Bitter Alpine

After a relatively calm and cozy holiday season, neither Emma Lord, editor and publisher of The Alpine Advocate, nor her husband, Sheriff Milo Dodge, are surprised when their new year gets off to a rocky start. A woman'Äôs body has been found in a squalid motel. Her driver'Äôs license shows that Dawn Purvis was in her late thirties and lived in Weaverville, California'Äîand the only connection between that town and Alpine is their gold-mining and logging origins. When they discover that Dawn'Äôs room reservation was open-ended, Emma, Milo, and the ever-inquisitive Advocate receptionist, Alison Lindahl, are more than mildly curious. And never mind that the youthful Alison is a bit distracted by the new county extension agent'Äôs virile good looks. She can still sleuth while she stalks her newest crush. But that'Äôs not all the news that'Äôs unfit to print. There'Äôs something strange about the older couple who have moved into the cabin down the road that was once owned by a murder victim. The elderly wife seems anti-social. There'Äôs got to be a reason, which Emma, Milo, and Alison intend to find out'Äîeven if it puts them in deadly danger.