REVIEWS FROM DEANNA SPENCER
 in her reading room .

I am a life long resident of Kentucky, graduated from Bardstown High School and attended Eastern Kentucky University.  I am an avid reader and book collector, first editions whenever possible. I also enjoy cooking, needlework, and genealogy. My husband and I have been married for fifty years and have one wonderful daughter. I was a stay-at-home Mom and did substitute teaching. My husband was in law enforcement. We are now enjoying our retirement, and being able to do the things we want.

Deanna Spencer E-mail: address is: vada 1 @ insight bb . com  (when using this e-mail please close the spaces between all the words and symbols before pasting it in your mail program.)

POSTED FEBRUARY 28, 2013

THE ALPINE XANADU          
An Emma Lord Mystery
MARY DAHEIM         
Ballantine Books   January, 2013

Beloved newspaper editor Emma Lord is trying to recover from a close encounter with death by a crazed killer when more tragedy hits Alpine, Washington. Things in a small town are usually relaxed and serene, but that isn't the case for Alpine. It seems that serenity and relaxation won't be happening there soon.

There is a fast-approaching deadline for the Advocate. With the highlighting of the newly opened Rest Haven, a rehabilitation center and mental health facility, all the reporters are covering stories for the big issue.

During all this, there is constant gossip about Emma's recent engagement to Sheriff Milo Dodge. Milo hopes he has finally gotten his daughter and ex-wife settled and can spend some quality time with Emma -- but that isn't going to happen.

Wayne Eriks climbs an electric pole in the middle of a storm and gets himself electrocuted. To an untrained eye it was a tragic accident, but the Sheriff doesn't think so, and thinks it might be connected to Rest Haven. So Sheriff Dodge is right in the middle of more work and less time at home.

I really do enjoy Mary Daheim's books. This is the 24th book in this series and I have read them all. I enjoy the characters in the books, and she certainly brings a small town to life.

Mary Richardson Daheim started spinning stories before she could spell. Daheim has been a journalist, editor, public relations consultant and freelance writer, but fiction was always her medium of choice. She is a direct descendant of former residents of the real Alpine, a town that existed in the early part of the twentieth century until it was abandoned in 1929. The site was named a ghost town in 2011. Recently a group called The Alpine Advocates has been set up to raise funds for preserving the land.

                                                                                             - Deanna Spencer

Deanna's review of
THE BODY IN THE BOUDOIR by Katherine Hall Page appears on the PAPERBACK PAGE .