Fred's mother Helga has been suffering from Alzheimer's disease and must be watched carefully. Oscar, her husband, does what he can, but he is also experiencing the effects of old age. Fred and Joan, along with Joan's college-age son Andrew, travel north to the small town and are very surprised to see the progression of Helga's disease.

Joan, who works at a senior center back in Indiana, uses her skills to connect with Helga and to help her family learn to deal with her. A catnap by Oscar turns into tragedy as Helga disappears. When Joan and Fred find her, she is very agitated. She thinks she saw someone kill Fred. While both Fred and Joan know that is not true, they do find the body of man that Fred knew from high school and it appears that Helga witnessed the murder and know she has the identity of the murderer locked away.

Joan and Fred are not so sure if the murderer realizes that the chances of Helga recalling exactly what she saw are small and they realize that the small town safe haven may have just become a very dangerous place for Helga. With an influx of tourists for the Swedish December festival of Saint Lucia, it is harder to keep a close eye on Helga, especially with the danger closer than anyone could imagine.

Witness in Bishop Hill is a very atmospheric mystery. Sara Hoskinson Frommer has recreated a close-knit Swedish town that is very inviting to come home to. Joan is warmly welcomed into Fred's family and cautiously accepted by his former neighbors and classmates. The Swedish customs and traditions add to the overall feel of the mystery and are full of lights contrasting sharply to the two murders that have occurred.

The whodunit is relatively easy to figure out, the why will take a little longer, but is easily put together before Joan and Fred figure it out. While most of the series has focused on Joan, this entry allows a closer glimpse at Fred and where he came from. Witness in Bishop Hill is a dependable entry into a growing series that will appeal to fans looking for that small town feeling in a cozy.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry