The Alpine Xanadu: An Emma Lord Mystery    by Mary Daheim Order:  USA  Can Ballantine, 2013 (2013) Hardcover, CD, e-Book Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Bob Walch The 24th installment of this popular, long running, cozy series finds newspaper editor Emma Lord recovering from her near fatal scrape with a deranged killer. Emma's friends and the citizens of Alpine, Washington, are also still abuzz with the news that she and the local sheriff, Milo Dodge, are finally planning to tie the knot and marry. The nuptials will have to be placed on hold for a while since the quiet, cascade community has become a whirlwind of activity that has kept the head of the Alpine Advocate and her small staff hopping. The opening of a new rehabilitation center and medical health facility called RestHaven needs to be covered, as does the tragic death of Wayne Eriks, who was electrocuted atop a power pole during a snow storm. Initially Wayne's demise is classified as an accidental death, but Sheriff Dodge isn't so sure that's the correct assessment of the situation. Adding to the work load of both Emma and her fiancé are allegations that someone is trying to kill the town's richest man. There is some hanky-panky going on at the local high school and the paper's House & Home editor has gone missing. With so many problems that need immediate attention, there doesn't seem time for a trip to the altar but, then, in this series, Mary Daheim loves to toss her readers a curve from time to time. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews