In 1789 the Kennebec River in a small Maine town was frozen as was the body of a man discovered in it. Martha Ballard, a midwife, was asked to examine the body and to determine the cause of death which she did. She stated he was murdered. But by who and why? Martha's work had placed her in many private homes and she had heard enough secrets to last a lifetime. She kept detailed diaries in which she detailed the births she attended, the deaths, and much more. Martha Ballard was born on February 9, 1735, and she died on June 9, 1812. Expertly crafted and impeccably researched, THE FROZEN RIVER by Ariel Lawhon combines facts and history and is based on her diaries. Readers are granted a front-row seat into Martha's life for just one winter, but what a winter it was.
The narrative is set during a time when women had little voice if any at all. But Martha was different, in part, because of her profession and she did her best to use it to do good, but she was often frustrated. Capable and clear-headed, she was undaunted as she tried to solve a murder and to get justice for the victim of rape even though she put herself and those close to her in danger.
Everything from the vivid depictions of the setting to the believable characters come together to create a compelling and engrossing story. The Author's Note is well worth reading as well. Highly recommended.
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.
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