In this meticulously researched fiction debut, Cree whisks readers away to the time of the infamous 1892 Borden murders. Accused of hacking to death her father, Andrew, and her stepmother, Abby, in their Fall River, MA home, Lizzie Borden—later acquitted by a jury during her trial—is seen here through the eyes of an accomplished historian, who draws from several historical sources, including police notes, legal journals, and court transcripts, to craft a compelling story examining the facets and events that led up to “one of the most famous unsolved mysteries in American history.” Cree is a skilled storyteller, and readers will be spellbound as the tale races to sleuth the answers to this violent, devastating crime. Tantalizing clues and powerful courtroom scenes paint vivid details and foment assumptions, and backstory unveiled near the story’s end provides added depth, offering up Cree’s reasoning as to who the true killer was. The imaginative step-by-step recounting of the actual attacks is gruesome, but Cree painstakingly documents the murders with the help of multiple historical references, sparing no attention to the most minute particulars—including Lizzie’s alleged purchase of prussic acid (now known as cyanide) and the Borden household’s floorplans, reflecting on the role that such factors may have played in the crime. To avoid spoilers, Cree cautions readers not to read the historical afterward until finishing the story.
Cree transports readers beyond the central murders, masterfully exposing the cloud that Lizzie—and her fellow spinster sister Emma—experienced after the acquittal, noting the snubs and dark questions that chased Lizzie until the day she died. Even Lizzie’s name change, to Lizbeth Borden, failed to tamp down the rampant speculation, and Cree invites readers to speculate as well—at least until the tale’s final scene. True crime buffs will eagerly devour this impeccably delivered mystery.
Takeaway: Masterfully crafted tale of one of history’s greatest unsolved crimes.
Comparable Titles: Erika Mailman’s The Murderer’s Maid, Cara Robertson’s The Trial of Lizzie Borden.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
