The Frozen River (Hardcover) Book By Ariel Lawhon

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 investigates a shocking murder that unhinges her small community.

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449 pages

Average rating: 8.39

7,033 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Desert rat
May 29, 2026
10/10 stars
Canyon's Crown One of the best books I've read this year! Loved the history.
morgana2
Mar 04, 2026
very well written
Maria Morgan
Jan 10, 2026
9/10 stars
Very interesting characters and intriguing plot.
rttsmurphy
Jan 05, 2026
8/10 stars
A well-written historical fiction that tells the story of a midwife in late 18th-century Maine. It is suspenseful with a twist at the end. There were a lot of characters that were a part of the story, which confused me at times.
KelBel
Dec 16, 2025
8/10 stars
This was my first “historical fiction” I really liked it. Getting a glimpse of how life used to be in the late 17 hundreds was interesting albeit frustrating at times. A man having to be present before a woman can testify, not to mention charges for fornicating or having a child out of wedlock. Crazy times we used to live in. I really enjoyed learning about Martha and her family and was pleasantly surprised to find it was loosely based on a true person. I loved the romance between her and her husband and the relationships she had with her children. Her love for the town and the people within was felt in every aspect of her work. She was always wiling to come to the rescue of anyone no matter who they were or how they treated her. She was very genuine and respected by the town’s people. The mystery of the book was good as well, and I enjoyed the twists at the end when we finally find out who committed the murder. The Joseph North character was a real piece of #$%, (hope he wasn’t a real person) and I was glad to see him get what he got in the end!

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