Best Selling Books by Ariel Lawhon

From New York Times bestselling author of I Was Anastasia and Code Name Helene comes a gripping historical mystery based on the real-life diary entries of Martha Ballard, an 18th-century midwife who found herself at the center of a murder trial. Maine, 1789: As a midwife in the town of Hallowell, Martha Ballard knows how to keep a secret. Her neighbors respect her not only for her medical expertise and calm under pressure, but for her discretion in a community governed by rigid Puritan values. So when a man is found under the ice in the Kennebec river, Martha is the first person called to examine the body. The dead man is Joshua Burgess, recently accused, along with the town judge, Joseph North, of raping the preacher''s wife, Rebecca Foster. The case is set to go to trial in the coming months and Hallowell is churning with rumors. Martha, having tended to Rebecca’s wounds in the aftermath, is both a witness and a confidant of Rebecca’s, and while she feels certain she knows the truth of the night of the assault, she suspects there is more to the murder than meets the eye. For years, Martha has recounted her every day in a leather-bound journal: deaths and births, the weather, town events, her patients and their treatments. As whispers and prejudices threaten to overflow into something bloodier, and North becomes more desperate to clear his name, Martha’s diary becomes the center of a mystery that risks tearing both her family and her town apart. In The Frozen River, Ariel Lawhon brings to life a brave and compassionate unsung heroine of early American history, who refused to accept anything less than justice on behalf of women no one else would protect.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the bestselling author of The Frozen River comes an enthralling feat of historical suspense that unravels the extraordinary twists and turns in Anna Anderson''s fifty-year battle to be recognized as Anastasia Romanov. Is she the Russian Grand Duchess or the thief of another woman''s legacy? "Tantalizing, surprising, compelling, and utterly fascinating."—Lisa Wingate, New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours Countless others have rendered their verdict. Now it is your turn. Russia, July 17, 1918: Under direct orders from Vladimir Lenin, Bolshevik secret police force Anastasia Romanov, along with the entire imperial family, into a damp basement in Siberia, where they face a merciless firing squad. None survive. At least that is what the executioners have always claimed. Germany, February 17, 1920: A young woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to Anastasia Romanov is pulled shivering and senseless from a canal. Refusing to explain her presence in the freezing water or even acknowledge her rescuers, she is taken to the hospital where an examination reveals that her body is riddled with countless horrific scars. When she finally does speak, this frightened, mysterious young woman claims to be the Russian grand duchess. As rumors begin to circulate through European society that the youngest Romanov daughter has survived the massacre at Ekaterinburg, old enemies and new threats are awakened. The question of who Anna Anderson is and what actually happened to Anastasia Romanov spans fifty years and touches three continents. This thrilling saga is every bit as moving and momentous as it is harrowing and twisted. Don''t miss Ariel Lawhon''s new book, The Frozen River!

From the New York Times bestselling author of I Was Anastasia and The Frozen River comes a “genuinely surprising whodunit” (USA Today) that tantalizingly reimagines a scandalous murder mystery that rocked the nation. One summer night in 1930, Judge Joseph Crater steps into a New York City cab and is never heard from again. Behind this great man are three women, each with her own tale to tell: Stella, his fashionable wife, the picture of propriety; Maria, their steadfast maid, indebted to the judge; and Ritzi, his showgirl mistress, willing to seize any chance to break out of the chorus line. As the twisted truth emerges, Ariel Lawhon’s wickedly entertaining debut mystery transports us into the smoky jazz clubs, the seedy backstage dressing rooms, and the shadowy streets beneath the Art Deco skyline. Don''t miss Ariel Lawhon''s new book, The Frozen River!

From the New York Times bestselling author of I Was Anastasia and The Frozen River, here is a suspenseful, heart-wrenching novel that brings the fateful voyage of the Hindenburg to life. "At every page a guilty secret bobs up; at every page Lawhon keeps us guessing. Who will bring down the Hindenburg? And how?” —New York Times Book Review On the evening of May 3rd, 1937, ninety-seven people board the Hindenburg for its final, doomed flight. Among them are a frightened stewardess who is not what she seems; the steadfast navigator determined to win her heart; a naive cabin boy eager to earn a permanent position; an impetuous journalist who has been blacklisted in her native Germany; and an enigmatic American businessman with a score to settle. Over the course of three champagne-soaked days, their lies, fears, agendas, and hopes for the future will be revealed—and one in their party will set a plot in motion that will have devastating consequences for them all. Don''t miss Ariel Lawhon''s new book, The Frozen River!

Based on the thrilling real-life story of a socialite spy and astonishing woman who killed a Nazi with her bare hands and went on to become one of the most decorated women in WWII—from the New York Times bestselling author of I Was Anastasia and The Frozen River. "Will fascinate readers of World War II history and thrill fans of fierce, brash, independent women." —Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours Told in interweaving timelines organized around the four code names Nancy used during the war, Code Name Hélène is a spellbinding and moving story of enduring love, remarkable sacrifice and unfaltering resolve that chronicles the true exploits of a woman who deserves to be a household name. It is 1936 and Nancy Wake is an intrepid Australian expat living in Paris who has bluffed her way into a reporting job for Hearst newspaper when she meets the wealthy French industrialist Henri Fiocca. No sooner does Henri sweep Nancy off her feet and convince her to become Mrs. Fiocca than the Germans invade France and she takes yet another name: a code name. As Lucienne Carlier, Nancy smuggles people and documents across the border. Her success and her remarkable ability to evade capture earns her the nickname The White Mouse from the Gestapo. With a five million franc bounty on her head, Nancy is forced to escape France and leave Henri behind. When she enters training with the Special Operations Executives in Britain, her new comrades are instructed to call her Helene. And finally, with mission in hand, Nancy is airdropped back into France as the deadly Madam Andree, where she claims her place as one of the most powerful leaders in the French Resistance, armed with a ferocious wit, her signature red lipstick, and the ability to summon weapons straight from the Allied Forces. But no one can protect Nancy if the enemy finds out these four women are one and the same, and the closer to liberation France gets, the more exposed she—and the people she loves—become. Don''t miss Ariel Lawhon''s new book, The Frozen River!

From three bestselling authors comes an interwoven tale about a trio of World War II nurses stationed in the South Pacific who wage their own battle for freedom and survival. The Philippines, 1941. When U.S. Navy nurse Eleanor Lindstrom, U.S. Army nurse Penny Franklin, and Filipina nurse Lita Capel forge a friendship at the Army Navy Club in Manila, they believe they’re living a paradise assignment. All three are seeking a way to escape their pasts, but soon the beauty and promise of their surroundings give way to the heavy mantle of war. Caught in the crosshairs of a fight between the U.S. military and the Imperial Japanese Army for control of the Philippine Islands, the nurses are forced to serve under combat conditions and, ultimately, endure captivity as the first female prisoners of the Second World War. As their resiliency is tested in the face of squalid living arrangements, food shortages, and the enemy''s blatant disregard for the articles of the Geneva Convention, the women strive to keep their hope— and their fellow inmates—alive, though not without great cost. In this sweeping story based on the true experiences of nurses dubbed "the Angels of Bataan," three women shift in and out of each other''s lives through the darkest days of the war, buoyed by their unwavering friendship and distant dreams of liberation. "A novel rich in historical detail that immerses readers in the dangers and deprivation WWII nurses suffered in the Pacific, wrapped up with a hopeful ending." -Booklist

FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE FROZEN RIVER, BASED ON A TWISTED TRUE MURDER MYSTERY ''Inspired by a real-life unsolved mystery, this mesmerizing novel features characters that make a lasting impression'' People ''This fun, fast-paced novel has it all: speakeasies, gangsters, show girls, and not one, not two, but three women scorned. A real page-turner'' Melanie Benjamin, bestselling author of The Aviator''s Wife ''Vivid and unsettling, with a finale as startling as the pop of a gun'' Caroline Leavitt, bestselling author of Pictures of You One summer night in 1930, Judge Joseph Crater steps into a New York City cab and is never heard from again. Behind this great man are three women, each with her own tale to tell: Stella, his fashionable wife, the picture of propriety; Maria, their steadfast maid, indebted to the judge; and Ritzi, his showgirl mistress, willing to seize any chance to break out of the chorus line. As the twisted truth emerges, Ariel Lawhon''s wickedly entertaining debut mystery transports us into the smoky jazz clubs, the seedy backstage dressing rooms, and the shadowy streets beneath the Art Deco skyline. FIVE STAR RAVE READER REVIEWS ''You will be drawn into the GLITZ, the GLAMOUR, and the CORRUPTION of the 1930''s'' ''Taut, tense and RIVETING'' ''GO. READ. IT ... The book made me cry'' ''THE PERFECT BLEND of HISTORICAL MYSTERY, CRIME FICTION, and CHARACTER-DRIVEN'' ''FASCINATING page-turner ... Completely ABSORBING'' ''Grab a copy, pour a glass of champagne, and prepare to TRAVEL BACK TO NOIR 1930''s New York''

Een meeslepend historisch mysterie gebaseerd op het leven van de 18e-eeuwse vroedvrouw Martha Ballard, die door het bijhouden van een bijzonder dagboek geschiedenis wist te schrijven De rivier van Ariel Lawhon vertelt het spannende, waargebeurde verhaal van Martha Ballard die zichzelf in de 18e eeuw ontpopt als detective wanneer een man dood onder het ijs wordt gevonden. Als vroedvrouw heeft Martha toegang tot alle geheimen van het plaatsje Hallowell. In haar dagboek houdt ze precies bij wie er worden geboren en overlijden, maar ook welke misdaden er achter gesloten deuren plaatsvinden. En laat de dode man nu precies degene zijn die een paar maanden geleden werd verdacht van een verkrachting... Martha vermoedt opzet en wanneer de lokale dokter haar vermoedens wegzet als roddelpraat, besluit ze dan maar zelf op onderzoek uit te gaan. Haar zoektocht onthult niet alleen details over de moord, maar legt ook de onmogelijke positie van vrouwen bloot in een wereld waar mannen de dienst uitmaken. Een indrukwekkend verhaal over gerechtigheid en de kracht van een vrouw die weigert de waarheid te verbloemen.

Hurjapäisen vastarintataistelijan uskomaton elämäntarina. Tosikertomus natseja piinanneesta naisesta, jolle Gestapo antoi nimen Valkoinen hiiri sekälupasi palkkion tämän päästä. Vuonna 1936 australialainen toimittaja Nancy Wake tapasi Pariisissa kaksi miestä. Toisesta tuli hänen elämänsä suuri rakkaus ja toinen teki Nancystä vakoojan. Nancy näki terroria ja juutalaisvihaa työmatkallaan Wienissä, joka oli Hitlerin SA-joukkojen vallassa. Hän ei halunnut jäädä sivustakatsojaksi, vaan liittyi vastarintaliikkeeseen koodinimellä Hélène. Nokkelaälyinen ja viehättävä Nancy johti hyökkäyksiä saksalaisten asemiin, kuljetti ihmisiä turvaan ja tappoi SS-miehen paljain käsin. Sodan jälkeen hän oli yksi palkituimmista naisista toisen maailmansodan historiassa. Ariel Lawhon on kriitikoiden ylistämä amerikkalainen bestseller-kirjailija, jonka tuotanto käsittää historiallisia teoksia. Lawhonin teoksia ovat mm. I was Anastasia Venäjän tsaarin tyttärestä ja Flight of Dreams ilmalaiva Hindenburgin viimeisestä lennosta.

Ariel Lawhon lenyűgöző, igaz történeten alapuló történelmi regénye a társasági hölgyből kémmé avanzsált Nancy Wake életéről. Már készül belőle a sorozat Elizabeth Debicki (Tenet, The Night Manager) főszereplésével! Nancy Wake 1936-ban Párizsban él, és a Hearst konglomerátum újságírójaként dolgozik. Itt ismeri meg a dúsgazdag francia iparmágnást, Henri Fioccát, akinek hamar elcsavarja a fejét, és ráveszi, hogy vegye őt feleségül. Nem sokkal később a németek megszállják Franciaországot, és az újdonsült Mrs. Fiocca kénytelen máris egy újabb nevet felvenni: egy háborús fedőnevet. A Fedőneve Hélène Nancy Wake második világháborús krónikája, akinek a nevét a világon mindenkinek ismerni kellene. Megtudjuk, hogyan csempészett iratokat a Vichy szabad zónában, hogy az üldözöttek Spanyolországon át menekülhessenek a nácik elől. Végigkövethetjük a saját menekülését a Pireneusokon át, miután a Gestapo ötmillió frankos vérdíjat tűzött ki a fejére. Megismerhetjük az angol SOE (Különleges Hadműveletek Végrehajtó Egysége) soraiba való csatlakozásának körülményeit, és hogy hogyan lett ezután a francia ellenállás egyik legbefolyásosabb vezére. A Fedőneve Hélène fordulatokban gazdag, izgalmas kémregény a második világháború idejéről. Ariel Lawhon a történelmi hűséget betartva, de az ismeretlen részekben a képzeletére hagyatkozva mutatja be Nancy Wake lebilincselő és mozgalmas történetét szerelemről, önfeláldozásról és megingathatatlan eltökéltségről. A könyvről mondták: "Ariel Lawhon ugyanúgy rabul ejti a II. világháború korát kedvelő, történelmi regény olvasókat és azokat, akik szeretik a vad, szókimondó, független nőalakokat. A Fedőneve Hélène mélységeiben mutatja be, hogy egyetlen, a félelemmel farkasszemet néző ember is micsoda jelentős változásokat érhet el viharos időkben." Lisa Wingate "Lebilincselő történelmi regény... Ráadásul ez a nő tényleg létezett, és ez az egész tényleg megtörtént – szól a mantra az olvasó fejében, ahogy oldalról oldalra nem tér magához az ámulatából." Bookpage "Parádés... Lawhon a francia ellenállás legbelső berkeibe repít bennünket, azon belül is egy mindenre elszánt és rendkívüli ösztönökkel megáldott hősnő elméjébe, hogy láthassuk, milyen szokatlan bravúrral szállt szembe a nácikkal és a férfiak arrogáns szexizmusával..." Booklist "Lawhon az események kellős közepébe repíti az olvasót, az életteli, lendületes stílus pedig letehetetlenné teszi a könyvet. A végén ráadásul a részletes utószóból kiderül, hogy a Fedőneve Hélène milyen nagy mértékben tiszteli a tényeket. Ez a regény igazi főhajtás hősnője előtt, aki rendkívüli emberként élte életét." Publishers Weekly

Combattente, contrabbandiera, spia, ricercata: durante la Seconda guerra mondiale Nancy Wake è abilissima ad assumere qualunque ruolo possa contrastare l''avanzata nazista. Ma tutto comincia qualche anno prima del conflitto, quando Nancy - giovane espatriata australiana - incontra, conosce e s''innamora del più famigerato seduttore di tutta la Francia, Henri Fiocca. Parigi e la Costa Azzurra sono le location del loro amore, ma solo per poco. La Guerra infatti sta iniziando a far sentire le sue minacce dappertutto. Così Henri viene arruolato e Nancy inizia a contrabbandare documenti e ad aiutare i fuggitivi. La Gestapo mette sulla sua testa una taglia di cinque milioni di franchi, ma lei continua la militanza, e la sua fama cresce ancor di più quando arriva a Londra e, dopo un addestramento durissimo, entra a far parte delle spie inglesi che vengono inviate sul continente. Un romanzo coinvolgente, romantico e storicamente documentato che riporta meravigliosamente in vita un personaggio fuori dal comune, con molte identità, ma con l''astuzia unica della spia di classe.

Un retrato cercano y apasionado de los verdaderos pasajeros del último vuelo del Hindenburg. Atrás dejaron una tormenta en ciernes en Europa y delante de ellos se vislumbraba un desastre. Pero, mientras tanto, sobrevolaron el Atlántico, ajenos al inexorable y trágico destino que les esperaba. En la tarde del 3 de mayo de 1937 noventa y siete personas se embarcaron en el Hindenburg para su vuelo con destino a Lakehurst, New Jersey. Entre ellas se encontraban la asustada azafata que no era lo que aparentaba, el resuelto piloto decidido a conquistar su corazón, el ingenuo ayudante de cabina deseoso de mantener el puesto en el mayor zepelín del mundo, el impetuoso periodista que figuraba en la lista negra en su Alemania natal y el enigmático hombre de negocios americano con afán de venganza. En el transcurso de tres días, confusos debido a la cantidad ingerida de champán, descubrimos sus mentiras, sus miedos, sus intenciones ocultas y sus esperanzas para el futuro. ¿Quién será capaz de destruir el Hindenburg? ¿Y cómo? Si te emocionaste con Titanic, prepárate para un viaje por las nubes repleto de intrigas, secretos, amor y un trágico final. Reseñas: «Esta novela sorprende con una extraordinaria e intensa intriga que deja al lector hipnotizado.» The New York Times Book Review «Un libro fascinante y emocionante...» People Magazine «Una gran novela al estilo de Agatha Christie.» Kirkus Reviews « El viaje de los sueños ha conseguido que nos acordemos de aquellos hombres y mujeres que murieron aquel funesto día de hace ochenta años o que lograron sobrevivir milagrosamente. De esta forma, la ficción de nuevo pone en valor lo que la historia dejó en segundo plano.» Blog Libros y literatura

Ontdek het ongelofelijke, maar waargebeurde verhaal van een eigenzinnige, dappere jonge vrouw die onder vier verschillende codenamen de nazi’s wist te saboteren. ‘Codenaam Hélène’ van Ariel Lawhon is een spannende, aangrijpende oorlogsroman over een van de grootste verzetsheldinnen uit de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Met krachtige pennestreken beschrijft Lawhon het betoverende en bij vlagen ontroerende verhaal van Nancy Wake, een Australische journaliste die in de jaren ’30 voor het Franse verzet gaat werken. Daar komt ze tussen de lompe soldaten terecht die haar bestoken met seksistische opmerkingen – maar Nancy houdt haar hoofd hoog en groeit al snel uit tot een onmisbare schakel in het verzet. Onder vier verschillende schuilnamen weet Nancy de nazi’s te slim af te zijn. Als ‘Lucienne’ smokkelt ze mensen en documenten over de grens; bij de Gestapo staat ze bekend als ‘De Witte Muis’; als ‘Hélène’ vlucht ze naar Groot-Brittannië; en als ‘Madam André’ verovert ze het Franse verzet met haar vernuft en rode lippenstift. Met lef, flair, humor en een prijs op haar hoofd trotseert ze het gevaar – tot de nazi’s haar identiteit dreigen te ontrafelen.

"Martha Ballard ist nicht nur eine Hebamme aus Maine, die noch nie eine Gebärende verloren hat. Sie ist auch eine Wahrheitssprecherin und Gerechtigkeitssucherin in einer Zeit, in der Frauen nicht einmal vor Gericht aussagen dürfen. ... Wieder einmal vollbringt Lawhon mit einer realen Heldin erzählerische Magie." --People Magazine, Buch der Woche "Fans von Claire Fraser aus ''Outlander'' werden Lawhons Martha mögen, die mutig und freimütig ist, wenn es darum geht, die Unschuldigen zu beschützen. ... beeindruckend." – The Washington Post "Teils Krimi, teils historische Fiktion ... dieser Roman hat eine winterliche Atmosphäre, die ihn zu einer idealen Lektüre für die Kaminecke macht." --Real Simple Dieser historische Krimi ist inspiriert vom Leben und Tagebuch der Martha Ballard, einer berühmten Hebamme aus dem 18. Jahrhundert, die sich dem bestehenden Rechtssystem widersetzte und so in die amerikanische Geschichte einging. Maine, 1789: Als der Kennebec River zufriert und die Leiche eines toten Mannes im Eis sichtbar wird, soll Martha Ballard den Leichnam untersuchen und die Todesursache feststellen. Als Hebamme und Heilerin ist sie in vieles eingeweiht, was sich hinter verschlossenen Türen in der Kleinstadt Hallowell abspielt. Ihr Tagebuch ist eine Aufzeichnung aller Geburten und Todesfälle, Verbrechen und Debakeln, die sich in der engen Gemeinschaft ereignen. Monate zuvor dokumentierte Martha die Einzelheiten einer angeblichen Vergewaltigung, die von zwei der angesehensten Herren der Stadt begangen wurde – einer von ihnen wurde nun tot im Eis aufgefunden. So ist Martha sich sicher, dass sie es hier mit einem Mord zu tun hat. Doch ein örtlicher Arzt widerlegt ihre Schlussfolgerung und erklärt den Tod für einen Unfall. Martha ist entschlossen, den schockierenden Mord auf eigene Faust zu untersuchen. Im Laufe eines Winters, während der Prozess näher rückt und Gerüchte und Vorurteile zunehmen, ist Martha beharrlich auf der Suche nach der Wahrheit. Ihr Tagebuch gerät bald in den Mittelpunkt des Skandals, verwickelt diejenigen, die sie liebt, in die Sache und zwingt Martha, zu entscheiden, wo ihre eigene Loyalität liegt. Clever, vielschichtig und subversiv stellt Ariel Lawhons neuestes Werk eine unbeugsame Heldin vor, die sich weigerte, etwas Geringeres als die Gerechtigkeit zu akzeptieren, in einer Zeit, in der es galt, Frauen am besten nur zu sehen und nicht zu hören. "Der gefrorene Fluss" ist eine spannende und zärtliche Geschichte über eine bemerkenswerte Frau, die ein beispielloses Erbe hinterlassen hat und dennoch bis heute fast vergessen ist. Das perfekte Buch für Leserinnen von "Eine Frage der Chemie" und "Der Gesang der Flusskrebse" und in der limitierten Ausgabe mit Farbschnitt ein wunderschönes Geschenk für alle Buchliebhaberinnen!

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Frozen River and I Was Anastasia, a thrilling historical adventure inspired by the life of Grace O''Malley, an infamous Irish sea captain and folk heroine who risked everything to protect her people against the powerful Elizabethan regime Grace O''Malley was born to be at sea. Raised alongside her brother by their father, chief of the name of clan O''Malley, Grace learns early that her dreams of the open water are not compatible with the life she''s expected to lead as the daughter of a noble family. And when her father marries her to the wrong man, a neighboring chief named Donhal, Grace''s world shifts for the worse. Undaunted, Grace raises a family without abandoning her passion, aiding her hot-tempered husband in his campaigns against rival tribes. Eventually ousted from her husband''s land in the wake of his death, Grace returns to her childhood home and begins her career as a pirate in earnest, claiming new territories and finding deeper love, only to see her livelihood threatened by English incursions into Ireland, and her family endangered in an attempt to check her power. Tenderly observed and fiercely written, Ariel Lawhon''s gripping latest channels the natural beauty of sixteenth-century Ireland alongside the brutality of the period as seen through the eyes of an unforgettable heroine and defender of her people, who truly earned the title "the Pirate Queen of Ireland."

Godine 1789. u zaleđenoj rijeci Kennebec u malom mjestu Hallowell pojavilo se tijelo okovano ledom. Martha Ballard pozvana je da ga pregleda i utvrdi uzrok smrti. Budući da je ona ujedno i primalja, ima uvid u to što se događa iza zatvorenih vrata i poznaje mnoge tajne. U njezinu su dnevniku dokumentirane sve smrti i rođenja, ali i svi zločini počinjeni u zajednici, od kojih neki nisu nikad izišli na svjetlo dana. Poklopilo se da je nekoliko mjeseci prije baš ona zabilježila prijavljeni slučaj silovanja koje su počinila dvojica uglednih muškaraca iz sela. Tijelo jednog od njih pronađeno je zarobljeno u ledu. Iako je njegova smrt proglašena nesretnim slučajem, Martha sumnja da su zločini povezani te počinje istraživati i ne namjerava odustati unatoč svim predrasudama i teškoćama s kojima se kao žena susreće u toj maloj sredini.