Inspired by the real 18th century midwife Martha Ballard, Ariel Lawhon has weaved together a tale that will keep the reader on the edge of their seat. On a chilly April night in 1789 Martha returns home after delivering a baby to find out that her sons and their friend discovered a body in the cracked frozen river. Martha is asked to inspect the body and discovers it’s one of the men who was accused (along with another) of raping the wife of the former pastor. Martha assesses it to be murder but a doctor new to town claims it was an accident. That sets Martha on the path of investigating to help bring justice to the pastor’s wife.

I didn’t realize Martha Ballard was a real person until I got to the author’s note at the end of the book. Quite unusual for the time Martha not only was skilled in reading and writing, but she also brought money into her household via her midwifery. She had such strong opinions on how women should be treated and how horrible it was that when raped and impregnated, the woman was fined and made to be an outcast while the man walked free. She was a feminist far before her time!

This book was so much better than I ever expected it to be! It has a little bit of everything in it- murder mystery, family drama, suspense, and historical fiction and it comes together so well. I didn’t think it dragged at all, and I really loved the majority of the characters. The author’s note at the end is fascinating and I’ll definitely be checking out more of her books!