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The Frozen River: A GMA Book Club Pick: A Novel

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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. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group


Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 5, 2024


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Print length ‏ : ‎ 449 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593312074


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 70


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.19 x 1.06 x 8 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #248 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #9 in Women Sleuths (Books) #18 in Historical Fiction (Books) #25 in Women's Literature & Fiction


#9 in Women Sleuths (Books):


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Top Amazon Reviews

    • Riveting. Historical Fiction at its finest.
Format: Kindle
Martha Ballard, mid-wife and healer, wife of Ephraim, and mother of six surviving children, has delivered hundreds of babies in the last three decades. She never said no to a woman in labor. No matter whether it was daylight or dark or what the weather was in northern Maine, when she was needed, Martha would saddle her horse, Brutus, and go. Daily she faithfully wrote in the leather bound journals her husband bought for her. She documented the weather, each mother and birth she attended, and other pertinent information she had witnessed each day. The book begins with a life entering the world and a life snuffed out and thrown in the iced filled Kennebec River which runs through the middle of community of Hallowell, Maine. It took seven men to cut through the ice and pull the dead man out of the river. Martha was called to identify the body and determine the cause of his death. After examining the body and coming to a decision of how he died, Martha was challenged by the new doctor in town Benjamin Page MD - a smug, Harvard educated, pompous, arrogant physician new to the community. Dr. Page not only challenged her decision as to how the man had died, he continued to be a thorn in her side throughout most of the book. Using Martha Ballard’s actual diaries, Ariel Lawhon has crafted a riveting fictionalized tale of birthing babies, corrupt government officials, biased laws and hard court rulings against women. Of rape. Of murder. Of family and what life was like for women who lived in 18th Century America. Martha was a champion of women’s rights before the term was even coined. When starting this book, immediately reader feels that he or she is part of the community and is invested in Martha’s life and the lives of the vulnerable women she assists. This well written, well researched novel is a five star read for me and one on my favorites so far this year. The action never stops. Make sure you read the author’s extensive notes at the end of the book. You will miss out on the real story if you don’t! The Frozen River is my first Ariel Lawhon book. It will not be my last. Don’t miss this book depicting the incredible strength Martha Ballard displays no matter what she faces. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2024 by KWyly
    • An Uxorious Adventure featuring a 21st-century couple thrust into late 18th-century Maine.
Format: Kindle
The Frozen River is an enjoyable read. The protagonist, Martha Ballard, is a fine person. Her husband, Ephraim, is admirable. They are in love in such a pleasurable way. The theme of women’s status in hardscrabble Maine in 1789 keeps reminding the reader that this is a 21st-century writer using a historical backdrop to address the issue of women’s rights and status, and the modern viewpoint often appears, usually not too jarringly, but it occasionally took me out of the story. It’s a well-written historical novel with a 21st-century theme. The story itself is fascinating, based on a historical person—a quite amazing one, at that. Lawton’s research on the times and mores seems solid and interesting. Her descriptive writing is lovely, a fine continuo behind the story. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2026 by John B. Rogers
    • One of the best books I read
Format: Kindle
I couldn’t stop reading this book. Every page was better than the last, and I found myself not wanting it to end. The story beautifully captured the spirit of its era, bringing the characters and their world vividly to life. As I read, I couldn’t help, but think of the stories my grandmother shared about growing up during a time similar to this. The books start memories, emotions, and a deep appreciation for a different generations experiences. It was captivating from beginning to end and it was a story that will stay with me long after I turned the final page. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2026 by Manfredo Marinoni
    • Great book
Format: Paperback
Beautiful writing and captivating story. I felt totally immersed in the time period. Highly recommend!
Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2026 by Lexi Hensel
    • It was a great choice
Just finished this exciting title (Ariel Lawhon: The Frozen River) inspired by Martha Ballard, 18th century midwife’s diary that turned out to be an amazingly plotted thriller while retaining authentic picture of America just after the Revolutionary War. I was amazed how the author carefully withdrew information and gave the reader in surprising doses all the backstory, one chunk of a time. The language is beautiful, the characters are perfectly crafted and you can’t wait to turn the pages. Reviewers say it’s two long (over 600 pages in my edition) but I was never bored, just the opposite. Immerse yourself in Maine’s freezing winter, follow the mysteries around a dead body, discover how a midwife knew more about women than doctors of the time. There is a lot to learn about the subordinate position of women of the time and how they were fined when raped (!) while the male perpetrator walked away in numerous cases with impunity. But it’s not only about the dark side of the age. Love, honesty and integrity is a main topic of the story, even when law or “justice” may not be on your side. Highly recommended to lovers of rich historical fiction with mystery elements - 5* from me! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2026 by Robert Bordas
    • Great Main Character, Rael Life Midwife
Format: Kindle
Many years ago, I read 'A Midwife's Tale,' a biography of Martha Ballard based on her diary by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. In her end note, Lawhon mentions that she, too, found this book fascinating, and for years she wanted to write a novel about Ballard. The result is 'The Frozen River. It covers the time from November 1789, when the river froze, to April 1790, when the thaw begins. Lawhon prides herself on following historical facts, but she does admit to compressing time in her novel as well as deleting and adding details. And a lot of the story is speculation on what might have happened. Nevertheless, it's a compelling story and provides a fascinating look at life in America just a few years after the Constitution was adopted. Martha Ballard's days are filled with the usual woman's work: cooking, cleaning, marketing, raising children. Except that she is a midwife and must drop everything when she gets the call. Through her, Lawhon gives the reader lots of details about the practice of midwifery. Since, initially, there is no doctor in the town, Martha is also called upon when her neighbors are ill, wounded, or need other medical assistance, and she is also called to examine dead bodies to give her opinion on the cause of death. This is how she gets caught up in the investigation of a man whose body was chopped from the river ice. She attests that many of the marks on his body seem to have been inflicted not by hitting rocks and debris as he floated along but that he has marks on his neck that show he was hanged before being thrown into the river. Her involvement increases when she learns that one of her sons had an altercation with the dead man the previous night, and when her friend Rebecca Foster confesses that she was raped by two men, one the dead man and the other a prominent town official. Lawhon has effectively combined biographical fiction with historical mystery. I am not particularly a fan of the second, but the mystery, discoveries, hearings, testimonies, and manipulations of John North, the local justice accused of rape, to monopolize local woodlands and defame Martha and Rebecca are very well integrated into daily life, social customs and structure, and the foibles of a new country's government and flawed justice system. I enjoyed the novel and her expansion of Martha Ballard's character. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2024 by Cariola
    • Best read
Format: Paperback
Review Image by victoria
I cant put the book down The Frozen River is an engaging historical novel that blends rich period detail with a compelling mystery. Set in 1789 Maine, the story follows Martha Ballard, a determined midwife whose life becomes entwined with a chilling discovery a man found frozen in the river and the secrets that begin to unravel in her community. What stood out most to me was how vividly the time and place are depicted; the author brings early America to life with immersive descriptions of daily routines, midwifery, and community dynamics, without ever letting the history feel dry or distant. Martha is a thoughtful and grounded protagonist whose intelligence and resilience drive the narrative. Her voice adds emotional depth and authenticity, making her struggles and triumphs feel real. The mystery element adds steady intrigue that kept me turning pages, even when the pace settled into the quieter rhythms of colonial life. At times the story lingers on everyday details, which may feel slow to readers who prefer nonstop action, but for anyone who enjoys character-driven historical fiction with a strong sense of place, that slower pace only adds to the atmosphere. Overall, The Frozen River is a well-crafted, immersive read with thoughtful prose, a memorable heroine, and enough suspense to make it hard to put down especially if you enjoy historical fiction with heart and depth. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2026 by victoria
    • Holds your interest from the start
Format: Paperback
This was good read. Holds your interest from the start! Always something happening, don’t have to wait till the end for the big ending. It is in small print but worth the read. I def recommend it.
Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2026 by miss book

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