Martha Ballard, a midwife in Hallowell, Maine in the 1700s was a mainstay of her community. In a time when many women couldn’t read or write, she kept a diary recording births, deaths and other happenings in her family and the community.
When the Kennebec River froze in 1789, the body of a man was trapped in the ice. Martha was called on to examine the body and determine the cause of death. She believes the man was murdered. However, not everyone, particularly the local Harvard trained doctor agrees. The man is one of the men accused of rape four months before. Because of the doctor’s disagreement, Martha is forced to investigate. In pursuit of the truth, she uncovers things that implicate those she loves and force her to decide where her loyalties lie.
Martha is a historical personage and the story is based on the diaries she kept. While the mystery is a major focus of the book. The novel also highlights how women were treated in the 1700s. I thought the author did an excellent job bringing the time to life. Martha is a marvelous character. You can’t help rooting for her. The descriptions are also truly excellent they vividly depict life in a small community in the dead of winter.
I loved this book and can highly recommend it.
Thanks for Net Galley and the publisher for this review copy.
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