a Mary Daheim book.”—My Merri Way

THE EDITOR OF THE ALPINE ADVOCATE GOES DIGGING FOR A MURDERER. At forty-two, newspaperwoman Emma Lord decides she needs time off to do some soul-searching. But her old Jag breaks down in the picturesque Pacific Northwest town of Port Angeles, and instead of finding herself, she ,s helping friends find the truth about a grisly discovery: a skeleton in their basement. The bones belong to those of an unknown young woman, buried in a crumbling mansion nearly a century ago. A crushed skull, a garnet earring, a locket containing a telltale keepsake *all whisper of tragedy. Ancient photographs reveal more. But Emma has to fish in dark and dangerous waters to get the whole story of a wealthy, ruthless family, a story that twists and turns to a shocking conclusion that should never be told....

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 Rachel Jane Douglas was in her late thirties and lived in Oakland, California—and the only connection between that town and Alpine is their gold-mining and logging origins. When they discover that Rachel’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.

When a young man is shot in the head and a Black nurse, who has been experiencing problems with Alpine prejudice, is pinned with the murder, editor-publisher Emma Lord is stuck with a story she will never forget.