Lizzie Borden: The Legend, the Truth, the Final Chapter [Mass Market Paperback]

Arnold Brown (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1992

Employs new evidence and Lizzie Borden's own chilling testimony to unmask a new suspect and draw a different conclusion to one of the most famous cases in the history of American crime. Reprint.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

One of the most famous cases in the history of American crime took place 99 years ago in Fall River, Mass., when wealthy banker-landowner Andrew J. Borden and his second wife, Abby, were hacked to death. Andrew's younger daughter, Lizzie, was tried for the slayings but found innocent and the crime has never been solved. In the dozens of books and magazine articles written about the killings, the murderer has been variously identified as Lizzie; her older sister, Emma; her uncle John Morse; the family maid; neighbor Dr. Bowen; and an unknown stranger. Brown, a Fall River native, theorizes that the guilty party was Andrew Borden's mentally defective, illegitimate son William, that Lizzie knew he had done it and that she connived with the local establishment to keep the murderer's identity secret, undergo the charade of a rigged trial herself and use part of her and Emma's inheritance to pay off the town's "Silent Government." His argument is as convincing as any other, but most true crime buffs will balk at reading yet another recapitulation of grand jury and trial proceedings. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Next year marks the 100th anniversary of the infamous Borden murders. Did Lizzie kill her father and stepmother? Not according to Brown, who thinks it's time to bury the hatchet. After meeting a man who claimed to have known the real murderer, Brown spent several years researching the man's account, and his book purports to be the "definitive" explanation of what really happened one August afternoon in Fall River, Massachusetts. Brown obviously believes his explanation and has done impressive research to prove it. He takes much of his information from courtroom and newspaper accounts, and he examines again all the suspects. Brown writes well, but the book sometimes slows during detailed recounting of courtroom evidence. He delivers the "real" murderer in the end, but the impression lingers that another writer setting out to prove an entirely different theory could also muster facts. Although a number of Borden books already exist, this one will appeal to many fans of the legend. Recommended for public library collections.
- Lois Walker, Winthrop Coll. Lib., Rock Hill,
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Dell (August 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440213150
• ISBN-13: 978-0440213154
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #590,265 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Very Important Book, April 19, 2000

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lizzie Borden: The Legend, the Truth, the Final Chapter (Mass Market Paperback)

I found this to be one of the most important books that I have ever read! This book is important for solving a century-old mystery, based on the available evidence. It sets a good example for any other non-writer to follow.

A R Brown was born and raised in Fall River. He retired to Florida, and met Lewis Peterson (also from Fall River). When the subject of Lizzie Borden came up, Lewis said his father-in-law Henry Hawthorne knew the real killer. Hawthorne's mother-in-law Ellan Eagan passed by the Borden house that morning.

Before Henry Hawthorne died in 1978 he left notebooks filled with his memories of that event. A R Brown read them, then checked those facts for historical verification. His book is the result of his investigation. The "Acknowledgments" list the many people who helped with the book, which provides the "best evidence" for its solution to this famous unsolved mystery.

Little or no documentation is available, as the author stated, for any further proof. He noted that there was a work stoppage, which put pressure on the local establishment to find a solution. The Mellen House Gang would not leave documents for their actions in 1892, as with most current politicians. (We still don't have an official legal solution to the JFK assassination.)

The book "Forty Whacks" provides complementary information on the events of the time. Note the "anonymous" letter from Albany (Joseph Carpenter?) who seemed to know something about the crime. Like today, people may know things but do not wish to get involved with powerful authorities who have their own agenda.

I think there may have been more information left out of the book.

One important but little known fact mentioned in this book is the condition of the blood for a freshly killed body (red and liquid) compared to one dead for over an hour (black and clotted). Think about that in a more recent double murder case.

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very plausible explanation of the awful hatchet murders., January 13, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Lizzie Borden: The Legend, the Truth, the Final Chapter (Mass Market Paperback)

As a student of the legend of the Borden murders, I found this book to be a wholly new and frankly amazing version of "who-done-it", presented clearly and very believably. For all those who've always sworn that Lizzie didn't do the deeds, this is a must-read, featuring never-before-disclosed facts and pointing the finger at a previously unknown killer. Well worth the time.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very interesting, October 27, 2007

By 

Jennifer E (Redlands, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lizzie Borden: The Legend, the Truth, the Final Chapter (Hardcover)

I have read many books about this case and I say without any hesitation that this book is very enjoyable, very concise and elaborates on points that many other books just say....Lizzie did it. We all know she was accused of murder, not found guilty. I personally don't think that she did. Think about it? I woman of small stature killing 2 people with a hatchet? And not just a couple of blows.....19 for her stepmother (over 200 pounds) and 11 for her father. She may have been guilty of greed which the author also elaborates on. I am afraid to say that many people take the easy way out, jump on the bandwagon and say...oh, Lizzie did it! Explore some other possibilities. This author has researched two full years....uncovered some material that has been overlooked and spent some genuine time preparing thoughts and tying all the ends together in a book that is both engaging and believable.