The Frozen River

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • GMA BOOK CLUB PICK • AN NPR BOOK OF THE YEAR

From the bestselling author of I Was Anastasia and Code Name Hélne comes a riveting historical mystery inspired by the true story and diary of Martha Ballard—an 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and carved her name 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: A Murder Hidden in Ice. A Woman Determined to Uncover the Truth.

When the frozen Kennebec River reveals the body of a man encased in ice, midwife and healer Martha Ballard is called upon to examine the remains. She knows the town’s secrets better than most—her meticulous diary records every birth, death, and crime in Hallowell. Months earlier, she documented the alleged rape of a young woman by two of the town’s most powerful men—one of whom is now dead.

But when a local physician dismisses her findings and rules the death an accident, Martha refuses to back down. As the trial looms and whispers of scandal grow louder, she is drawn deeper into a dangerous quest for justice—one that puts her reputation, her loved ones, and even her own life at risk.

Clever, immersive, and deeply feminist, The Frozen River is a gripping tale of resilience and justice, shining a light on a remarkable yet overlooked woman who challenged the status quo in a time when women’s voices were meant to be silenced.