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§Author· 1 book
Ariel Lawhon
Also known as Ariel Allison Lawhon
Historical fiction centered on true historical events and real women facing pivotal moments defines a distinctive body of narrative work, exemplified by The Frozen River. Ariel Lawhon is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who dramatizes complex historical mysteries and forgotten lives. Her novels have reached international audiences through translations into numerous languages and earned recognition as Good Morning America Book Club, LibraryReads, Indie Next, Costco, Amazon Spotlight, and Book of the Month Club selections.
Career & Background
Lawhon, who was also known as Ariel Allison Lawhon earlier in her career, co-founded the online book club She Reads before establishing her career in commercial historical fiction. She published her debut novel, The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress, in 2014, followed by Flight of Dreams, I Was Anastasia, and Code Name Hélène. In addition to her solo full-length novels, she collaborated with fellow authors Kristina McMorris and Susan Meissner on the novel When We Had Wings, and authored the Amazon Original Short Story Barriers to Entry. Her work has also earned One Book One County selections and NPR Book of the Year honors.
Lawhon resides in the rolling hills outside Nashville, Tennessee, where she lives with her husband and four sons. Outside of her literary work, she splits her time between family commitments, frequent trips to the grocery store, and managing activities at the baseball field.
Writing Style & Themes
Lawhon's narrative technique combines detailed archival research with cinematic pacing and psychological tension. Rather than presenting comfortable period nostalgia, her books construct tense narratives around real historical figures—such as midwife Martha Ballard, resistance figure Nancy Wake, or Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov—placing them within high-stakes historical crises. Her writing explores themes of resilience, female agency, justice, and the precarious survival of women navigating dangerous moments in history.
Major Works
- The Frozen River — Published in December 2023, this New York Times bestseller and Good Morning America Book Club pick follows 18th-century midwife Martha Ballard as she investigates a local murder in Maine while navigating community secrets and legal oppression.
- Code Name Hélène — A historical novel based on the true life of Nancy Wake, a socialite turned Allied spy and resistance leader who fought against enemy forces in occupied France during World War II.
- I Was Anastasia — A dual-narrative historical mystery exploring the enduring enigma of Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov and Anna Anderson, examining identity and survival following the Russian Revolution.
- Flight of Dreams — A dramatic retelling of the final flight of the Hindenburg airship, weaving together the interconnected secrets, motives, and lives of its passengers and crew before the disaster.
- The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress — Lawhon's debut novel, set in 1930 New York, which uncovers the mysterious disappearance of Judge Joseph Crater through the perspectives of three women connected to his life.
- When We Had Wings — A collaborative historical novel co-authored with Kristina McMorris and Susan Meissner, highlighting the experiences of military nurses stationed in the Philippines during World War II.
§All Books
The Frozen River
Ariel Lawhon, 2023
135 ratings