An NPR Best Book of 2023
“The narrator of Ariel Lawhon’s The Frozen River is another stalwart heroine. . .detailed descriptions of the routines of village life give this narrative its intimate sense of connection — and set [the narrator] up for a pivotal confrontation.” –-The New York Times Book Review
"Fans of 'Outlander’s' Claire Fraser will enjoy Lawhon’s Martha, who is brave and outspoken when it comes to protecting the innocent. . . impressive."
--The Washington Post
“Compelling . . .a most uncozy mystery that addresses the unbalanced power dynamics of men and women, rich and poor.” --NPR, Weekend Edition
“Martha Ballard is not just a Maine midwife who’s never lost a patient. She’s also a truth speaker and a justice seeker in an era when women can’t even testify in court. . .Once again, Lawhon works storytelling magic with a real-life heroine.” --People Magazine, Book of the Week
"Part murder mystery, part historical fiction . . . this novel has a gothic, wintry feel that makes it an ideal fireside read.”
--Real Simple
"A richly satisfying drama . . . A vivid, exciting page-turner from one of our most interesting authors of historical fiction.”
--Kirkus, starred review
“Outstanding. . . Martha is an extraordinary character. . . Lawhon's first-rate tale should entrance readers passionate about early America and women’s history.”
--Booklist, starred review
“Atmospheric, unique and elegantly written, The Frozen River will satisfy mystery lovers and historical fiction enthusiasts alike.”
--BookPage, starred review
"The stirring story of one woman’s quest for justice. . . Lawhon combines modern prose with the immediacy of her source material, making for an accessible and textured narrative. This accomplished historical powerfully speaks to centuries-old inequities that remain in the present day."
--Publishers Weekly
"A thoroughly engaging, rich story with a murder mystery; secrets, gossip, and hypocrisy; a corrupt judge; a tightly knit community of villagers; women at the mercy of a patriarchal society; and the early stages of a developing justice system following the Revolutionary War. . . Turn the last page, and you will want more of this world she has created."
--Historical Novel Society
“The Frozen River is so vivid, so textured and multilayered, that I felt I'd opened a door and entered post-revolutionary America, walking beside Lawhon's compelling characters in a time and place riven by hardship, disease, and misogyny, but also intense love and searing natural beauty. This novel was unlike anything I'd read before, and it left me awe-struck.”
--Lauren Belfer, New York Times bestselling author of City of Light and Ashton Hall
Praise for Code Name Helene
“A compulsively readable account of a little-known yet extraordinary historical figure—Lawhon's best book to date.” —Kirkus, starred review
“Magnificent. . . Lawhon carries us into the heart of the French resistance [and] into the mind of a badass heroine with uncanny instincts who takes on the Nazis and men’s arrogant sexism with uncommon bravado. . . Even long after the last page is turned, this astonishing story of Wake’s accomplishments will hold readers in its grip.” —Booklist, starred review
“Readers will be transfixed by the story of a woman who should be a household name.” —Library Journal, starred review
Praise for I Was Anastasia
“Effortless, eloquent prose transports the reader via a dramatic, suspenseful and satisfying work of historical fiction.” —USA Today
“Told with masterful intensity and moments of true human compassion.” —Helen Simonson, New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Before the War
“Ariel Lawhon is a masterful storyteller; I Was Anastasia is a wild ride, extravagant with its vivid sensory experiences and page turning suspense. Inspired by history, and infused with imagination and intrigue, this novel satisfies with every twist and turn.” —Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis and Surviving Savannah
“Was Anna Anderson really the only survivor of the Romanovs or was she a persistent fraud? Somehow, Lawhon, a masterly writer, not only leads her readers to ponder this riddle, but to care about it as well. This is a deft and deeply moving saga.” —Jacquelyn Mitchard, New York Times bestselling author of The Deep End of the Ocean
“I don’t know what’s most impressive about I Was Anastasia: the wildly inventive structure, the ferocious heroine (or is it two?), or the dark, twisted questions it raises about the stories we tell—both to others and to ourselves. Ariel Lawhon has written a gorgeous, haunting puzzle of a book that will grip you until the final page.” —Abbott Kahler, New York Times bestselling author of Sin in the Second City and Liar Temptress Soldier Spy
“Simultaneously a mystery, a manifesto, and a memoir, The Frozen River resurrects both Martha’s story and the stories of those she fought for.” —Chapter 16
