Historical Fiction · Free kit
The Frozen River
In the brutal winter of 1789, the Kennebec River freezes solid, entombing a man in the ice. Midwife Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. She identifies Joshua Burgess—one of two men accused of raping a pastor's wife four months earlier. When Martha declares the death a murder, not an accident, she sets herself against powerful men who want the truth buried. Over one long, unforgiving Maine winter, Martha's diary becomes evidence in a rape trial, her family is torn apart by secrets, and she must decide what justice looks like when the law fails women. Based on the real-life diary of an 18th-century midwife who delivered over 1,000 babies without losing a mother, The Frozen River is a gripping historical mystery about a woman who refused to stay silent.
“Memory is a wicked thing that warps and twists. But paper and ink receive the truth without emotion, and they read it back without impartiality.”
Complete free book club kit
BookClubee may earn a commission from Bookshop.org purchases, which supports independent bookshops.
Plan your meeting
The Frozen River Printables
Get the full printable pack on Etsy, or print individual pages from Bingo, Discussion Questions, and Hosting.
The Frozen River sticker sheet
Die-cut stickers inspired by the frozen Kennebec River, Martha's diary, midwifery tools, and the 1789 Maine frontier.
Included in printable pack
Favorite quote cards
Blank cards for guests to write the line from the book that hit them hardest—especially Martha's observations about truth, memory, and justice.
Included in printable pack
Character superlatives ballot
Vote on who really deserves each superlative—then debate whether Martha was a hero or complicit, and whether Ephraim's castration was justice or revenge.
Included in printable pack
Book club invite
Printable invite featuring the kit's hook about murder, midwifery, and a woman who refused to stay silent.
Included in printable pack
Truth documentation card
A prompt card inspired by Martha's diary-keeping: 'What's one truth you've witnessed that deserves to be recorded so it isn't forgotten?'
Included in printable pack