Quick Synopsis

From the New York Times bestselling author of I Was Anastasia and Code Name Hélène comes a gripping historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into American history.

Publisher’s Synopsis

Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.

Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.

Clever, layered, and subversive, Ariel Lawhon’s newest offering introduces an unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice at a time when women were considered best seen and not heard. The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense, and tender story about a remarkable woman who left an unparalleled legacy yet remains nearly forgotten to this day.

Book Review

The Frozen River is an 18th-century historical mystery that follows Martha Ballard, a midwife in Hallowell, Maine, who finds herself trying to solve a murder that possibly connects to her friend’s violent rape. The story covers one tumultuous year in Ballard’s life as she manages her large family, births babies, fights for justice, and conducts autopsies.

I loved reading a historical fiction novel that was during “peace time” and shortly after the American Revolutionary War. It was a refreshing change from the typical 20th-century novels of the genre.

Ariel Lawhon wrote The Frozen River based upon on a woman who did exist, left behind daily diary entries, and has been forgotten to history. I have enjoyed past books by Lawhon and knew I could trust her to thoroughly research a story. And she did not let me down! Lawhon was prodigious in simulating daily life in Colonial Maine and the nascent United States. I was fascinated with all the details Lawhon managed to include without weighing down the story’s pace.

The Frozen River managed to be both gripping and beautifully written. Lawhon crafted this book with vivid descriptions, creating a chilling atmosphere. In doing so, she wrote the Kennebec River as a character itself that greatly influenced the town. Furthermore, I became immersed in this story and infuriated alongside Martha. My spouse may have laughed at me yelling at the book several times. (If a book elicits a response from me, that usually means it is good.)

My only quibble with this book was that I wanted to know Martha more. I felt like who she was at heart was kept at a distance. We only come to know her as someone in the town does, as an outspoken, confident woman who championed women and justice.

Overall, The Frozen River is a novel filled with vivid detail and an engrossing mystery. Lawhon has written yet another deep, yet readable historical novel about an amazing women, of which few have heard. I recommend this book, especially if you are tired of WWI and WWII stories.

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