The Borden Murders

October 5, 2015
Miller (The Lost Crown) presents an exhaustive look at the famous unsolved murders of August 1892, in which Abby and Andrew Borden were found killed by axe in their home in Fall River, Mass., and of which Andrew’s daughter (and Abby’s stepdaughter), Lizzie, was accused. Starting with the morning of the murders, the narrative traces the events leading to Lizzie’s arrest, then details her time in prison and her trial. Miller relies on newspaper accounts and court transcripts to create lively scenes filled with authentic dialogue, making for a suspenseful crime story, which is all the more intriguing for its lasting doubt. Numerous sidebars provide background on subjects like legal proceedings and mourning dress, point out the differences between newspaper coverage of a testimony and the testimony itself, and explore topics of side interest, like what the Bordens ate for breakfast—all of which immerse readers in the life of that era. Photos, diagrams, and Miller’s thoughtful note on researching the book combine with the energetic text to engage readers in their own debate as to Lizzie Borden’s guilt or innocence. Ages 10–up. Agent: Wendy Schmalz, Wendy Schmalz Agency.

October 1, 2015
This true-crime narrative examines the question that mesmerized the nation in 1892: did Lizzie Borden kill her father and stepmother? With an evenhanded approach, the author crafts a gripping story full of well-documented dialogue drawn from legal records. Lizzie Borden was the 32-year-old daughter of a wealthy but frugal businessman in Fall River, Massachusetts. She quickly became the prime suspect when Andrew and Abby Borden were bludgeoned to death in the home she shared with them. A conviction would result in the death penalty. After a brief prologue, a short section describes the gruesome scenes when the bodies were discovered, followed by an introduction to the Borden family. The rest of the chapters chronicle the investigation, hearings, and trial. An initial "Who's Who" keeps the many players straight, while diagrams and photographs of the Borden house help readers picture the layout. Frequent sidebars, integrated gracefully into the text, add context. The detailed narrative separates fact from fiction, discussing and sometimes dismissing rumors and sensational newspaper reports. It's hard to get a sense of personalities due to lack of reliable information, but the courtroom scenes are vivid and exciting. The high-appeal topic will attract many readers, and the suspenseful account will have them trying to solve this still unresolved murder mystery. (author's note, endnotes, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 11-15)

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Starred review from November 1, 2015

Gr 7 Up-Lizzie Borden: the name alone conjures up the legendary story of a daughter who brutally hacked her parents to death with an axe. And yet, as this thoroughly researched account demonstrates, the story is far more complicated. Miller untangles a complex story of a misunderstood young woman, difficult family dynamics, sensationalized news stories, bungling detectives, and more. Borden's father and stepmother were murdered with an axe or hatchet of some kind while both Borden and the family housekeeper were at home. The evidence against Borden was circumstantial at best and nonexistent at worst. Nonetheless, she was indicted for the crime and sent to jail for the duration of the investigation and succeeding trial. Miller carefully walks readers through the cast of characters, the mores and customs of the time, legal procedures, varying newspaper accounts, and the enormous amount of gossip that all became part of the landscape surrounding this crime. Extensive use of primary source documents reveals that much is still not known about the case. Fans of the podcast Serial will find much to enjoy here, as each chapter reveals a new piece of the puzzle and examines it from every angle available. Photographs, documents, and other ephemera are included and round out the narrative, creating a wonderfully full and accessible account of this moment in history. VERDICT Though readers will know the outcome of the trial from the very beginning, they will be invested in the narrative. Sure to be a hit with true crime fans everywhere.-Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

sheanuggets89 - Imagine what it’s like being on a 10 month trial for murder. This is how Lizzie Borden felt during the many months of being on trial of being suspected of killing her father and stepmother. This book is called the Borden Murders, by Sarah Miller, story about thrills and anticipation. Our protagonist, yet antagonist, Lizzie Borden, is believed to be a murderer of killing Andrew Borden and Abby borden. Our character is facing a long trial. A long, boring, but serious subject trial. At the same time, her sister is facing trial as well because she is another suspect believed to kill the parents. The weapon that Lizzie possibly used was known as the “Hoo-Doo” hatchet. It had made 40 fatal blows to Abby and 41 to Andrew by whoever had been handling the hatchet. Things take a good turn (for a little while) around the end when she is pleaded as innocent. But was it true? Was Lizzie really innocent? Because if she was truly innocent, why would she burn a dress with her parent’s blood on it? The world may just never know. Since they did not have fingerprint scanners back in those days. They wanted to just know the truth. All of this stuff happening in the city of fall river, massachusetts, in the late 1800s to early 1900s. Not something I would call fun to be in. It’s weird yet interesting how back in these days, portugese people were always watched as they were not trusted. She was not the only one suspected, as Emma borden as well, was suspected of killing abby and andrew. I would really recommend this book to anybody who really enjoys history, murder stories, or scary stories or horror stories or people who just enjoy massachusetts and it’s history. It gives you thrills and might learn things in reading in it. From 1-10 I would give it a 9.5 because some stuff I couldn’t understand some stuff it was saying, but other than that it was AWESOME!

November 15, 2015
Grades 7-10 Lizzie Borden's trial for the murders of her father and stepmother captivated her contemporaries, and her story became fodder for salacious gossip and fanatic newspaper coverage. In this even-handed account, Miller sifts through misinformation to deliver the facts, scant as they are, and recount the intricacies of the court case that drew thousands to tiny Fall River, Massachusetts. Beginning with the morning of the murders, Miller pieces together the events from sworn testimonies and the more reputable articles from the period. Since the most reliable information came from court records, most of Miller's account takes place in the court room, which can occasionally become dry, particularly given the obtuse nature of nineteenth-century writing. Nevertheless, Miller frequently uses the case to clarify sometimes-muddy details about the law, such as the difference between an inquest and grand jury. Gory details abound, but Miller is careful not to take a side. Plenty of photos, informative inset boxes, and an extensive bibliography round out this well-researched resource, which invites students to think critically about an infamous story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)