Wanderlust Book Club- September 2025

Travel (vicariously) to Peru in our latest Wanderlust Book Club pick!

In the Wanderlust Book Club, participants “travel” through reading a variety of atmospheric books that transport readers to locations around the world. Titles are primarily fiction, with an occasional non-fiction or memoir selection. Meetings are typically held on the third Thursday evening of the month. Our September book is “Death in the Andes” by Mario Vargas Llosa. Copies of each month’s book are available at both library buildings. This is a free book discussion program and no registration is required.

Description from Goodreads.com:
In an isolated community in the Peruvian Andes, a series of mysterious disappearances has occurred. Army corporal Lituma and his deputy Tomás believe the Shining Path guerrillas are responsible, but the townspeople have their own ideas about the forces that claimed the bodies of the missing men. This riveting novel is filled with unforgettable characters, among them disenfranchised Indians, eccentric local folk, and a couple performing strange cannibalistic sacrifices. As the investigation moves forward, Tomás entertains Lituma with the surreal tale of a precarious love affair.

Death in the Andes is both a fascinating detective novel and an insightful political allegory. Mario Vargas Llosa offers a panoramic view of Peruvian society, from the recent social upheaval to the cultural influences in its past.