GMA BOOK CLUB PICKS • NPR BOOK OF THE YEAR • From the New York Times bestselling author of I Was Anastasia and Code Name Helene, comes a captivating historical mystery inspired by her life and history. signed by Martha Ballard, a famous 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and made her mark on American history.
“Fans of Outlander's Claire Fraser will appreciate Lawhon's Martha, who is brave and outspoken in defending the innocent...impressive."—The Washington Post
"Once again, Lawhon works storytelling magic with a real-life heroine." —People Magazine
Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, burying a man in the tape, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine the cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she knows much of what goes on behind closed doors at Hallowell. Japan Her diary is a record of every life, death, crime, and failure that took place in private. Several months earlier, Martha had recorded the details of a rape allegedly committed by two of her most notable gentlemen. most revered in the city, one of whom is now found dead in the ice.But when a local doctor questions her findings and declares the death an accident, Martha is forced to investigate this shocking murder alone.
Over the course of a winter, as the trial approached and whispers and prejudice increased, Martha stubbornly sought the truth. Her diary soon becomes the center of scandal, implicating those she loves and forcing Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.
Clever, complex and subversive, Ariel Lawhon's new production introduces an unsung heroine who refuses to accept anything less than justice at a time when women are considered most seen and not heard. The Glacier is a thrilling, tense and tender story of a remarkable woman who left behind an unprecedented legacy that is largely forgotten to this day.
