Alpine Icon [Mass Market Paperback]

Father Kelly, the African American priest is finding it difficult to settle the problems between them, formerly a teacher at the seminary, this is his first church and it's hard to be authorative when your members are thinking about complaining to the Church Council and having you removed.

Deciding to expand the Parish council membership, an election is underway. Into this mess comes, Ursual O'Toole Randall, who has returned to Alpine with her fiancee, Warren Wells. Ursula, who is now a wealthy woman decides to run for the council and manages to tick off many members of the group with her superior attitude.

When Ursula winds up dead, drowned in the river, there is no lack of suspects.

Emma Lord, owner and editor of the Alpine Advocate hates to think that a member of her church would do away with Ursula, but there were a lot of suspects.

Such as: Francine Wells, owner of the Fine Apparal Shop, who is Warren's ex-wife, and a member of the Parish Council. She's still bitter about the divorce and hates Ursula, as does her daughter who has just returned to town for a visit.

Ursula's two brother's Jake & Buzzy. Jake is doing ok with his store, but Buzzy has been unemployed for years since the timber industry has shut down and he and his wife have recently separated.

Ski shop owner, Verb Vancich, who hated Warren Wells and was worried when Warren announced he was opening another ski shop in town. Did he know Ursula would be paying for it and so tried to kill off the competition?

Emma decides to help solve the mystery, while covering the story, along with her side kick Vida Runkel.

Meanwhile, Ed Bronsky, former ad manager for Emma, and recently inherited millionaire has finished his autobiography. Deciding what it needs is a short, snappy, rememberable name, Ed has chosen the classic title of "Mr. Ed."

Plus Polly Patricelli see's a holy vision in a cracked vase which brings hundreds of visitors to see it.

Highlights:

Emma and the Sheriff Milo Dodge have finally gotten together.

Ed Bronsky has turned into a hilarious character. With his new million, he attempts to throw his weight around and get involved with everything, although now that he's in charge of St. Mildred's food bank, there is suspicion about the amount of day old pastries from the Upper Crust Bakery that seems to disappear when he's on duty.

Adam, Emma's formerly turnip brained son has finally decided on a career. You've had a hint for the last couple of books, so it wasn't as much of a surprise to me as it was a shock to Emma.

Lowlights:

Unbelievably, it's also the fact that Emma and Milo have finally gotten together. For some reason, now that these two are together, the author writes them as if she doesn't want them together. I was depressed throughout the story that these two are not going to be kept together. And it's equally frustrating that Emma's close friend Vida Runkel doesn't think they belong together and that Emma should get back together with the married jerk who fathered Adam. (I promised in an earlier review not to discuss this person again. See previous reviews for my look at this relationship).

There are several storylines which go no where in this book. Why did the lawyer call Father Kelly right after she talked to Emma? Everything just ends with the discovery of the killer.

I figured out who the killer was early in the book, but the ending was badly written, that I had to read it twice as I thought someone else was the killer when it was all over.

Emma's employee's are barely in the story. Leo Walsh is only mentioned a couple of times. I also get a feeling now that he's next in line to be Emma's boyfriend. I hope I'm wrong about this. Carla appears only to take some pictures, Ginny only as a sideline character.

Vida Runkel is beginning to be a pain. She is so convinced Emma should go back to Tommy Boy, who is still married and won't leave his wife. She has become terribly bossy. Emma needs to remember Vida is an employee, not the owner of the Advocate.

Every series has one or two bad books, and this is definitely the one for this series. (I hope there aren't any more). I had thought the book that finally got Emma and Milo together would be a 5 star, but with the convuluted mystery, too many characters who have nothing to do with the plotline, it was a disappointment.

Still looking forward to the next book.