Hardy and company are visiting the Black Forest area of Germany, staying in the guest wing of a local castle, Schloss Haeflin. In the midst of hiking the Black Forest, enjoying all things Swabian, and spending a day in Baden-Baden, the hikers find themselves at ground zero for coeds disappearing from the nearby University of Freiburg and foul play is suspected. Unresolved personal issues of several members of the group threaten the tour's cohesion, and Hardy discovers the Baron who owns the schloss has stolen someone's identity as well as his fortune. Ever the sleuth, Hardy untangles the web of deceit, madness, and murder in "Black Forest Reckoning."