March 21, 2023 | Oceanview Publishing | 978-1608095377

Bones Under the Ice

Book 1 of the Jhonni Laurent Mysteries

Sheriff Jhonni Laurent discovers the frozen body of a female high school senior under a fifteen-foot pile of snow and ice, two days after a blizzard strikes Field’s Crossing, Indiana. As she begins her first murder investigation, her opponent from four years ago wages a bitter re-election battle to oust her. While focusing on finding the teenager’s killer, Laurent finds the body of the CEO of Farmers Bank in an ice fishing tent on Turtle Lake. As Laurent digs further into the victims’ backgrounds and final days, the century-old feud between the Martins and the Tillmans escalates. As Laurent fights to keep the small farming community from imploding, she faces her own family demons and nightmares.

The severe post-partum depression from thirty years ago haunts Laurent as well as the two-week stay in the psyche ward and giving her daughter up for adoption. And now the young woman wants to meet her. As Laurent grapples with the stunning request to meet her daughter, she confronts a local newspaper reporter claiming she is covering up for one of the prime murder suspects because of the family contributions to her campaign fund four years ago. Several biased articles appear in the op-ed portion of the newspaper, planting seeds of doubt about the local sheriff. The Election Board for the state of Indiana receives a complaint and as the newspaper continues to malign her character, abilities and credibility, the state suspends Laurent.

Will the killer go free?

Praise & Awards

Winner (SILVER) in the Florida Writers Royal Palm Literary Awards
(Published-Mystery or Crime Category)
“Set in a small town and filled with twists and turns, Bones Under the Ice is a chilling story of secrets and murder that will keep you guessing.”
—Charlie Donlea, USA Today best-selling author

“A slow-burn police procedural . . . with potential for a popular series.”
Publishers Weekly

“A new series perfect for fans of J.A. Jance and Craig Johnson or anyone who likes small-town settings, small-town secrets, and lots of characters.”
Library Journal

“Sheriff Jhonni Laurent, flawed but decent, is up against a murder case, a political enemy, and winter itself in Mary Ann Miller’s cracker of a debut. Bones Under the Ice is a satisfying police procedural, an absorbing character study, a love letter to a harsh landscape, and the perfect series opener. I’ll be back for book two.”
—Catriona McPherson, multi-award-winning author of In Place of Fear

Bones Under the Ice is an engrossing mystery novel in which a small-town sheriff’s skills are tested when she’s tasked with solving cold-minded murders.”
Foreword Reviews

“Set in rural, blizzard-frozen Indiana, Mary Ann Miller’s Bones Under the Ice launches a chilling police procedural series. From page one when Jhonni Laurent brushes snow off a frozen hand, the reader will be rooting for this likeable sheriff.”
—Vinnie Hansen, author of Lostart Street

Bones Under the Ice tugged personal heartstrings: betrayal, bullying, abandonment. As with Laurent, adversity developed strength and integrity. More than an excellent mystery, Bones Under the Ice is a tale of one person’s perseverance. Highly recommended!”
Bookreporter

“[Bones Under the Ice is a] carefully crafted and original suspense thriller of a ‘whodunnit’ mystery will have a particular appeal to readers with an interest in police procedural murder mysteries . . . Unreservedly recommended.”
Midwest Book Review

Sign up for Mary Ann's Newsletter: