Hello! I’m Lana Hansen and I recently started working as a tour guide for Wanderlust Tours. My resume is what my mother politely calls ‘varied’; before landing this job I worked as an investigative journalist, magician’s assistant, kayaking guide, and yoga instructor. My experiences do make it difficult to find work, but my unusual skillset often helps me get out of sticky situations!

I always thought I would spend my life working as an investigative reporter, but my life changed pretty dramatically when I was wrongly accused of libel and fired. Soon after, I met my husband – The Great Ronaldo – during an open mic night and became his assistant during his magic shows. A short while later, I also became his wife. If only I hadn’t of gotten hurt during a trick, I might still be by his side. Instead, his new assistant took my place on stage and in our bed!

How my day goes depends on whether I am on tour or not.

When I have time off, I spend it in my hometown of Seattle, Washington. I live in an artsy neighborhood called Fremont and love the funky vibe and crazy personalities it attracts. I am most at home with my cat Seymour on my lap and a good mystery novel in hand. My best friend Willow is always stopping by, though we do love to hang out and drink chai lattes at NamasTea, a tea shop located above Willow’s yoga studio. Otherwise you can find me walking my landlord Dotty’s dogs – Chipper and Rodney – or helping her organize one of her famous neighborhood parties.

Most weeks, my travels as a guide for Wanderlust Tours keep me off the couch and exploring new destinations. Our tours last anywhere from seven to fourteen days and are primarily for older, wealthier Seattleites who are long on money and short on time. My clients certainly keep me on my toes!

When I’m leading a tour, I make sure I am downstairs in the breakfast room as soon as they open so I can greet my guests and answer any questions as they arrive. Most of my clients are lovely people who want to explore the world, but don’t want to travel solo. Others are tagging along for the ride and not as enthusiastic about the cities we are visiting as I would hope. For some reason or another, several guests have died under suspicious circumstances, and I have had to help the police find the real culprit. That’s my least favorite part of these trips, though I am becoming quite the amateur sleuth!

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 guests are less and are always accompanied by two guides, in case of emergencies.

My first tour in Budapest was memorable for many reasons, mostly because it was 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 I has stepped into 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 trip as a guide was a trial by fire. My fellow tour guide Carl died under mysterious circumstances on our third day! The police wrongly accused another guest and I ended up having to track down the real culprit.

Since then, I’ve lead two more tours that were luckily fatality free. On my next assignment in Paris, I will be helping to train a new recruit named Randy. Considering this will only be my fourth tour, I sure hope I’m up to the task! My boss did mention that Randy was pretty cute and single, which may complicate matters…

Thanks for asking about my day, Dru Ann! If you ever want to travel with me, you’re always welcome to join me on one my tours! I hope to see you on the road one day – happy travels!

Giveaway: Jennifer is giving away one (1) print copy of Death on the Danube, limited to U.S. residents. Leave a comment below for your chance to win. Contest ends December 12, 2019. Good luck everyone!

You can read more about Lana in Death on the Danube, the first book in the NEW “Travel Can Be Murder” cozy mystery series, released November 28, 2019.

Who knew a New Year’s trip to Budapest could be so deadly? The tour must go on – even with a killer in their midst. . .

Recent divorcee Lana Hansen needs a break. Her luck has run sour for going on a decade, ever since she got fired from her favorite job as an investigative reporter. When her fresh start in Seattle doesn’t work out as planned, Lana ends up unemployed and penniless on Christmas Eve.

Dotty Thompson, her landlord and the owner of Wanderlust Tours, is also in a tight spot after one of her tour guides ends up in the hospital, leaving her a guide short on Christmas Day.

When Dotty offers her a job leading the tour group through Budapest, Hungary, Lana jumps at the chance. It’s the perfect way to ring in the new year and pay her rent!

What starts off as the adventure of a lifetime quickly turns into a nightmare when Carl, her fellow tour guide, is found floating in the Danube River. Was it murder or accidental death? Suspects abound when Lana discovers almost everyone on the tour had a bone to pick with Carl.

But Dotty insists the tour must go on, so Lana finds herself trapped with nine murder suspects. When another guest turns up dead, Lana has to figure out who the murderer is before she too ends up floating in the Danube. . .

Introducing Lana Hansen, tour guide, reluctant amateur sleuth, and star of the Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mystery Series. Join Lana as she leads tourists and readers to fascinating cities around the globe on intriguing adventures that, unfortunately for Lana, often turn deadly.

Coming soon: Books 2 and 3 in the Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mystery Series!

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Meet the author
Jennifer S. Alderson was born in San Francisco, raised in Seattle, and currently lives in Amsterdam. Her 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.

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 enjoyig a coffee along the canal while planning her next research trip.

To learn more about Jennifer, visit her website at jennifersalderson.com. You can also connect with Jennifer on the following social media outlets: Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon Author Page, BookBub, Goodreads.

All comments are welcomed.