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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER โข GMA BOOK CLUB PICK โข AN NPR BOOK OF THE YEAR โข From the New York Times bestselling author of I Was Anastasia and Code Name Hรฉlรจne 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. "Fans of Outlander โs Claire Fraser will enjoy Lawhonโs Martha, who is brave and outspoken when it comes to protecting the innocent. . . impressive." โThe Washington Post "Once again, Lawhon works storytelling magic with a real-life heroine." โPeople Magazine 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 townโs most respected gentlemenโone 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 Lawhonโs 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. Review: Amazing Historical Fiction - I love reading historical fiction and this is a masterpiece. Hands down the great book. Great writing and so wintery feeling and cozy. Review: Interesting - The story has a lot of suspense and an undercurrent of feminism that makes it even more compelling read. Recommending









| Best Sellers Rank | #219,266 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #235 in Mysteries (Books) #295 in Historical Fiction (Books) #355 in Science Fiction Crime & Mystery |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 116,015 Reviews |
S**I
Amazing Historical Fiction
I love reading historical fiction and this is a masterpiece. Hands down the great book. Great writing and so wintery feeling and cozy.
A**R
Interesting
The story has a lot of suspense and an undercurrent of feminism that makes it even more compelling read. Recommending
K**R
Do not want to leave once picked!!!
Waoooooo.....i just want to say it here this book once picked can not be put down.The way it caught me about the problems the women faced from those times upto today ...the emotions and audacity of men of not changing everrrr ...to always belittle women and judge them and yet this women patience and courage to do her work diligently and with heart is something that is to be respectable and admired. ITS AN EXCELLENT READ!!!
N**A
Just do yourself a favor and pick it up - you wonโt regret it.
I picked this one up purely because the blurb caught my eye - and wow, what a story. You all know I love strong heroines, but a ๐๐๐a**, ๐ฆ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ๐-๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ฌ? Thatโs something else entirely. It takes a different kind of courage, strength and conviction to stand up for your beliefs in a world that constantly tried to silence women.๐ซถ ๐๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐, a 54-year-old midwife, absolutely stole my heart. Iโve read plenty of fierce heroines, but sheโs different. Sheโs strength, wisdom and grace all rolled into one. The world-building, the narration, the tone - everything was so vivid and mesmerizing. And the characters? Remarkable. Martha, her husband ๐๐ฉ๐ก๐ซ๐๐ข๐ฆ, Dr. Page, Barnabas - each one felt alive, layered, and real. And speaking of Ephraim - what an incredible man! If youโre looking for the true definition of โmade for each other,โ youโll find it here. The way he understood Martha, stood by her, and quietly supported her was pure magic. โจ Historical fiction. Mystery. Courtroom drama. Justice. A powerful woman at the center of it all - this book had everything.โฅ๏ธ From the moment I stepped into the town of Hallowell, Maine, I was completely lost in its world. I wasnโt just reading about Martha - I was Martha. I lived her strength, her compassion, her unshakable sense of right and wrong. I felt her husbandโs love, the closeness of her family, and the respect she commanded within her community. Amidst the mystery and the weight of patriarchy, Marthaโs resilience and voice shone so powerfully that it left me in awe.๐ฉท I could honestly go on and on about this book. Just do yourself a favor and pick it up - you wonโt regret it.๐ฉท
S**N
A Gripping Tale of Justice, Resilience, and Frozen Secrets
Book ReviewโThe Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon Ariel Lawhonโs The Frozen River is an absorbing blend of historical fiction, mystery, and feminist resilience, inspired by the real-life 18th-century midwife Martha Ballard. Set in the harsh winter of Maine in 1789, the novel begins with a chilling discovery: the body of a respected local man trapped in the frozen Kennebec River. Martha, known for her skills as both a midwife and healer, is called to examine the body. What follows is not just an investigation into his death but a fearless pursuit of justice that pits her against the entrenched power and prejudice of her time. Lawhon crafts Martha as a complex, unflinching heroineโcompassionate in her care for women, yet relentless when confronting lies and corruption. The diary entries she keeps, which record births, deaths, and crimes in meticulous detail, become the key to unraveling both the murder and a prior, horrifying assault. The stakes rise when her own words threaten to implicate people she loved. The writing is atmospheric, immersing the reader in the frigid, claustrophobic setting of a small New England town. Themes of justice, loyalty, and womenโs voices in a male-dominated society resonate powerfully, making the story feel startlingly relevant despite its historical setting. The pace balances the slow-burn depth of character study with the tautness of a courtroom drama. Fans of Outlander or Where the Crawdads Sing will find the same blend of rich historical detail and emotional intensity here. More than just a murder mystery, The Frozen River is a testament to one womanโs determination to write herself into history and refuse silence. Verdict: A gripping, layered, and thought-provoking novelโperfect for readers who love historical fiction anchored by a strong female lead and a tightly woven mystery.
M**R
Fake
Seemed fake
C**Y
A great read
I love historical fiction, from an educational viewpoint as well as enjoyment of the actual story. Ariel Lawhonโs book, as she herself states in the author notes at the end of the book, was inspired by, as opposed to based on, Martha Ballard โa renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into historyโ and is therefore not completely factual. Martha Ballard kept a comprehensive daily diary for several decades (it can be found online but looks very difficult to decipher.) The author also states that a Pulitzer Prize winning account of Martha Ballardโs life, taken from her diaries, is available entitled โA Midwifeโs Tale.โ However, Ariel Lawhonโs storytelling is evocative and I was drawn into the story immediately. The story begins as Martha is called to examine a body that was found in the icy river Kennebec. She is a well known midwife and healer in the vicinity and records each birth and death in the village of Hallowell, where she lives. The dead man is one of two well thought of locals who were accused of raping and assaulting the local ministerโs wife earlier in the year. Martha determines Joshua Burgess, the man in the river, had been murdered. She has opposition in the form of Dr Benjamin Page. He undermines her decision regarding the cause of the manโs death and, further into the story, also calls into question her methods of midwifery. Because he was Harvard educated and Martha was a mere woman, he considered himself far superior, even though Martha had delivered hundreds of babies and had never lost a mother in childbirth. Women in the 18th century were rarely, if ever, believed regarding allegations of rape and Martha was determined to advocate for Rebecca Foster. A trial date is set. Martha refused, as much as possible, to be constrained by the conditions of the time and stood strong in her beliefs. Ariel Lawhonโs characters are fully and naturally realised, along with their experiences, whether it was the unrelenting winter or personal struggles hampered by the rulings and/or behaviour of men. The Frozen River is a fascinating, thought provoking and insightful read which can also be classed as a murder mystery. This is the first time Iโve listened to a book narrated by Jane Oppenheimer, I thought she did a great job, giving distinct voices to the cast of characters. Itโs also my first book by this author, Iโll definitely be reading more of her books.
C**I
Historic novel about an amazing midwife, a murder and a frozen river
Fabulous book, the ending did not disappoint. A great read.
S**A
Good
Very good and pleasant reading
T**S
The Frozen River
Great story and writing
V**N
Great read
Great read
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