Events - Event View

On Thursday, March 26, the group will meet to discuss Ariel Lawton’s best-selling novel The Frozen River. A gripping historical mystery set in 1789 Maine, the book is inspired by the true life of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th century midwife who defied the legal system and became a legend in American history. The novel is centered on Ballard, a midwife and healer who investigates the suspicious death of a man found frozen in the Kennebec River. In the process, she uncovers a web of secrets, alleged rape, and injustice in her close-knit community, all that are documented in her detailed diary. The story explores themes of female agency, societal constraints, and the pursuit of justice as Martha, using her unique position and recorded observations, challenges the male-dominated legal system. The evening’s discussion leader will be Elizabeth Kinney.