Showing posts with label Travel Can Be Murder mystery series. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travel Can Be Murder mystery series. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 6, 2022

Great Escapes Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway: Death by Puffin by Jennifer S. Alderson

Today I'm participating in the Death by Puffin Blog Tour. In this post you'll find book and author information along with my review.  And be sure to enter the giveaway below.

 

About the book . . .

 

Death by Puffin: A Bachelorette Party Murder in Reykjavik

Cozy Mystery
9th in the Travel Can Be Murder Series
Setting – Iceland
Traveling Life Press (November 24, 2022)
Number of Pages: 180
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09WX2D57V

 

Synopsis . . .   Iceland—land of fire, ice … and murder?

After a nasty fight with her boyfriend, tour guide Lana Hansen takes a week off work to get her head straight. Fate brings her to Iceland and the Hotel Puffin where she hopes the magnificent natural surroundings will help heal her heart and point the way forward.

Instead of the rest and relaxation she wishes to find, Lana ends up neighbors with a group of rowdy Americans in town for a bachelorette party and wedding. Their joyous frivolity is a painful reminder of her own relationship problems, and Lana does her best to steer clear of the group.

Yet when someone in the wedding party dies under mysterious circumstances, she gets pulled into the investigation. Can Lana help unmask the killer before they strike again—or will this trip be her last?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mysteries are heartwarming stories about making friends, traveling, and celebrating new experiences. Join tour guide Lana Hansen as she leads tourists and readers to fascinating cities around the globe on intriguing adventures that often turn deadly.

Books in the Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mystery series:
Book 1 – Death on the Danube: A New Year’s Murder in Budapest
Book 2 – Death by Baguette: A Valentine’s Day Murder in Paris
Book 3 – Death by Windmill: A Mother’s Day Murder in Amsterdam
Book 4 – Death by Bagpipes: A Summer Murder in Edinburgh
Book 5 – Death by Fountain: A Christmas Murder in Rome
Book 6 – Death by Leprechaun: A Saint Patrick’s Day Murder in Dublin
Book 7 – Death by Flamenco: An Easter Murder in Seville
Book 8 – Death by Gondola: A Springtime Murder in Venice
Book 9 – Death by Puffin: A Bachelorette Party Murder in Reykjavik
Books 10-12 – More adventures are coming soon!!

 

My review . . . With her career at Wanderlust Tours and her relationship with her beau Alex in question, Lana embarks on a trip to Reykjavik to do some soul searching--this time as a tourist rather than a guide. Lana has been rattled by the deaths that occurred on each of the previous trips she's led, and by the distrust that has crept into her romance. She hopes that time away will help her formulate a plan for her future. Unfortunately, however, Lana can't seem to escape being a magnet for murder . . .

Fate has Lana crossing paths in Iceland with a boisterous group of bachelorettes who are not only guests at the same hotel, but participants on several tours she has booked. When one of the bachelorettes meets her death under suspicious circumstances just two days before the wedding, the police zero in on a suspect whom Lana is convinced is innocent. Disturbed by the injustice, Lana is reluctantly drawn into the investigation . . .

As the plot thickens, Lana faces three questions: Who killed the bachelorette? Can her relationship with Alex return to solid ground? Will Lana be forced to give up her love of travel as an occupation?

There's a slow build up to the actual murder in Jennifer Alderson's latest Travel Can Be Murder story, which allows the author to create plenty of delicious drama between the obnoxious, bachelorette frenemies, the bride- and groom-to-be, and their families. With many viable suspects to explore, finding the true culprit is an absorbing task that holds one's attention.

Set against the backdrop of Iceland's natural rugged beauty and wildlife, Alderson's dynamic, accurate descriptions of local tourist attractions once again has readers feeling as though they are physically on location. During a time when many have curtailed travel, reading this series is an enjoyable and satisfying escape around the world. The series need not be read in order--one can jump in at any time by choosing a desired location. I am an avid fan of the series, and truly look forward to every adventure and destination to come.

 

Giveaway . . . Enter for a chance to win Kindle copies of Books 1-3 in the Travel Can Be Murder Series by clicking on this link. 


About the author . . . Jennifer S. Alderson was born in San Francisco, raised in Seattle, and currently lives in Amsterdam. After traveling extensively around Asia, Oceania, and Central America, she moved to Darwin, Australia, before settling in the Netherlands. Her background in journalism, multimedia development, and art history enriches her novels.


When not writing, she can be found in a museum, biking around Amsterdam, or enjoying a coffee along the canal while planning her next research trip.

 

Author links . . .

Website: http://www.jennifersalderson.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jenniferSAldersonauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JSAauthor

Instagram: https://instagram.com/JSAauthor

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jennifer-s-alderson

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/JennifeSAlderson 

 

Purchase links . . .  Amazon (US)    Amazon Worldwide

 

Blog Tours 

 

Tour participants . . .

November 28 – I’m Into Books – SPOTLIGHT

November 28 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT  

November 29 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST

November 29 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW

November 30 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 30 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

December 1 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR GUEST POST

December 1 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

December 2 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

December 2 – Bootsie’s Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT

December 3 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

December 3 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT

December 4 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

December 4 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW  

December 5 – Novels Alive – REVIEW – SPOTLIGHT

December 5 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

December 6 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW  

December 6 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

December 7 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW  

December 7 – eBook Addicts – REVIEW

 

 

Note . . . I received a complimentary copy of Death by Puffin from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.



 
This Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.  It cannot be republished without attribution. 

 

 

 

 

Monday, December 5, 2022

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph

It's Tuesday . . . time for . . . 



. . . First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros . . . hosted by Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews, where bloggers share excerpts from a book they have read, are currently reading, or are planning to read.
 
Today I'm featuring a recent blog tour read, Death by Puffin by Jennifer S. Alderson, the ninth book in the Travel Can Be Murder mystery series. The excerpt shared is from an advance eBook provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
 
 

 

First Chapter:  Storm Brewing

Sunday--Reykjavik, Iceland

Lana Hansen stared outside, taking in the storm brewing over Faxafloi Bay. Gale-force winds whipped rain and hail across her hotel's windows, temporarily blurring her view of  Mount Esja, rising high above Reykjavik's skyline.

Despite the breathtakingly beautiful sight before her, Lana couldn't enjoy it. Right now, it felt as if the turbulent weather mirrored the storm raging in her heart and mind. Her job and relationship were both on the fritz, and after a week of soul-searching, she still couldn't see a way out of either predicament. 

 

What do you think?  Would you continue reading? 

The Travel Can Be Murder series is an enjoyable, satisfying escape around the world. The author's dynamic, accurate descriptions of tourist attractions makes readers feel as though they are physically on location. I am an avid fan of the series, and truly look forward to every adventure and destination to come.



 



This First Chapter~First Paragraph post was originally composed and/or compiled by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.

 

Friday, August 20, 2021

Great Escapes Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway: Death by Leprechaun by Jennifer S. Alderson

Today I'm participating in the Death by Leprechaun Great Escapes Blog Tour. In this post you'll find information about the book and the author along with my review. 

There's also a giveaway contest--be sure to enter for a chance to win Kindle copies of Books 1-3 in the series. The entry link appears further on in this post.


About the book . . . 


Death by Leprechaun: A Saint Patrick's Day Murder in Dublin

Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mystery Series

Publisher: Traveling Life Press (June 18, 2021)
Paperback: ‎ 186 pages
ISBN-13: ‎ 979-8513907220
Digital ASIN: ‎ B08P5DS5JY


Synopsis . . . When an old friend is arrested in Dublin, tour guide Lana Hansen will need the luck of the Irish to clear him of the crime.

Lana is thrilled her friend Jeremy and his wife are on her tour to Ireland. The couple are having the time of their lives exploring the country’s rich literary and cultural history, until they run into Guy Smith, a reporter Jeremy recently exposed as a fraud.

A tussle turns into a fight and leaves each man vowing to destroy the other. Yet cross words and dirty looks tell Lana that Jeremy is not the only client on her tour who has a grudge against the reporter.

When Guy is murdered at the same pub Lana’s group is present at, Jeremy is the police’s number one suspect. But did he really murder the reporter? Or was it one of her other guests?

Lana keeps their tour going and her ears open for any clues that might help free her friend. Can she discover the true killer’s identity before their trip to the Emerald Isle draws to a close?

The Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mysteries are heartwarming stories about making friends, traveling, and celebrating new experiences. Join tour guide Lana Hansen as she leads tourists and readers to fascinating cities around the globe on intriguing adventures that often turn deadly.

Books in the Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mystery series:
Book 1 -  Death on the Danube: A New Year’s Murder in Budapest
Book 2 – Death by Baguette: A Valentine’s Day Murder in Paris
Book 3 – Death by Windmill: A Mother’s Day Murder in Amsterdam
Book 4 – Death by Bagpipes: A Summer Murder in Edinburgh
Book 5 – Death by Fountain: A Christmas Murder in Rome
Book 6 – Death by Leprechaun: A Saint Patrick’s Day Murder in Dublin
Book 7 – Death by Flamenco: An Easter Murder in Seville
Books 8-12 – Coming Soon!!
 


My review . . . Lana Hansen's latest travel assignment takes her and a group of tourists from the Emerald City of Seattle to the Emerald Isle of Ireland. She is excited to share the opportunity to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Dublin's pubs, explore local landmarks, and visit the picturesque Irish countryside with her fellow travelers. Among the guests on this tour is Jeremy Tartal, Lana's friend and former colleague from her days as a journalist. 

The tour appears to be off to a good start given its lively mix of solo and married travelers, and Lana does her best to engage each tourist, smoothing the way for a harmonious experience for all. Despite her best efforts, the tour takes an unpleasant turn after Lana's friend Jeremy has an ugly public encounter with Guy Smith, a disgraced Seattle journalist who is now working for the Dublin Chronicle. When Guy's lifeless body is later found by Jeremy in the alleyway of the pub Lana's tour group is visiting, police arrest Jeremy for the crime. After all, the two have a history, and Guy held Jeremy personably responsible for exposing his unscrupulous reporting. Contrary to appearances, Lana knows the police have the wrong man--but if Jeremy is innocent, then who killed Guy? 

Eager to clear Jeremy's name and set the tour back on track, Lana finds herself in investigative mode. She discovers that Guy was a truly obnoxious man whose newspaper articles ruined numerous solid reputations, leaving a long list of enemies in his wake. In fact, Guy's actions adversely affected the fates of several people in the tour group. Could one of them have evened the score by murder? Or is one of Guy's new coworkers the culprit?

Death by Leprechaun is an entertaining addition to the Travel Can Be Murder mystery series. As in the previous novels -- all of which can be read as stand-alones -- Jennifer S. Alderson creates a lively fictional cast of characters and an engaging plot set in a real-world vacation destination. The series showcases the author's talent as a cozy mystery writer and her love of travel. With Alderson as travel guide, readers experience an itinerary that is so richly accurate in detail that they can imagine themselves there. In these days of restricted travel, this series provides a welcome escape to faraway places. For all of these reasons, this is one of my most favorite cozy series, and I eagerly await the next story and destination.


About the author . . . Jennifer S. Alderson was born in San Francisco, raised in Seattle, and currently lives in Amsterdam. After traveling extensively around Asia, Oceania, and Central America, she moved to Darwin, Australia, before finally settling in the Netherlands. Jennifer's love of travel, art, and culture inspires her award-winning Zelda Richardson Mystery series, her Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mysteries, and her standalone stories.


When not writing, she can be found in a museum, biking around Amsterdam, or enjoying a coffee along the canal while planning her next research trip.


Author links . . . 


Purchase link . . .  AMAZON


Giveaway . . . Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mystery Books 1-3 contest . . . 

Travel, anyone? Here is your passport to murder – three clean cozy mysteries set in Budapest, Paris, and Amsterdam! 

Join tour guide Lana Hansen as she leads tourists and readers to fascinating cities around the globe on intriguing adventures that often turn deadly. The Book 1-3 Collection includes Death on the Danube: A New Year’s Murder in BudapestDeath by Baguette: A Valentine’s Day Murder in Paris, and Death by Windmill: A Mother’s Day Murder in Amsterdam.

Enter the giveaway for a chance to win Kindle copies of Books 1-3 in the series by clicking this link.




Tour Participants . . .
August 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
August 17 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
August 18 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW
August 18 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 19 – Novels Alive – GUEST POST
August 20 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW
August 21 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 22 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
August 23 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
August 23 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
August 24 – Here’s How It Happened – REVIEW
August 25 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
August 26 – Mysteries with Character – GUEST POST
August 27 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
August 27 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
August 28 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
August 29 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 30 – eBook addicts – REVIEW
August 30 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT






Note . . . I received a complimentary copy of Death by Leprechaun from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.











This Blog Tour post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog. It cannot be republished without attribution.



Thursday, August 19, 2021

Friday Focus: The Friday 56 and Book Beginnings

 16


It's Friday . . . time to share book excerpts with:
  • Book Beginnings on Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, where bloggers share the first sentence or more of a current read, as well as initial thoughts about the sentence(s), impressions of the book, or anything else that the opening inspires.  
  • The Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice, where you grab a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% of an eBook), find one or more interesting sentences (no spoilers), and post them.

Today I'm featuring a recent blog tour read, Death by Leprechaun: A Saint Patrick's Day Murder in Dublin by Jennifer S. Alderson. The excerpts shared are from a Kindle copy of the book I received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.



Beginning:  To Your Health

March 11 -- Dublin, Ireland

"Slainte!" Wanderlust Tours guide Lana Hansen cried out, mangling the Irish version of "cheers," as she held her pint up high. 

********************  

56% of eBook:  Even though it was a long shot that anyone would talk to her about their recently deceased colleague, she couldn't sit around and do nothing. Lana was certain Jeremy, despite having been caught red-handed, had not killed Guy.

********************  

My thoughts:  So starts another tour in the Travel Can Be Murder cozy mystery series, this time to Dublin, Ireland and the surrounding countryside. Tour guide Lana Hansen finds herself yet again solving a murder on foreign soil while taking in the local tourist attractions. This is one of my most favorite series, particularly now when travel is still restricted. Each book (and they can be read as stand alones) is set in a different location -- perfect for those longing to visit or revisit a dream destination from the comfort of home while also guessing whodunit.

********************  

From GoodReads:  When an old friend is arrested in Dublin, tour guide Lana Hansen will need the luck of the Irish to clear him of the crime.

Lana is thrilled her friend Jeremy and his wife are on her tour to Ireland. The couple are having the time of their lives exploring the country’s rich literary and cultural history, until they run into Guy Smith, a reporter Jeremy recently exposed as a fraud.

A tussle turns into a fight and leaves each man vowing to destroy the other. Yet cross words and dirty looks tell Lana that Jeremy is not the only client on her tour who has a grudge against the reporter.

When Guy is murdered at the same pub Lana’s group is present at, Jeremy is the police’s number one suspect. But did he really murder the reporter? Or was it one of her other guests?

Lana keeps their tour going and her ears open for any clues that might help free her friend. Can she discover the true killer’s identity before their trip to the Emerald Isle draws to a close?

The Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mysteries are heartwarming stories about making friends, traveling, and celebrating new experiences. Join tour guide Lana Hansen as she leads tourists and readers to fascinating cities around the globe on intriguing adventures that often turn deadly.




*******************

This Friday Focus: The Friday 56 & Book Beginnings post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com.  It cannot be republished without attribution. 

© 2021 Book Club Librarian All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Book Club Librarian without attribution, know that this post has been stolen and was used without permission.

Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Great Escapes Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway: Death by Windmill by Jennifer S. Alderson



Today I'm participating in the Death by Windmill Great Escapes Blog Tour.  In this post you'll find book and author information along with my review.  And be sure to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a prize package from the author.


About the book . . .

Death by Windmill: A Mother's Day Mystery in Amsterdam
Travel Can Be Murder Series (Book 3)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Publisher: Independently published (May 16, 2020)
Paperback: 218 pages
ISBN-13: 979-8646330070
Digital ASIN: B0843K7HNQ
 
Synopsis . . . A Mother’s Day trip to the Netherlands turns deadly when a guest plummets from a windmill. Was it an accident or a murder? For Lana Hansen, the answer will mean freedom or imprisonment for someone close to her… 

Wanderlust Tours guide Lana Hansen and her mother, Gillian, haven’t seen eye to eye in over a decade, ever since Lana was wrongly fired from her job as an investigative reporter. So when Lana’s boss invites Gillian to join her upcoming Mother’s Day tour to the Netherlands, Lana is less than pleased. 

What could be worse than spending ten days with her estranged mother? Lana is about to find out… 

The tour begins on a high note when the majority of guests bond during their visit to the Keukenhof flower gardens and a cruise around the picturesque canals of Amsterdam. 

Despite her initial reservations, Lana thinks this might be the best group she had ever led. Until she discovers one of her guests—a recent retiree named Priscilla—is the person who destroyed her career in journalism. 

All Lana can see is red. But circumstances dictate that she figure out a way to lead the tour, make peace with her mother, and not murder her guest. She doesn’t know whether she can handle the pressure. 

Lana needn’t worry. Shortly after their fight, Priscilla falls off the balcony of a historic windmill at Zaanse Schans. Was she pushed or simply careless? The investigating officers suspect murder—and topping their suspect list is Lana’s mom! 

Can Lana save Gillian? Or will her mother end up spending the rest of her days in a Dutch prison?


My review . . . Lana Hansen’s Mother’s Day trip to the Netherlands is the most personally challenging of her budding tour guide career thus far.  The tour includes two guests she must reckon with—her estranged mother Gillian and wealthy retired CEO Priscilla, the woman responsible for ending Lana’s journalism career.  And as if matters couldn’t get any worse—Priscilla plunges to her death from the top of a windmill while on the tour.  Suspecting foul play, the police arrest Gillian, and Lana must clear her mother’s name before the end of the ten-day tour.  

As Lana uses her investigative skills from her previous career, the list of murder suspects grows.  She discovers that several of the other tour guests have very strong reasons to want Priscilla out of the picture.  Can Lana convince the local police of Gillian’s innocence by identifying the real killer? And can Lana and Gillian repair the damage to their relationship caused by ten years of estrangement?

Death by Windmill is an action-packed jaunt through Amsterdam and the surrounding Dutch countryside.  As with the other books in the series, author Jennifer Alderson takes readers on a guided tour of fascinating tourist attractions combined with an intriguing murder mystery. The descriptions of the location and its landmarks are so authentically rich in detail that you feel you are experiencing the tour first-hand.  And although I figured out who the killer was before the big reveal, I was still happily engaged in the story while reliving my own travel memories of Amsterdam.

The Travel Can Be Murder series is ideal for those who enjoy actual and/or armchair travel and those looking for an entertaining escape from these stay-close-to-home days. Each of the books in the series can be read as stand-alones based on one’s desired location.  Previous tours take readers to Budapest and Paris.  Readers who treat themselves to this series need no suitcases, passports, or foreign currency—just curiosity and a sense of adventure.


Giveaway . . . Enter the Death by Windmill Giveaway for a chance to win a prize package from the author by clicking on this link.


About the author . . . Jennifer S. Alderson was born in San Francisco, raised in Seattle, and currently lives in Amsterdam. After traveling extensively around Asia, Oceania, and Central America, she moved to Darwin, Australia, before settling in the Netherlands. Her background in journalism, multimedia development, and art history enriches her novels. When not writing, she can be found in a museum, biking around Amsterdam, or enjoying a coffee along the canal while planning her next research trip.


Jennifer’s love of travel, art, and culture inspires her award-winning mystery series—the Zelda Richardson Mysteries and Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mysteries—and standalone stories.

Author links . . .

Purchase link . . .  Amazon


Tour Participants . . .
July 13 – The Book Decoder – REVIEW  
July 13 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – SPOTLIGHT
July 14 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
July 14 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW 
July 15 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
July 15 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 16 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 16 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
July 17 – Here’s How It Happened – REVIEW
July 17 – The Book Diva’s Reads – GUEST POST
July 18 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
July 18 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
July 19 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 19 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
July 20 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST
July 20 – My Reading Journeys – SPOTLIGHT
July 21 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW  
July 21 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 22 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
July 22 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
July 23 – eBook Addicts – REVIEW
July 23 – Diane Reviews Books – SPOTLIGHT
July 24 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW
July 25 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
July 25 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
July 26 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW



Note . . . I received a complimentary copy of Death by Windmill from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.



 

This Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog.  It cannot be republished without attribution.