Mary Daheimβs 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 newlywedsβ 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 Emmaβs 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 Miloβs dedicated deputy, Sam Heppner, a true yeoman, suddenly goes AWOL.
Whatβs happening in Alpine? If Milo knows, heβs not telling Emma. And Emmaβs 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 Alpineβs own, unearthing a long-buried dark secret. Tongues are wagging on Front Streetβand the gossip contains an air of menace. Meanwhile, Mary Daheim has written her best book yet