A holiday is a time to relax, unwind and see the sights. But for two adventurous sexagenarians, the sights have a tendency to include dead bodies.

Etta and Dora, both newly retired teachers, travel from their home in Southern Italy to a fairy-tale German town for their first home swap holiday, delighted by their neighbours' warm welcome. But the welcome turns sour when the Night Watchman of Rothenburg is brutally murdered while his tour group takes photographs nearby, a halberd buried in his chest and a peculiar iron mask by his side.

When the murderer claims a second victim and the son of their hospitable neighbours becomes the number-one suspect, Etta's analytical mind goes to work. Why was a shame mask left at the scene of each murder? Is there a clandestine trade going on behind the scenes of apparently upstanding local businesses? And why does every lead take her back to the sinister Devil's Ale pub and the terrifying gang who lurk within?

Meanwhile, Dora has a puzzle of her own - how can she persuade Etta that a loveably disobedient Basset Hound called Napoleon is now a permanent part of their lives?

¿¿¿ Pack your bags, jump into the backseat of Etta and Dora's old Fiat 500, and join them on their travels around Europe. There'll be mystery, murder and mayhem aplenty wherever they go. ¿¿¿

The Night Watchman of Rothenburg Dies is the first book in The Homeswappers Mysteries a new travel mystery series from Italian author Adriana Licio.