Summary
Lizzie Borden took an axe, gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one.
Here's middle-grade nonfiction that reads like a thriller. With murder, court battles, and sensational newspaper headlines, the story of Lizzie Borden is compulsively readable.
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 battle 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.
Published Reviews
Booklist Review:
"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.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2015 Booklist"
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Publisher's Weekly Review:
"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. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved."
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Additional Information
| Subjects |
Borden, Lizzie,
-- 1860-1927
-- Trials, litigation, etc.
-- Juvenile literature.
Borden, Abby Durfee Gray,
-- 1828-1892
-- Juvenile literature.
Borden, Andrew Jackson,
-- 1822-1892
-- Juvenile literature.
Borden, Lizzie,
-- 1860-1927
-- Trials, litigation, etc.
Borden, Abby Durfee Gray,
-- 1828-1892.
Borden, Andrew Jackson,
-- 1822-1892.
Trials (Murder)
-- Massachusetts
-- New Beford
-- Juvenile literature.
Murder
-- Massachusetts
-- Fall River
-- Juvenile literature.
Murder
-- Investigation
-- Massachusetts
-- Fall River
-- Juvenile literature.
Trials (Murder)
-- Massachusetts
-- New Beford.
Murder
-- Massachusetts
-- Fall River.
Murder
-- Investigation
-- Massachusetts
-- Fall River.
Fall River (Mass.)
-- History
-- Juvenile literature.
Fall River (Mass.)
-- History.
|
| Publisher |
New York :Schwartz & Wade Books,2016
|
| Edition |
First edition. |
| Language |
English
|
| Description |
288 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm
|
| Bibliography Notes |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
|
| ISBN |
9780553498080
0553498088
9780553498097
0553498096
|
| Other |
Classic View |