Frozen river

The Story of Martha Ballard and the Mystery of a Lost Life

Maine, 1789: When the body of a man is found in a frozen river, Martha Ballard is called upon to determine the cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to many secrets, her diary a record of every birth and death, crime and scandal that occurs in the close-knit community. A few months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town's most respected men—and one of them has now been found dead. But when the local doctor disputes her conclusion that it was murder and declares the death an accident, Martha resolves to uncover the truth on her own.

The Frozen River is a gripping, thrilling, and tender story about a remarkable woman who left an unparalleled legacy, yet remains almost forgotten to this day. Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife, defied the legal system and made her mark on American history.