Review: The Frozen River

Title: The Frozen River

Author: Ariel Lawhon

Publisher: 1st November 2023 by Simon & Schuster Australia

Pages: 432 pages

Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction | Mystery & Thrillers

Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

From the bestselling author of Code Name Hélène comes a gripping historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who investigates a shocking murder that unhinges her small community.

Maine, 1789: When a man is found entombed in the frozen Kennebec River, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As the local midwife and healer, Martha is good at keeping secrets. Her diary is a record of every birth, death and debacle that unfolds in the town of Hallowell. In that diary she has also documented the details of an alleged rape that occurred by one of the town’s most esteemed gentlemen – the same man who has now been found dead in the ice. 

While certain townspeople are eager to put both matters to rest, Martha suspects that the two crimes are linked, and that there is more to both cases than meets the eye. Over the course of one long, hard winter, whispers and prejudices mount, and Martha’s diary lands at the centre of the scandal, threatening to tear both her family and her community apart.   

In her newest offering, Ariel Lawhon brings to life a brave and compassionate unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice on behalf of those no one else would protect. The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense and tender story of a remarkable woman who had the courage to take a stand, and in the process wrote herself into history.

My Thoughts

‘The frozen river alters every facet of life for those who live along it, yet the judges take the inconvenience as a personal slight.’

I first came across Ariel with her book, Flight of Dreams (about the Hindenburg disaster) in 2016 - it was brilliant. Then in 2020 I read, Code Name Hélène (about Nancy Wake) - once again, brilliant. It is therefore needless to say, I was filled with anticipation about her latest even though I knew nothing of a midwife from 1789 in post revolution America. I do now - and boy! I will not soon forget it. 

‘I cry. Mostly for Rebecca and the tiny, unwanted beating heart deep within her womb. But also for myself. And our daughters. And for every other woman who lives, suffers, and dies by the mercurial whims of men.’

The Frozen River is, in a nutshell, outstanding historical fiction. It is based on fact stemming from the diary of one midwife born in 1735, one Martha Ballard. Martha wrote a daily diary - short facts recording births, deaths, the weather etc. Let us be clear, Ariel states herself that this is her version of “what could have happened in this woman’s life. It is not a biography, nor do I claim to be an historian. I’m simply a storyteller, and I have felt, for fifteen years, that Martha’s story is worth telling.”  Let me tell you … it is!

“Memory is a wicked thing that warps and twists. But paper and ink receive the truth without emotion, and they read it back without partiality.”

Regaled here is one long, brutal winter in 1789 that marked a decidedly momentous time for the community of Hallowell. Yes, this is a tale of the everyday life of living in a small post-Revolution community with a definite focus on the plight of women. However, so so cleverly tied into this is a murder mystery of the highest calibre that will have you guessing to the very end. 

“I simply ask that Mr. Sewall record in the official court documents that there are contradicting views as to the cause of Mr. Burgess’s death. One that states accidental drowning.” I pause for effect. “And one that states murder.”

The detail and specifics that Ariel delivers to her readers is nothing short of spectacular. Be sure to take time to truly sink into Ariel’s, ‘Author Notes’ at the conclusion. Martha is such an extraordinary character and I have so much respect for her courage and the women she sought to care for and represent. I also reveled in the very special relationship she has with her husband, Ephraim. 

‘We are in the twilight years of a long love affair, and it has recently occurred to me that a day will come when one of us buries the other. But, I remind myself, that is the happy ending to a story like ours. It is a vow made and kept. Till death do us part. It is the only acceptable outcome to a long and happy marriage, and I am determined not to fear that day, whenever it arrives. I am equally determined to soak up all the days between.’

The Frozen River is a definite stand out book for me in 2023 and I highly recommend it to all as it ticks so many boxes. It is complex yet clear in regaling readers about a very special woman from history. If a tale rich in research of a time, place, people and intrigue. Sound inviting?  Do yourself a favour and read it. 

‘I cannot say why it is so important that I make this daily record. Perhaps because I have been doing so for years on end? Or maybe - if I am being honest - it is because these markings of ink and paper will one day be the only proof that I have existed in this world. That I lived and breathed. That I loved a man and the many children he gave me. It is not that I want to be remembered, per se. I have done nothing remarkable. Not by the standards of history, at least. But I am here.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.