In Daheim's appealing 21st mystery to feature newspaper editor-publisher Emma Lord (after 2008's The Alpine Traitor
), an altercation between car mechanic Alvin De Muth and trucker Clive Berentsen at the Icicle Creek Tavern in Alpine, Wash., leaves De Muth dead and Berentsen in jail. Emma, however, thinks that the witnesses' statements don't quite add up, especially when they're followed by a traffic accident that kills the nephew of the local grocery store owners. Emma learns that the nephew was high on cocaine and other drugs at the time, suggesting that a dealer is active in the area—perhaps someone she knows. Complicating the case is Emma's uneasy relationship with Sheriff Milo Dodge and her catfight with an area floozy that may result in a lawsuit. Though it can be a bit challenging to keep track of the many town personalities, Daheim's premise—that random occurrences are connected—keeps the reader turning the pages. (June)
