Murder Beneath the Ice: A Maggie Wright Cozy Mystery

by Tessa Aura

One woman vanished in a snowstorm. Another vanished decades ago. And someone is trying to keep it that way.

Harper and Maggie head to Cedar Falls Lodge when a guest, Clara Jennings, vanishes without a trace. No footprints, no struggle, nothing but a burned note in her cabin and a storm burying the truth.

With Biscuit—Maggie’s loyal pit bull sidekick—leading them through the drifts, they uncover something darker. Clara's clues point to Lily Dray, a teen who disappeared there decades ago…and to someone at the lodge determined to keep both stories buried.

Everyone has a reason to lie.

Lucas Jennings, the husband afraid of what Clara learned. Ruth Alden, the manager whose past intertwines with Lily's. Tamsin Hale, the "travel writer" digging into cold cases.

Lodge staff, who know more than they'll say.

And the shadow…always watching from the woods.

Someone silenced Lily. And if she fails to expose the truth, Clara won't be the killer's only target; the next body beneath the ice may be Maggie's.

225 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication February 6, 2026

About the author

Hello! I'm Tessa Aura, author of cozy mystery series that whisk you away to charming settings with lovable characters, clever puzzles, and plenty of laughs.

With 21 published books across multiple series, I've built a reputation for combining humor with mystery, always featuring loyal dog sidekicks and guaranteed happy endings. My Simply Scrumptious Italian Culinary Mysteries take you to the sun-soaked towns of Italy where amateur sleuth chefs solve murders between preparing pasta and pouring wine.

I grew up loving puzzles and animals—which is why every book features a four-legged detective helping crack the case. From beagles and chihuahuas to labs and pitbull/mix, these pups steal scenes (and hearts!).

Travel is my passion, and it shows in my settings. Whether it's Italy's Cinque Terre or cozy American small towns, I love taking readers on adventures alongside my female detectives.

If you love clean, lighthearted mysteries with humor, heart, and happy endings, you're in the right place. Start with Book 1 of any series and prepare to binge!

Follow me on Amazon to never miss a new release: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/...

Happy sleuthing!

Reviews

[Margery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maggie and Harper find themselves hired by Harper's cousin to help find a woman who has disappeared from his Cedar Falls Lodge retreat. It is a place for people to disconnect from the outside world and heal emotionally for a vacation. Heading to the lodge Harper has a white knuckle drive as the world turns white. A blizzard has come in just when they are questioning their decision to help his cousin they finally make it to the lodge. The few guests, each with their own reason to be there and no one has a clue where the woman went all they know is her shoes were left at the edge of the lake. Biscuit as usual leads them to clues left behind from the sheriff and it seems Clara Jennings is not the first to vanish from here. They uncover that a little girl had gone missing back in the 80's. Are the two related in any way? The sheriff does not like that Eli has hired Harper and Maggie and he is not the only one who does not want them there. Someone does not want them to uncover the mystery of what the frozen lake is hiding. There are a few who know what happened to Clara and the secrets she was uncovering. A gripping book to sit back with a cup of cocoa and enjoy a trip in the snow.