"Editor-publisher Emma Lord finds out that running a small-town newspaper is worse than nutty--it's downright dangerous."—Carolyn G. Hart When a local girl, Dani Marsh, returns to Alpine a star to shoot a Hollywood film, the tension in the air is so thick it crackles. Then at the annual Loggerama, Dani's former husband, Cody Graff goes berserk with an axe and is later found dead. Reporting on on all the goings-on as the editor of the ADVOCATE, Emma Lord begins to suspect that neither she nor the sheriff, laconic Milo Dodge, is getting the real story. Why are there such strong feelings among those who knew Dani back when? Why so few tears for Cody Graff? Whence the impenetrable mystery that enfolds Alpine like a shroud? Emma's nose for a story leads her straight into trouble....

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....

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.

Welcome to Alpine, Washington, where murder and mayhem is all in a day’s work! Sassy, intelligent, single mother Emma Lord has always wanted to own a newspaper. And when she inherits half a million dollars from an ex-boyfriend, she is able to do just that. She buysThe Alpine Advocate, local paper of the sleepy town of Alpine, Washington. Unfortunately, there’s not much to write about in a small town. But then the murders start, and Emma finds that not only does she have front-page stories to write, she also has killers to uncover! In this volume, the first three Alpine Advocate novels are included in their entirety. Whether you’re already a fan of Emma Lord and the residents of Alpine, or this is your first visit to the Cascade Mountains, you’ll love the quirky characters, surprising plot twists, and fast-paced writing that exemplify this series. Welcome to Alpine! InThe Alpine Advocate, family drama reaches a fever pitch when rich old Neeny Doukas’ handsome grandson Mark Doukas is found murdered. Evidence suggests that Mark’s brother Chris, the black sheep of the Dooukas clan, may be to blame, but suddenly everyone in the family is acting suspicious. Emma and her trusted assistant Vida, who knows everyone in Alpine and is related to most of them, are on the case! Next inThe Alpine Betrayal, Dani Marsh, who left Alpine years ago to become a Hollywood movie star, returns home to shoot her latest movie. Soon after her arrival, her ex-husband Cody Graf goes berserk with an axe, and is later found dead on a deserted back road. Emma covers the story for the local paper, but she and her friend Milo, the local sheriff, don’t think they’re getting the whole story. Why does everyone in town seem to hate Dani? Did Cody Graff really overdose, or was he murdered? Emma is determined to find out! Finally there’sThe Alpine Christmas. Winter in Alpine is picturesque, with deep snow, Christmas trees, frozen lakes, and carolers. But the beauty is tarnished when a woman’s severed leg is found in the lake, and another woman’s dead body turns up in the forest. Emma Lord is joined on the case by her brother Ben, an irreverent priest visiting from Arizona. Can they find the killer before more women wind up dead?

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 shocked to hear that the Advocate is embroiled in a ruthless takeover bid. Soon, battle lines are drawn and war is declared. Then the first casualty is discovered facedown at the Tall Timber Motel. The victim is Dylan Platte, front man for the buy-out offer Emma turned down cold. Naturally, Emma is a prime suspect. Then it turns out that the dead man has a big surprise for the living–one that involves the glamorous Ginger Roth, a bodacious Alpine newbie who can perform the dumb blonde act in her sleep. Emma’s ever-inquisitive House & Home editor, Vida Runkel, plumbs her extensive grapevine, from the Burger Barn to the Venison Inn, determined to connect the dots. But when an Advocate insider is next to take a bullet, Emma and the rest of the Alpiners make it their mission to find a killer.

Emma Lord, the editor and publisher of the Alpine Advocate, relies on help from her House & Home editor and tongue-tied Sheriff Milo Dodge to solve a murder that has shocked the town.

A girl must face the consequences after her actions indirectly lead to her sister’s disappearance in this haunting novel about sisterhood, tragedy, and the hole that’s left behind when we lose a loved one. Rhylee didn’t mean to kiss her sister’s boyfriend. At least, not the first time. But it doesn’t matter, because her sister, Abby, caught them together, ran into the dark woods behind their house…and never came home. As evidence mounts that something terrible has happened to Abby, no one wants to face the truth. Rhylee can’t bring herself to admit what she’s done: that she is the reason her sister ran away. Now Tommy, Abby’s boyfriend, is the prime suspect in her disappearance, and Rhylee’s world has been turned upside down. Slowly, Rhylee’s family is breaking—their lives hinging on the hope that Abby will return. Rhylee knows they need to face the truth and begin healing—but how can they, when moving on feels like a betrayal? And how do you face the guilt of wishing a person gone…when they actually disappear?

The picturesque town of Alpine in the foothills of Washington state’s Cascade Mountains—home to Emma Lord and her weekly newspaper The Alpine Advocate—has long charmed and enthralled mystery lovers. Now, with The Alpine Zen, Mary Daheim has at last reached the anticipated letter of Z. Her legion of avid armchair sleuths will relish this deliciously gripping novel. 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? The Alpine Zen tingles with all the mystery and allure that only Mary Daheim’s brand of small-town life can provide. Gossip, love affairs, feuding, and plenty of dirty secrets make for an intriguing adventure every Alpine fan will want to read all about. Praise for The Alpine Zen “A complex plot and a cast of vivid characters will keep readers turning pages.”—Publishers Weekly “Lively and satisfying.”—Library Journal 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