This historical fiction is set in Hollowell, Maine, on the Kenebec River, starting in 1789, and is narrated by the author in the voice of a local midwife and healer. The battered body of Joshua Burgess is hauled from the frigid river and she takes it upon herself to solve the mystery, among many other self-assured undertakings.
The wife of the dismissed parson is charged with fornication, and he is accused of murder, and then it gets even more complicated with time shifts, many accusations of malfeasance, and far more descriptions of delivery of babies than necessary.
This story is loosely based on the life of a real famous real famous midwife, and the dramatic intrinsic conflict with a medical doctor, which often features gender biases prominently to this day. I will admit to a bias in favour of obstetricians, even though midwives did a splendid job delivering two of my five grandchildren. Here, the local doctor is portrayed as not just incompetent, but also dishonest and greedy.
The story features a fierce trained falcon, a corrupt rapist judge and lumber proprietor among other alleged rapisists, charges of incest, an epileptic newborn, an outbreak of diphtheria, and many court hearings in which hearsay evidence is often admitted.
The voice of the author, too variable in volume, pitch and speed, makes the audiobook version of this story less than optimal. I suspect that a print version would be easier to follow and less disjointed.
3.5/5
Thanks, Michele.
The Passionate Reader 
you have 5 grandkids now!
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