Death by Oxcart: An Independence Day Murder in Costa Rica

Travel Can Be Murder #10

by Jennifer S. Alderson

Tour guide and amateur sleuth Lana Hansen is back on the road! And where Lana travels, trouble is sure to follow…

When Lana’s boyfriend, Alex Wright, gets into a jam during his first tour as a guide for Wanderlust Travels, Lana is sent to Costa Rica to help out.

Yet nothing could prepare her for the mess she finds—a guide in the hospital, a hysterical client calling for Alex to be fired, and bickering guests threatening each other. This is not how Lana wanted to start touring again!

Thrown into the deep, she has no choice but to help Alex overcome his problems with their clients, while leading the troubled group through Costa Rica as best she can. By day two, things appear to be getting better—until a guest is trampled by an oxcart during the Costa Rican Independence Day celebrations.

When the police determine his death to be murder—and that only someone in her group could have killed him—Lana knows she has no choice but to flush out the killer before they strike again.

Join Lana on an adventurous tour of Costa Rica and see whether you can puzzle out the murder’s identity before she does!

Genres: Cozy Mystery

234 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 6, 2024

About the author

Hi! I am an American expat currently living in Amsterdam. After traveling extensively around Asia, Oceania, and Central America, I moved to Darwin, Australia, before finally settling in the Netherlands. When not writing, you can find me in a museum, biking around Amsterdam, or enjoying a coffee along the canal while planning my next research trip.

My love of travel, art, and culture inspires my award-winning Zelda Richardson Art Mystery series, Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mysteries, and Carmen De Luca Art Sleuth Mysteries.

Connect with me here on Goodreads, Facebook, Instagram, or my website.

Thanks for stopping by!

Reviews

[Emmalynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars this was a tough one for me because of the way Alex was written. It’s as if is character did a complete 180 and he’s not the loveable character from prior books. The mystery was more in the background this time and the murders took place wayyy into the story so it seemed this book was more about Alex’s inability to adapt.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining mystery travel listening 🎶🔰

This kindle e-book novel is from my Kindle Unlimited account book 10 of 10

More to come? I hope so!

Lana is back home when Dotti ask her to go to Costa Rica and help with the tour. She gets to Costa Rica and the fun begins with an accident and two murders. She uncovers the truth leading to an arrest.

I would highly recommend this series and author to 👍 readers of romantic family and friends relationships adventure travel mystery novels 👍🔰 2024 👒😀💘

[Lilli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having to help out when a new tour guide has problems, Lana comes to Costa Rica. The group has frictions, mostly because of an archaeologist who keeps asking for money and because some want adventure, others culture, the above mentioned archaeologist is awful and the itinerary seems badly put together.
Ms Alderson's 10th book brings us back into the world of tourism, a field I have worked i, even been a tour guide. The details of the human behaviour are completely exact, both funny and annoying and she gives correct details into the places of her books. Apart from Costa Rica, I know all the other destinations, all are well researched and correct. Between travelling while reading, you get the quirks of tourists, the stress, fun and work behind a tour guides life and you are astonished at the who dun 'it.
I cannot wait for the next book especially since it will be in Zurich, Switzerland, and I am Swiss and lived many years i Zurich. You don't have to start with this book to enjoy it, although I would recommend beginning at No 1.

[Gail Souter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Terrible sleuthing by an incompetent tour guide

Lana is completely useless as a sleuth! Her judgement of people is horrendous despite it being blatantly obvious they are the killer! She infuriates me! She discounts the most obvious suspect even when there is only one left she still doesn't catch on. Only blind luck enables her to solve the mystery! Meanwhile the readers,solved it halfway through! Costa Rica sounds lovely,though! The only reason I have read these books is for the descriptions of the tours! That's the only part i have enjoyed! Lana needs to wise up as she is,even worse than Inspector Clouseau!

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thrilled to discover this new to me author and this fun series. I enjoyed the murder mystery as well as hearing about all the interesting places the tour is visiting. I like the tour guide Lana Anderson a lot. She’s genuine. Her friends and tour clients are fun and quirky. I highly recommend this book and the series. It is always a challenge for me to solve a mystery and this was also one I couldn’t figure out. I enjoyed the drama with Lana and Alex too.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner for me. I enjoyed reading this story and I appreciated the characters and their problems with the clients. Recommend reading.

[Hope Vollm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute. I love the setting.

[Sandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

No death until 54% at end of chapter 20 witnessed by everyone. Too much time repeating ancillary background. Unlikeabke character. Even the Wright Bris. Lack charm this time. Waste of my time.