Blog Tour Post & Review: The Borden Murders: Lizzie Borden and the Trial of the Century by Sarah Miller

‘Here’s middle-grade nonfiction that reads like a thriller. With murder, court battles, and sensational headlines, the story of Lizzie Borden is compulsively readable and perfect for the Common Core.

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

In a compelling, linear narrative, Miller takes readers along as she investigates a brutal crime: the August 4, 1892, murders of wealthy and prominent Andrew and Abby Borden. The accused? Mild-mannered and highly respected Lizzie Borden, daughter of Andrew and stepdaughter of Abby. Most of what is known about Lizzie’s arrest and subsequent trial (and acquittal) comes from sensationalized newspaper reports; as Miller sorts fact from fiction, and as a legal batter gets under way, a gripping portrait of a woman and a town emerges.

With inserts featuring period photos and newspaper clippings–and, yes, images from the murder scene–readers will devour this nonfiction book that reads like fiction.’

To me it is very rare that I enjoy nonfiction, but when it comes to Lizzie Borden, well that’s fair game. I love learning about Lizzie Borden and what her life was like and all about the gruesome murders of her father and stepmother of which she was accused. I rarely tend to give any credence to the description on the back of books, but this one was true. It does read like fiction. It was very hard to put down and didn’t overwhelm the reader with a lot of facts. The author did a fantastic job of creating a story based on the facts and misconceptions of the Lizzie Borden murder trial. I highly recommend this book for people who want to learn more about what was named the “Trial of the Century” and of Lizzie Borden.

I found that even though I knew a lot about Lizzie Borden and her trial, that this book taught me even more. This book was thoroughly researched and the reader can tell that the author took the time and care to make sure that the facts that she provided were accurate and based on real events. I can’t imagine how hyped up this trial was at the time and the author does a very good job of creating a scene for the reader to imagine how things might have played out. Lizzie Borden became a household name and she lives on in history due to the misconceptions and events that happened at this time.

We all know that Lizzie was acquitted of her father’s and stepmother’s murders, but who was the woman who was portrayed in the media as a murderer of the coldest blood? This book fills in a lot of the details that have been left out over time and paints a clearer picture of what life was like for the Bordens. This is one of history’s most beloved crime mysteries and it even sparks interest today over a hundred years later. If you are looking for a great read based on fact, this is definitely a book that is worth looking into.