The Frozen River by Ariel Lawson was a mystery at a time from the 1780s on the Kennebec River. The river had started to freeze and a man was found frozen in the ice. Maine was still owned by Massachusetts and rules were enforced by men for men. He was brought into the local tavern and the midwife was called on to determine his cause of death. The dead man, according to Martha, was murdered, despite the fact that a new local doctor believed otherwise.
Martha Ballard was a midwife and a healer for the area around Hallowell, Maine. Her husband runs a mill on the river. Their mostly grown children still live at home or at least in the area. Martha and her difficult horse Brutus were welcome almost everywhere. She kept a journal to document the weather, but mostly to chronicle her daily work. As a midwife, Martha had some leeway, but not a lot because she was a woman and therefore under her husband’s authority.
This starts an interesting tale of the people and their lives on the Kennebec River during the winter in Hallowell, Maine. The river, the settlers and the winter along with a murder all interact to create a fascinating tale. Martha as the main character with her healing skills allows her to meet and help various people and find clues about the murder. Her husband and children are important characters that support her and all hold some information that could be helpful.
I found this story fascinating. I was interested in the court system, medical trends and the way people interact. I found myself cheering on Martha as she figured out the who, what and why of the murder. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawson was a great read!
