This book had absolutely captured me. I was hooked. I even learned some new things about life in the 1700's that I wasn't aware of. Really enjoyed the characters and the plot.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon in return for my honest review.

The Frozen River was one of the best historical fiction books that I have read in a long time. It is an engaging story based on Martha Ballard, a wife, mother and midwife in Maine during the 1700(s). She kept a diary of births, deaths, crimes, even the weather, and it served as her recorded legacy.. There were some of the nicest characters as well as the most vile; they were so well-developed, relatable and authentic that the reader felt very connected to their favorites and fiercely reviled the actions of the evil ones. I especially loved Martha’s husband, Ephraim, and their interactions were the best. It was so nice to read about a happy marriage. Lawhon writes so well that the reader experiences every emotion. This was my first book by this author, but I have already ordered another one of hers because I just love the way she writes. This story centers around a man found dead in the frozen river, one of two who were accused of rape. The story is compelling. Highly recommended.

Excellent research went into this historical novel. I learned a lot about midwifery and the constant struggles woman underwent during the 18th century. A lot of similarities to what is happening these days from this story. Martha was a strong willed woman whose views were ahead of her time. And there was a mystery she solved.

In 1789 Maine, a deeply impactful event unfolds as a body is discovered frozen in the town's central river. Martha Ballard, an educated midwife, is summoned to investigate the cause of death, setting off a series of profound consequences. With a meticulous eye, Martha meticulously records the extraordinary occurrences of this unusual winter in her diary, which includes births and deaths, as well as the nuanced complexities of the town's social fabric.

The narrative delves into a world where women are undervalued, unable to testify in court without male presence, and burdened with unequal consequences for societal transgressions. Amid this backdrop, Martha advocates for justice for these women, using her personal journal as a critical piece of evidence. Lawhorn skillfully captures the essence of this historical period, weaving a tale of mystery and intrigue that showcases meticulous research and well-developed characters.

This is a wonderful novel set in post- revolutionary war Maine. It is based on a real character, Martha, and the journals she left behind. Martha is the local midwife and healer for the town. When a body is found in frozen in the river she becomes the coroner as well. She examines the body and declares the man was murdered. The story that follows leads us t the murderer and also tells us all about Martha.

I love Ariel Lawhon, I love historical fiction, and these two go together so perfectly. This was such a great story, I could not stop listening once it got started. I had not heard of Martha Ballard prior to this book and I know Lawhon took some liberties with her, but my goodness she was a bad a** and I admired her courage to always speak up for what is right. This is a phenomenal read all around and the audio is just fantastic. I highly recommend this one, it is so, so good.

Thank you to Doubleday Books for the digital copy and to LibroFM for the ALC to review.

Fabulous!!! This is a fascinating story based on the life of Midwife Martha Ballard. She was a midwife in the years following the American Revolution and she kept a diary that survived to become an important document that reveals what life was like during those years.

Ms. Lawhon has used parts of that diary and mixed it with a bit of fiction that was so interesting and fun to read.

Read this book!!

I'm in total awe of Ariel Lawhon! She writes such well researched, beautiful novels inspired by historical figures and events. I've just fallen in love with her work and this one does not disappoint! The Frozen River is inspired by the actual diary of a midwife and healer in the 1700's. Not only does it tell the story of saving the lives of babies, mothers and others, it spotlights the injustices of a flawed legal system and unveils the secrets of several crimes. This one is highly recommended for fans of historical fiction, crime mysteries and courtroom drama alike. My thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Ariel Lawhon based The Frozen River off of the extensive diaries of Martha Ballard, a midwife in the late 1700s in Maine. Martha had seen a lot as she has delivered babies and knows that every situation is not always as it appears. When a man is found dead in the river, Martha is called to investigate and she sees signs that it was likely murder even if no one else does. The book then follows the events after the man's death and how it relates to another case in town, involving the trial of another man accused of rape. Much of Martha's work deals with everyday life and the difficulties women face, especially when it comes to a woman's autonomy or medical knowledge. Overall, a fascinating story inspired by real events that makes for a compelling read.

I found The Frozen River to be an example of historical fiction at its best. The novel was inspired by Martha Ballard, a midwife in the 1700's, who kept extensive journals of both her personal life and her experiences as a midwife.

The Kennebec River freezes over and leaves a murdered man entombed in the ice. Martha is called to investigate medically. The story follows the mystery of this man's death,

Ariel Lawhorn gives us an excellent historical fiction novel that is well-written and well researched. She does a great job of setting the scene in New England in the 1700's and what follows is a compelling, interesting story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this great novel.
4.5 stars

A smart historical fiction based on the diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned midwife. This was a captivating story and the author masterfully illustrates the characters and the atmosphere of the Puritan times.

ARC was provided by NetGalley and Doubleday Books in exchange for an honest review.

Lawhon really brought this time and place to life with her writing. Loved learning about what this midwife's life might have been like, especially at a time when women had so little power.

The Frozen River is the latest historical fiction novel by master storyteller Ariel Lawhorn. The reader is immediately drawn into the colonial world of midwife and healer, Martha Ballard. Martha is already in hot water after helping bring to light a horrible event of sexual assault perpetrated by two of society's most respected men. So when she rules that a man found frozen in the river was the victim of foul play, she comes against some strong opposition. But Martha won't stop digging for the truth, no matter what perils lay in her path.

Lawhorn perfectly draws the reader into Martha's world. We feel the pain of the birthing mothers, the biting cold of the colonial winters, and the mettle of a woman intent on finding the ugly truth of matters at hand. Martha is a remarkable woman, both on the page, and in real life. Her intelligence, bravery, and tenacity are inspirational. The story flows smoothly and has a rather satisfying conclusion. As always, be sure to read the author's note after finishing to learn more about the real events to inspired this wonderful story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Doubleday for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all views expressed are my own.

Code Name Helene is one of my favorite historical fiction books so I knew I needed to read The Frozen River even though I was unsure if the plot was going to be enough to keep me entertained.

I should have never doubted it. I was hooked!

I love how Lawhon finds these historical woman that we know little about previously and writes these fantastic books centered around them. Her research was impeccable as well.

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon is the first book that I've read by this author. How have I missed her other books I have no idea. This was a fast paced read that was finished in a few days. The Frozen River follows Martha Ballard, a midwife in Halowell, Maine who keeps a daily diary as a record of births, deaths, and other events that happened during her daily life. Martha is called to the tavern to examine a body that was found in the frozen river. Upon examining the body Martha concludes that man had been murdered. Soon Martha becomes involved with trying to figure out the mystery surrounding his death. This book is based on Martha Ballard who was in fact a midwife. Ariel Lawhon did a fantastic job following Martha durning 1789 by using actual fact from a copy of her diary. This is an author that I am going to read more of in the future.

While this is a December read, it was one of the best of the year! While my normal historical fiction era is World War II, who knew that the Revolutionary period would be so fascinating? This is the tale of midwife, Martha, and her involvement in a death--was it an accident or was the man murdered? I learned so much about midwifery, the laws of the time, and how hard it was to be a woman with no rights/power. Highly recommended and will be reading more by Ariel Lawhon.

Another winning take on a real historical person by Ariel Lawhon. I really enjoyed this tale about early American midwife, Martha Ballard. In the authors note, Ms. Lawhon details what was fact and what was speculative, and even knowing that didn't change the fact that Martha Ballard was such a fascinating woman, I can't imagine why more has not been written about her. She was intelligent, bold, and ahead of her time. And like all good historical fiction based on fact, The Frozen River made me immediately go to the internet to start trying to find out more about the protagonist.

One thing, intended by the author or not, this book made me happy to be living today instead of back then. Often when we are told about the very olden days, it is portrayed through very rose-colored lenses and it is tempting to want to go back to a simpler time. However, The Frozen River really showed myriad ways life could be extremely scary as a woman...or a person who wasn't wealthy....or someone of a different ethnicity. I appreciate the wake-up call the book was in making me appreciate how far society has come, even if there are still lots of things to grumble about.

Very entertaining, moving story that provokes thought and emotion.

I have owned The Midwife’s Tale for many years but have not yet read it.
Lawhon beings Martha Ballard to life in this stunning and engrossing book about a late 18th century woman who was not just a wife and mother but also a healer and steadying figure.
I could barely tear myself away from the gripping words.
I loved how the author intertwined fact with fiction and explained the difference in her historical note. In fact she lightened an egregious event which made me wince when I read about it.
I love historical fiction about the colonial and early republic and this book fit the bill.
I was besotted with Emphraim Ballard.

Midwife Martha Ballard has been plying her trade for decades now in 1789 Maine, and has the singular distinction of not yet losing a mother under her care. But her calling isn’t just one of making sure that the women who hire her survive the perils of pregnancy and childbirth. As one of the few literate women in her area, she also records important details about each birth in the journals her devoted husband Ephraim purchases for her:

QUOTE
I keep up with the journals because I enjoy it, but also because it is my <i>job</i>. One of the duties of my profession. As a midwife and healer, I am witness to the details of my neighbors’ private lives, along with their fears and secrets, and–when appropriate–I record them for safekeeping. Memory is a wicked thing that warps and twists. But paper and ink receive the truth without emotion, and they read it back without partiality. That, I believe, is why so few women are taught to read and write. God only knows what they would do with the power of pen and ink at their disposal.
END QUOTE

The law requires her to testify to, among other things, the paternity of newborn children as confessed by unwed mothers in the throes of labor. But Martha also records much graver incidents, including the testimony of Rebecca Foster, a pastor’s wife who was brutally beaten and raped while her husband was out of town. Rebecca has no hesitation in naming her assailants. No one is really surprised that one of them is Joshua Burgess, who has a reputation around the town of Hallowell for pressing his attentions on unwilling women.

But the name of her other attacker comes as a shock. Joseph North is not only a colonel but a judge and land agent, and vigorously disputes Rebecca’s claim. When Martha publicly supports Rebecca’s account, she earns his ire as well. Using his power as an important figure in town, North begins to subtly pressure not only the Fosters but the Ballards too. In perhaps the most egregious abuse of his position as agent of the company that owns vast swathes of Hallowell, he commands Ephraim to leave town in the middle of winter in order to redo a survey on a remote parcel of land. Martha figures that North is just punishing them, but Ephraim has a more shrewd assessment of the judge’s motives:

QUOTE
“North wants me to be hundreds of miles away when it comes time for you to testify.”

“Why?”

“Because the law of coverture prevents a woman from testifying in court without her husband present.”

“No,” I shake my head. “I give testimony in court many times a year without you being present.”

“Only because your profession allows you to do so regarding a woman’s declaration of paternity during childbirth. Those parameters do not extend to a situation like this.”

“But if I’m not able to testify next month–”

“Rebecca Foster will lose her only witness, and her allegations will be dismissed,” he says.
END QUOTE

Before the case can come to trial, however, Burgess is found dead in the frozen Kennebec River. As one of the few trained medical professionals in the area, Martha is called in to examine his body. There’s no doubt in her mind that he was beaten and hanged to death before being thrown in the frigid waters, but the newly arrived Doctor Benjamin Page is quick to contradict her. The Harvard-trained professional – as he’s quick to inform everyone – believes he knows far more about medicine than a mere midwife, and asserts that Burgess must have fallen into the river and drowned, and that his injuries were all sustained post-mortem. Martha suspects that this verdict benefits only North, who just so happens to be friends with Dr Page.

As Martha remains steadfast in asserting her belief in Rebecca’s tale, she’ll have to continue to fight as well to defend the women of her town from powerful forces who would happily sacrifice the lives of others in order to protect their own reputations. Ariel Lawhon does an amazing job not only of bringing the historical period to life, but also of drawing parallels between Martha’s struggles and the continuing fight of victims to be believed here in the 21st century. Based on the life of a real historical figure, The Frozen River takes only small liberties in fictionalizing the midwife’s life, plausibly turning her into a sleuth who must solve a murder mystery with repercussions for her own continuing peace of mind. Gripping and occasionally harrowing, this is historical fiction that reminds readers of how much we owe the pioneers of the past for the liberties we have today, and how we must fight never to let those hard-earned rights be taken away.

This fascinating account of the winter of 1789 in the life of Martha Ballard, a midwife and healer in Hallowell, Maine, demonstrates historical fiction at its finest. Ariel Lawhon vividly describes not only the bitter cold environment, the hardscrabble life of its residents but also the misogynistic beginnings of our justice system. I was emotionally invested with both the story and the characters from the first page and did not want to put it down. Ms. Lawhon's notes at the end of the book detail her intense research of this intriguing woman whose contributions to history have been largely forgotten. One of my favorite books of 2023!