I initially thought I was not going to enjoy this book, as I found the Lizzie narrator incredibly irritating and kind of contrived. Hers is not the only voice in the book though, and the balance is about right between more sensible, straightforward characters and the more eccentric ones. Interesting take on a real-life mystery that's had a lot of fiction written around and about it, with a real sense of creeping dread and wrongness throughout. Enjoyed this a lot in the end, I'm glad I got the chance to read it.

See What I Have Done is captivating right from the beginning. The story and life of Lizzie Borden is already a telling that has several of us intrigued and this book does the same. As a child we have all jumped rope to the Lizzie Borden song. It was nice to see the story laid out in front of you. Good Job

A historical novel about the murder of Mr and Mrs Borden. The prime suspect is Mr Borden's daughter Lizzie. Very atmospheric and well written. There are several possible suspects. I expected this book to be longer and more detailed especially about Lizzie's trial.

Maybe I didn't give the book a chance long enough, but I could not continue past 30%. I was very bored with the book.

Sarah Schmidt’s debut novel, “See What I Have Done,” is a fascinating look back at one of America’s most infamous unsolved mysteries—the axe murders of Andrew and Abby Borden in 1892. Schmidt deftly weaves together fact and fiction through the perspectives of four individuals: Lizzie and Emma Borden; the Borden’s maid, Bridget; and a lowlife vagabond named Benjamin.

Though you are probably familiar with the story of Lizzie Borden and the Borden tragedy, you have never heard it told quite this way. The book reads like a psychological thriller with writing that is believable and captivating. Schmidt does a brilliant job using descriptions involving all five senses to draw the reader into the narrative. The book is creepy in a way that keeps you turning the page to see what happens next with this cast of dysfunctional characters. I dare you to read it and not walk away unnerved!

Thank you to Grove Atlantic/Atlantic Monthly Press and NetGalley for a complimentary digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lizzie Borden took an axe, And gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one.

Most of us are familiar with that eerie little rhyme, maybe not being completely aware of the meaning. Some of us even know the story behind it, knowing that it's based on a true crime occurring in the late 1800s. But have you ever wondered about the dynamics behind the family tragedy?

When Lizzie discovers first her father and then her stepmother brutally murdered, everyone immediately feels sympathy and concern for her. To have witnessed the aftermath of such a gruesome scene surely must have been a shock. As time goes on, however, events come to light casting doubt on her innocence. And the family itself surely wasn't a happy little group. There's enough suspicion to go around. Was it Lizzie? Or was it the mysterious man sent by her uncle? Or maybe one of her father's business associates?

The story weaves itself back and forth between the day of the crime, the days leading up to the murders, and the aftermath. It's fascinating for the criminal investigation procedures of the time if nothing else. The author does a great job of creating an entirely believable story that very well could be the true story behind an unsolved crime. And it absolutely made me want to read more about it!

On the 4th August 1892 the mutilated bodies of Andrew and Abby Borden were found in their home, an 'unseen' intruder had allegedly gained entry into the heavily locked house and took an axe to the couple, that is what their daughter Lizzie claimed however there was another obvious suspect.......

See What I Have Done is a fictionalised account of what went on within the Borden home. By using multiple narrators and a plotline which jumps about in time, we are offerred suggestions as to the reasons behind the murders, the weeks and years that led up to the murders and the interactions between all of the participants of this horrendous crime. Schmidt plays with us, she toys with our instincts whilst sticking to the historical details of this case. Her character studies of Lizzie, her sister Emma and the occupants and visitors to 92 Second Street are incisive and reveal a dysfunctional side to this well respected family.

Full of wonderful prose, characters who leap off the page, fascinating relationships and reads like a dream. A fantastic debut novel, great for fans of Burial Rites and The Miniaturist.

I found this book hard to get into. Once I started getting a feel for the rythem of the story I thought it might grab me, but not as much as I'd hoped.

I haven't read much about the Lizzie Borden case so I enjoyed this novel immensely. I loved that Sarah Schmidt told Lizzie's story from the perspectives of all those involved and because I'm new to the topic I wasn't fact checking it. I was able to lose myself in terrifically paced richly psychological writing along with the mystery and horror of the crimes. I wish my book club had finished it with me-- I have much to discuss.! Love the cover design, too! Thanks, Net Galley for an ARC! (Posted on Good Reads 2/3/17)

I was intrigued by the premise of this book. Lizzie Borden is someone who I knew only a small bit about, but enough to know that a reimagined story surrounding the murders of which she was accused would likely be interesting. Sadly, it didn't work out that way. The atmosphere in the book is strong. That is usually good in my opinion, but in this book, it was such an unpleasant atmosphere that I just didn't want to go back into it each time I picked up the book. It was unpleasant in an unexpected way. Not in a dark, twisted, violent way like one might expect, but in a subtley, weirdly gross way. That might have been bearable if the plot had kept me interested, but it was so slow. It seemed like nothing really happened. I was just not a fan of this one. Thank you to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for the chance to read this book.

Wonderful story! Looking forward to reading more by this author!

A really interesting take on historical events. I found myself researching the characters, which I think is always a good sign!

In this "script of loathing", the final days of Andrew Borden and his wife, Abby, are narrated by various players in this tragedy: their daughters Lizzie and Emma, the maid Bridget, Uncle John, and a ne'er-do-well named Benjamin who will do anything for money.

Lizzie was tried and acquitted for the 1892 murders of Andrew Borden and "Mrs. Borden", but this novel shows us that the Bordens were not particularly well-liked, and that any number of suspects might have actually swung the axe.

This DEBUT novel was an engrossing read, as events led to the final outcome.

I read this EARC courtesy of Grove Atlantic, NetGalley and Edelweiss. Pub date 08/01/17

Excellent book. Brilliant characters and really brought that era to life. I would highly recommend this book.

I really wanted to like this book but the author's writing style was very off=putting. The choppy, incomplete sentences were grating and I eventually put the book down. Since I did not finish the book, I do not intend to publish a review.

"Lizzie Borden took an axe
And gave her mother forty whacks.
When she saw what she had done,
She gave her father forty-one."

…or did she?

I adored ‘See What I Have Done’, and would give it 6 stars if I could! I never realised that the Fall River Axe Murders were subject to such continued speculation in popular culture: films, TV movies, books, a short story by Angela Carter…..

Don’t expect a police procedural – in the aftermath of the crime, the police are bumbling fools who compromise the evidence at every turn, and the murders take up little space. In fact, it may be useful to check out the bare bones of the story first; then you can let the prose sweep you along.

The good thing is that this means that those of us who are squeamish need not worry: the author’s focus is not on blood and gore, rather on depicting the rising pressure-cooker of family life in a small community, the psychology of a controlling father, interloping step-mother and two sisters, too close for the comfort of either, with their downtrodden maid, the looker on who sees a great deal of the game.

The writing is poetic, appealing to all our senses. Fingers are ‘wintertwig’, a ring sits ‘like the sun’, while olfactory images abound on every page: hair smells of butter; air smells of blood ‘honey-sweet’ or is ‘kerosene’.

If you enjoyed Margaret Atwood’s ‘Alias Grace’, you'll love this novel. I cannot believe that this consummate work of fiction is, in the publisher's words, an "unforgettable debut". Unforgettable, yes. A debut novel, surely not.

Hoowee! This was tough to put down. Nice and unsettling as I was hoping a Lizzie Borden story would be. Maybe not the best choice if you need to like characters to enjoy a story. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy.

'See what I have done' is a fascinating and engrossing read. A factionalized account of the real-life Lizzie Borden case, Schmidt takes us inside the minds of some of the major players in the events of that infamous day. Schmidt does an excellent job bringing to life the events that happened over a hundred years ago. The case still fascinates, probably because of the mystery that still surrounds what actually happened that day. Was Lizzie guilty? Was she capable of committing such horrific crimes? If she didn't do it, then who did? 'See what I have done' imagines one quite plausible version of how the events played out. Recommended.

See What I Have Done is captivating right from the beginning. The story and life of Lizzie Borden is already a telling that has several of us intrigued and this book does the same. There are insights in this that make us think even more on how things might have really happened. During that time, there was much that could have been missed, many circumstances and theories that may have been overlooked. Sarah Schmidt gives us her own re-imagining of this gruesome case in history, in hopes of making more sense of it all and what might have really been going on inside of Lizzie's mind.

Lizzie's character is a doozy. There is constant wonder about her guise, how someone like her may have become a heartless cold-blooded murderer. How could this person see her father in a bloody state and go into the kitchen to have johnnycakes and mutton broth and go out and get herself a pear for a snack? But she does so while taken in the scent of everything and not feeling queasy at all. Her repeated stability and almost robotic form of being makes the guilt so overwhelming it's hard not to believe she didn't systematically rid herself of both her father and step-mother.

Then we are drawn further in with revelations of the Borden's not being as sweet or perfect as others assumed. Emma, who is Lizzie's sister, had a love-hate relationship with her sister. The way their father allowed Lizzie to do anything, while she had to endure their scrutiny and stay at home. Wishing that one day the daughter she might have would not be filled with mystery or other attributes Lizzie possessed. Emma saw Lizzie for what she was. That sweet loving girl, who once others backs were turned, had many snarky and questionable comments to make about them. A chilling conversation between them where Lizzie jokes about killing their father and wanting to know what sounds he would make, all while creepily laughing.

This novel is truly an absorbing read. Gripping 'til the very end. I couldn't help but read this book until the last word on the page. My mind was transfixed by it all. Between family members, those in charge of the case, stories of life around the Borden's, many conceivable theories that could have been the demise of the Borden's. There are many interactions between characters, including the housemaid Bridget, their Uncle John, and several others. If you know nothing about Lizzie Borden or what transpired in 1892 on that fateful day, then this will bring you right to it. And maybe, just like I did, you'll be looking into the actual case for more material and re-telling of this infamous time in the Borden's existence.

***I received this copy from Atlantic Monthly Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.***