The Alpine Icon: An Emma Lord Mystery

by Mary Daheim

Book Overview

ALL THE MURDER FIT TO PRINT Editor-publisher Emma Lord and her Alpine Advocate staff suspect excitement when glamorous Ursula O'Toole Randall returns to Alpine to marry her third husband. But hers is... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 034539643X
• ISBN13: 9780345396433
• Release Date: July 1997
• Publisher: Fawcett Books
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 4.3" x 7.0"

Customer Reviews

Alpine Icon

My very busy wife enjoys this series for relief and relaxation reading. Have fun and read out sid the daily box of work.

Best so far

Best read in sequence, this Nancy-Drew-for-Adults series is peopled with delightful characters. Though propelled by a murder (or two) it is the antics of the townsfolk that pleases. "Icon" is the best so far. All are recommended except "Escape," a total muddle, though it introduces an on-going character.

Newspaper editor turned sleuth

Alpine is full of talk about the return of Ursula O'Toole. Having grown up in the small town, she married a wealthy doctor and is now returning to her birthplace to marry Warren Wells, another native of Alpine. Ursula immediately becomes embroiled in church politics and plans to run for the board of the Catholic school. Before that happens, however, she is found dead in the river. Some people think it was an accident but Emma Lord, local newspaper editor disagrees. She and her intrepid friend, Vida, do some investigating on their own. Did Ursula's future husband kill her for insurance money? Did Ursula's political enemies do her in? Did she have an old enemy in Alpine? Emma and Vida, together with Emma's boyfriend Sheriff Milo Dodge, finally uncover the answers to these question.

A great series

This is truly a great series. It is full of small town characters who are lively and sometimes odd. The plots are credible and exciting and the main character is believable. Never a disappointment!

"Can't put it down" type of book.

For the fans of Mary Daheim's "Alpine" series, this is a pleasant addition. We see Emma Lord more comfortable in Alpine, accepted by the townspeople and coming to terms with her faith. The domestic violence, economic crisis are portrayed in a way to make you think about these issues. Small-town living? Not what everyone makes it out to be. In "The Alpine Icon", Ursula O'Toole Randall comes home to Alpine, engaged to another former Alpine resident,Warren Wells. A few things crop up that would make this move a bit uncomfortable. Warren's ex-wife, Francine, still lives in Alpine and runs an exclusive dress shop. Ursula manages to step on toes by making callous comments and a "holier than thou" attitude. She stepped on one toe to many and ended up dead. The sheriff, Milo Dodge, with Emma Lord's help and that of her House & Home editor, Vida Runkel, goes after leads all over Alpine. He sees more action in this book: domestic violence, drugs, attempted shooting and...love. A super continuation in "The Alpine Advocate" series. But for a first time reader, I would suggest the first book in the series "The Alpine Advocate".