Oh, Lizzie, Lizzie, Lizzie Borden. Did you kill your parents or did someone else do it? It's a question that people have researched and debated over for years. This new book from Cara Robertson gathers photos, legal transcripts, local account and newly found letters from Lizzie and has us, the reader, looks at this case again with fresh eyes.

Robertson has done a fabulous job of presenting the story of these murders as is. There's little opinion - it's left to you to decide.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you NetGalley for early access to this book!

This book was incredibly informative and well researched, but it does read like a thesis instead of a page turning book of suspense. This book dives into the scandalous murders of Mr. & Mrs. Bordon, Lizzie's father and step-father, during the late 1800's. What I found so interesting about this specific book was that the author goes into a lot of background detail about the location, people involved, societal norms, and compares that to other places and women during the same time period to get an idea of how fairly or unfairly Lizzie was treated. By the end, we aren't given a definite answer by the author to whether Lizzie actually committed these crimes, and keeps the discussion open for future books and research into this topic.

It is very clear that if this happened today, the murderer would have been found immediately and without question. Lizzie's recollection of the day of the murders started off strong, but then she later contradicts herself which leads to being the number one suspect and ends the search for the murderer. I liked how this book showed the different camps of thought, where one camp believed women couldn't even commit an act like this, and the second camp that believed she was a product of evil and probably murdered because of menstruation. The female reporter who ends up getting Lizzie to tell her story is a super interesting character, and I'd read another whole book just about her.

While I found all of the information provided in this book very interesting, I did not think all of it was needed. We get a profile of several different people like reporters & townsfolk who end up not influencing the trial at all and I can't figure out why we need to know those particular backgrounds. It read like a thesis, and was a bit dry. The book is much shorter than the page count suggests, the last large section is the author citing sources. I knew a bit about this trial before I started reading, but there was still new information that I hadn't heard before. I specifically liked the example of "fake news" and gotcha media the spurred from this trial, and it's so weird to see the parallels to this trial in today's age.

Overall, it was a very smart and informative read. I thought there was a small bit of filler information that wasn't necessary, and it took me a while to get through due to the dryness of the material. But it's non-fiction, so I feel like there's some room there for dryness. I would say it's a 3.5/5 Stars.

This was an interesting (and very in depth!) look into the case of Lizzie Borden. I've always been fascinated by this case, so getting to read all of the details of the murder & the trial was so interesting. You can tell this book was VERY well researched (like 100 pages of footnotes in the back of the book), and the author did an amazing job with that. I loved that there were pictures throughout as well, because it really helped me to visualize the crime scene (especially when there were blue prints). Because this book had a lot of facts about the case, it was a little bit dry for me at times (I did skim some parts), but I enjoyed it overall.

Very good read. For me, I learned things I did not know. Well written and it allows you to come to your own conclusions. I do not think we will ever know the full truth, but this book is a good read for any interested in Lizzie Borden. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the arc of this book in return for my honest review. Receiving the book in this manner had no bearing on my review.

A very detailed and meticulously researched account of the Lizzie Borden case. I do not read a great deal of true crime, so may be less familiar with what is typical for the genre. However, I found myself in the weeds with the detailed and cross-referenced facts in this book. This bogged down the narrative for me and I just didn’t feel like it flowed very well. I did not finish this one.

The Trial of Lizzie Borden goes into great detail of the discovery of Andrew and Abby Borden's bodies and the trial of one of the most notorious unsolved murders in the United States. While the story of Lizzie Borden interests me, this book didn't seem to hold my attention. It seemed very cut and dry and written in a very scientific manner. This may be fine for some people, but I struggled to get though the book (even though I already knew how the trial ended).

One thing I never realized though is that Lizzie was in her early 30's when the deaths occurred and when she was on trial. Not knowing too much about the details of the story, I wrongly assumed that she was in her 20's. I also did not realize that Abby Borden was her stepmother and not her mother. And just to give my opinion, I do think she was guilty of killing her stepmother because she wanted to. However, I think her father was just a means to an end and even though she cared for him, she wanted her independence and was willing to kill him to achieve it.

I appreciate the meticulous research that has gone into this dark, remarkably well-documented story that took author Cara Robertson 16 years to publication. Chock full of fascinating historical information about Lizzie, her dysfunctional family relationships including living under the roof of a cruel father and a thorough reporting of the sensational trial that gripped the nation.

*will post in online venues upon publication

I give The Trial of Lizzie Borden 3 stars. Here’s the thing, this was my first true crime book, I wanted to go out of my comfort zone for genre, and it being a familiar topic I thought it would be a good way to ease myself in. I thought wrong. True crime just isn’t for me. I do enjoy some non-fiction books, but I just don’t think I’m smart enough, or have enough focus for this style. It was extremely well-researched, so thorough, and for me, that was the problem. I don’t care about minute details, what people were wearing to the trial on what day etc. I understand other people enjoy every single detail so they can really picture it, but for me, it ended up being too dense. I’m not sure if all true crime books are set up in this way, but if true crime is your thing, you will love this. If courtroom play-by-play bores your, (like it does for me), you may want to keep that in mind when considering this.

The Trial of Lizzie Borden was a meticulously researched and comprehensive look at a case that has fascinated people for over a century. For me, the case is second only to Jack the Ripper in terms of becoming a part of popular culture. It’s such a strange case, and I find it so interesting. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of learning more about it.

Robertson manages to present a fairly complete account of the Borden murders and Lizzie’s subsequent trial while remaining relatively impartial. Personally, I found this both admirable and frustrating, because I wanted to come out of this book with a decent amount of certainty about who was actually the murderer. But, while I do have a favorite prevailing theory – hint: it was Lizzie – I couldn’t say it’s beyond a reasonable doubt. There just wasn’t enough evidence against her, and there’s still the possibility of someone else having committed the crime.

I really liked this book. While it was a tiny bit on the dry side – it is a history book, after all – it did hold my attention all the way through, and I thought it was a great overview of the case. The time Robertson spent researching this book was evident, and I respect that a lot. I was a little bit disappointed that there wasn’t a whole lot of information that was new to me, but that’s just me, personally. I’d definitely recommend this for anyone who is curious and wants to learn more about the Borden case, because it’s probably the most comprehensive view I’ve come across.

I was intrigued with the idea of new information about the time and trial of Lizzie Borden. I have some familiarity with the crime. I've watched the original movie and have seen one or two documentaries regarding the case. Anything new would have been great to read after all of this time.

What I read was a dry retelling with no new details that I could see. This book would be good for someone with almost no knowledge of the case and trial. For me it was like reading the transcripts of the trial and every other document involved.

In the thrust of America's true crime obsession, works like this stand out. Robertson's exhaustive examination of one of the most famous female criminals is worth the time of any reader.

This not being a book or genre I normally read, I still found it rich with historical detail and loved the pictures of the people and places mixed in. A compelling book about the trial of Lizzie Borden. Would definitely recommend.

I have always been fascinated by the Lizzie Borden case. This book was very interesting and I loved jumping into the Borden world again. I would love to actually go visit the Borden house one day.

I was very excited to read this because I am actually distantly related to Lizzie Borden. Sadly, this book was a bit hard for me to get through. I found the material dry because it was filled with a majority of direct quotes from research and not a lot of storytelling. I was also disappointed with the "new information" that wasn't really anything solid. I thought there was going to be this big reveal when really we were just told that there's more information out there but we don't know what it is. Overall, I feel like I learned a lot while reading, but I didn't enjoy the reading experience.

Most people are familiar with the murder that Lizzie Borden was accused of as there have been numerous books and movies based on it. In August of 1892, Lizzie’s father and stepmother were brutally murdered in their home. Lizzie was accused of the murder and the trial became a sensationalized spectacle. People then and now all have different opinions of what happened that day in Fall River, Massachusetts. Was Lizzie a guilty murderess or was she wrongly accused?

I have read many accounts of this murder and even saw a play based on it. Ms. Robertson’s book is one of the most extensively researched and unbiased accounts I’ve read. This most definitely does not read like a historical novel as well it shouldn’t, though never ceased to hold my interest. This is a fact-based accounting based on Ms. Robertson’s twenty years of research. The book itself ended at 65%, the rest being a list of notes detailing the source of almost every sentence in the book.

What I found the most impressive about the book was that the author includes much information about society at the time of the murder and the way people perceived women. The men on Lizzie’s jury just couldn’t imagine a lady such as Lizzie committing such an atrocious act. For a women to do what was done to these two victims, she would have had to have been a monster and that would have shown in her countenance. The book also touches on what was thought to be the cause of “hysteria” in women.
The book not only covers the trial in detail but also the discussions that were taking place outside of the courtroom and newspaper accountings, as well as rumors. Another plus is that the book is chock full of photos that help the details to life.

A must read for true life crime readers. Highly recommended.

"Lizzie Borden took an axe...gave her mother 40 whacks. When she saw what she had done...gave her father 41" ~Playground chant

In August 1892, the murders of Andrew and Abby Borden in their home in Fall River, MA created a media frenzy. Their daughter, Lizzie, was arrested for the crime and put on trial. The murder trial was an instant sensation. At the time, nobody could believe a woman would hack her father and stepmother to death with an axe.

After more than 120 years, many still wonder.....

Did she? Or didn't she?

Cara Robertson has spent 20 years researching the murders and the trial. The Trial of Lizzie Borden is her first book.

This book is so interesting! The Borden case is one of the most interesting and intriguing unsolved mysteries in American history, in my opinion. I don't believe the case was really solved by the investigation or outcome of the trial because at that time nobody could believe a woman was really capable of such a violent crime. Lizzie was found not guilty (as we all know) but faced public scrutiny until her death in 1927 because nobody was sure. The question hung in the air for the rest of her life....was she really guilty? Or innocent? And...if she was innocent....who killed the Bordens?

After reading this book, I can't really sway my opinion one way or the other. The evidence in the case is long gone. If such a murder occurred today, there would be DNA analysis, fingerprint evidence, and the investigation would not be impeded by the sex of the accused. A person is assumed innocent until PROVEN guilty. In my opinion, the trial did not prove her guilt so she was freed. Did she actually murder her parents? After 127 years any proof is just dust in the wind...there is no way to know.

Awesome book! Obviously well researched, and definitely well-written. Awesome debut book. I will be looking for more from this author! I will be running over the facts of this case in my head now for days I'm sure.....did she? Maybe she did. But maybe she didn't. That's the rough beauty of an unsolvable mystery....it can be pondered, but never really brought to a satisfying conclusion. Brain candy. Things for me to mull over in my head. Love it!

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Simon & Schuster via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

I literally could not put this down! Even though i kind of knew the story. I did but realise how massively focused on it purple were at the disclosure time (and still are). Lizzie's infuriating testimony combined also with balanced commentary from legal author about the empty and tedious lives such women of her class had to live was a winning combination. We have a mix of mind and soul tracking the ways of this trial, the awful oppression Lizzie and her sister (and their unfortunately victimised stepmother) suffered balanced out the almost impossible-to-deny guilt that seems obvious. She outwitted inadvertently the prosecutor as the c authored account v seems to demonstrate. Fascinating discussion of legal ins and outs ground the story down into 'reality'. Superb job.

"The remarkable new account of an essential piece of American mythology - the trial of Lizzie Borden - based on twenty years of research and recently unearthed evidence.

The Trial of Lizzie Borden tells the true story of one of the most sensational murder trials in American history. When Andrew and Abby Borden were brutally hacked to death in Fall River, Massachusetts, in August 1892, the arrest of the couple’s younger daughter Lizzie turned the case into international news and her trial into a spectacle unparalleled in American history. Reporters flocked to the scene. Well-known columnists took up conspicuous seats in the courtroom. The defendant was relentlessly scrutinized for signs of guilt or innocence. Everyone - rich and poor, suffragists and social conservatives, legal scholars and laypeople - had an opinion about Lizzie Borden’s guilt or innocence. Was she a cold-blooded murderess or an unjustly persecuted lady? Did she or didn’t she?

The popular fascination with the Borden murders and its central enigmatic character has endured for more than one hundred years. Immortalized in rhyme, told and retold in every conceivable genre, the murders have secured a place in the American pantheon of mythic horror, but one typically wrenched from its historical moment. In contrast, Cara Robertson explores the stories Lizzie Borden’s culture wanted and expected to hear and how those stories influenced the debate inside and outside of the courtroom. Based on transcripts of the Borden legal proceedings, contemporary newspaper accounts, unpublished local accounts, and recently unearthed letters from Lizzie herself, The Trial of Lizzie Borden offers a window onto America in the Gilded Age, showcasing its most deeply held convictions and its most troubling social anxieties."

So people might say there are too many books on Lizzie Borden saturating the market right now. These are not my people. BRING IT ON!

Really liked the illustrations and the break down of thr book into the different sections. This book was great to be the author's debut book. She seems very credible to be writing the book since she work(ed) as a supreme court law clerk. I was very fascinated with the subject and this shed alot of light on it for sure. I loved it!

I thought this was a very informative book on Liz Borden and her family. I really enjoyed the pictures and all of the research that was done. Liz Borden is an interesting woman and story if you want to know more about her I would recommend this book.