The Alpine Legacy: an Emma Lord mystery by Mary Daheim

In ten words or less: Emma's foe Crystal Bird is found dead; suicide or murder?

Review: Crystal Bird, publisher of an independent newsletter, writes editorials pusing for community support of a battered women's shelter and other causes. Her attacks on Emma Lord, the owner of the weekly newspaper, have gotten personal. A mutual acquaintance has agreed to set up a face to cade meeting between the two women.
When Emma arrives at Crystal's house, Crystal is in her hot tub and is not interested in making peace. Crystal's body is discovered the next morning, an apparent suicide. Was Emma the last person to see her alive?

Why bother? Not as humorous as Daheim's other series. Emma Lord has put her life on hold for a married man, and had an affair with the local sheriff. She's investigating Crystal's death for the newspaper, but is she trying to prove something to the sheriff? This series will appeal to fans of investigative reporters with the bonus of an attractive Pacific northwest setting.