The Frozen River

Hollowell, Maine is a small town with the Kennebec River running through it. The year is 1789 and the Ballard family runs a well respected lumber mill. Mistress Martha Ballard is also a seasoned midwife and healer, the lives of many depending on her care. Most women do not read and write making Martha’s daily diary all the more valuable. She notes every birth, death and illness among these tight knit god fearing people where gossip runs rampant and kindness does not always abound. Her husband Ephraim is a good man and their 6 grown children are slowly making families of their own. One day Martha is called to care for and document the rape of a local woman named Rebecca. The woman accuses two well known, self important men of the crime. From that moment forward chaos ensues. During this brutally cold winter, one of these men is murdered. The other, uses every bit of his power to undermine Martha as a witness and take over the land and business of anyone who stands in his way. As this suspenseful thriller introduces us to the townspeople it is hard to know who Martha can trust while doggedly pursuing the truth. *Pay attention to the authors end notes where she details which parts are fictionalized and which are not. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️