More from author Mary Daheim

Mary Daheim Seattle native Mary Richardson Daheim lives three miles from the house where she was raised. From her dining nook she can see the maple tree in front of her childhood home. Mary isn’t one for change when it comes to geography. Upon getting her journalism degree from the University of Washington (she can see the campus from the dining nook, too), she went to work for a newspaper in Anacortes WA. Then, after her marriage to David Daheim, his first college teaching post was in Port Angeles where she became a reporter for the local daily. Both tours of small-town duty gave her the background for the Alpine/Emma Lord series.

Mary spent much of her non-fiction career in public relations (some would say PR is fiction, too). But ever since she learned how to read and write, Mary wanted to tell stories that could be put between book covers (e-readers were far into the future and if she hadn’t seen her daughter’s iPad, she might not know they exist). Thus, she began her publishing career with the first of seven historical romances before switching to mysteries in 1991. If Mary could do the math, she’d know how many books she’s published. Since she can’t, she estimates the total is at least 55. Or something. See below—count ‘em if you can.

At the time of her husband and mentor’s death in February 2010, David and Mary had been married for over 43 years. They have three daughters, Barbara, Katherine and Magdalen, and two granddaughters, Maisy and Clara. They all live in Seattle, too. Those apples don’t move far from the tree…literally.

EMMA RETURNS

Emma Lord returns in The Alpine Vengeance on March 29. Actually, Emma hasn’t been anywhere since we left her leaving the sheriff’s office in October. Only a little over two months have passed since then, and despite the disaster at the Icicle Creek Tavern, life has settled back into a routine for her, if not for Vida Runkel, her usually undaunted House & Home editor.

But I won’t spoil that for any of you who haven’t yet read what befalls Vida in The Alpine Uproar. The paperback version of that one will make its debut in late February, so hurry and catch up. Vida is in for a terrible shock.

By Thanksgiving, Emma is wallowing in self-pity. Her brother Ben, and her son, Adam, stood her up, devoting themselves instead to their priestly duties in far-flung parts of the USA. Sheriff Milo Dodge was forced to spend the day in Bellevue with his ex-wife and their children to make nice with his daughter’s fiancé and Vida has gone out of town to join the rest of her family for T-Day and sympathy. When Monday rolls around, Emma is still feeling sorry for herself.

But Milo manages to get her attention when he shows up at the Alpine Advocate office with three anonymous letters accusing him of a wrongful arrest and conviction in a ten-year old case involving Linda Petersen Lindahl’s murder. (Pause—see The Alpine Fury if you haven’t read or don’t remember a lot about that one as I didn’t, having written a total of 58 books in the combined Alpine & B&B series in less than 20 years.) Naturally, Milo is annoyed. And when Emma gets a similar letter a day or so later, she is downright alarmed. To make matters worse, the convicted killer, Larry Petersen, Linda’s brother, has died in prison over the long weekend.

Enough about that storyline, lest you start thinking you might as well skip the first couple of chapters. I had to write them, for heaven’s sake…

The only thing I will add is that this book is a huge turning point for Emma, and, to a lesser degree, in an unrelated way, for Vida as well. Once I started writing this book, I couldn’t stop. I hope you feel the same way when you read it.

THE COUSINS IN PRODUCTION

After finishing Alp V, I immediately started the next Bed-and-Breakfast book, All the Pretty Hearses. Innkeeper Judith McMonigle Flynn is faced with the gloomy prospect of putting on a free dinner and overnight for Our Lady, Star of the Sea Grade School’s auction. Unfortunately, the winning bidder is the overbearing Norma Paine (with husband wimpy Wilbur picking up the tab).

Alas, Norma’s bearing of children has resulted in four adult Paines, their spouses and some grown-up grandchildren who are taking part in the event. Judith approaches the evening not only with a sense of dread, but without Joe at her side. Earlier in the week, he’s been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a possible insurance fraud perp he’d had under surveillance.

Cousin Renie turns out to be more of a hindrance than a help, practically joining Joe in handcuffs after an outburst at police headquarters. Arlene Rankers has problems of her own, with a sick grandson who had to be taken into her care after he and other SOTS children fell ill following the weekly hamburger lunch. Judith feels lucky when an old friend suddenly turns up on her doorstep, offering help for both professional and personal reasons. Newspaper reporter and widower Addison Kirby and Judith go way back (to Suture Self, in case you’ve forgotten—that one I do remember, having lived it twice after I wrote the book, but that’s another story…).

As the publishing date (currently July), draws nigh, I’ll fill you in a little more on that one. Meanwhile, last year’s B&B hardcover, Loco Motive, is due out in paperback on April 26. Happy reading!