December Book Club: Death by Fountain by Jennifer S. Alderson

Death by Fountain by Jennifer S. Alderson

If you’re like me, you read to escape reality and live vicariously through exciting adventures. Jennifer Alderson weaves a tale that will transport you from your cozy armchair straight to the heart of Rome – complete with murder, love triangles, and gelato (because what’s a trip to Italy without gelato?). But let’s also be real. If there was a murder happening during my trip, I would not be playing detective. I’d be hiding under my hotel sheets and ordering room service like a pro.

Luckily, our fearless sleuth Lana Hansen is brave enough to take on the task of solving a mystery while leading her city tour. Randy, her tour guide coworker, is also preparing for his destination wedding in Tuscany at his Italian fiancé’s family home. When he invites the wedding party for some pre-wedding sightseeing, things get complicated – his uninvited ex-girlfriend ends up dead in the iconic Trevi Fountain! Lana has to do some serious sleuthing to clear his name so he can make it to the nuptials on time. I loved how each character had their own secrets and lies, making it a classic whodunit in the style of Agatha Christie. And as a bonus, we get to explore Rome through Lana’s eyes with authentic descriptions of tourist attractions. Having been there myself, I could picture every cobblestone plaza and museum as if I were right back in Italy (sigh).

This is book 5 in the Travel Can Be Murder Series but don’t worry, you can start here without feeling lost (I did). The best part? Each book takes place in a different city, so you’ll feel like you’re right there exploring tourist attractions while trying to solve the mystery. I enjoyed it so much, I want to go back and read the others. So grab this book and a cappuccino (or wine, no judgement) and get ready for some serious page-turning goodness. Buon viaggio!