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Jhonni Laurent #1
Bones Under the Ice
Jhonni Laurent is the first female sheriff of Field's Crossing, Indiana—and now she has her first murder case
Two days after a blizzard hits Field's Crossing, Indiana, Sheriff Jhonni Laurent discovers the frozen body of a high school senior under a fifteen-foot pile of snow and ice. Murder is rare in farm country, and this death marks the beginning of Jhonni's first homicide case.
Just as the investigation gets underway, Jhonni's opponent for sheriff from four years prior wages a bitter reelection battle to oust her. Then, Jhonni finds another body, and further complications arise when a century-old feud between two families reaches its breaking point.
Soon, a slew of newspaper articles causes the Indiana State Election Board to doubt her credibility. Jhonni must fight to maintain her reputation, keep the small farming community together, and find the murderer at large—all while demons from her own past threaten to crush her. Can she find the killer and mend her battered spirit before it's too late?
Two days after a blizzard hits Field's Crossing, Indiana, Sheriff Jhonni Laurent discovers the frozen body of a high school senior under a fifteen-foot pile of snow and ice. Murder is rare in farm country, and this death marks the beginning of Jhonni's first homicide case.
Just as the investigation gets underway, Jhonni's opponent for sheriff from four years prior wages a bitter reelection battle to oust her. Then, Jhonni finds another body, and further complications arise when a century-old feud between two families reaches its breaking point.
Soon, a slew of newspaper articles causes the Indiana State Election Board to doubt her credibility. Jhonni must fight to maintain her reputation, keep the small farming community together, and find the murderer at large—all while demons from her own past threaten to crush her. Can she find the killer and mend her battered spirit before it's too late?
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 21, 2023
18 people are currently reading
1648 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
March 7, 2023
Talk about a page-turner. Mary Ann Miller in her debut really knocks it out of the park in what appears to be the first in a series about Jhonni Laurent, sheriff in a quad-county area of Northern Indiana. I could not put this book down. Jhonni is the sheriff of a farming region and a day after a blizzard the kids at a local park discover a hand sticking out of a pile of snow and ice - pushed their by the snowplows - and which turns out to be the body of a local teenage girl. Who and why would someone murder this high school senior. Miller uses this to bring light to generational family feuds, along with a shady newspaper reporter who is in cahoots with one of Jhonni Laurent's deputies who will do anything possible to derail her career and have her lose the upcoming election. Along the way a local banker is found dead in his ice fishing tent and so is there one killer or two? The suspense drives the story which I read in under two days. The dialog is both crisp and utterly believable and the plot takes us to the many different people, and issues surrounding farm communities. Even Sheriff Laurent has a hidden secret that could bring down her campaign. One mighty fine debut from author Mary Ann Miller, Kudos!!!!
October 29, 2022
Jhonni Laurent is new to the job of sheriff in a small Indiana farming community. Her deputy sheriff resents the fact that Jhonni defeated him in the last election. He intends to do everything possible to stop her from winning a second term.
When the body of a high school girl is found frozen beneath a snowbank, Jhonni is determined to find the killer. As the investigation drags on, a second murder occurs. She wonders if these two murders could be connected. These are the first murder cases she has ever investigated. Sheriff Laurent is in a race against time to find the person or persons responsible for the crimes as the next election approaches.
This is an intriguing mystery with multiple suspects. The characters are believable and the rural winter setting adds to the feeling of gloom. At times the pace of the story slowed. It did pick up in the last part of the book, and the story was enjoyable.
Thank you to author Mary Ann Miller, Oceanview Publishing, and Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read this mystery.
When the body of a high school girl is found frozen beneath a snowbank, Jhonni is determined to find the killer. As the investigation drags on, a second murder occurs. She wonders if these two murders could be connected. These are the first murder cases she has ever investigated. Sheriff Laurent is in a race against time to find the person or persons responsible for the crimes as the next election approaches.
This is an intriguing mystery with multiple suspects. The characters are believable and the rural winter setting adds to the feeling of gloom. At times the pace of the story slowed. It did pick up in the last part of the book, and the story was enjoyable.
Thank you to author Mary Ann Miller, Oceanview Publishing, and Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read this mystery.
October 19, 2022
Bones Under the Ice was a good read. This is the first of Jhonni Laurent mysteries series. The story takes place in Fields Crossing, Indiana. Jhonni Laurent is the first female sheriff and main character. Mike Greene ran against her but lost. He was not happy that he lost. They are running again for sheriff. The reporter and owner of the Crossing newspaper Ralph Howard and good friends with Mike hates Jhonni and is out to get her.
She has been called to Webster Park. Two boys, Danny Gibson and Tyler Haynes found a hand in a snow pile. Her name is Stephanie Gattison. Her body was frozen in the snow. later found to be murdered. She calls Caleb Martin, Public Works Director, her deputies, Mike Greene and Dak Aikens, the coroner and Henry Linville, funeral director to come to the site. When they are able to dig her out of the snow pile. Caleb recognizes her and tells Jhonni that she is his brother Dylan's girlfriend. Owen and Thresa Gattison are her parents She goes and tells them of her death. They tell her that Stephanie has not been home since Wednesday. She drove a truck.. There was a blizzard that day.
Jhonni goes to the Martin's Farm to tell the family about Stephanie and to talk to Dylan. He tells her that he did not kill her. They met after school at the water tower around 3 o'clock. He was the first there. When she got there she told him that she was pregnant. She told him that she did not want to marry him, etc. She got into her truck and he left. He went to his brother Caleb's office arriving around 4:30. Maggie, the secretary was just leaving. Dylan told his brother about the pregnancy Because of the blizzard the brothers stayed at the office. On the way to his brother he passed Theo Tillman who knocked the side mirror off Dylan's car. While there their uncle Vern called to tell them there were lights at the water tower.
Jhonni found Stephanie's truck at the water tower. Vern Martin, lives across the road. He had shoveled a path from his place to the truck. He told her that he had seen both Dylan and Stephanie's trucks but that Dylan had left. Then another car came between 4-5, It was Theo who was there to smoke weed. He spoke to Stephanie but again left. There was a 4th car but he did not know anymore about it.
There are two parts to this story. One is the sheriff election and the other is Stephanie's murder. There is so much going on with both of these stories that it is hard to tell in detail. The reader will have to read to find out what is happening. The story comes to an exciting climax with lots of action.
The story ends with a little of a cliff hanger with Mike Greene and Ralph Howard in trouble. Will this be resolved in the next book. There are so much that was left unsaid. Has Jhonni become sheriff and more about her daughter. What will happen with the windmills and Neil Tillman and his son Theo. What will happen with the Martin family and Dylan. I look forward to finding out and Jhonni's next adventure.
Thank you NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for this ARC.
She has been called to Webster Park. Two boys, Danny Gibson and Tyler Haynes found a hand in a snow pile. Her name is Stephanie Gattison. Her body was frozen in the snow. later found to be murdered. She calls Caleb Martin, Public Works Director, her deputies, Mike Greene and Dak Aikens, the coroner and Henry Linville, funeral director to come to the site. When they are able to dig her out of the snow pile. Caleb recognizes her and tells Jhonni that she is his brother Dylan's girlfriend. Owen and Thresa Gattison are her parents She goes and tells them of her death. They tell her that Stephanie has not been home since Wednesday. She drove a truck.. There was a blizzard that day.
Jhonni goes to the Martin's Farm to tell the family about Stephanie and to talk to Dylan. He tells her that he did not kill her. They met after school at the water tower around 3 o'clock. He was the first there. When she got there she told him that she was pregnant. She told him that she did not want to marry him, etc. She got into her truck and he left. He went to his brother Caleb's office arriving around 4:30. Maggie, the secretary was just leaving. Dylan told his brother about the pregnancy Because of the blizzard the brothers stayed at the office. On the way to his brother he passed Theo Tillman who knocked the side mirror off Dylan's car. While there their uncle Vern called to tell them there were lights at the water tower.
Jhonni found Stephanie's truck at the water tower. Vern Martin, lives across the road. He had shoveled a path from his place to the truck. He told her that he had seen both Dylan and Stephanie's trucks but that Dylan had left. Then another car came between 4-5, It was Theo who was there to smoke weed. He spoke to Stephanie but again left. There was a 4th car but he did not know anymore about it.
There are two parts to this story. One is the sheriff election and the other is Stephanie's murder. There is so much going on with both of these stories that it is hard to tell in detail. The reader will have to read to find out what is happening. The story comes to an exciting climax with lots of action.
The story ends with a little of a cliff hanger with Mike Greene and Ralph Howard in trouble. Will this be resolved in the next book. There are so much that was left unsaid. Has Jhonni become sheriff and more about her daughter. What will happen with the windmills and Neil Tillman and his son Theo. What will happen with the Martin family and Dylan. I look forward to finding out and Jhonni's next adventure.
Thank you NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for this ARC.
June 5, 2023
A few days after a blizzard, the body of a pregnant teenager is found in a snowdrift outside of rural Fields Crossing, Indiana. At first it was presumed that the Stephanie, the dead girl, was caught in the storm and had frozen to death. After the body thaws, they discover hammer blows to her head and conclude that she was murdered. The blows may not have killed her but The cold more than likely would have done the job. It soon became very obvious that someone had made sure that she would end up die at any rate. This small, rural town is now in a tailspin of recrimination and worry. The case now belongs to the new Sheriff in town...Jhonni Laurent, and it is her first murder case. She knows that she must solve it and do so quickly if she has any chance of reelection. Then a second body appears, and Sheriff Laurent must decide if they are connected or if she now has Two killers. of course, she is expected to do this with limited resources, a snoopy reporter, and her growing concerns that this case might well be her last. Like a lot of small towns everybody knows everything about everybody, and old and new grudges run deeper than any winter snow. Even though the sheriff narrates most of the story, there are some alternate, points of view from town residents whose actions show that they may know more than they are saying. Indeed, the story stresses the interconnectedness of small-town life. In Fields Crossing, farmers and retired people mingle and talk at The Skillet, the local restaurant. There are also cultural clashes between the hardworking farm families and the Martins, and the Tillmans, a group that is trouble for everyone in town, whose latest scheme is to add wind farming to their land. Overall, this is an engrossing mystery in which a small-town sheriff’s skills are tested when she’s tasked with solving cold-minded murders... by a new author...at least for me...with a great deal of promise if this one is any indication of what could follow.
January 27, 2023
bones under the ice by mary ann miller — netgalley arc review
bones under the ice is the first book in a new mystery series centered around small town sheriff jhonni laurent. the gist is, rural indiana suffers a blizzard, local kids find a dead body frozen under ice, and now the sheriff has a murder or two to solve, two rival families in her list of suspects, an upcoming election against a dirty senior deputy, an equally dirty, misogynistic local newspaper reporter bent on ruining her chances of re-election, a request to meet the daughter she gave up for adoption 30 years ago, and a really bad cold.
what i liked
• the atmospheric setting: the weather acted like a character of its own and did not only serve as a backdrop for the crimes
• small town politics with a fleshed out set of characters (the mc is a 52-year-old single woman who plays the cello and is the first female sheriff in a farming village)
• the tight-knit community and the ever-present nosy characters that know the history of everyone and everything in town gave this book a cozy mystery feel instead of a proper mystery thriller
• bones under the ice is such a cool title and laurent a fancy name
what i didn't like
• laurent was likable enough but i got the impression she was not particularly good at her job. (granted, she had never before encountered any crimes of that magnitude in her entire career...)
• also connected to above point: it was almost like she would ask questions solely for the sake of narrative exposition (probably why this felt like a 'cozy' to me...)
i got an uncorrected arc and naturally could not stop noticing technical matters like sentence structure, awkward repetition and word choice, which hopefully would be corrected prior to release on march 21
thanks to netgalley and oceanview publishing!
bones under the ice is the first book in a new mystery series centered around small town sheriff jhonni laurent. the gist is, rural indiana suffers a blizzard, local kids find a dead body frozen under ice, and now the sheriff has a murder or two to solve, two rival families in her list of suspects, an upcoming election against a dirty senior deputy, an equally dirty, misogynistic local newspaper reporter bent on ruining her chances of re-election, a request to meet the daughter she gave up for adoption 30 years ago, and a really bad cold.
what i liked
• the atmospheric setting: the weather acted like a character of its own and did not only serve as a backdrop for the crimes
• small town politics with a fleshed out set of characters (the mc is a 52-year-old single woman who plays the cello and is the first female sheriff in a farming village)
• the tight-knit community and the ever-present nosy characters that know the history of everyone and everything in town gave this book a cozy mystery feel instead of a proper mystery thriller
• bones under the ice is such a cool title and laurent a fancy name
what i didn't like
• laurent was likable enough but i got the impression she was not particularly good at her job. (granted, she had never before encountered any crimes of that magnitude in her entire career...)
• also connected to above point: it was almost like she would ask questions solely for the sake of narrative exposition (probably why this felt like a 'cozy' to me...)
i got an uncorrected arc and naturally could not stop noticing technical matters like sentence structure, awkward repetition and word choice, which hopefully would be corrected prior to release on march 21
thanks to netgalley and oceanview publishing!
March 11, 2023
I loved this one! Jhonni Laurent was a great charcter to follow. Was she out of her depth by picking up a murder case when she's never worked a murder before in her law-enforcement career? Yes. But was she able to put the skills she did have to use? Also yes.
This was the kind of mystery where the whole time you have not much of an idea of who the bad guy is, but when it's revealed, you're able to look back and go "OH, I see it now". All the foreshadowing was there, but so subtle that it wasn't obvious.
I loved how diplomatically Laurent dealt with the community she works for, how she gets to know the people in town on a personal level, taking an active interest in their lives.
I didn't like, though, how much of a focus was placed on a very personal conflict in her life, and how it was poised to be a huge deal in the community, but then was very quietly almost shoved aside at the end. I would have liked to see how Laurent would deal with that conflict being made public, as was threatened throughout the story.
My other gripe was how she was always referred to as "Laurent", never by her first name "Jhonni". It would have been nice to have a mix, especially as the book was mostly written from her own perspective (limited third person) - and who refers to themselves by their last name? Not many people that I know of.
But overall, a great start to a promising new detective series, and I'm looking forward to seeing where things go next!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advance digital copy of this delightful crime novel!
This was the kind of mystery where the whole time you have not much of an idea of who the bad guy is, but when it's revealed, you're able to look back and go "OH, I see it now". All the foreshadowing was there, but so subtle that it wasn't obvious.
I loved how diplomatically Laurent dealt with the community she works for, how she gets to know the people in town on a personal level, taking an active interest in their lives.
I didn't like, though, how much of a focus was placed on a very personal conflict in her life, and how it was poised to be a huge deal in the community, but then was very quietly almost shoved aside at the end. I would have liked to see how Laurent would deal with that conflict being made public, as was threatened throughout the story.
My other gripe was how she was always referred to as "Laurent", never by her first name "Jhonni". It would have been nice to have a mix, especially as the book was mostly written from her own perspective (limited third person) - and who refers to themselves by their last name? Not many people that I know of.
But overall, a great start to a promising new detective series, and I'm looking forward to seeing where things go next!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advance digital copy of this delightful crime novel!
March 19, 2023
The book summary introduces the premise for the primary storylines, so I won’t repeat them here. However, what the book summary doesn’t really mention, other than very briefly is that the day that Sheriff Jhonni Laurent finds the first body is also the 30yr anniversary of the day she gave up her only child, a daughter, for adoption. Jhonni has also received a letter from the adoption agency indicating that the daughter is now searching for her bio parents.
The book summary also doesn’t make it clear that her opponent for Sheriff is a deputy that currently works for her and is still very bitter that he lost to her last time and is now leaking personal and professional info (some of it revolving around their active cases) to has his reporter friend who writing false crap about the Sheriff in hopes of derailing the upcoming election. None of this is a spoiler and is revealed early in the story.
In the second half of the story, another body is discovered, and while Jhonni certainly has her suspicions of who the killer(s) are, she is struggling to connect the two deaths together to show they are related. The dirty campaigning for the upcoming election started to ramp up and the residents began to take their respective sides. After an attack on her BFF, Sheriff Jhonni starts to zero in on a suspect/killer. After that, the ending comes in fast, and gets really dangerous for Sheriff Jhonni, but comes to a satisfying end.
Unless editing and/or writing errors actually affect my understanding and/or interpretation of the storyline and/or characterization, I rarely ever comment on them. I'm neither a writer nor an editor, just an avid reader. However, since this is an eARC of an uncorrected version, I feel compelled to comment. This book is in serious need of some thorough editing.
Throughout the entire book, it was confusing to determine which character was speaking because there was usually inadequate identification of the current speaker and/or there wasn’t a clear transition from one speaker to another. Even the times there was an identification of who was saying what, the very next paragraph, or several paragraphs, the words of multiple speakers would run together, without a clear transition from speaker to speaker. I had to often go back and try and figure out who was saying what. Once again, the writer and/or editor needs to go through the whole book and clean up these types of passages. I seriously doubt I am the only reader who has complained about this issue. Hopefully, this has already been addressed for the published copy.
Under normal circumstances, I would have DNFed this book pretty early in the story because of the writing/editing issues mentioned above that got really annoying, really fast. However, since it was a free eARC from NetGalley, I was committed to finishing the book. While I enjoyed the story and liked the MC, and based on that would consider continuing with the series, if there is one. If I could, I would rate the story 3.5stars. However, I’m not feeling compelled to round up because of the glaring oversights previously mentioned.
I want to thank NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing, for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
@NetGalley @OceanviewPublishing @BonesUndertheIce
The book summary also doesn’t make it clear that her opponent for Sheriff is a deputy that currently works for her and is still very bitter that he lost to her last time and is now leaking personal and professional info (some of it revolving around their active cases) to has his reporter friend who writing false crap about the Sheriff in hopes of derailing the upcoming election. None of this is a spoiler and is revealed early in the story.
In the second half of the story, another body is discovered, and while Jhonni certainly has her suspicions of who the killer(s) are, she is struggling to connect the two deaths together to show they are related. The dirty campaigning for the upcoming election started to ramp up and the residents began to take their respective sides. After an attack on her BFF, Sheriff Jhonni starts to zero in on a suspect/killer. After that, the ending comes in fast, and gets really dangerous for Sheriff Jhonni, but comes to a satisfying end.
Unless editing and/or writing errors actually affect my understanding and/or interpretation of the storyline and/or characterization, I rarely ever comment on them. I'm neither a writer nor an editor, just an avid reader. However, since this is an eARC of an uncorrected version, I feel compelled to comment. This book is in serious need of some thorough editing.
Throughout the entire book, it was confusing to determine which character was speaking because there was usually inadequate identification of the current speaker and/or there wasn’t a clear transition from one speaker to another. Even the times there was an identification of who was saying what, the very next paragraph, or several paragraphs, the words of multiple speakers would run together, without a clear transition from speaker to speaker. I had to often go back and try and figure out who was saying what. Once again, the writer and/or editor needs to go through the whole book and clean up these types of passages. I seriously doubt I am the only reader who has complained about this issue. Hopefully, this has already been addressed for the published copy.
Under normal circumstances, I would have DNFed this book pretty early in the story because of the writing/editing issues mentioned above that got really annoying, really fast. However, since it was a free eARC from NetGalley, I was committed to finishing the book. While I enjoyed the story and liked the MC, and based on that would consider continuing with the series, if there is one. If I could, I would rate the story 3.5stars. However, I’m not feeling compelled to round up because of the glaring oversights previously mentioned.
I want to thank NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing, for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
@NetGalley @OceanviewPublishing @BonesUndertheIce
January 4, 2024
Great mystery and good characters. The MC, Jhonni Laurent, is the new sheriff of Field's Crossing, Indiana. Not only is she new but she is female. Her deputy Mike Greene had run against her but lost, so now he is bitter and will do just about anything to win in the next campaign coming up soon. Mike has an in with the local newspaper since he has a good friend, Ralph Howard, who can't stand Jhonni so he'll run negative articles about Sheriff Laurent, true or not.
On top of all that, there is a body found that is a young 18 year old girl who had frozen to death. Laurent doesn't know for sure if it's a homicide or of some other cause. Every step of the way in her investigation Greene is right there to assure her that she's doing a lousy job. Greene believes that everyone has some dirt/secret you can dig up on them, and the sheriff definitely does. It's very personal and only a couple people know about her secret. If it gets out, it's a real possibility that she could lose the campaign for sheriff.
I wasn't crazy how she handled her secret, but I plan to read the next book when it comes out and find out more about it.
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a free eARC in exchange for my honest opinion, which I have given.
On top of all that, there is a body found that is a young 18 year old girl who had frozen to death. Laurent doesn't know for sure if it's a homicide or of some other cause. Every step of the way in her investigation Greene is right there to assure her that she's doing a lousy job. Greene believes that everyone has some dirt/secret you can dig up on them, and the sheriff definitely does. It's very personal and only a couple people know about her secret. If it gets out, it's a real possibility that she could lose the campaign for sheriff.
I wasn't crazy how she handled her secret, but I plan to read the next book when it comes out and find out more about it.
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a free eARC in exchange for my honest opinion, which I have given.
May 8, 2023
This 1st in a series was immediately captivating as we are introduced to small town Indiana Sheriff Jhonni Laurent and her discovery of her first murder victim while the town cleans up from a huge blizzard. Right away Miller immerses the reader into the rural, farming town, and captures its rhythms as well as its citizens highlighting Jhonni’s small staff of deputies (one who is her bitter rival for the next election coming up soon), her friends, the town administrators, two feuding families, and other good secondary CHs. Along the journey to justice (and there is justice and a satisfactory ending), we are introduced to wind farming, the temptation of gambling, and small town politics. Jhonni is also a cellist and often uses her music as therapy. Musical references also along with the winter weather undergirds tone and, sometimes, influences the plot of the story. The town has quite a few deep secrets buried in the drifts of winter and Miller’s themes benefit from this parallel. Jhonni has one huge secret and a lot of backstory to be told so I look forward to more information as this series continues. Very nice intro to a strong, female character. Fans of C.J. Box, J.A Jance and William Kent Krueger should take note. It also reminded me of Iris Yamashita’s City Under One Roof that takes place in Alaska in the winter with another strong, intriguing female protagonist.
February 19, 2023
Her debut crime novel and first of a new series, Bones Under the Ice by Mary Ann Miller introduces Jhonni Laurent. Elected the first female sheriff in Field's Crossing, Indiana, this Sheriff’s first murder case is the discovery of a female high school senior’s body. Facing a nasty re-election campaign, another body is found, reigniting an old feud between two local families. With her reputation and credibility on the line, Jhonni must unearth the murderer and unite the small farming community. A quaint crime tale with likable characters and a three stars read rating. With thanks to Oceanview Publishing and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.
February 16, 2023
This first-in-a-series thriller introduces Sheriff Jhonni Laurent who works in Field's Crossing, Indiana. After 15 years in the department and four years as sheriff, she is now faced with her first murder investigation.
Eighteen-year-old Stephanie Gattison was found buried under piles of snow left by a blizzard. At first, the assumption is that she got lost during the blizzard and died of hypothermia. However, two dents on her head soon lead to the conclusion that someone hit her and left her to die.
Stephanie was an ambitious high school senior who worked two part-time jobs. She worked for the city scanning documents and for the local hardware store. She has a boyfriend named Dylan Martin and had recently had an argument at work with Theo Tillman. Both are potential suspects since she saw both of them the afternoon of the storm at the local water tower.
The Martins and Tillmans had a long-standing feud. Both families farmed but the Martins were frugal and successful while the Tillmans were lazy and deeply in debt. Laurent is afraid that her investigation will acerbate tensions between the two families.
Tensions are already high enough in town. Laurent is up for reelection in just a few weeks and her defeated opponent works as one of her deputies and is running again with the strong support of the local newspaper which is more known for vendettas than serious news. Laurent is also dealing with a letter she's recently received from the daughter she gave up for adoption thirty years earlier.
Then the local banker is found dead in a suspicious accident and Laurent has another murder to solve.
I enjoyed this story. I liked Laurent as she deals with all the stresses in her life. I thought the plot was well done and the characters very realistic. I recommend it for all mystery fans.
Eighteen-year-old Stephanie Gattison was found buried under piles of snow left by a blizzard. At first, the assumption is that she got lost during the blizzard and died of hypothermia. However, two dents on her head soon lead to the conclusion that someone hit her and left her to die.
Stephanie was an ambitious high school senior who worked two part-time jobs. She worked for the city scanning documents and for the local hardware store. She has a boyfriend named Dylan Martin and had recently had an argument at work with Theo Tillman. Both are potential suspects since she saw both of them the afternoon of the storm at the local water tower.
The Martins and Tillmans had a long-standing feud. Both families farmed but the Martins were frugal and successful while the Tillmans were lazy and deeply in debt. Laurent is afraid that her investigation will acerbate tensions between the two families.
Tensions are already high enough in town. Laurent is up for reelection in just a few weeks and her defeated opponent works as one of her deputies and is running again with the strong support of the local newspaper which is more known for vendettas than serious news. Laurent is also dealing with a letter she's recently received from the daughter she gave up for adoption thirty years earlier.
Then the local banker is found dead in a suspicious accident and Laurent has another murder to solve.
I enjoyed this story. I liked Laurent as she deals with all the stresses in her life. I thought the plot was well done and the characters very realistic. I recommend it for all mystery fans.
December 28, 2022
Bones Under the Ice is book one in the Jhonni Laurent series by Mary Ann Miller. During a blizzard in the small rural township of Field's Crossing, Indiana, Sheriff Jhonni Laurent found her first murder case since becoming the first female Sheriff, a young high school student, under a pile of ice and snow. To complicate Sheriff Jhonni Laurent's life during the murder investigation, the opponent she ousted from the Sheriff's position started a bitter battle to be reelected. Sheriff Jhonni Laurent had to find the murderer and maintain her reputation. Bones Under the Ice readers will continue to follow Sheriff Jhonni Laurent's investigation to find out what happens.
Bones Under the Ice is the first book I read by Mary Ann Miller, and I engaged with the plot and characters from the start. I did not expect the ending of Bones Under the Ice, and it did come as a welcoming surprise. I love Mary Ann Miller's portrayal of her characters and the way they intertwine with each other throughout this book. Bones Under the Ice is well-written and researched by Mary Ann Miller. I like Mary Ann's description of Bones Under the Ice settings, which allowed me to feel part of the book's plot.
Bones Under the Ice readers will understand the problems and issues that female law enforcement officers face in small rural communities in the United States. Also, the Readers of Bones Under the Ice will understand the consequences of embezzling and electoral fraud.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ar copy for an honest review. I recommend this book.
Bones Under the Ice is the first book I read by Mary Ann Miller, and I engaged with the plot and characters from the start. I did not expect the ending of Bones Under the Ice, and it did come as a welcoming surprise. I love Mary Ann Miller's portrayal of her characters and the way they intertwine with each other throughout this book. Bones Under the Ice is well-written and researched by Mary Ann Miller. I like Mary Ann's description of Bones Under the Ice settings, which allowed me to feel part of the book's plot.
Bones Under the Ice readers will understand the problems and issues that female law enforcement officers face in small rural communities in the United States. Also, the Readers of Bones Under the Ice will understand the consequences of embezzling and electoral fraud.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ar copy for an honest review. I recommend this book.
October 13, 2022
“Bones Under the Ice.” by Mary Ann Miller (ISBN: 9781608095377), Published Date: 21 March 2023, earns four stars.
An excellent story featuring wonderful character development and a plot with more twists and turns than a remote switchback mountain road covered by fog. Numerous “hints” keep the reader guessing and the reader’s interest high.
The story’s protagonist is Jhonni Laurent, the first female sheriff of Field’s Crossing, Indiana, who came to office after a closely contested election with her archrival who is now her senior and untrustworthy deputy, who is in league with a corrupt newspaperman.
Sheriff Laurent now she has her first murder case, but before she can resolve that, another occurs—in addition to an attempt on the life of one of her colleagues. In the process, we have a clue-obscuring blizzard, multi-generational family feuds, embezzlement, potential election fraud and an insidious newspaperman.
Sheriff Laurent, who has her own past, wages an event-filled battle with multiple antagonists even as she seeks the counsel of the former sheriff, two old, retired farmers, and several others who throw their lot in with her. It’s a terrific read, and what appears to be the first in a series. Can’t wait for the next installment.
Sincere thanks to the author, and Oceanview Publishing, for granting this reviewer the opportunity to read this Advance Reader Copy (ARC), and thanks to NetGalley for helping to make that possible.
An excellent story featuring wonderful character development and a plot with more twists and turns than a remote switchback mountain road covered by fog. Numerous “hints” keep the reader guessing and the reader’s interest high.
The story’s protagonist is Jhonni Laurent, the first female sheriff of Field’s Crossing, Indiana, who came to office after a closely contested election with her archrival who is now her senior and untrustworthy deputy, who is in league with a corrupt newspaperman.
Sheriff Laurent now she has her first murder case, but before she can resolve that, another occurs—in addition to an attempt on the life of one of her colleagues. In the process, we have a clue-obscuring blizzard, multi-generational family feuds, embezzlement, potential election fraud and an insidious newspaperman.
Sheriff Laurent, who has her own past, wages an event-filled battle with multiple antagonists even as she seeks the counsel of the former sheriff, two old, retired farmers, and several others who throw their lot in with her. It’s a terrific read, and what appears to be the first in a series. Can’t wait for the next installment.
Sincere thanks to the author, and Oceanview Publishing, for granting this reviewer the opportunity to read this Advance Reader Copy (ARC), and thanks to NetGalley for helping to make that possible.
March 19, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.
This looks like it is Mary Ann Miller's first book and it is a KEEPER!! I HOPE it is the first in a series, because I want to read more about Sheriff Jhonni Laurent.
The day after a February blizzard has blown through northern Indiana, quad-county Sheriff Jhonni Laurent is called to the scene of a body buried in a pile of snow in a popular park in Field's Crossing, Indiana.. The park where it was found is a popular sledding area and the local snowplows dump snow there for the kids to slide down. But today, two of the sledders noticed a hand sticking out of the pile of snow. No one knows if it is an entire body, who it might be, or how it got there, but it is the Sheriff's job to answer all those questions.
So begins a story that will keep you guessing almost to the end. It is not an easy puzzle to unravel, and a second frozen body adds to the mystery. Are they accidents or murder? If murder, is the same person responsible for them both? Does the old feud between two families, both of whom have members associated with the first victim, have anything to do with the deaths?
Mixed into the confusion is a looming election, in which Jhonni is hoping to retain her seat as Sheriff. And there is the letter from her baby girl, now 30, who she gave away all those years ago.
A really good read. I want more from this author and about this Sheriff!!
This looks like it is Mary Ann Miller's first book and it is a KEEPER!! I HOPE it is the first in a series, because I want to read more about Sheriff Jhonni Laurent.
The day after a February blizzard has blown through northern Indiana, quad-county Sheriff Jhonni Laurent is called to the scene of a body buried in a pile of snow in a popular park in Field's Crossing, Indiana.. The park where it was found is a popular sledding area and the local snowplows dump snow there for the kids to slide down. But today, two of the sledders noticed a hand sticking out of the pile of snow. No one knows if it is an entire body, who it might be, or how it got there, but it is the Sheriff's job to answer all those questions.
So begins a story that will keep you guessing almost to the end. It is not an easy puzzle to unravel, and a second frozen body adds to the mystery. Are they accidents or murder? If murder, is the same person responsible for them both? Does the old feud between two families, both of whom have members associated with the first victim, have anything to do with the deaths?
Mixed into the confusion is a looming election, in which Jhonni is hoping to retain her seat as Sheriff. And there is the letter from her baby girl, now 30, who she gave away all those years ago.
A really good read. I want more from this author and about this Sheriff!!
February 11, 2023
This story is small town America all over the place. You have a small Sheriff’s Department, a smaller town
management and people who know too much about each other.
For the Sheriff, Jhonni Laurent, figuring out why two unrelated people are murdered weeks before she is
up for re-election becomes dangerous, not just for her but people around her.
The story moves along well, with a lot of character background, expected as this is first of a series. I look
forward to the next installment, and I’m certain the Sheriff will be re-elected just in time for book 2!
My thanks to the Publisher and Goodreads for this downloaded title in exchange for my honest review.
management and people who know too much about each other.
For the Sheriff, Jhonni Laurent, figuring out why two unrelated people are murdered weeks before she is
up for re-election becomes dangerous, not just for her but people around her.
The story moves along well, with a lot of character background, expected as this is first of a series. I look
forward to the next installment, and I’m certain the Sheriff will be re-elected just in time for book 2!
My thanks to the Publisher and Goodreads for this downloaded title in exchange for my honest review.
December 15, 2022
The sheriff has a bad cold and her first murder case.
She also has some very personal problems, an election for her position looming, and a very biased rumormongering local reporter dogging her every move and questioning her law enforcement ability. The characters are very clearly drawn and engaging, the plot is strong and complex, there are a couple of serious plot twists, and the red herrings sneak up on one. It's a good read that can only get better with time, but I think that it is a winner!
I requested and received an apparently unedited EARC from Oceanview Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you.
She also has some very personal problems, an election for her position looming, and a very biased rumormongering local reporter dogging her every move and questioning her law enforcement ability. The characters are very clearly drawn and engaging, the plot is strong and complex, there are a couple of serious plot twists, and the red herrings sneak up on one. It's a good read that can only get better with time, but I think that it is a winner!
I requested and received an apparently unedited EARC from Oceanview Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you.
June 17, 2024
I would like to thank Oceanview Publishing and Mary Ann Miller for granting me a copy of this book.
3⭐ - this is the first story in the Johnni Laurent series. Laurent, a small town sheriff in Indiana - gets to work her first murder case when a young pregnant high school girl is found frozen in the snow. It's up to Ms Laurent to find out who's responsible for the young girl's death.
Overall I liked the book, I really wanted to find out who killed young Stephanie. The mystery was good, however the pace slowed down at times but the characters were likeable and believable.
3⭐ - this is the first story in the Johnni Laurent series. Laurent, a small town sheriff in Indiana - gets to work her first murder case when a young pregnant high school girl is found frozen in the snow. It's up to Ms Laurent to find out who's responsible for the young girl's death.
Overall I liked the book, I really wanted to find out who killed young Stephanie. The mystery was good, however the pace slowed down at times but the characters were likeable and believable.
March 22, 2023
In short: Jhonni is the 1st female sheriff in Fields Crossing, Indiana and is now faced with her 1st murder case.
What I liked:
❄️The setting and winter atmosphere
❄️Jhonni’s re-election campaign against one of her deputies.
❄️lots of action & a 2nd murder.
Final thoughts: I really enjoyed this debut mystery book! It had elements of CJ Box and Longmire but with a female protagonist. Between solving the 2 murders, delving into a centuries old family feud and the re-election story lines there was a lot going on. Great mystery with lots of action and a little cliffhanger.
What I liked:
❄️The setting and winter atmosphere
❄️Jhonni’s re-election campaign against one of her deputies.
❄️lots of action & a 2nd murder.
Final thoughts: I really enjoyed this debut mystery book! It had elements of CJ Box and Longmire but with a female protagonist. Between solving the 2 murders, delving into a centuries old family feud and the re-election story lines there was a lot going on. Great mystery with lots of action and a little cliffhanger.
January 25, 2023
Now, this was a very enjoyable read, a good mystery. I do have a thing for books set in ice and snow and I do have a thing for small or smaller-town mysteries. The protagonist, sheriff Jhonni Laurent, is something I immediately liked. There were several antagonists in the story, including the killer. And yes, they were easy not to like...
The writing was good. The story was good. The characters were interesting - and I would absolutely read the next part of the series. Very enjoyable read!
The writing was good. The story was good. The characters were interesting - and I would absolutely read the next part of the series. Very enjoyable read!
March 20, 2023
A Tragic Accident Or Homicide?
In rural Indiana a heavy snow had fallen the previous night, and the snow cleared from the street was dumbed in large mounts in a local park. Children were snowboarding down these mounts. One of them discovered a hand sticking out of the snow. Sheriff Jhonni Laurent and Caleb Martin, Public And Road Commissioner, respond to extricate the body. Once the body is uncovered, Caleb recognizes her as Stephanie Gattison. She was the girl friend of his brother, Dylan Martin. Some depressions are discovered on her head, but several days are needed to thaw the body before an autopsy could be conducted to determine the cause and manner of her death. From this start a complex investigation starts.
The author wove two main storyline threads into an intriguing mystery thriller. The mystery starts with two viable suspects with motive, means, and opportunity whose families have been at each other’s throats since the start of art of prohibition. The thriller aspects also start quickly. The election for the Sheriff is just weeks away. Sheriff Laurent won last time by a very small margin over Deputy Greene who now works for Sheriff Laurent. He is running against her again in this election. Their political relationship is as belligerent opponents, and their professional relationship is not better. Stir into this mix a very annoying newspaper paper reporter, Ralph Howard, who will slant any story into a scathing editorials of Sheriff Laurent’s inability to fulfill her responsibilities as sheriff. There is a third thread that is both a main storyline thread and B-storyline thread. It is a secret of Sheriff Laurent that Howard wants to use as a coup de grace to sink Sheriff Laurent’s reelection bid. While little real progress has occurred in the death of Gattison, another questionable death occurs. The tension rises quickly as the possibility of an active killer or killers is present in a once sleepy town. This main storyline captured and held my interest all the way to the end.
Besides Sheriff Laurent’s thoughts and interactions with others, there are two B-storyline threads. The first is her relationship with her predecessor, Sheriff Glen Atkins. While this is a sub thread of the investigation, it reveals much about Sheriff Laurent’s personal interactions with a friend. This thread also reveals much about her and some of her background. The second thread was also part of the main storyline. It is Sheriff Laurent’s deep secret that she only has shared with her best friend. This 20-yearold secret is starting to reemerge. This thread reveals much on how she handles this very personal issue. For me, she is a very well-developed character with strengths some warts and blemishes.
For the aspects that cause some readers to stop reading or not read at all, first there are not any intimate scenes. As for vulgar language, there is some, but there is a noticeable level of rude language. There is some impious language. Violence generally is described in the less edgy after the fact. Overall, I do not believe that most readers would find these aspects as objectionable.
I did not find anything that bothered with this novel, but I suspect that some readers will find the slowness of the start a liability. The bodies had been frozen requiring days for deaths were determined to by homicides. This aspect for me just showed Sheriff Laurent’s resourcefulness when her actions were limited. I did like the ending and that there were not any unresolved loose ends. I found myself not being able to stop reading until late at night and wanting to start again when I awaken in the morning. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel.
This is a new author for me. I am quite happy that I tried this author. I do not rate new authors until I read at least two novels by an author, but after reading this novel I suspect that she will be rated at least as a Will-Read at a minimum. I do recommend reading this novel. I am looking forward to reading further novels by this author. I rate this novel with five stars.
I received a free prepublication e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Oceanview Publishing. My review is based only on my own experience of this book. I wish to thank Oceanview Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.
In rural Indiana a heavy snow had fallen the previous night, and the snow cleared from the street was dumbed in large mounts in a local park. Children were snowboarding down these mounts. One of them discovered a hand sticking out of the snow. Sheriff Jhonni Laurent and Caleb Martin, Public And Road Commissioner, respond to extricate the body. Once the body is uncovered, Caleb recognizes her as Stephanie Gattison. She was the girl friend of his brother, Dylan Martin. Some depressions are discovered on her head, but several days are needed to thaw the body before an autopsy could be conducted to determine the cause and manner of her death. From this start a complex investigation starts.
The author wove two main storyline threads into an intriguing mystery thriller. The mystery starts with two viable suspects with motive, means, and opportunity whose families have been at each other’s throats since the start of art of prohibition. The thriller aspects also start quickly. The election for the Sheriff is just weeks away. Sheriff Laurent won last time by a very small margin over Deputy Greene who now works for Sheriff Laurent. He is running against her again in this election. Their political relationship is as belligerent opponents, and their professional relationship is not better. Stir into this mix a very annoying newspaper paper reporter, Ralph Howard, who will slant any story into a scathing editorials of Sheriff Laurent’s inability to fulfill her responsibilities as sheriff. There is a third thread that is both a main storyline thread and B-storyline thread. It is a secret of Sheriff Laurent that Howard wants to use as a coup de grace to sink Sheriff Laurent’s reelection bid. While little real progress has occurred in the death of Gattison, another questionable death occurs. The tension rises quickly as the possibility of an active killer or killers is present in a once sleepy town. This main storyline captured and held my interest all the way to the end.
Besides Sheriff Laurent’s thoughts and interactions with others, there are two B-storyline threads. The first is her relationship with her predecessor, Sheriff Glen Atkins. While this is a sub thread of the investigation, it reveals much about Sheriff Laurent’s personal interactions with a friend. This thread also reveals much about her and some of her background. The second thread was also part of the main storyline. It is Sheriff Laurent’s deep secret that she only has shared with her best friend. This 20-yearold secret is starting to reemerge. This thread reveals much on how she handles this very personal issue. For me, she is a very well-developed character with strengths some warts and blemishes.
For the aspects that cause some readers to stop reading or not read at all, first there are not any intimate scenes. As for vulgar language, there is some, but there is a noticeable level of rude language. There is some impious language. Violence generally is described in the less edgy after the fact. Overall, I do not believe that most readers would find these aspects as objectionable.
I did not find anything that bothered with this novel, but I suspect that some readers will find the slowness of the start a liability. The bodies had been frozen requiring days for deaths were determined to by homicides. This aspect for me just showed Sheriff Laurent’s resourcefulness when her actions were limited. I did like the ending and that there were not any unresolved loose ends. I found myself not being able to stop reading until late at night and wanting to start again when I awaken in the morning. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel.
This is a new author for me. I am quite happy that I tried this author. I do not rate new authors until I read at least two novels by an author, but after reading this novel I suspect that she will be rated at least as a Will-Read at a minimum. I do recommend reading this novel. I am looking forward to reading further novels by this author. I rate this novel with five stars.
I received a free prepublication e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Oceanview Publishing. My review is based only on my own experience of this book. I wish to thank Oceanview Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.
December 19, 2025
Real Rating: 4.5* of five
The Publisher Says: Jhonni Laurent is the first female sheriff of Field’s Crossing, Indiana—and now she has her first murder case
Two days after a blizzard hits Field’s Crossing, Indiana, Sheriff Jhonni Laurent discovers the frozen body of a high school senior under a fifteen-foot pile of snow and ice. Murder is rare in farm country, and this death marks the beginning of Jhonni’s first homicide case.
Just as the investigation gets underway, Jhonni’s opponent for sheriff from four years ago wages a bitter reelection battle to oust her. Then, Jhonni finds another body, and further complications arise when a century-old feud between two families reaches its breaking point.
Soon, a slew of newspaper articles causes the Indiana State Election Board to doubt her credibility. Jhonni must fight to maintain her reputation, keep the small farming community together, and find the murderer at large—all while demons from her own past threaten to crush her. Can she find the killer and mend her battered spirit before it’s too late?
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.
My Review: There's a lot of nastiness in any murder. No one should take to themselves the responsibility for ending another person's life without facing consequences. In the meantime there's a lot of truly tedious legwork to do to make those consequences come about. Jhonni Laurent does that slogging work.
Of course it starts with the victim: who the heck would hate a high-school senior enough to kill her? Is she a victim of her own behavior...a popular way to discredit women of all ages...or is she simply a victim? It's a puzzle Jhonni is not getting any help making headway on. Her (male) deputy is harboring a grudge at the election defeat she handed him when they both ran for sheriff. He's well-connected in town and willing to call in his favors to get Jhonni either recalled or simply scupper her re-election bid.
Fate steps in, so to speak, when a local pooh-bah is found dead in his ice-fishing hut. So is this a murder as well? Is this the same killer if it is a murder? These are all vexing questions for any law enforcement agency, let alone one run by a complete tyro to anything like this level of crime. Jhonni's asking questions, getting lied to, figuring out how to go about this, while she's under constant pressure from the local reporter (a good buddy of her resentful deputy's) and coping with her past coming back to meet her...literally.
Small-town wintertime setting, woman fighting for her literal life and livelihood, and passels of nasty secrets suppurating for generations, all get their moment in the story spotlight. It does rather feel like a spotlight, though; I'm clear who's doing what, but without a lot of why until we reach the resolution. It is all drawn together, and there's a resolution had; there's clearly got to be another book because there are *major* threads left unresolved.
I'll be here next time, though. Jhonni won me over with her ability to learn on the job, deal with more ugliness than any one person should have directed against them, while reckoning with her past better than most ever could. A terrific way to get away for a few hours without feeling you've wasted your time.
The Publisher Says: Jhonni Laurent is the first female sheriff of Field’s Crossing, Indiana—and now she has her first murder case
Two days after a blizzard hits Field’s Crossing, Indiana, Sheriff Jhonni Laurent discovers the frozen body of a high school senior under a fifteen-foot pile of snow and ice. Murder is rare in farm country, and this death marks the beginning of Jhonni’s first homicide case.
Just as the investigation gets underway, Jhonni’s opponent for sheriff from four years ago wages a bitter reelection battle to oust her. Then, Jhonni finds another body, and further complications arise when a century-old feud between two families reaches its breaking point.
Soon, a slew of newspaper articles causes the Indiana State Election Board to doubt her credibility. Jhonni must fight to maintain her reputation, keep the small farming community together, and find the murderer at large—all while demons from her own past threaten to crush her. Can she find the killer and mend her battered spirit before it’s too late?
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.
My Review: There's a lot of nastiness in any murder. No one should take to themselves the responsibility for ending another person's life without facing consequences. In the meantime there's a lot of truly tedious legwork to do to make those consequences come about. Jhonni Laurent does that slogging work.
Of course it starts with the victim: who the heck would hate a high-school senior enough to kill her? Is she a victim of her own behavior...a popular way to discredit women of all ages...or is she simply a victim? It's a puzzle Jhonni is not getting any help making headway on. Her (male) deputy is harboring a grudge at the election defeat she handed him when they both ran for sheriff. He's well-connected in town and willing to call in his favors to get Jhonni either recalled or simply scupper her re-election bid.
Fate steps in, so to speak, when a local pooh-bah is found dead in his ice-fishing hut. So is this a murder as well? Is this the same killer if it is a murder? These are all vexing questions for any law enforcement agency, let alone one run by a complete tyro to anything like this level of crime. Jhonni's asking questions, getting lied to, figuring out how to go about this, while she's under constant pressure from the local reporter (a good buddy of her resentful deputy's) and coping with her past coming back to meet her...literally.
Small-town wintertime setting, woman fighting for her literal life and livelihood, and passels of nasty secrets suppurating for generations, all get their moment in the story spotlight. It does rather feel like a spotlight, though; I'm clear who's doing what, but without a lot of why until we reach the resolution. It is all drawn together, and there's a resolution had; there's clearly got to be another book because there are *major* threads left unresolved.
I'll be here next time, though. Jhonni won me over with her ability to learn on the job, deal with more ugliness than any one person should have directed against them, while reckoning with her past better than most ever could. A terrific way to get away for a few hours without feeling you've wasted your time.
March 26, 2023
“Why in the hell can’t people die when it’s warm and sunny? Winter in Indiana sucks.”
Mary Ann Miller’s series launch is set in February 2019. Jhonni Laurent had been deputy sheriff for 15 years. Elected sheriff by a narrow margin four years earlier, she faces a reelection battle with miffed deputy Mike Greene.
Stephanie Gattison, Dylan Martin’s gal-pal, is a pregnant 18-year-old found frozen in Webster Park. “Stephanie and Dylan have been dating for a year now…. Finding a teenage girl frozen to death on the same day I gave up my daughter for adoption, thirty years apart, sucked. Big-time.” Laurent pushes emotion and speculation aside; she focuses on fact and is a true police professional. But that daughter has made contact and wants to meet her biological mother.
Philosophy tidbits season this debut: “Do you know that if your spouse dies, you’re called a widow or widower? If your parents die, you’re called an orphan. But there’s no word for a parent who loses a child.” Well, maybe devastated?
A conflict between the Martin and Tillman families is reminiscent of the Hatfield-McCoy feud. “The century-old feud was alive and well.” Laurent’s reelection contender, Deputy Greene, feeds info to a journalist wannabe. Greene’s “best friend is snake-in-the-grass Ralph Howard,” the editor and sole employee of the local rag The Crossing.
Laurent has two likely suspects: Dylan Martin and Theo Tillman, who “doesn’t have a lot of brain cells.” She balances tensions between feuding families, reelection and her first homicide investigation. She must make nice with those families and the village government employees. “Jim Cotter, the village attorney, was the king of the comb-over.” And conceit. He drives a flashy BMW and monster F-450. Is he trying to impress local farmers?
Laurent’s world appears to collapse around her. With “every bone in her 52-year-old body aching,” she learns that “we have another body to thaw.” Likable Bob Kane is found face down in a frozen lake. Straws and camels come to mind. She’s up to her elbows in alligators, albeit frozen ones.
Halfway through, this spectacular police procedural becomes more of a whydunit than a whodunit. Readers learn the perpetrator’s identity before Laurent does.
“Bones” 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!
Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy
Mary Ann Miller’s series launch is set in February 2019. Jhonni Laurent had been deputy sheriff for 15 years. Elected sheriff by a narrow margin four years earlier, she faces a reelection battle with miffed deputy Mike Greene.
Stephanie Gattison, Dylan Martin’s gal-pal, is a pregnant 18-year-old found frozen in Webster Park. “Stephanie and Dylan have been dating for a year now…. Finding a teenage girl frozen to death on the same day I gave up my daughter for adoption, thirty years apart, sucked. Big-time.” Laurent pushes emotion and speculation aside; she focuses on fact and is a true police professional. But that daughter has made contact and wants to meet her biological mother.
Philosophy tidbits season this debut: “Do you know that if your spouse dies, you’re called a widow or widower? If your parents die, you’re called an orphan. But there’s no word for a parent who loses a child.” Well, maybe devastated?
A conflict between the Martin and Tillman families is reminiscent of the Hatfield-McCoy feud. “The century-old feud was alive and well.” Laurent’s reelection contender, Deputy Greene, feeds info to a journalist wannabe. Greene’s “best friend is snake-in-the-grass Ralph Howard,” the editor and sole employee of the local rag The Crossing.
Laurent has two likely suspects: Dylan Martin and Theo Tillman, who “doesn’t have a lot of brain cells.” She balances tensions between feuding families, reelection and her first homicide investigation. She must make nice with those families and the village government employees. “Jim Cotter, the village attorney, was the king of the comb-over.” And conceit. He drives a flashy BMW and monster F-450. Is he trying to impress local farmers?
Laurent’s world appears to collapse around her. With “every bone in her 52-year-old body aching,” she learns that “we have another body to thaw.” Likable Bob Kane is found face down in a frozen lake. Straws and camels come to mind. She’s up to her elbows in alligators, albeit frozen ones.
Halfway through, this spectacular police procedural becomes more of a whydunit than a whodunit. Readers learn the perpetrator’s identity before Laurent does.
“Bones” 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!
Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy
December 5, 2022
Bones Under the Ice
by Mary Ann Miller
Earc:NetGalley
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
Publication Date:21st March 2023
Genre: Mystery and Thrillers
we are straight into the story and straight away get to know the characters. Laurent won the election of the Sheriff of the town however her poem Mike was a very bitter about her win. When a bad snow storm hits when two boys are at the park they find the body of a teenager frozen in the snow.
A gripping police trial featuring Johnny Laurent (a.k.a. Laurent), the first female sheriff of the farming community of Fields Crossing, Indiana. The story begins with Laurent facing her first murder investigation after the body of her high school senior is discovered under a pile of snow and ice. The investigation coincides with Laurent facing her re-election against the snobbish and resentful MP she defeated four years earlier. Her problems add to secrets from her past, centuries of family feuds, a second-degree murder, alleged voter fraud, and a ruthless newspaper reporter. There's a notable cast of supporting characters, including a former sheriff/mentor to help out, a shrewd retired farmer courting at a local restaurant, and a potential love interest.
Few books feature a 50-year-old protagonist (let alone a 50-year-old cello-playing, cigar-smoking protagonist), and it's exhilarating. Kudos to the author for creating a mature and relatable character, and I look forward to future books in this series.
NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to review this ARC (Advance Read Copy) of her Thanks to author Mary Ann Miller, and Oceanview Publishing. and hostile citizens. As if that wasn't enough, she has to face her fifties with grace.
Miller paints a very realistic portrait of a woman satisfied with her job and facing the pressures of her overwhelming job. I also like the way she showed that small-town people aren't as naive or stupid as many big-city people think.Of course, this is colored by small-town life.
There was a very complicated plot showing the good and bad of human nature. I thought Miller did a great job with her characterization.
#NetGalley #bookstagram #bookreview #goodreads #mysteryandthriller #bonesunderice @oceanviewpublishing
May 18, 2023
Bones Under The Ice
A Jhonni Laurent Mystery, Book #1
Mary Ann Miller
5 Stars
Synopsis:
Jhonni Laurent is the first female sheriff of Field' s Crossing, Indiana— and now she has her first murder case
Two days after a blizzard hits Field' s Crossing, Indiana, Sheriff Jhonni Laurent discovers the frozen body of a high school senior under a fifteen-foot pile of snow and ice. Murder is rare in farm country, and this death marks the beginning of Jhonni' s first homicide case.
Just as the investigation gets underway, Jhonni' s opponent for sheriff from four years ago wages a bitter reelection battle to oust her. Then, Jhonni finds another body, and further complications arise when a century-old feud between two families reaches its breaking point.
Soon, a slew of newspaper articles causes the Indiana State Election Board to doubt her credibility. Jhonni must fight to maintain her reputation, keep the small farming community together, and find the murderer at large— all while demons from her own past threaten to crush her. Can she find the killer and mend her battered spirit before it’s too late?
Perfect for fans of J. A. Jance and C. J. Box (Amazon)
Review:
The characters are well rounded and well developed. Two days after a blizzard, Sheriff Jhonny Laurent discovers a body frozen on the ground. The body is a high school senior and it happens to be Jhonny’s first homicide. She has to figure out what happened to the girl and who is responsible. She also has to try and repair her reputation and fight for her job during a reelection year. She has a difficult task ahead of her.
The story flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story from the beginning and hung on. The mystery is well plotted and there were plenty of suspects to consider and clues to sift through.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted police procedural. It is the first book in the series and it was really good.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Oceanview Publishing, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
A Jhonni Laurent Mystery, Book #1
Mary Ann Miller
5 Stars
Synopsis:
Jhonni Laurent is the first female sheriff of Field' s Crossing, Indiana— and now she has her first murder case
Two days after a blizzard hits Field' s Crossing, Indiana, Sheriff Jhonni Laurent discovers the frozen body of a high school senior under a fifteen-foot pile of snow and ice. Murder is rare in farm country, and this death marks the beginning of Jhonni' s first homicide case.
Just as the investigation gets underway, Jhonni' s opponent for sheriff from four years ago wages a bitter reelection battle to oust her. Then, Jhonni finds another body, and further complications arise when a century-old feud between two families reaches its breaking point.
Soon, a slew of newspaper articles causes the Indiana State Election Board to doubt her credibility. Jhonni must fight to maintain her reputation, keep the small farming community together, and find the murderer at large— all while demons from her own past threaten to crush her. Can she find the killer and mend her battered spirit before it’s too late?
Perfect for fans of J. A. Jance and C. J. Box (Amazon)
Review:
The characters are well rounded and well developed. Two days after a blizzard, Sheriff Jhonny Laurent discovers a body frozen on the ground. The body is a high school senior and it happens to be Jhonny’s first homicide. She has to figure out what happened to the girl and who is responsible. She also has to try and repair her reputation and fight for her job during a reelection year. She has a difficult task ahead of her.
The story flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story from the beginning and hung on. The mystery is well plotted and there were plenty of suspects to consider and clues to sift through.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted police procedural. It is the first book in the series and it was really good.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Oceanview Publishing, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
January 2, 2025
A story that shows promise but struggles in execution.
If one is relatively aware of mystery/ writing tropes this mystery is rather predictable. The Hatfields and McCoys stand ins are obvious red herrings and should be dismissed. This only really leaves one possible motive. This is then shown to be the correct answer as in one chapter a character is described as being honest/ trustworthy yet in the next chapter when it goes to their perspective they immediately lie.
Reading this I was reminded of A Study in Scarlett. In that story Scotland Yard is to preoccupied with irrelevant details that they fail to investigate the obvious. Instead Sherlock Holmes is the only one to look into the deceased background rather than be preoccupied with the crime scene and bizarre happenings around it. Jhonni seems to be in the same mind set as Scotland Yard and takes far to long to find the right questions to ask.
This type of small town killing story can be done well and I believe is done well in William Krueger’s Iron Lake. In this book the mystery is more multi layered. Spoilers this is because instead of it being one mystery it is several with key culprits being unaware of each other. If this story employed similar ideas it would work better. As of now Bones Under the Ice suffers from being to straight forward, and lacking any resolution to the inter personal conflict of Jhonni.
While I understand Jhonni’s relationship with her daughter is the hook for the next book it leads the reader feeling unfulfilled after finishing this one. Jhonni should have at least interacted with her child in this book and have the hook for the sequel being them mending their relationship.
There are several points of this story that just feel odd or feel like editor notes being quickly applied after the fact. The most glaring is Jhonni’s apparent non-stop smoking of cigars. Several times the author alludes to the smell of constant tobacco use yet Jhonni is almost never actually depicted smoking. Jhonni’s sickness in the beginning also feels tacked on as it seems it’s only purpose was to break up the monotony of a crime scene investigation. As the story progresses and more plot elements are introduced her sickness quickly goes away.
This is a side note and does not affect the story but the title Bones Under the Ice is a bit misleading as it’s actually A Body Under Snow.
I did not hate this story and did enjoy it in parts, it just feels like there is a better story buried in this one.
If one is relatively aware of mystery/ writing tropes this mystery is rather predictable. The Hatfields and McCoys stand ins are obvious red herrings and should be dismissed. This only really leaves one possible motive. This is then shown to be the correct answer as in one chapter a character is described as being honest/ trustworthy yet in the next chapter when it goes to their perspective they immediately lie.
Reading this I was reminded of A Study in Scarlett. In that story Scotland Yard is to preoccupied with irrelevant details that they fail to investigate the obvious. Instead Sherlock Holmes is the only one to look into the deceased background rather than be preoccupied with the crime scene and bizarre happenings around it. Jhonni seems to be in the same mind set as Scotland Yard and takes far to long to find the right questions to ask.
This type of small town killing story can be done well and I believe is done well in William Krueger’s Iron Lake. In this book the mystery is more multi layered. Spoilers this is because instead of it being one mystery it is several with key culprits being unaware of each other. If this story employed similar ideas it would work better. As of now Bones Under the Ice suffers from being to straight forward, and lacking any resolution to the inter personal conflict of Jhonni.
While I understand Jhonni’s relationship with her daughter is the hook for the next book it leads the reader feeling unfulfilled after finishing this one. Jhonni should have at least interacted with her child in this book and have the hook for the sequel being them mending their relationship.
There are several points of this story that just feel odd or feel like editor notes being quickly applied after the fact. The most glaring is Jhonni’s apparent non-stop smoking of cigars. Several times the author alludes to the smell of constant tobacco use yet Jhonni is almost never actually depicted smoking. Jhonni’s sickness in the beginning also feels tacked on as it seems it’s only purpose was to break up the monotony of a crime scene investigation. As the story progresses and more plot elements are introduced her sickness quickly goes away.
This is a side note and does not affect the story but the title Bones Under the Ice is a bit misleading as it’s actually A Body Under Snow.
I did not hate this story and did enjoy it in parts, it just feels like there is a better story buried in this one.
March 6, 2023
Bones Under the Ice is the first book in the Jhonni Laurent series. The story takes place in Fields Crossing, Indiana. Jhonni Laurent is the first female sheriff and running for reelection after four years in office. The previous election was a close one against Mike Greene. They have had a contentious working relationship and is running against her again. The reporter and owner of the Crossing newspaper Ralph Howard is good friends with Mike and both hate Jhonni. They are trying to find dirt on her before the election in order to help Mike win.
Jhonni has been called to Webster Park where two boys found a hand in a snow pile from the blizzard they just had. Jhonni calls Caleb Martin, Public Works Director, her deputies, Mike Greene and Dak Aikens, the coroner and Henry Linville, funeral director to come to the site. When they are able to dig her out of the snow pile, Caleb recognizes her and tells Jhonni that she is his brother Dylan's girlfriend. Jhonni drives to inform the parents and they share that Stephanie had been missing since Wednesday the day of the blizzard. Another body will be found also frozen in an ice shanty. Jhonni will have her hands full trying to solve both of these murders before the reelection.
There are several stories within this story. First Stephanie's murder, second the reelection, third the family feud between two families, and getting to know Jhonni. There are many moving parts to this story which kept me totally engrossed. This was a really good start for the beginning of a new series. The characters are well written making them very interesting and very likeable. There is a slight cliff hanger involving Mike Green and Ralph Howard the reporter/owner of the newspaper. But it doesn't take away from the ending at all.
I received an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased review.
Jhonni has been called to Webster Park where two boys found a hand in a snow pile from the blizzard they just had. Jhonni calls Caleb Martin, Public Works Director, her deputies, Mike Greene and Dak Aikens, the coroner and Henry Linville, funeral director to come to the site. When they are able to dig her out of the snow pile, Caleb recognizes her and tells Jhonni that she is his brother Dylan's girlfriend. Jhonni drives to inform the parents and they share that Stephanie had been missing since Wednesday the day of the blizzard. Another body will be found also frozen in an ice shanty. Jhonni will have her hands full trying to solve both of these murders before the reelection.
There are several stories within this story. First Stephanie's murder, second the reelection, third the family feud between two families, and getting to know Jhonni. There are many moving parts to this story which kept me totally engrossed. This was a really good start for the beginning of a new series. The characters are well written making them very interesting and very likeable. There is a slight cliff hanger involving Mike Green and Ralph Howard the reporter/owner of the newspaper. But it doesn't take away from the ending at all.
I received an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased review.
March 21, 2023
Bones Under the Ice by Mary Ann Miller is a highly recommended procedural and the first novel in the Jhonni Laurent series.
Two days after a blizzard hits Field’s Crossing, Indiana, Sheriff Jhonni Laurent finds the frozen body of high school senior Stephanie Gattison under a pile of snow. This is her first homicide case and it just happens to occur when she is in a reelection battle. Complicating matters further is the location - a small community where everyone seems to know everyone else's business and old feuds between families are still an issue. adding to the stress is a local news paper reporter who is working closely with her opponent. When a second murder occurs, it complicates everything while it also makes it clear that there may be more involved than Jhonni originally thought.
This is a well written, carefully crafted debut procedural that follows the clues and teases out the information needed to solve the cases. There is a bit too much repetition of information already provided, but that can perhaps be chalked up to events being at the forefront of a character's mind. The small town setting rings true in the details of farm culture and in the pressure to solve the case. The investigations are believable in the uncovering of information and following clues. The turmoil surrounding the reelection is equally interesting.
Jhonni is an interesting character who has personal connections with many of the local citizens who support her in her efforts to investigate the murders as well as her reelection bid. She is a well-developed character as she navigates a narrative filled with a plethora of ancillary characters. All the characters are distinctive and add depth to the plot and enhance the small town setting.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Oceanview Publishing via Edelweiss.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2023/0...
Two days after a blizzard hits Field’s Crossing, Indiana, Sheriff Jhonni Laurent finds the frozen body of high school senior Stephanie Gattison under a pile of snow. This is her first homicide case and it just happens to occur when she is in a reelection battle. Complicating matters further is the location - a small community where everyone seems to know everyone else's business and old feuds between families are still an issue. adding to the stress is a local news paper reporter who is working closely with her opponent. When a second murder occurs, it complicates everything while it also makes it clear that there may be more involved than Jhonni originally thought.
This is a well written, carefully crafted debut procedural that follows the clues and teases out the information needed to solve the cases. There is a bit too much repetition of information already provided, but that can perhaps be chalked up to events being at the forefront of a character's mind. The small town setting rings true in the details of farm culture and in the pressure to solve the case. The investigations are believable in the uncovering of information and following clues. The turmoil surrounding the reelection is equally interesting.
Jhonni is an interesting character who has personal connections with many of the local citizens who support her in her efforts to investigate the murders as well as her reelection bid. She is a well-developed character as she navigates a narrative filled with a plethora of ancillary characters. All the characters are distinctive and add depth to the plot and enhance the small town setting.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Oceanview Publishing via Edelweiss.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2023/0...
October 17, 2024
I have mixed feelings about this book, a few good, most not so good. I thought it was a decent mystery plot, and I wish it had just focused on the actual mystery and things surrounding that. I felt the election story dragged the whole thing down. It didn't seem necessary, and the "bad guys" involved with the election were just cartoonish - I could practically see the editor twirling his little cartoon villain mustache!
The book seemed awkwardly written. Sometimes characters would just appear out of nowhere. So-and-so started speaking and it would be like "Where did you come from? I didn't even know that person was in the scene." Segues were handled oddly as well. Sometimes there didn't seem to be any transition from one scene to the next. It made for cumbersome reading.
One thing that really annoyed me throughout the whole book was the fact that the main character was referred to throughout by her last name. I could probably count on one hand the times she was referred to by her first name. It was constantly "Laurent did this. Laurent did that. Laurent walked down the road. Laurent drove the car." Every other character, once they were introduced, was referred to by their first name - "Glen came in. Vern said this. Bob did this. Naomi did that." It made no sense to me and stood out because of it being so odd. It was grating.
Another thing - this author seemed extraordinarily preoccupied with her main character's mucus. Was it really necessary to constantly be describing this woman's cold symptoms? Yes, it was a freezing Midwest winter and she has a cold. We get it. We didn't need to have it shoved in our faces every few paragraphs. It had absolutely nothing to do with the story anyway.
The book seemed awkwardly written. Sometimes characters would just appear out of nowhere. So-and-so started speaking and it would be like "Where did you come from? I didn't even know that person was in the scene." Segues were handled oddly as well. Sometimes there didn't seem to be any transition from one scene to the next. It made for cumbersome reading.
One thing that really annoyed me throughout the whole book was the fact that the main character was referred to throughout by her last name. I could probably count on one hand the times she was referred to by her first name. It was constantly "Laurent did this. Laurent did that. Laurent walked down the road. Laurent drove the car." Every other character, once they were introduced, was referred to by their first name - "Glen came in. Vern said this. Bob did this. Naomi did that." It made no sense to me and stood out because of it being so odd. It was grating.
Another thing - this author seemed extraordinarily preoccupied with her main character's mucus. Was it really necessary to constantly be describing this woman's cold symptoms? Yes, it was a freezing Midwest winter and she has a cold. We get it. We didn't need to have it shoved in our faces every few paragraphs. It had absolutely nothing to do with the story anyway.
March 20, 2023
It's cold in the quad-counties of rural Indiana, the snow making life difficult and Sheriff Jhonni Laurent has a nasty cold. She also has to figure out who the body is in the deep pile of ice and snow at Webster Part. Two boys sledding discovered a hand poking out of the snow. With nothing more to go on but the white puffer coat and purple nail polish visible on the arm, she knows it's a young woman but must wait until her team clears the scene. It's not an easy wait. So begins the first of two story threads that make up this very well written debut mystery.
The second thread revolves around how various locals feel about her being elected sheriff. While she was a deputy for fifteen years and obviously knows what she's doing, somebody is out to get her, to get her out as sheriff. The man who ran against her and lost is eager for a rematch, one that makes him sheriff. The election is one thing but impugning her integrity adds another dimension to it.
From the very first page this mystery had me engaged. I took an instant like to Jhonni and I will not hesitate to read more about Jhonni Laurent.
My thanks to the publisher Oceanview Publishing and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
The second thread revolves around how various locals feel about her being elected sheriff. While she was a deputy for fifteen years and obviously knows what she's doing, somebody is out to get her, to get her out as sheriff. The man who ran against her and lost is eager for a rematch, one that makes him sheriff. The election is one thing but impugning her integrity adds another dimension to it.
From the very first page this mystery had me engaged. I took an instant like to Jhonni and I will not hesitate to read more about Jhonni Laurent.
My thanks to the publisher Oceanview Publishing and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
January 9, 2023
This does not read like a first mystery. The plot is complex, the mystery full of red herrings and the clues there but well hidden. The characters at all levels are extremely well developed and believable, and their actions flow organically from the situation and their personalities rather than to merely fit the plot. Can you tell I really liked it?
Jhonni Laurent is a small county sheriff in farm country running for re-election against -one of her deputies when a frozen hand is found poking out of a snow drift where the kids like to sled. This becomes Laurent's first murder at a time when she not only has the re-election to contend with, but the 30 year anniversary of giving a baby up for adoption who now wants to meet, a local so-called-newspaper journalist who wants her head on a platter, and a the local "Hatfield and McCoy" feud about to erupt over accusations related to the murder. There's a lot happening in this story, and it's all happening in a small town, so it's one big pot being steadily stirred and brought to a boil. With so many interesting characters and animosities, this should make for a fascinating series. Highly recommended.
Jhonni Laurent is a small county sheriff in farm country running for re-election against -one of her deputies when a frozen hand is found poking out of a snow drift where the kids like to sled. This becomes Laurent's first murder at a time when she not only has the re-election to contend with, but the 30 year anniversary of giving a baby up for adoption who now wants to meet, a local so-called-newspaper journalist who wants her head on a platter, and a the local "Hatfield and McCoy" feud about to erupt over accusations related to the murder. There's a lot happening in this story, and it's all happening in a small town, so it's one big pot being steadily stirred and brought to a boil. With so many interesting characters and animosities, this should make for a fascinating series. Highly recommended.
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