The Frozen River

"A gripping historical mystery based on the real-life diary entries of Martha Ballard, an 18th-century midwife who found herself at the center of a murder trial"-- Provided by publisher.

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Excellent historical mystery set in 18th century Maine submitted by vickik on June 14, 2024, 9:10am This is a wonderful historical mystery and thrilling courtroom drama, inspired by actual events, about Martha Ballard, a midwife in 18th century Maine. When a dead body is found in a frozen river, Martha identifies the dead man as a prominent resident of the town, who was accused of rape. She defies the court system to find justice for the rape victim.

An account of life in 18th century Maine submitted by NCWyse on July 10, 2024, 12:41am The author has written a compelling account of a woman's life in the late 18th century as well as showing the rather primitive functioning of the young legal system. It is definitely a book worth reading.

Interesting Historical Mystery submitted by sdunav on July 19, 2024, 2:05pm Loosely based on the life of Martha Ballard, a late 18th c. midwife (check out her biography by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, which won a Pulitzer prize in 1991, but doesn't seem to be in AADL collection anymore - but there is a DVD and streaming video by PBS here: https://aadl.org/catalog/record/ib-100044085 ). Characters are all interesting, mystery was compelling, and it was well researched, if a little disjointed sometimes....but so was the diary and the history, so maybe that fits.

If you are a lover of historical fiction... submitted by JTreadwell on July 31, 2024, 10:06am You will enjoy this book. Set in America when the ink on the constitution was still wet, this book follows a local midwife through a winter filled with births, murder, family drama, and navigating a judicial system still in its infancy. You feel swept into the story every time you open the book. I had to wait a long time on the 'request' list before I got the chance to read this book, but it was worth the wait.

Fun Thriller submitted by lballard on June 13, 2025, 4:11pm This is a book based on true events, made into a thriller. Definitely enjoyed it overall. Though definitely has a rape trigger warning.
It is an interesting look into how the courts worked early in our country’s history.

Real events made into a compelling story submitted by jujurasc1083 on June 23, 2025, 5:57pm This book highlights the dangers women faced during the 18th and early 19th centuries, as told in the real journal entries of a midwife named Martha Ballard. Her recorded entries of daily life as a midwife have been transformed into a lovely work of historical fiction. It is a real whodunnit!

Slow burn submitted by cjdzieman on July 19, 2025, 1:50am This was a slow burn for me, but really loved the main character Martha by the end. She was such a strong female character throughout and her relentless will to find justice was admirable. I equally loved the character of her husband, Ephraim. He was such a strong supporting role to Martha, so tender and caring to her while also constantly encouraging to do the right thing, which seems rare for the time period this book takes place in.

Historical page-turner submitted by ecbfriedman on July 22, 2025, 6:34pm This historical novel kept me interested, particularly as it's loosely based on real lives and events. I had to be ok with some serious anachronisms (no one "unzipped" anything in the 1700s, and I had a hard time believing people would have actually held some of the sentiments supposedly most closely held by the characters), but it was an enjoyable read.

Better than expected submitted by flemingj on July 29, 2025, 7:46am I did not go into this story thinking it was up to my standards. I was surprised to find it educational and also fun to read.

Thoroughly Enjoyed This submitted by emprokop on August 3, 2025, 8:00pm This is a historical mystery set after the events of the Revolutionary War. The book gave an interesting glimpse of community life at this time in American history, while presenting a pretty interesting whodunit. Some things were a bit far-fetched and seemed out of place for the time, but these circumstances were bearable and didnt ruin the story. I recommend!

Amazing read!! Cant recommend it enough! submitted by emkyoungs on August 10, 2025, 6:11pm This book was amazing. I was unsure what to expect going into it, but I absolutely loved it. Heavy topics with rape and death/murder. I loved Martha and her resolve to get justice. I enjoyed the historical aspects of the book and leaning more about a small community after the American Revolution and the mystery aspect of solving the murder of the man found dead in the river. Loved the fox symbolism and the family/community aspect as well! And learning more about midwifery. All in all, really can't recommend this book enough!

A Haunting Historical Mystery submitted by rohansachar on August 15, 2025, 9:57am Ariel Lawhon masterfully weaves a compelling and atmospheric story based on the true life of Martha Ballard, a midwife and healer in 18th-century Maine. The novel is a chilling historical mystery, perfectly capturing the harsh realities of frontier life while following a brave woman's quest for justice in a time when her word meant so little.

A True Story of Female Resilience submitted by arpitashah on August 15, 2025, 9:57am This is a gripping and impeccably researched novel that brings a forgotten historical figure to life. Lawhon's writing is both vivid and immersive, offering a powerful look at female resilience, the fight for truth, and the quiet heroism found in a woman's daily defiance of a patriarchal world.