The Frozen River.

 

 

★★★★

4.5 ★

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. 

 
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. 

 

 🌼

 
Gripping, beautifully written, extraordinary. 

The Frozen River is a book you will not forget, no matter how hard you try. It's been a while since I finished the book, but I can't get the story out of my mind. What drew me to the book were not the reviews but the plot and the fact that it was based on a true story. What Martha Ballard did and what she had to face required far more than courage. I was completely hooked after the first few chapters! I admired Martha's bravery and determination to stand trial. It wasn’t easy for her to be there unless her husband was present. I despised how she was treated; I hated how women were treated back then. I felt for all the women during that time. I found myself praying that some justice would be achieved for the women. 

I adore mysteries and historical fiction; The Frozen River was the most original historical fiction mystery I have ever read, while it wasn't the first. I wanted to know how the man ended up in the river and why he was killed. Like Martha, I had a suspicion as to why he was killed, but I was also interested in learning who did it. There were a few people I was certain had killed him, but they turned out to be incorrect. I loved how the book kept me wondering until almost the end. The last person I thought about being involved in it was the real "murderer." I loved that I was constantly on the edge of my seat. 

Even though Martha's journal entries were occasionally difficult to read, I adored them. One of my favorite parts was the author's note at the end. I see why Frozen River received such high marks. I thought the book was too long, but overall, I couldn't put it down, and when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. Frozen River was the 3rd book that I read by Ariel Lawhon, and so far, my favorite.