The Frozen River
By Ariel Lawhon

THE CAPTIVATING BESTSELLER BASED ON THE TRUE STORY OF HEROIC MIDWIFE MARTHA BALLARDIn the cold of night, she tends to the women.In the light of day, she delivers them justice.'Thrilling'and Irish Times'Lawhon works storytelling magic with a real-life heroine'and People Magazine The narrator of Ariel Lawhon'sand The Frozen Riverand is another stalwart heroine'and The New York Times'Historical fiction at its best!' 5 Star Reader Review These markings of ink and paper will one day be the only proof that I have existed in this world. That I lived and breathed'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.and The Frozen Riverand is a thrilling, tense, and tender story about a remarkable woman who left an unparalleled legacy yet remains nearly forgotten to this day.Inspired by the life of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into history.For fans ofand OUTLANDERand andand WHERE THE CRAWDADS SINGReaders love Ariel Lawhon'Theand HYPE IS REALand ... I was absolutely drawn into Martha's world, the harshness of the life, the struggle of women to have a voice, the mystery created. I loved this book so much! It's in my books of the year' I give this bookand ALL THE STARSand … One of theand BEST HISTORICAL FICTION THRILLER BOOKSand that I've read''Extremelyand ABSORBINGand and enjoyable read''RIVETINGand ... I would thoroughly recommend it to any historical fiction lovers, or those who enjoy stories based around strong women''This story is soand POWERFUL, and it's astonishing how relevant Martha'sand FIGHT FOR JUSTICEand still feels today ... If you're looking for a rich, layered story about justice, resilience, and a woman who refused to be silenced,and The Frozen Riverand isand A MUST-READ''Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction withand STRONG FEMALE LEADS, intricate plotting, and aand BEATING HEART OF JUSTICE. Aand BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN, quietly fierce book that will stay with you long after the final page' Itsand SECRETSand kept meand UTTERLY HOOKED'