If you are looking for a page turning thriller, then look no further! Ellie Best is a screenwriter who wins a grant to spend a month at a research station in Antarctica. Her brother Leo is a lead scientist there on a year long research project,. They email frequently and he was excited she was coming but then as she was about to get on the plane he sent her a cryptic message. When she arrives he is no where to be found. Desperate to find her brother she begins to investigate. Everyone is a suspect, and she isn't sure who she can trust, but she is determined to find out the truth.

A fantastic debut novel that brings the importance of climate change to the forefront amidst a heart pounding mystery. I literally had trouble putting this down and read into the wee hours of the night. I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes mystery thrillers, I look forward to her next novel. Thank you to Minotaur Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this novel.

I was furiously flipping pages the entire time I read On The Ice.
Leo is a climate scientist who is spending a year in Antarctica. His sister Ellie arrives to write a screenplay about this research station. The odd thing is that when Ellie arrives, Leo is nowhere to be found. We follow Ellie’s desperate search for her brother. We also see what happened to Leo before she arrived.
Every person seemed like they either knew something or had a reason to potentially harm Leo. As the days progressed, and Ellie becomes increasingly concerned, I did too. I just wanted her to find her brother. The isolated setting and the extreme cold made everything seem more like I always had a clock ticking in my head. How long could Leo last outside? Or is he somewhere safe? You will need to read this page turner to find out.

On the Ice by Keaton McGruder

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the complimentary ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Antarctica, a missing scientist, a screenwriter who arrives at a remote research station only to discover her brother has disappeared, and a whole lot of secrets? Yes, please.

Ellie Best is a screenwriter who has been given the incredible opportunity to spend a month at McMurdo Station in Antarctica researching for her murder mystery. Her brother Leo is already there, working as a climate scientist studying the shrinking ice caps. But when Ellie arrives, Leo is nowhere to be found. And with only a couple hundred people at the station, the question becomes: How does someone simply disappear?

As Ellie starts asking questions, it becomes increasingly clear that people are hiding things. Strange things begin happening around the station, and suddenly Ellie isn't just trying to figure out what happened to her brother—she may have to figure out who she can actually trust.

I absolutely loved the dual POV structure, which alternates between Ellie and Leo and gives us two very different perspectives of life on the Antarctic ice. Seeing Leo experience the months of darkness and isolation while Ellie arrives during the endless daylight was fascinating. The descriptions of Antarctica really stood out to me, and the extreme environment becomes almost a character itself. The cold, isolation, darkness, and sheer impossibility of surviving outside the station create an incredibly effective backdrop for a mystery.

I also really loved Ellie. She is dealing with her own trauma while trying to piece together what happened to her brother, and I found myself rooting for her on both fronts. I wanted her to solve the mystery, but I also wanted her to find some healing along the way. Her investigation slowly exposes the complicated relationships and secrets within the station, and I enjoyed trying to figure out what everyone was hiding.

This book manages to blend mystery, suspense, a little romance, and plenty of interpersonal drama into a setting you don't see every day. There were definitely moments when I thought I had figured everything out, only to question myself again. While the pacing is more of a slow burn than an all-out thriller, I found the atmosphere and the mystery compelling enough to keep me reading.

And honestly, reading about months of darkness, isolation, and extreme cold makes you appreciate something as simple as sunlight. 😂 I may never complain about a cloudy day again.

On the Ice is an atmospheric, unique, and thoroughly entertaining debut. I loved getting lost in the frozen isolation of Antarctica, and I will absolutely be watching to see what Keaton McGruder writes next. If you enjoy mysteries with unusual settings, complicated characters, secrets, and a touch of romance, this is definitely one to add to your list.

4.5–5 stars!

What an awesome book to debut her writing talents. This book has it all. Mystery, suspense, a little bit of romantic feelings and a whole lot of wow! This is definitely a real page turner and I can't wait to see what this author writes next.

Antarctica is my dream destination, so I knew I had to read this book as soon as I saw it! On the Ice definitely didn't disappoint! There are two POVs and two timelines and I thought that worked really well for this book. I loved seeing what led up to Leo's disappearance as well as Ellie's search for him. Though I enjoyed both POVs, Leo's was my favorite. Ellie could be a smidge annoying at times. The setting is great and though the pace was a little slow, I was still able to read this book in less than 48 hours. There is a lot of suspense and mystery, and I did not know how it was going to end. Overall, On the Ice is a great debut and I look forward to seeing what Keaton McGruder comes up with next! 4.5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.