Death by Puffin - A Guest Post & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Lana Hansen to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Lana on the pages of the Travel Can Be Murder Mystery series by Jennifer S. Alderson. Death by Puffin is the ninth book in the series and was released last week.

Introducing Lana Hansen - Tour Guide Extraordinaire
By Jennifer S. Alderson

Hello! I’m Lana Hansen, a senior tour guide for Wanderlust Tours, a travel company based out of Seattle, Washington.

Becoming a tour guide has been the best thing to happen to me in quite a while. I’ve gotten to fulfill a long-cherished dream to travel the world, and I’ve met so many interesting people along the way!

However, it’s not the kind of work I ever thought I would be doing. My resume is what my mother politely calls “varied” – before landing this job I worked primarily as an investigative journalist and magician’s assistant. It was a string of unhappy coincidences that brought me to Wanderlust. Thankfully, life has been looking up ever since.

Our week-long guided vacations tend to attract the wealthier residents of the Pacific Northwest – the kind that are used to living the high life and being pampered along the way. I feel pretty spoiled being able to travel around Europe and stay in luxurious hotels, eat at top-notch restaurants, and go on fascinating day trips with my guests. Most tours are comprised of ten clients or less and are always accompanied by two guides, in case of emergencies. Randy Wright has always been my favorite guide to work with, and together we’ve had quite a few interesting adventures.

My first tour in Budapest was memorable for many reasons, mostly because it was also my first trip abroad! I had visions of a grey, somber, soviet-era architecture, but it wasn’t like that at all. The imposing statues, tiered-fountains, captivating monuments, delicate spires, and majestic buildings decorated with snow and sparkly lights made me feel as if they were driving through a postcard. Everything was so much bigger than I had imagined. Several buildings seemed to fill an entire city block and many monuments stretched high into the sky, often topped by a stately figure, angel, or knight. It was truly magical.

Unfortunately my first tour was also a trial by fire because my fellow tour guide Carl died under mysterious circumstances on our third day! After the police wrongly accused another guest of murder, I ended up tracking down the real culprit.

Most of my tours have been fatality free, though I have, on occasion, been forced into the role of amateur sleuth while on tour duty. The worst was when my mother was accused of killing one of my clients during our Mother’s Day tour of the Netherlands. I am so grateful to my friends for helping me clear her name.

After leading groups through Europe’s finest destinations for the past two years, my wings are itching to spread a bit more. If things work out as planned, I hope to be traveling even further abroad on future tours!

There is only one slight problem… as much as I love my job, recent events have turned my world upside down. Let’s just say that three murder investigations on three consecutive tours did my head in. Even worse, my boss, Dotty, now thinks I am some sort of angel of death and took me off tour-duty last week!

So I hopped on the next available flight and soon found myself checking into Hotel Puffin in downtown Reykjavik. I hope being here will give me a chance to destress and find direction again.

My best friend, Willow, is convinced that Dotty has got it wrong. She is certain that there is a reason for me being involved in these traumatic events – and that it’s a positive one. Which is why she flew all the way to Iceland to be with me. I’ve heard her out, but don’t yet know if I trust her theory.

She’s got a week to convince me, before she flies back to her family in Seattle. And I truly hope that we can resolve this crisis before Willow leaves. I do love Iceland, but I don’t want to hide out here forever!

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 Death by Puffin: A Bachelorette Party Murder in Reykjavik (Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mystery) by Jennifer S. Alderson

About Death By Puffin

Death by Puffin: A Bachelorette Party Murder in Reykjavik (Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mystery) 

Cozy Mystery 9th in Series
Setting - Iceland
Traveling Life Press (November 24, 2022)
Number of Pages: 180

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!!

 

About Jennifer S. Alderson

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

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RIP in Reykjavik - An Interview & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome A. R. Kennedy to Cozy Up With Kathy today. A. R. writes the Traveler Cozy Mystery series. R.I.P. in Reykjavik is the second book in the series and will be released May 19, 2020.

Kathy: Naomi heads to Iceland in the second Traveler Cozy Mystery. Why choose Iceland?

ARK: I love Iceland! I’ve been three times. It’s a great first international vacation. It’s a short flight from the East Coast of the US. It’s an amazing country with an interesting history and culture with beautiful scenery.


Kathy: In R.I.P. in Reykjavik we learn that traveling with family can be murder. Have you traveled much with your relatives?

ARK: I’m an only child so there could never be a sisterly vacation like in the first book in the series, Sleuth on Safari. My mother and I have traveled domestically several times together. I’ve had a passport since I was 17 but my mother just got her passport a few years ago.


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

ARK: They’re fun!


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

ARK: Yes, I have another mystery series, The Nathan Miccoli Mystery series. I also have a stand alone romantic suspense novel, Saving Ferris. Saving Ferris is a story that makes us consider what, exactly, pets mean to us. If you love dogs, you will love this book!


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

ARK: Naomi travels the world, while navigating difficult relationships with her travel partner of a family member, while solving a murder.

The Nathan Miccoli Mystery series starts with Gone But Not Missed, where Nathan searches for the kidnapped Lillian and her miniature schnauzer Laude. With no jurisdiction, no resources, and no witnesses, he is compelled to obsessively take up the case.


Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?

ARK: Picking a favorite character is like picking a favorite child!


Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?

ARK: My love of travel is my inspiration. I hope my series inspires others to travel. And, if they cannot travel, I hope they feel like they have taken the journey with Naomi.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

ARK: I wanted to share my stories.


Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?

ARK: Stephen King, Steigg Larson, Erik Larson, Agatha Christie


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

The Splendid and the Vile, Erik Larson


Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?

ARK: I’m a huge a baseball fan! And I miss it terribly. I usually attend over 20 games a year and I watched every game my team plays.


Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.

ARK: Milk, Oreos (Double Stuffed!), Coca cola, The makings of a PBJ — Peanut butter (Smooth only!), jelly (strawberry only!) and bread (Wheat usually!)


Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?

ARK: Yes. I’m currently writing book 3, Undone in Uluru, where Naomi travels with her father. Future travels will be with her Nan to Israel and with her brother (destination plans to be confirmed at a later date.)


Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?

ARK: It gets the stories that are bouncing around in my head out onto paper.

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R.I.P. in Reykjavík: A Traveler Cozy Mystery by A R Kennedy

About R.I.P. in Reykjavík

R.I.P. in Reykjavík: A Traveler Cozy Mystery 

Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series 

Independently Published (May 19, 2020)  

Print Length: 149 pages 

Traveling with your family can be murder. One wedding party + one estranged mother = another vacation that goes array for Naomi.

 

Naomi is off on another international vacation. She thinks traveling with her mother will be the most difficult part of her trip until she meets the rest of the tour group—a wedding party. It only gets worse when she finds the groom dead. Everyone’s a suspect on her Icelandic tour of this stunning country.

About A. R. Kennedy

 
A. R. Kennedy lives in Long Beach, New York, with her two pups. She works hard to put food on the floor for them. As her favorite T-shirt says, ‘I work so my dog can have a better life’. She’s an avid traveler. But don’t worry. While she’s away, her parents dote on their grand-puppies even more than she does. Her writing is a combination of her love of travel, animals, and the journey we all take to find ourselves.  

Author Links Website – Amazon – Facebook – Twitter – Goodreads – BookBub –  

Purchase Link – Amazon

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