In the cold of night, she tends to the women.
In the light of day, she delivers them justice.

‘Lawhon works storytelling magic with a real-life heroine’ People Magazine

‘The narrator of Ariel Lawhon’s The Frozen River is another stalwart heroine’ The New York Times

‘Historical fiction at its best!’ 5 Star Reader Review

Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen-one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.

Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.

Clever, layered, and subversive, Ariel Lawhon’s newest offering introduces an unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice at a time when women were considered best seen and not heard. The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense, and tender story about a remarkable woman who left an unparalleled legacy yet remains nearly forgotten to this day.

Inspired by the life of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into history.

For fans of OUTLANDER and WHERE THE CRAWDAD SINGS

Readers love Ariel Lawhon

‘The HYPE IS REAL … I was absolutely drawn into Martha’s world, the harshness of the life, the struggle of women to have a voice, the mystery created. I loved this book so much! It’s in my books of the year’

‘Extremely ABSORBING and enjoyable read’

‘RIVETING … I would thoroughly recommend it to any historical fiction lovers, or those who enjoy stories based around strong women’

‘This story is so POWERFUL, and it’s astonishing how relevant Martha’s FIGHT FOR JUSTICE still feels today … If you’re looking for a rich, layered story about justice, resilience, and a woman who refused to be silenced, The Frozen River is A MUST-READ’

TV SERIES IN DEVELOPMENT STARRING ELIZABETH DEBICKI (TENET, THE CROWN) AS NANCY WAKE

A thrilling and heart-wrenching novel inspired by the astonishing real life story of Nancy Wake. Perfect for fans of Suzanne Goldring’s MY NAME IS EVA, Kate Quinn’s THE ALICE NETWORK and Imogen Kealey’s LIBERATION, soon to be a blockbuster movie.

‘Lawhon breathes new life into Nancy Wake’s extraordinary story. Rich and thoroughly researched, an exciting, well-written account of wartime valour and the protagonist’s qualities shine through’ The Times

‘This is the next book I won’t be able to stop talking about…so, so good!‘ 5 stars (Goodreads reviewer)

‘Readers will be transfixed by this story of a woman who should be a household name’ Library Journal

‘A gripping thriller based on the life of Nancy Wake… Will keep readers turning the pages’ Publishers Weekly

In 1936, foreign correspondent, Nancy Wake, witnesses first-hand the terror of Hitler’s rise in Europe. No sooner has Nancy met, fallen in love with and agreed to marry French industrialist Henri Fiocca, than the Germans invade France and force her to take on her first code name of many. The Gestapo call her the White Mouse for her remarkable ability to evade capture when smuggling Allied soldiers across borders. She becomes Hélène when she leaves France to train in espionage with an elite special forces group in London. Then, when she returns to France, she is the deadly Madame Andrée. But the closer France gets to liberation, the more exposed Nancy – and the people she loves – will become.

Inspired by true wartime events, Code Name Hélène is a gripping and moving story of extraordinary courage, unfaltering resolve, remarkable sacrifice – and enduring love.

Just some of the 5-star reader reviews for Code Name Hélène:

‘I finished this a few weeks ago and I’m still thinking about Hélène . . . exceptional‘ 5 stars (Goodreads reviewer)

‘Will have you turning off phones and TVs and staying up late to read it’ 5 stars (Goodreads reviewer)