Debu's journey brings together many opposites: east and west, thoughts of adults on the young, old country -- new country, Hinduism -- Christianity, tradition and modernity. His odyssey takes him from an ancient land to a new one; sacred rivers flow through each, he creates himself anew as he moves between cultures. It is a voyage of discovery, but not just of places and environments and new friends and colleagues; there is an inner voyage that takes place too. In this kind of journey -- which takes place over decades, on several continents -- although most of these stories are set in Idaho in the last 20 years -- there is ample room for reflection, and doubt and crises of identity. Do I belong to one culture? Or another? Or does that question even have meaning any more? Not least of the gifts of this book is that as Debu ponders the changes that have come about in himself, among his fellow Indians who have come to the United States, and in everyone who has come to the American West, he sees himself in new ways, and we see ourselves in a new light too. That is a valuable gift.

Idaho and Calcutta. Himalayas and Tetron. Indians and Americans. Ganges and Snake river. All comes for a fascinating contiguity in all 16 episode composed by Debu Mojumder, an Indian from Calcutta transformed to American in Idaho Falls. He tales this story of transformation through different characters and creeds busy to establish their own identity. Along with the characters the nature, surrounding with all its content living or non living reacts in harmony. All are foreigner at some point. Episodes that can be shared by all in the global village.

From The Ganges To The Snake River: An East Indian In The American West is an engaging, thought-provoking collection of essays written over a period of twenty years in which Debu Majumdar (who was born and raised on the banks of India's Ganges River) wrote while living in Idaho Falls, Idaho during the 1980s and 1990s. The essays cover everything from Mormon missionaries and Native Americas to fishing and horses. Highly recommended and totally engaging, these cultural essays include: First Idaho Winter; Idaho Trout; Fourth of July; Tiger Hunt; Hunting; Mountain River Ranch; The Missionaries; Be Crazy About; An Excursion on the River; Pollywog Pond; The Poets' Club; A Place to Hang Your Hats; Oh Calcutta; At the Windcave; The Ramayana; and Indians Across the Ocean

I was very dissapointed when this book arrived. I expected a "Treasury of a Victorian Murder" Instead I found a black and white comic book. I suspect a guy would like this book, but as a woman I found the title misleading. It's just not how I want to have interesting information about the murder conveyed to me. I was hoping for interesting facts and historical photographs. Guess I should have read the other reviews first!

Read the story of the Borden murders like you've never read it before - in comic book form. It's like seeing a movie, or if you really get carried away, almost like being there. The telling of the tale is historically accurate, and each frame enhances what is already a good, condensed version of the crimes. Of special importance are the two drawings Mr. Geary does of the inside of the house. He draws it so simply that it's easy to see which room leads into which with that multitude of doors. A definite read for the Borden enthusiast and a plus for your Lizzie collection.

Mr. Geary... my hat is off to you, sir!

"The Borden Tragedy" is near perfect in all it's pictoral details and facts. I can attest to this as I have actually stayed the night in the infamous guest room where dear ol' step-mommy's bludgeoned body was found, had a lengthy conversation with the Borden historian in Fall River, read the interrogation notes and the police blotter from the time of Lizzie's arrest, as well as having dug up as much information as I possibly could before my actual visit so I would be ready to ask a plethora of questions. I can tell you with absolute certainty: Geary has his act together here.

For those of you that might not be familar with the term "graphic novel", it basically means "a really fancy comic book with lots of words". Be that as it may, Geary managed to cram pack the pages with more information about the Borden case than you can shake a bloody axe handle at. (Granted, there is still quite a bit more to the case... but this is just a comic book designed for light reading!)

The illustrations are beautifully intricate and detailed. All the maps of town and of the rooms within the residence itself are accurate... down to the placement of furniture. Geary introduces briefly throughout the novel many of the alternate theories and possible other suspects to the grisly murders. He has done a wonderful job of recreating the entire series of events that took place that stifling summer of 1892.

Included at the rear of the book are several pages of press clippings of the time as well as Lizzie's Indictment. The back cover has an eerie comparison of the Borden case to that of the Simpson case a hundred years later.

There are about 3 discrepencies I have found within the pages of "The Borden Tragedy", but they are so minute that they really don't bear mentioning. I highly recommend this book to anyone that has a love of comics, Borden affectionados/collectors, or simply anyone wanting a very brief yet still accurate introduction to one of the most famous unsolved crimes in all of american history.

It was suppressed after its publication: all copies were bought up and destroyed, and never reprinted. The verdict of acquittal has never stopped interest in this case, or new solutions.

The rooms where the bodies lay were in perfect order; doors locked, windows closed. The victims showed no signs of struggle, their blood had not bespattered the rooms and furniture as it generally does under these circumstances. The assassin had left absolutely no trace of himself (p.13). A sudden unforeseen attack that killed with the first blow. The house had not been robbed, nor was any enemy known of with such hatred as to commit these assassinations.

Special officer Philip Harrington questioned Lizzie; suspicions were raised in the minds of the police that she knew more than she cared to tell. The police and the mayor searched the house from cellar to attic, delved into every nook and corner; every particle of hay in the barn loft and every blade of grass was turned over. Nothing was found.

The autopsy found 13 blows on the head of Mr. Borden, 18 on the skull of Mrs. Borden. The cuts were deep and long and any one would have produced instant death. Could any but a madman have struck so ruthlessly and unerringly, time and time again?

The Government side presumed that Lizzie would desire to bring the butcher to the gallows (p.76). It was either him or Lizzie. It was supposed she would answer every question, and volunteer every particle of information in her possession. She had everything to gain, and nothing to lose. But the Government must have known that this charge would leave a blotch on her name, and if acquitted, would forever blight her life. After Lizzie's arrest the Woman's Auxiliary of the YMCA held a prayer for her, the WCTU and religious societies all over the country did the same (p.80).

Mr. Jennings describes the murder on page 126. "There is an unnecessary brutality about this that suggests nothing but insanity or brutal hatred." "Every blow showed that the person who wielded that hatchet was a person of experience with the instrument." "... no hand could strike these blows that had not a powerful wrist and experience in handling a hatchet."

Regarding the claimed attempt to purchase poison, Jennings says "If there is one thing which is weakest in criminal cases it is the matter of mistaken identity. The books are full of such references" (p. 130). Page 195 gives the testimony of Prof. Edward S. Wood; he tested the Bordens' stomachs and found no prussic acid, or other poisonous substances. He calculated the difference in time of death at about one and a half hours.

Page 137 Knowlton discusses Lizzie's changed stories about what she was doing that morning. He then asks why the sender of the note to Mrs. Borden never came forward, and concludes it never was sent. Knowlton also claimed the absence of bloodstained clothing is proof of her guilty concealment! Lizzie was indicted and held for the Grand Jury. Hilliard and Seaver posted bond for Bridget, ex-Congressman Davis for Mr. Morse (as material witnesses).

Chapter XXI tells of the Trickey-McHenry affair that resulted in one of the most famous hoaxes of the time. False information was given to a reporter, who rushed this scoop into print. The reporter was then indicted as a result of this plot; he fled the country, and died accidentally. McHenry had been hired to watch the Pinkerton men, who had been hired by Jennings to watch the police. McHenry had previous trouble with Trickey's reporting on a trial in Denver, and another case. McHenry claimed Trickey was reporting to the Pinkertons in Boston.

Pages 212-213 quote George D. Robinson as to the killer "a maniac or fiend", "not a man in his senses ... but a lunatic or a devil". "They were well-directed blows.... They were aimed steadily and constantly for a purpose, each one finding its place where it was aimed, and none going amiss on the one side of the other." "The perpetrator of that act knew how to handle the instrument, was experienced in its control, had directed it before or others like it, and it was not the sudden, untrained doing of somebody who had been unfamiliar with such implements."

Pages 266-267 tell how Lizzie shielded Bridget and Andrew's workmen from suspicion (they were checked out anyway). This left her as the remaining suspect; but she never told! Page 280 says "there is a skeleton in the household of every man, but the Borden skeleton - if there was one - was fairly well locked up from view. They were a close-mouthed family."

Pages 304-311 contain part of Justice Dewey's charge to the jury. Robert Sullivan's "Goodbye, Lizzie Borden" has it all. After an hour the jury returned with its verdict of "Not Guilty". "Lizzie Andrew Borden returned guiltless to her friends and home in Fall River."

Lizzie Borden took a walk,
To let her Dad have his talk;
When she came back to the room,
She found Dear Dad met his doom.

A reprint of the elusive first book ever written about Lizzie Borden, the Fall River spinster who was acquitted of murdering her father and stepmother with a hatchet in 1892. I have two of the 1893 first edition copies of this book. For decades writers about the Lizzie Borden murder trial have stated that only three or four copies were known to exist, but since I have two of them, I suspect that the book is not nearly as scarce as is believed. Many years before getting these copies, I acquired the facsimile reprint, and was pleased that I could finally read the book and add it to my Lizzie collection. I was not overly impressed with Mr. Porter's writing style; he was a newspaper reporter who used his news stories as the basis of this book. The prose is rather dry and slow-moving. (For more entertaining "Lizzie" reading, I would recommend books by Victoria Lincoln or Edmund Pearson). I gave this book 5 stars because of the quality of the facsimile. In the forward, Robert A. Flynn states that he made the facsimile from a copy he found after a forty-year search. Having compared it to my two copies, I must say that he did an exceptional job, considering the cheapness of the original edition. The only major differences I noticed were the endpapers (biege with a green floral pattern in the original and plain green here) and the lack of filigree at the top and bottom of the spine. I suspect that Mr. Flynn's copy was frayed and the filigree was missing, because otherwise the book cover is just the same (I could be wrong). Other than that, this is an extremely handsome volume, and belongs on any Lizzie buffs bookshelf.

I was very disappointed. The "new evidence" was extremely minor, and as contradictory as most of the other evidence in the case. The author is completely convinced of Lizzie's innocence,and points the entire book to that viewpoint. He does not present the inquest testimony, saying it all comes out in the trial.

Borden fans should check out this wonderful book which presents "just the facts" of the murder case. As many people know, "Fall River Tragedy" by Porter is considered THE BIBLE as far as Lizzie lore goes...but Kent points out that Porter was a yellow journalist whose book was a re-hashing of his numerous, sensationalized newspaper articles of the day. Furthermore, Porter was one-sided against Lizzie. Let's stop looking to Porter as the definitive text on the case, and give Kent a try...he doesn't offer any solution, but at least he doesn't offer any biases and nonsense either.

The MOST important new evidence is the fact that a fairly new hatchet was used (the shred of gilt paint in Abby's skull) - not reported in the past; the old hatchet found in the basement could NOT have been the murder weapon! The "Harvard Perjury" was the testimony preceded by "I believe that ..." the old hatchet was the murder weapon. The common sense jury knew that the hatchet head was SAWN off, not broken off.

The chapter on rumors carries the full text of the anonymous letter from Albany (most likely Joseph Carpenter?) sent to both the Prosecutor and the Marshall. The misspelled "Bordon" name is just a sample of "plausible denial", in case somebody (with a hatchet) came to talk to him. The letter that was later found on a Rome NY street pointing to J. Carpenter was a way to get even; somebody connected with the case wasn't fooled.

This book is a very good complementary to Arnold R. Brown's "final chapter" on the case - as good a solution as you can find after a century.

Edward Radin's 1961 book re-investigated the case, and talked to some contemporaries who knew Lizzie. He was the first to show Pearson's biased reporting, and had his own solution (based on his own experiences as a crime reporter).

The 1973 book by Robert Sullivan, lawyer and judge, provides another point of view. His opinion that "there was enough evidence to convict" shows prejudgment of the case. His book quotes Judge Justin Dewey's charge to the jury, as true and important today as a century ago. He interviewed Abby Borden Whitehead Potter, Abby's niece (and Godchild?).

The most important thing about this case was the condition of the blood of the victims. Red and liquid for freshly-killed Andrew, black and clotted for Abby (predeceased for over an hour). Think about that in a more recent case!

Read Friday Night Lights about HS football in Texas. This is a story of a basketball team in Fall River Mass. that follows the same route as Friday Night Lights. It can be boring and long winded. Fall River is dying as a city and the book unfortunately dies pretty near the start.

This is a terrific book. It is well written, has good characters, and explores some interesting cultural topics (high school sports, failing mill towns, youths in America, etc.). Fall River is one of the poorest towns in Massachusetts, but its one saving grace in the early 1990's was its successful basketball team. Life in the town revolved around the team, which provided some hope to some but certainly had negative consequences for many of the athletes and possibly the future of the city. It is a very similar tale to Friday Night Lights, which is probably the best sports book I have read, but is different enough that it is well worth reading. It is also fascinating to read about Chris Herren, who happens to be a classic example of a troubled athlete, before he he made headlines in college and joined the NBA. I really appreciated the focus on the town and the people rather than the actual games, which often dominates books of this genre and just distract from the compelling parts of the book. My only complaints about the book are that it wasn't particularly well edited (I caught several spelling errors that are particularly obnoxious in a mass punlished book, though really don't spoil the story in the slightest) and that it is not quite as detailed as it could have been considering the level of access Reynolds had to the kids and coaches. I would highly recommend this story to anyone and particularly sports fans or people who liked Friday Night Lights.

Fall River Dreams was one of those books you wished would never end! I became immersed in this book, as these characters become a part of you.The star player, living in his brothers'shadow, and the pressure of living up to his legacy of bringing home a state championship. The coach,a legend himself in his hometown, trying to go out with one more championship,and dealing with this 'new breed'of kids. The players, the benchwarmers, and those who seek their own moment of glory. And lastly, the town,that has once seen better days,as it struggles with it's existence all while pinning it's hopes on a High School basketball team, to make it feel that the town still has it's pride, along with their passion for the game! I compare this book to the excellent "Hoop Dreams",as that you both feel for their characters, and find yourself rooting for them. Much has happened to the main character, Chris Herren, from the time Fall River Dreams ends, to the start of his rookie season with the Denver Nuggets. I won't reveal them here. The are documented in excellent articles in author Bill Reynolds column in The Providence Journal. I'm hoping that Mr.Reynolds continues telling us more, with a sequel of the team and the town that captured my heart,soul and passion of hometown sports! This book won't disapoint you!

Ed Gorman has got to be one of the best thriller writers working in the genre today. Gorman's writing is sharp and easy to read, he doesn't over-write like so many others out there; his style is simple and straight-forward.

Gorman keeps the story moving along, despite some slow spots, paces it well and keeps the premise pretty basic. The only pet peeve I have is the repetitive dialogue.

"Really?"
"Really."

That is what I mean. He does this several times during the novel and it gets a little annoying after doing it 4 or 5 times.

However, the novel is excellent overall and Gorman is a master storyteller. This is a must-read for Gorman fans.

"Black River Falls" is one of those books you hate to admit that you enjoyed, but it is to Ed Gorman's credit that this leisurely-placed dark story works so well.
We meet Ben Tyler, an average looking "nerd" who finds himself falling in love with the mysterious Allison. Allison has her own sordid past, in that a roommate of hers was brutally murdered the year previously. Ben doesn't know this of course. Ben has a loving mother, who is a veterinarian, and a charming, handsome older brother, Michael, who wows the women, including one Denise Fletcher, a married woman whose husband is maniacally jealous. Enter David Weyrich, a seasoned PI, who is looking for one Steve Conners, who he is sure killed Allison's roommate, and just happens to be a good friend of none other than Michael Tyler.
Gorman gives us some very touching scenes, including one in which Ben has to help his mother put his feline-leukemia afflicted kitten to sleep. This is poignant and rare in a book of this nature.
Of course, there are now shocking surprises, once we find out the truth about Steve and Michael; from then on, it's a cat and mouse game, with the evil villain doing his best to silence those who could give away his dreaded secret.
Gorman presents a strong case of inherited traits, in that the killer may have inherited his traits from his murderous grandfather.
All in all, the story has some great moments, and even though our beloved heroine bites the dust, Ben's revenge, along with the just desserts for Allison's killer keep the plot moving.
A nice, sneaky thriller.

This has to be one of my favorites of all time. I borrowed this little gem from a friend and read it in no time at all. In my opinion (as a fan of Gorman) this is one of his best. It really keeps you hanging to the very end.

The subtitle here says it all -- this is truly a history of the Falls, beginning back with the Ice Age, although that pre-history is dispensed with quickly. Berton is an easy, if not compelling read. I learned a whole lot more than necessary about the machinations of the power players in the early hydroelectric industry in Niagara. Amidst all that detail, however, Berton properly highlights the importance of the Falls to industrial development in both the United States and Canada, a fact easily overlooked in the popular image of Niagara. My own Falls memories include being thirteen and reading in 1960 the next day's Buffalo newspapers about the boy who accidentally went over the Falls in his bathing suit and survived, the only person ever to do so. The history Berton draws of the man's life after that miracle made interesting reading, as did the reasons the first person to survive going over in a barrel had for doing so. There is a full panoply here of fools, stoic rescuers (and body retrievers), and shysters, but I found Berton's efforts to be exhaustive sometimes obscured the lure and power that makes Niagara the popular fascination it has always been. That said, I know much more about Niagara than I did before and would recommend this as a quick summer read to anyone with curiosity about this natural, and -- Berton makes clear -- ever-changing wonder.

"Niagara" is a nice little book, stringing together a series of anecdotes about Niagara Falls and its immediate region, especially from the mid 19th century to the mid 20th century. As histories go, it is fairly light (the author does not cite his facts, although he does include an extensive bibliography), but Pierre Berton is adept at telling stories, especially human stories.

The stories mostly develop along one of two themes - daredevil encounters with the Falls, and human manipulation, either for the purpose of exploitation or protection of the Falls. Berton is best with the small stories of explorers, tightrope walkers, barrel riders, a family of "rivermen" (the Hills), and their ilk. The small becomes large with what is perhaps the best-crafted story, that of Lois Gibbs and the toxic tragedy of Love Canal, with which Berton ends the book.

Although the story of the Falls did not end in 1980, Love Canal is a fitting final story. Despite the occasional preservationist triumphs, the story of the Falls really culminates in Love Canal. The natural wonder of the Falls became framed by hucksters, factories, power stations, tacky museums, homes, roads, manicured parks and everything else unnatural. Engineers even managed to stop the falls in an attempt to clear out fallen rocks (they wisely chose not to once they realized that the rocks propped up the rock face behind the falls). A visit to the Falls today is a jarring reminder of what a mess we humans have made of the natural world. It is an obscene juxtaposition of nature's best and humanity's chintziest.

Berton is less skilled at relaying scientific stories about the formation of the falls, and the energy and chemical industries. He also seems less than passionate when writing about big business deals - his treatment of power-mavens Adam Beck and Robert Moses palls beside his treatment of activist Lois Gibbs or "riverman" Red Hill. As a result, the book is somewhat inconsistent and (ironically, considering the subject matter) does not always flow.

Conspicuously missing from "Niagara" is ancient Native American history and the eventful history of the last 20 years. The former may not be possible to write for lack of information, but the latter (which includes the establishment of a gambling casino overlooking the Falls) warrants an update. Also lacking is some of the political history surrounding the Falls. For all these reasons, this is more a three-and-a-half star book than a full four star book. But I'm givivng it four because it was fun to read and provided me, as a native of Western New York, with some history of my home region. I'm not sure how interesting all this will be for those with no personal experience of the Falls, but for those of us who do, its worth reading.

If you're curious about Niagara Falls, and want to know more about its geological and social history told in an highly engaging narrative style, this book is highly recommended. All aspects of the area and the natural phenomenon known as Niagara Falls is covered, with detailed stories about both the New York and Canadian sides. Interesting illustrations complement the text. Included are a wide range of topics, including the stories of the daredevils who tried to conquer the Falls to the more serious subject of Love Canal.

The Borden murders represent one of the most fascinating crimes in American history, giving birth to a legend that has far surpassed the actual events of that fateful day in Fall River, Massachusetts. In this fascinating book, Arnold R. Brown purports to tell us the true story of the crime and cover-up which revolved around Miss Lizzie Borden. Brown's arguments are really quite intriguing, and they are indeed credible'to some degree. His tale does fit many of the facts of the case, yet in the end he has no real way to prove that he is correct. This does not mean that he has not in fact cracked the case wide open, but he has no incontrovertible proof to offer the reader to support the theory he is convinced explains everything. The heart of his argument relies on second- or third-hand hearsay evidence from individuals who were quite young at the time of the murders. Brown may well be right, and his obvious writing skills make you want to believe him, but there is simply not enough proof to declare his solution to be the actual final solution.

One would probably be better served by reading other accounts in order to get the facts of the case in mind before taking on this author. Brown jumps around in his narrative to some degree, and he never really lays out a timetable for what happened when on that fateful morning. We learn the accepted facts of the case from him in a rather piecemeal fashion. Along the way, his own conviction almost teases the reader. Remember this, he tells the reader, for it will be important later. Further along, he begins to make bold statements, holding off the proof of them for some later chapter. As he begins describing the inquests and trial, he contaminates the valuable evidence of fact he has with a conviction that seems unwarranted. He proclaims that local government officials planned every aspect of the case from inquest to trial for the sole purpose of charging and acquitting Lizzie Borden in a way that allowed no possibility of the real murderer's identity becoming known. He never presents a good enough argument for why the town leaders should prostitute the law in this manner. Brown alleges that virtually every principal in the trial's proceeding knew who the murderer was and worked conspiratorially to produce the result that indeed came about'namely, Lizzie's acquittal. Even undeniably honorable men on the prosecuting team and behind the judge's bench were all active performers in a farcical drama. While I can't buy all he is selling on these points, Brown does do a very good job at pointing out many extraordinary aspects of the trial, especially many mysterious aspects to the prosecutor's case and the exceedingly strange decisions and pronouncements from the bench. His words are convincing, but I cannot objectively accept everything he pronounces as truth without more evidence.

After building up interminably for the big finish, the moment when he will announce who in fact killed Andrew and Abby Borden, Brown seems to let his excitement get away from him in the concluding chapter. His evidence can simply not be proven, even if he is correct. Brown makes the situation worse by putting forth a timeline in which he ascribes definite actions to a number of players without offering any proof whatsoever'his summary contains information he never even mentioned elsewhere in the book. He names Lizzie as a conspirator after the fact, one who knew the murderer but did not know he had rewritten everyone's plans for that morning by actually killing the elder Bordens. I found Brown's argument as to why she quickly decides to cover up the murderer and allow herself to stand trial for the heinous crimes somewhat problematic and unsatisfactory'materialism and a desire to save the Borden name from embarrassment don't seem to do it for me, and Uncle John Morse's purported role in the central events strikes me as even harder to justify in Brown's scenario.

This is a fascinating book that all armchair detectives interested in the Borden case should read. One great strength of Brown's book is his inclusion of the long-lost testimony of Lizzie Borden from the original inquest, evidence that was not allowed during the actual trial. He relies heavily on information from this inquest to build his case, but many of his discoveries are perfectly capable of being twisted in different directions by other sleuths. Arnold Brown is simply too sure of himself; he has contributed useful information and speculation into the Borden murder mystery, but he allows himself to lose objectivity. It may well be that he is correct, and many of his ideas certainly deserve intense thought and investigation, but his theories simply cannot be proven, and his overzealous attempt to explain why each actor in this drama did what he/she did actually damaged some of his credibility in my eyes. Brown would have us believe that every halfway important man in Fall River knew the truth about the case and worked together to turn the trial into a mockery of justice for reasons that simply are not convincing, especially when you allow for the obvious public danger posed by the madman Brown dubs the actual killer.

The author was born and bred in Fall River. He retired to Florida, and met the son-in-law of Henry Hawthorne. Henry Hawthorne wrote his memoir of the Borden Murders based on his personal knowledge, together with the information from his mother-in-law, Ellan Eagan (she walked by the house after 9:30AM and before 11AM). AR Brown then investigated, and completed this solution to the crime. This account fits the facts of the case better than any other theory. Read it and compare it to the others.

The solution works by implicitly explaining why Bridget Sullivan was paid to leave the country: she knew too much (but didn't know it). Bridget must have seen William Borden visiting. She didn't know that he worked as a butcher, was skilled with a hatchet, had a violent temper, and spent time in a mental hospital. She would have found out that he was more than a cousin. Bridget's testimony was not favorable to Lizzie, so there was no pay-off here.

AR Brown's book alone discusses the actions of the local ruling class, and the politicians who do their bidding. The spontaneous halt in working, a virtual general strike, had to be ended. There were no labor leaders to be jailed and oppressed. There was a great need to resume production. Somebody had to be arrested for the crime to quell the restless natives. Lizzie was picked to try to break her so she would talk; it didn't work. Lizzie kept her mouth shut, and the family secret.

AR Brown says that such official corruption is always possible when the price and conditions are right. You can review your own local history, and judge for yourself. (One author compared the guiltless Lizzie to the innocent OJ.)

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.

The first half of the book was very good but towards the ending chapters it draged on, i still havent read them but its pretty good if you can get past the last few chapters.

Robert Flynn. The Borden Murders: An Annotated Bibliography.

Precisely how much has been written about America's most famous unsolved crime - and by whom? The answer has been deftly supplied by Robert Flynn, doyen of Borden scholars. His annotated bibliographic handlist, which contains titles through 1992, is divided into eleven sections, ranging from Non-Fiction to The Opera/ The Ballet and Poetry and Rhymes - lacking only a section on ms. materials. The annotations are perceptive and succinct and will prove invaluable for the seasoned collector as well as the novice. Hopefully, from time to time Mr. Flynn will issue up-dates/ supplements and even consider adding some documentation of unpublished "sources." His notes would most certainly answer many nagging questions, including the most annoying of all: why the trial transcripts have not been published after nearly 107 years - there are copies in the Boston Public Library and the Fall River Historical Society. Surely it is not for want of an audience! Then there is the matter of two file drawers of legal papers locked away in the law offices founded by Lizzie's attorney George Robinson - beyond doubt the last cache of new historical evidence on one of America's most sensational mysteries. Ostensibly the Borden files are privileged, according to Arnold Rosenfeld (Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers): "The duty to protect confidential information survives death in Massachusetts. That's clear. There's case law." [A rather terse and dismissive statement.] Ah, Lizzie...we are still spellbound. And curious.

I picked up this book one day while looking for a study on the Borden case. It was only after I started reading it that I realized it was fiction. The book kept my interest and I read it through. The author definitely researched the subject, offering an analysis of the characters and living arrangements of the Borden household. But for someone like me who wanted to learn more about the history of the crime, a novel will not do. From Lizzie's odd relationship with her father to her sexual experimentation, it is a very disturbing account. Engstrom's version of the crime itself, I'll warn you, is very homoerotic. It was a little much for my tastes.

This book is billed as a suspenseful novel about Lizzie Borden. The only suspense I felt was in trying to stay awake. The book was incredibly boring, none of the characters were sympathetic, just pathetic.

This was the first book I read about Lizzie Borden and I loved it! Ever since this book (though it may be considered fictional) I have thought of Lizzie in an entirely new light. I truly believe this emotional and physchological approach could have been real in Lizzie's case. It makes me more sympathetic and understanding when I think about her. Taking a trip to the actual house in Fall River MA, this book was echoing in the back of my mind. I could see, in person, some of the places that the author described. Taking this author's input and putting it into your own thoughts about this case surely will make a difference on how you will see the murder case!