The Frozen River: A GMA Book Club Pick

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars | 41,862 ratings

Price: 14.99

Last update: 01-07-2025


About this item

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • GMA BOOK CLUB PICK • AN NPR BOOK OF THE YEAR • 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 defied the legal system and wrote herself into American history.

"Fans of Outlander’s Claire Fraser will enjoy Lawhon’s Martha, who is brave and outspoken when it comes to protecting the innocent. . . impressive."—The Washington Post

"Once again, Lawhon works storytelling magic with a real-life heroine." —People Magazine

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.

From the Publisher

banner with 3D book shot: International bestseller

Lawhon works storytelling magic with a real-life heroine, says People

Washington Post says Impressive, and NPR calls it compelling

A gothic, wintry feel that makes it an ideal fireside read, writes Real Simple


Top reviews from the United States

  • Nona of 8
    5.0 out of 5 stars A fine read for female or male
    Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2023
    I found this book quite by accident. Those are some of the best I've ever read, with this being one of the top. I was applying for the Goodreads Sweepsteaks and read the description of this book. How interesting it sounded. Yet, could I wait until January to either win it ( most likely not) or purchase it and have it sent on the day of release? That sounded much more plausible, if not practical. The publisher released the book in mid-December. I dropped everything in my personal life except for the utmost essential things that one has no choice to attend to in the hopes my gut feeling about this book was all it was to be. I will not give away anything not written on the dust jacket. Why ruin such a good book for someone else? I will share what I experienced while reading this book, what I thought as a seasoned reader of 58 years and one or two eras that didn't usually appeal to me. That would be the 1600s-1800s. While I do admit to having watched movies (begrudgingly), I still went ahead when I read that this story spans over the late 1700s and loops back 20 and 30 years at a time to make one aware of circumstances that occurred in the present time which would then be the late 1700s. The cast of characters is many, but it is not hard to remember who they are, the dead man, the midwife, her husband and children, the judges, the accused, and the woman who suffered through multiple rapes.
    The midwife keeps records of all things that go on in the town. The weather, plus the babies that are born and die. The mothers who fall ill, as well as others who, due to nature or illness, are no strangers to an early demise. Deaths, along with causes, are duly noted. As is anything else she finds of importance. It's a good thing, too, because she gets herself embroiled in a murder mystery that she needs to figure out and isn't all that fond of some of those whom she has questions for regarding the murder. Some other unexpected things come into play when the most evil of those go looking to cover up old mistakes before new ones become uncovered.
    I left this book feeling sad, as I do when a bookend that I think could have added on a new generation, a new story, a new beginning for the Ballard family and the town of Hollowell, but maybe the Author has that in mind. It would be a pleasure to continue with this family, even in a fictional world.
    I do not doubt that you will not want to put this down if given a couple of pages to become embroiled. The Author's writing style is such that you feel you are there, part of the scenery, cold and shivering, or warm and toasty. Easy to not only imagine but easy to read in general. Not a 'hard read'. It's just a joy to pick up whenever you get the chance. This book is one I will share with others
    Customer image
    Nona of 8
    5.0 out of 5 stars A fine read for female or male
    Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2023
    I found this book quite by accident. Those are some of the best I've ever read, with this being one of the top. I was applying for the Goodreads Sweepsteaks and read the description of this book. How interesting it sounded. Yet, could I wait until January to either win it ( most likely not) or purchase it and have it sent on the day of release? That sounded much more plausible, if not practical. The publisher released the book in mid-December. I dropped everything in my personal life except for the utmost essential things that one has no choice to attend to in the hopes my gut feeling about this book was all it was to be. I will not give away anything not written on the dust jacket. Why ruin such a good book for someone else? I will share what I experienced while reading this book, what I thought as a seasoned reader of 58 years and one or two eras that didn't usually appeal to me. That would be the 1600s-1800s. While I do admit to having watched movies (begrudgingly), I still went ahead when I read that this story spans over the late 1700s and loops back 20 and 30 years at a time to make one aware of circumstances that occurred in the present time which would then be the late 1700s. The cast of characters is many, but it is not hard to remember who they are, the dead man, the midwife, her husband and children, the judges, the accused, and the woman who suffered through multiple rapes.
    The midwife keeps records of all things that go on in the town. The weather, plus the babies that are born and die. The mothers who fall ill, as well as others who, due to nature or illness, are no strangers to an early demise. Deaths, along with causes, are duly noted. As is anything else she finds of importance. It's a good thing, too, because she gets herself embroiled in a murder mystery that she needs to figure out and isn't all that fond of some of those whom she has questions for regarding the murder. Some other unexpected things come into play when the most evil of those go looking to cover up old mistakes before new ones become uncovered.
    I left this book feeling sad, as I do when a bookend that I think could have added on a new generation, a new story, a new beginning for the Ballard family and the town of Hollowell, but maybe the Author has that in mind. It would be a pleasure to continue with this family, even in a fictional world.
    I do not doubt that you will not want to put this down if given a couple of pages to become embroiled. The Author's writing style is such that you feel you are there, part of the scenery, cold and shivering, or warm and toasty. Easy to not only imagine but easy to read in general. Not a 'hard read'. It's just a joy to pick up whenever you get the chance. This book is one I will share with others
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  • Donald Mead
    4.0 out of 5 stars Never trust 5 stars....or 1 star
    Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2024
    Ariel Lawhon is an established, best-selling novelist focusing on historical stories. THE FROZEN RIVER is my first experience with her work. The story is set in Maine in the late 1700s, and follows our hero, Martha Ballard, as she plies her trade (midwife) while navigating the political and social structures of that time. It should be noted that Martha and the many characters in this story were real—Martha herself being a famous figure for delivering over 1000 babies without loss of either baby or mother. Many of the events surrounding these characters in the novel are actual historical events. The story itself is fiction, of course, and the author lets us know in an epilogue how she wove both fact and fiction together.

    The story (kinda) revolves around a body (a man) found in the frozen Kennebec River, which is soon to be determined a murder. We soon discover the dead man is one of two suspects in the rape of one of Martha’s friends. I say “kinda” because the body is soon forgotten in favor of the rape accusation. The other suspect in the rape is a prominent judge (judge North) who is involved in various, nefarious business dealings around the area which connect to Martha and many of the locals. Martha is a key participant in the rape trial as she was the first to examine the victim.

    The writing is superb, and we can see why Lawhon is a best seller. Her characters (with the exception of North) are beautifully rendered with exceptional attention to personality and motivation. There are no stereotypes here. Lawhon’s writing is flows effortlessly, reveals intimately yet never gets in the way of the story. Lawhon’s not trying to impress us with her ability. So well done.

    That said, there are a couple of weaknesses to this story. As alluded above, there is not a strong driver—backbone—to propel the events. That is, the plot is weak and almost non-existent. We start with the murder (the body found in the river), but that is quickly gets forgotten in favor or the rape trial. This is all interspersed between the many births Martha attends. I you like “Call the Midwife” you’ll love this book. Even the trial isn’t that big of a compelling factor. I kept asking myself what’s on the line for the main character? What needs to the resolved? Heck, why are we here? Judge North, unlike the other characters is a one-dimensional bad guy from the start. I kept hoping the author would flip something on us, or spring some sort of surprise, but nope.

    Another weakness (very minor) is over-research. I expect the author to do her research to make it an authentic as possible, but I don’t want to be hit over the head by it. Multiple pages of how to make candles should’ve been rethought.

    The author has modernized several aspects of the main character and speech patterns of the time. Martha’s morals and attitudes would fit in well today. That’s ok, in this case. The author has to make the story and characters as palatable to readers as possible. It’s all about the sales.

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