The Alpine Xanadu: An Emma Lord Mystery

No one who loves a cozy mystery featuring a delightfully flawed amateur sleuth (why did it take Emma Lord so many years to see what a hypocritical jerk Tom Cavanaugh was) should fail to read THE ALPINE XANADU. There is no one better at creating a humorous cozy mystery filled with eccentric characters, (Vida Rundel with her myriad hats), and an evocative sense of place, (Alpine, Washington, where it seems always to be either raining or snowing), as Mary Daheim. The residents of Alpine, whether likable, humorous, unpleasant, or downright evil, are all family to the reader as one follows the ups and downs of their lives in the twenty-plus books in the series. In this latest title Emma Lord, owner and publisher of the Alpine Advocate, the town's weekly newspaper, is planning a special edition to inform the community of the grand opening of RestHaven, a retirement, psychiatric hospital located at the edge of town. Emma attempts to interview all the doctors and other personnel involved in managing the facility, but feels she hasn't done a very good job of it, perhaps because she doesn't quite like them. In fact, Emma has a sense of something a bit off about RestHaven. When Wayne Eriks is electrocuted while working on RestHaven's electrical line, the death is thought an accident. Wayne Eriks ought to know better than to work on electrical lines during a thunderstorm. Still, Wayne wasn't that stupid, was he?Emma can be excused from immediately believing Wayne's death is suspicious; after all, Milo has picked up marriage license applications and he wants to have an immediate civil ceremony, while the Catholic Church takes its time about annulling Milo's previous marriage. He doesn't think it looks good to have the sheriff and the publisher of the local newspaper living together without at least benefit of civil authority. Emma, as usual, is conflicted. She loves Milo, but she is always slow to make a decision. With the issue of marriage commanding her attention, Wayne Eriks's accident slips under her radar.This is another delightful, laugh-out-loud adventure in Alpine, Washington, that NO ONE who claims to love mysteries, whether cozy or noir, ought to miss. Alpine is one the genre's more enjoyable worlds. To anyone who has ever lived in a small, rather isolated town will recognize Alpine, not as a fictional place, but one so true to life as to almost be real.

In this latest entry of this long running-series, small-town newspaper publisher Emma Lord and her small staff are working on a series about the opening of RestHaven, the new rehabilitation/mental health facility in town. Emma and Sheriff Milo Dodge have both finally realized what they mean to each other and the town is abuzz over their engagement. The accidental (or is it?) death of one of the town’s residents, family issues, and scandalous goings-on at RestHaven conspire to keep Emma and Dodge away from each other.I love this series. Emma’s life is what mine might have been, had I made different choices. The author’s description of life on a small town newspaper is exactly the one I lived when I worked on such a paper. (The cops used to tell me what I did on my dates and my marriage to a town official made the front page of the paper. Really.) Reading this series is like visiting with old friends. Okay, and some annoying relatives I could live without. I cheer for Emma’s successes and feel sadness at her difficulties. And I’m so happy she’s finally getting a little happiness. First time readers might be overwhelmed with all the characters, but if you start from the beginning (the Alpine Advocate), the series is easier to follow.I notice some reviewers complaining about the relationship between Milo and Emma. True, she does tend to his needs more so than in past books, but there is reciprocity. I see it as them growing older and wiser and realizing their value to each other more, rather than Emma giving up a piece of herself to keep him. Having lived that kind of relationship, I find it entirely believable as well.Some extended series become tiresome for me, but not this one. I eagerly await each new book. I see where the author is contemplating extending this series past the letter Z and that makes me very happy. Over the years, I have come to regard Emma as a kind of friend, and I would be very sad to think she was no more.

Very good. I wish Vida would take off her rose colored glasses about her grandson. He is a big problem of course she doesn't see it. The story was good and I never saw who the murderer was. To be honest I'm not sure who done what. The story was well written except for me I think when she says Milk lighted her cigarette I think it should be Milk lite her cig. Maybe it's just me out it bothered me. I know silly. The characters are as always good. I missed a few of books so am reading back trying to catch up to Zen and all that went on. I'm almost caught up. It's a bit confusing reading order backwards. I suggest you read it in order. Good story you will enjoy it. New characters introduced and all together a pleasant read.

Again, this author seems to drag in way too many people, all of whom seem to be related in some way and usually also related to Vida. Her character got OLD and TIRESOME a long time ago as she got to be more and more of a total jackass. She has so much ATTITUDE that I don't know why anybody puts up with her much less lets her boss them around when she is the employee. She is out of touch with reality where the worthless Roger is concerned but somehow manages to blame everybody else for his behavior. I sort of keep hoping that Roger will take an ax to grandma thus showing her what he is really like. As Emma and Milo have grown closer to the point of being engaged their behavior to each other seems to show less respect. Milo borders on verbal abuse many times in front of other people. Is this the small town not very intelligent man's way of showing off in front of his friends. I hate it. I hate the fact that they seem to bicker all the time. They may think it's foreplay but it just sounds rude and mean most of the time. As with most of her mysteries by the time it is finally resolved you have pretty much forgotten what happened and who the suspects were as she has dragged in so much useless information about uninteresting people.

Good story line, topical subject, characters developing well - I'll have withdrawal symptoms when this series ends!!