The Frozen River: A GMA Book Club Pick: A Novel

 

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon | Book Review

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • GMA BOOK CLUB PICK • AN NPR BOOK OF THE YEAR • 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.

"Fans of Outlander’s Claire Fraser will enjoy Lawhon’s Martha, who is brave and outspoken when it comes to protecting the innocent. . . impressive."—The Washington Post

"Once again, Lawhon works storytelling magic with a real-life heroine." —People 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 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.

Reader's Review

Beautiful story - beautiful woman

Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2025

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You can read a synopsis of the novel elsewhere so I will not go into that. The book is very well written. The characters are strong and well developed.
Martha is a lady I would like to meet. The novel is based on Martha's hard but rewarding life. The tenderness, love , respect and at times playfulness of Martha and Ephriam's marriage is one of the best parts of the story.
Martha, as a midwife brought life into the world but Martha, as an independent woman could take life out of the world as well. She carried her beliefs and her written account of life until only a few days before her end on this earth.
The author is a great storyteller and very descriptive of places and events. She is an easy author to follow. I will be choosing more of her books in the future.

Brave Woman

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A terrific book. From the first sentence to the last, I was hooked. Very well written novel about a real woman, a mid-wife, who lived during and after the Revolutionary War. Intrigue, mystery, family, love and incredible courage are only some words that can describe this piece of historical fiction. I could not put it down.

aunt Julie

Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2025

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I just finished “The Frozen River” by Ariel Lawhon and it was fantastic! I will say that I started this book with much trepidation since I’d heard that parts of it were slow, but I must say I was immediately immersed in this story! It is historical fiction at its finest!

It’s a story about a midwife, Martha Ballard, in the late 1700’s and her recording of all the births and deaths of her town. The story centers around the discovery of a body in the frozen river and Mistress Ballard is called upon to examine the body and determine the cause of death. She determines the body was murdered but a new doctor in town takes over the examination of the body and comes to a different conclusion. She is dismissed as an old illiterate country woman which couldn’t be further from the truth.

The rich character development and the beautiful writing was so engrossing! I kept smelling that frozen river in my thoughts since the author depicted the scenery so well! I really enjoyed the time period as well! No cellphones or social media in this story. Haha

To Buy the Novel " The Frozen River "

Christine Boos

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This was a great read! The author lent a convincing voice to Martha, inspired by her real life. Very interesting indeed to read about all Martha achieved as a midwife ( not one mother she delivered died ). In this fictional novel though, she is also investigating a murder.... Her story reveals a woman very much aware of the low consideration of women even in case of rapes.... Even though she clearly and loudly dared testify in court, her testimony was not taken seriously....
The author painted a warm picture of a very lively Martha. I liked her immensely straight from the beginning of the novel! I loved her courage, resilience, her sense of duty and deep love for her family. Martha is also witty and brought a smile to my face many times! Through Martha's story, the legal and social historical background is meticulously revealed. Highly recommended!

About the author

Ariel Lawhon

Ariel Lawhon is a critically acclaimed, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. She is the author of THE WIFE THE MAID AND THE MISTRESS, FLIGHT OF DREAMS, I WAS ANASTASIA and CODE NAME HELENE. Her books have been translated into numerous languages and have been Good Morning America, Library Reads, Indie Next, One Book One County, Amazon Spotlight, Costco, and Book of the Month Club selections. She lives in the rolling hills outside Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband and four sons. She splits her time between the grocery store and the baseball field.

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