Some people dream of a gentle retirement enjoying crochet or cricket, but for two sexagenarians, a more cadaverous future awaits… Newly retired teachers, Etta and Dora, take a walk along an old mule track connecting their mountain-top villages, each hoping to soothe the distress she feels at the paltry pension she will receive. Meeting at the fabled Witches’ Cave, they put aside their woes – the naked body of Sibilla, Castelmezzano’s beautiful witch, lies dead at the foot of the old oak tree. Did she plummet from the sky during a Sabbath flight as the superstitious locals are whispering? Or was the far more worldly evil of a human hand involved? When suspicions fall on Cassandra, Sibilla’s sister in the Art of Witchcraft, Dora and Etta fear the carabinieri have fallen prey to prejudice and local folklore. While Dora remains convinced of Cassandra’s innocence, Etta’s hunch takes her to a completely different conclusion, but could the truth really be so devious? And can she stop the killer before she becomes the next victim? ••• Fans of cosy mysteries won’t want to miss this intriguing tale of deceit and betrayal, new from the author of the thrilling An Italian Village Mystery series. Castelmezzano, The Witch is Dead is the prequel to the The Homeswappers Mysteries a humorous cosy series from Italian author Adriana Licio exploring the most delightfully murderous European travel destinations on and off the beaten track. Each book can be read as a standalone or you can enjoy the whole series: 0. Castelmezzano, The Witch is Dead – An Italian Cosy Mystery (A Prequel Novella) 1. The Watchman of Rothenburg Dies – A German Cosy Mystery 2. A Wedding and a Funeral in Mecklenburg – A German Travel Mystery 3. An Aero Island Christmas Mystery – A Danish Cosy Mystery 4. Prague, Secrets from the Past – A Czech Travel Mystery (to be released in Spring 2021) (More books and more adventures to come!) Written in British English, this is a clean cosy mystery series with no violence, sex or strong language.

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 riveting The Homeswappers a new travel mystery series from Italian author Adriana Licio.

As two young people from different worlds are joined together in marriage, the murmuring among the guests is that the relationship is doomed. But only one knows the form that doom will take. Etta and Dora, retired teachers from the South of Italy, arrive with their Basset Hound, the strong willed, loveable Leon, for a home swap holiday in a German mansion, just in time for the celebrations following the wedding of their hosts’ son to a beautiful Parisienne socialite. But the festivities come to an abrupt end when the bride falls face first into the wedding cake, a bullet in her heart. Although the culprit looks obvious – the groom’s business partner stands in shock, a gun in her hand – indisputable forensic evidence clears her name. Calling on her burgeoning talent as a sleuth, Etta launches her own investigations in parallel with those of the police. But with matters of the heart seeming to play a prominent role, it’s the more sentimental Dora who comes to the fore to fill in the gaps. Still, there’s something elusive, some crucial little detail… Then the truth strikes. And it is so diabolical that even the pragmatic Etta is left reeling. ◆◆◆ Pack your bags, mystery fans. It’s time to join Etta, Dora and Leon on the road – there’s a crime to solve before they can enjoy their latest cosy homeswap. ◆◆◆ A Wedding And A Funeral In Mecklenburg is the second book in the compelling The Homeswappers a new cozy travel mystery series from Italian author Adriana Licio. It can be read as a standalone or you can enjoy the whole series: 0 – Castelmezzano, The Witch is Dead: an Italian Cozy Mystery (A Prequel Novella) 1 – The Watchman of Rothenburg Dies: a German Cozy Mystery 2 – A Wedding and a Funeral in Mecklenburg: a German Travel Mystery 3 – An Aero Island Christmas Mystery: a Danish Cozy Mystery

In the depths of the Nordic winter, the beautiful Island of Aero is steeped in pre-Christmas cheer and Danish hygge. But in one dark and forbidding attic, a gruesome secret waits to be discovered. Two Italian sexagenarians and a stubborn, loveable Basset Hound are travelling across the sea to the historic town of Ærøskøbing. The ever-positive Dora is clasping her hands in delight at the prospect of their latest homeswap; her more feisty friend Etta is picking a fight with an equally belligerent Danish woman; and Leon? Well, Leon is saving a small child from certain death. Just another day in the life of a brave and noble dog. Little do the three travellers know just how significant the people they meet during the ferry crossing are going to become over the next couple of weeks. As Aero rises before them from the Baltic Sea, an unsolved murder, a mythical treasure, an unrequited love and a bitter family feud await them. Can the analytical Etta, empathetic Dora and sharp-nosed Leon finally lay the dead to rest and lead the living to the happiest of Christmases? And who is destined to receive the most precious gift of all? ◆◆◆ Wrap up warm, pack your cases and hop into the backseat. It’s time to join Etta, Dora and Leon in their ancient yellow Fiat for another delightfully mysterious adventure, this time with a huge dollop of festive fun. ◆◆◆ \\\* An Aero Island Christmas Mystery is the fourth book in the The Homeswappers Mysteries, a humorous cosy series following the adventures of two retired teachers and their Basset Hound as they explore the most delightfully murderous European travel destinations and put their skills as sleuths to the test. Written in British English, each light-hearted mystery is clean – no violence, sex or strong language – and can be read as a standalone or enjoyed in sequence: 0.5 Castelmezzano, The Witch is Dead – An Italian Cosy Mystery (A Prequel Novella) 1. The Watchman of Rothenburg Dies – A German Cosy Mystery 2. A Wedding and a Funeral in Mecklenburg – A German Travel Mystery 3. An Aero Island Christmas Mystery – A Danish Cosy Mystery 4. Prague, A Secret from the Past – A Czech Travel Mystery (coming in Spring 2021)

A look of pure hatred cuts across a packed theatre foyer, where one of the revellers has only hours to live. The morning after a convivial evening, retired teachers Etta and Dora, on a homeswap from the South of Italy, are rudely awakened by Leon, the adorably mischievous Basset Hound who’s ready for his walk – at quarter to six! Taking advantage of the empty streets and pausing to admire the views over Kampa island from Charles Bridge, the trio find themselves instead looking down upon a murder scene. Recognising the striking red dress she had seen a glamorous businesswoman wearing the previous evening, Etta identifies the victim’s body for Czech policeman, Jan Baloun. But despite notable successes when sleuthing on previous trips around Europe, this time, the friends simply want to enjoy their holiday. And Leon? This lovelorn hound only has eyes for the pretty she-Basset in the flat opposite. When their new friend disappears hours after telling them about the dark days of Communism, and Etta and Dora themselves narrowly escape being attacked on their way home, the case becomes personal. What is the humorous Lieutenant Baloun hiding? Who was the traitor in the US Embassy, leaking vital information to the secret police during the tense days in 1980s Prague? And what bearing could that have on a crime committed nearly three decades later? ◆◆◆ Cosy fans, join Etta, Dora and Leon on an evocative delve into Prague’s hidden secrets. Can you piece together the puzzle before the killer strikes again? ◆◆◆ \\\* Prague a Secret from the Past is the fourth book in the The Homeswappers Mysteries, a humorous cosy series following the adventures of two retired teachers and their Basset Hound as they explore the most delightfully murderous European travel destinations and put their skills as sleuths to the test. Written in British English, each light-hearted mystery is clean – no violence, sex or strong language – and can be read as a standalone or enjoyed in sequence: 0. Castelmezzano, The Witch is Dead – An Italian Cosy Mystery (A Prequel Novella) 1. The Watchman of Rothenburg Dies – A German Cosy Mystery 2. A Wedding and a Funeral in Mecklenburg – A German Travel Mystery 3. An Aero Island Christmas Mystery – A Danish Cosy Mystery 4. Prague, A Secret from the Past – A Czech Travel Mystery 5. Murder on the West Highland Way – A Scottish Cosy Mystery is the next book to come… More adventures to follow!

Retired teachers Etta and Dora and long-suffering (in his opinion) Basset Hound Leon travel north from their home in Southern Italy, looking forward to a homeswap in historic Edinburgh. Anticipating nothing but relaxation, Etta is dismayed when the holiday extends to take in a hike – along many miles of the West Highland Way. As the walk progresses, the three travellers befriend Robert Gentle, a Scotsman as unassuming as his name, who is competing in a bizarre treasure hunt to see which of his family members will inherit a vast fortune, a castle and the exclusive St Tilda Island. When misfortune starts to befall the competitors, culminating in one being found dead in mysterious circumstances, Etta, Dora and Leon decide it’s time to put into use the sleuthing skills that have served them so well in the past. Has greed turned one of the family members into a dangerous killer? While kayaking on dark lochs, ascending imposing mountains, exploring ruins and battling through raging storms, can the trio protect Robert from the threat hanging over his family? And will Etta’s chance meeting with a charming highlander in a remote pub develop into something more than friendship? ◆◆◆ Cosy fans, vicarious hikers, pack your rucksacks, grab your walking sticks and join Etta, Dora and Leon on Scotland’s most legendary trail. A gripping adventure awaits in the timeless beauty of the Highlands. ◆◆◆ \\\* Death on the West Highland Way is the fifth book in the The Homeswappers Mysteries, a humorous cosy series following the adventures of two retired teachers and their Basset Hound as they explore the most delightfully murderous European travel destinations and put their skills as sleuths to the test. Written in British English, each light-hearted mystery is clean – no violence, sex or strong language – and can be read as a standalone or enjoyed in 0. Castelmezzano, The Witch is Dead – An Italian Cosy Mystery (A Prequel Novella) 1. The Watchman of Rothenburg Dies – A German Cosy Mystery 2. A Wedding and a Funeral in Mecklenburg – A German Travel Mystery 3. An Aero Island Christmas Mystery – A Danish Cosy Mystery 4. Prague, A Secret from the Past – A Czech Travel Mystery 5. Death on the West Highland Way - A Scottish Cozy Mystery 6. The Ghost of Glengron Castle - A Scottish Travel Mystery (Winter 2022) More adventures to follow!

Etta, Dora and Leon are heading for another home swap, this time on the Isle of Mull, off the western coast of Scotland. However, rather than a house or flat, they arrive at a Scottish castle. Although a little rundown, it is a fascinating place to stay and, as dictated by Gaelic folklore, it comes complete with a ghost. The trio learns, to its collective dismay, that the castle’s days are numbered. A developer has made an offer that’s too good for the owner, who’s unable to cope with the rising costs of maintaining the historic building, to refuse. But the local community in nearby Tobermory is most upset by the prospect of losing their heritage to a deluxe golf hotel for wealthy international guests, and a group of elderly folk plan to make things a little hard for the newcomers. When the developer is found dead, hit by the mace of a suit of armour standing in the castle hall, the locals’ suspicions are raised. Have the elderly rebels strayed well over the fine line between legitimate protest and criminal offence? Or was the more supernatural hand of the ghost to blame? As the police scout around, searching for the truth, our favourite sleuths team up with the Tobermory community to return serenity to the town. However, despite the terrible death, the sale of the castle is still moving forward… \\\ A castle, a ghost, a modern-day feud and an ancient curse, all set in the stunning scenery of a Hebridean island – what’s not to like? So do join Etta, Dora and Leon on Mull – can you unmask the murderer before they do? \\\ —— The Ghost of Glengullion Castle is the sixth book in the riveting Homeswappers Mysteries, a humorous cosy series following the adventures of two retired teachers and their Basset Hound as they explore the most delightfully murderous travel destinations in Europe and put their skills as sleuths to the test. Written in British English, each light-hearted story is clean – no violence, sex or strong language. Like the works of the maestro Agatha Christie, any Homeswappers mystery can be read as a standalone or they can all be enjoyed in 0. Castelmezzano, The Witch is Dead – An Italian Cosy Mystery (A Prequel Novella) 1. The Watchman of Rothenburg Dies – A German Cosy Mystery 2. A Wedding and a Funeral in Mecklenburg – A German Travel Mystery 3. An Aero Island Christmas Mystery – A Danish Cosy Mystery 4. Prague, A Secret from the Past – A Czech Travel Mystery 5. Death on the West Highland Way - A Scottish Cozy Mystery 6. The Ghost of Glengullion Castle – A Murder Mystery Set in Scotland More adventures to follow!