The Frozen River: A GMA Book Club Pick

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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 bestsellerbanner with 3D book shot: International bestseller

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

Washington Post says Impressive, and NPR calls it compellingWashington Post says Impressive, and NPR calls it compelling

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

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BVTXZXZJ
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Doubleday (December 5, 2023)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 5, 2023
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 4512 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 420 pages

Customers say

Customers find the book engaging, compelling, and excellent. They praise the writing quality as great and effortless to read. Readers describe the story as historical fiction, interwoven with a bit of history, and rooted in truth. They appreciate the wonderful, strong female characters and emotional content. Additionally, they mention the story moves quickly and is easy to get caught up in.

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12 reviews for The Frozen River: A GMA Book Club Pick

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    Dadannac

    A Must Read
    This is not the type of book I would ordinarily read, but a couple of outstanding reviews and recommendations convinced me to try it. So glad I did. This is the best book I have read in a long time. It is historical fiction, family and community drama, thriller, mystery, crime drama, feminist manifesto, love story, and a lot more. The writing is superb and the post-Revolutionary War life and details struck me as very well researched and authentic. The narrator and hero Martha Ballard is a literary icon in my opinion—brave, wise, funny, loving, smart, ambitious and, of course, way ahead of her time ( the latter at times seemed a bit over the top, but I loved the book too much to quibble,). Ariel Lawhon has woven together a great story with memorable characters

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    SKJ

    enjoyed this, especially the time period
    I thought this was well written and presented interesting moral dilemmas for the characters. I enjoyed the time period – late 1700s. The setting felt vivid to me and the characters were believable. The plot moved along for the most part. While I enjoyed what happened to North, it was a little too ‘perfect.’ Overall a good book.

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    Robyn

    Compelling! Exceptional!
    Martha Ballard….how I will miss you. I absolutely love the way Ariel wrote Martha’s character. This book is going to be one that I reread, and when I do, it’ll be because I miss Martha and want to spend time with her. ❤️•This story begins with the body of a man being found frozen in the Kennebec River in 1700s Maine. Martha Ballard, a midwife, is summoned to inspect the body and declares the man has been murdered. The man?….. one of 2 alleged of raping a married woman, Rebecca Foster. We are carried through the story by our desire to find out who committed the murder, and if Rebecca will receive justice through the legal system during a time women had few rights. Along the way, we get a beautifully crafted look into day-to-day, small town life in 1700s America, social inequalities, motherhood, and childbearing, with Martha Ballard’s journal entries being at the heart of this story.•There is no denying an incredible amount of research preceded this book. The realities of that time are wonderfully depicted. The hardships and prejudices. It causes one to take pause and consider what life was like for people back in that time, especially women, leaving you thankful for how things have changed. However, it also makes you consider what hasn’t changed as much as you’d expect.•Again, I could not get enough of Martha. She is strong and bold FMC. I admired her courage and intellect. I also admired how she stood up for women, herself included, and fought to give them all a voice when women had none.🥰 She is a remarkable woman and such an inspiration!!•I enjoyed seeing glimpses of her and Ephraim’s love story throughout the years. Ephraim was endearing. It’s hard not to love him….for the man he was, the husband he was… and the provider he was. I enjoyed their family and life together.•I highly recommend this book! I did find myself losing track of who some people were, and it was a slower pace for a mystery. But this book embedded itself into my heart, so I have to give it 5🌟. Don’t skip the author’s note! This was my first Ariel Lawhon read, but it will not be my last.

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    FindPrimal

    Lest We Forget
    I read at night and this book kept me up way past my bedtime. My eyes were streaming and blurry from fatigue but I could not stop turning the pages. Historical fiction is my favorite genre and this book in particular was neat because it was pieced together around actual daily diary entries. The author states in her Author’s Notes that it is 75 percent non-fiction. That aside, the story line moved right along and I found it incredibly interesting and compelling. The characters and dialogue were quite believable to me. The crux of the story is the plight of women in the late 1700’s, most notably the disparity of justice between genders. As a woman, it was incredibly risky to speak out…. still is to some extent…. but we forget, don’t we? Martha, the main character, was a true advocate for women’s rights and master in the art of Midwifery and healing. Had she been male, a great monument would probably have been erected in her honor. This story was not really a “thriller” per se, but I am purposefully not giving spoiler details…. why do reviewers do that??? ….. just my abridged opinion of this book. Extremely well written, interesting, and thought provoking. This book will stay in my collection to be re-read in a decade.

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    katie

    Well-written and captivating murder mystery.
    The story is exciting and interesting– and keeps the reader engaged. The characters are well developed–and the “first person” narrative added to the depth of plot, action–and certainly the main characters. Very exciting (and often sorrowful) as the people and environment change–right to the suspenseful end.

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    Carpool Book Club

    4.3 stars!
    Frozen River sneaks up on you. It starts off slow, but before long, you’re engrossed in the lives of the characters. Lawson does a fantastic job of creating a world that feels real and full of beautiful, quiet moments. The way she weaves in themes of loss, forgiveness, and the passage of time is both emotive and reflective.As a Shakespeare enthusiast, I really loved the Bard nods throughout this book. In addition to the quotes, I spotted references to both Macbeth and The Tempest sprinkled throughout the story. It added an extra layer of depth to the novel without being overbearing. You don’t have to be a Shakespeare buff to appreciate these nuggets, but if you are, it’s a nice bonus.That said, there was one thing that did not work for me…the whole fox metaphor. It’s lovely in theory, but I didn’t really see how it tied into the overall plot. Each time the fox appeared, I kept waiting for some revelation (big or small) that never came. Still, that’s a small complaint in what was otherwise a compelling and thoughtful read. I recommend to all lovers of historical fiction with a twist of mystery.P.S. The book is based on a true story!

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    Rockymthijr

    Inspiring tale of Life!
    Loved the writer’s style taking present day life’s decisions with reflection of contributing experience that brought them here. Fast moving, real, believable & inspiring. Living ALL of life. Great Book Club read.

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    Lynne

    The Frozen River ….. the story is based on Martha Ballard’s Diary from the 1700’s, we’ll written, excellent story!

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    Christine Boos

    This was a great read! The author lent a convincing voice to Martha, inspired by her real life. Very interesting indeed to read about all Martha achieved as a midwife ( not one mother she delivered died ). In this fictional novel though, she is also investigating a murder…. Her story reveals a woman very much aware of the low consideration of women even in case of rapes…. Even though she clearly and loudly dared testify in court, her testimony was not taken seriously….The author painted a warm picture of a very lively Martha. I liked her immensely straight from the beginning of the novel! I loved her courage, resilience, her sense of duty and deep love for her family. Martha is also witty and brought a smile to my face many times! Through Martha’s story, the legal and social historical background is meticulously revealed. Highly recommended!

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    Chrissie

    Love the characters and while only based on a real historical figure it made for great reading . The descriptions of the cold harsh conditions were great

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    Amazon Customer

    I hardly have the words to say how interesting this book was, particularly because it was based on the journal of a real woman who lived in those times. The plot was interesting, it was very educational about that time period, and all the characters were so well described that I easily thought of them as living, breathing people. Even the author’s notes at the end were compelling to read. Excellent, excellent!

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    Faith

    Loved the period & lived through the emotion of most characters. It’s a book that will stay with me for many reasons

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

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