The Alpine Quilt: An Emma Lord Mystery

While this series remains much better than the Judith Flynn B & B series, it had started getting a little stale lately. However, this installment was certainly a turnaround. Fast-paced, it brings back things from the past that the reader never saw coming in earlier books. And the best part was that the ever-annoying Vida was much more toned down -- I've long been unable to stand her, but when she spoke of leaving town, I was actually thinking I might miss her. Hopefully this series is back on track to stay!

I love the Emma Lord series and look forward to the next encounter every year. THE ALPINE QUILT is filled with all the qualities a mystery requires: mystery, suspense, romance, comedy. Ms. Daheim, keep them coming. They're wonderful books. I am anticipating another great read on MArch 28 with THE ALPINE RECLUSE. This is exciting news!

Ms. Daheim is certainly a wonderful story teller. This is the first of this series I have read and I was afraid that I would be stepping into the middle of a tale already partially told, as so often happens in "series" books. This work, while certainly related to others, and was obviously a sequel to other works, was easy to get into and the story line no worse the wear. It stood on its own. This is a low keyed mystery, or I should say, several mysteries, which were a pleasure to read. The story moved well and you certainly came to know and appreciate the key characters. The town of Alpine took on a life and personality of its own. There were plenty of twists and turns and it was not a work that I could figure out after the first two chapters. All in all, it was a pleasant read and I do highly recommend it.

Don't miss this one....and don't loan it out. You'll want to hang on to it for rereading. I finished The Alpine Quilt last night. I'd hoarded it like fine Belgian chocolates in my nightstand as reward waiting for me to complete plowing through several big commitments. If you don't already have a copy BUY it. I you haven't gotten around to reading it, READ it! I've read all of the Alpines as well as all of Daheim's B & B series and this is one of the very best if not the best. I'm not revealing many details because you'll want the story to unfold as you read it. A former resident of Alpine returns to town setting in motion a murder, another death, and revelations of old heartbreak and secrets which have haunted several people for many years. I am again in awe of Mary Daheim's talent. She somehow always make me really FEEL even the subtlest emotions...as well as the complex ones about the guilty party at the end of the book. She accomplishes so much without hitting her readers over the head....it always amazes me. The Alpine Quilt brought me very close to tears several times. My heart ached for Vida when all of the pieces fell together. The shocking revelations totally work...it doesn't feel in the least like a rewrite of history. It isn't a rewrite because we simply had no idea. I will add this thought...if you haven't read some of the other Alpine series books you won't get the full effect. Mary Daheim is the queen of character and relationship development and this book is verrry emotionally stirring because of secrets revealed about Vida, a much loved regular character who is deeply involved in the story. Please don't misunderstand. The book stands alone perfectly well. You'll just feel the impact more strongly if you are familiar with the characters and history. Readers of other cozy series with continuing characters will understand what I mean. It's characteristic of the genre. On the lighter side, Emma has a new beau and so far he's a winner! It feels VERY right. I know the future will hold lots of bumps in the road but I hope Emma hangs in there. He's a keeper. Emma's brother Ben is in town substituting for the local parish priest and readers are treated to seeing more of a very warm and very natural sibling relationship. I hope he sticks around for a while. Don't wait for the paperback. Go ahead and treat yourself to a fabulous read!

A festive reunion with former Alpine resident Genevieve Bayard turns to tragedy when Gen suddenly dies while having dinner at the Alpine rectory with her girlhood best friend, Annie Jeanne Dupre, housekeeper at the rectory. Gen Bayard, an accomplished quilter, had moved away from Alpine some thirty years earlier under shady circumstances. When an autopsy reveals that Gen was poisoned by an insulin overdose, local newspaper editor Emma Lord jumps into the murder investigation. In addition to Gen's sudden death, there has been a rash of burglaries in the normally quiet mountain town of Alpine, and Emma wonders if the crimes are related. The mystery in this story was really well-plotted, and kept me guessing until the end. I really enjoyed getting to know the cast of Alpine's residents better. In this episode, Emma's brother Ben, who is a Catholic priest, has accepted a temporary assignment in Alpine while Father Kelley is on a sabbatical. The interaction between Emma and Ben had some very funny moments. We also learn a lot about Emma' House & Home Editor Vida Runkle's past. The continuity of the characters in the Alpine stories really adds to the small town atmosphere. "The Alpine Quilt" is a strong addition to Mary Daheim's series of mysteries set in Alpine, Washington. The character development and mystery plot were much stronger than the last several books in this series. If you haven't read the other books in this series, I recommend you start with the "Alpine Advocate". The whole Alpine series is enjoyable reading.