A dark, atmospheric take on the infamous Lizzie Borden case. I really enjoyed how this fictional version dove into the psychology behind the crime — tense, unsettling, and thought-provoking. The writing was vivid, and the imagined motivations added real depth. Gripping and haunting without being overdone.

Unfortunately I did not finish this book. As a historical fiction novel based on true events, I understand the compulsion to rely on fact and the hesitancy to fictionalise real people and circumstances. However, what I did read of this book felt textbook, removed; there was no emotional depth that usually propels stories like this. As such, it felt like was no narrative voice, everything and everyone sounded the same. I think fans of true crime may enjoy this or people who enjoy non-fiction; but I wouldn’t recommend this to any historical fiction or thriller/mystery lovers.

This book is about Lizzie Borden and the murders of her parents which she allegedly commited.
I am very fascinated by the Lizzie Borden case and have consumed quite a bit of media about it at this point, so I'm always excited when there's something new coming out - a new interpretation, a fictional retelling of the case, whatever it may be. This one I had to dnf though. The writing style did not appeal to me at all and there were a couple of points where it completely threw me. As far as I've read, this book was not factual enough for an objective retelling of the case, nor written out enough to be a new fictional account of what might have happened. If you're completely new to the case this might be a good starting point, but for me it sadly didn't work.

Lizzie Borden took an axe and MAYBE gave her stepmother 40 whacks and when she saw what she had done she MAYBE gave her father 41. No one really knows who and what happened when the Bordens were killed. The true crime community can speculate but we will never know for sure. I personally like Diane Fanning. I have always enjoyed her interviews in true crime shows and the books I have read. I did not care for this one. I expected facts to be as accurate as possible and they were not. I also saw a lot of grammar issues which I can usually look past.

Thank you to NetGalley and Diane Fanning for this opportunity to read Lizzie. I want to start off by saying that Lizzie is the first book I have read by Diane Fanning and she did a wonderful job of writing this book. I had never heard of the Borden family before this book so naturally this book was incredibly intriguing to me. Even though this book is not first person, the author creates a very clear tone that makes the reader really tap into Lizzie and the societal influences that impacted her character and the case. Fanning does pacing so well with this book by interlacing the historical and true crime details together which moves the reader along well. Historical fiction, at times, can lean too far into the historical context but that isn’t a problem with this book. I would highly consider reading Diane Fanning’s other works after finishing Lizzie.

I must admit, I am a sucker for anything Lizzie Borden-related or inspired. I went into this not really knowing what to expect,and while I enjoyed this read, it's not my favorite Borden retelling. I can't explain it, but this book felt like it was missing something. The dialogue was realistic and of the times but it just also felt lacking. Overall I did enjoy the book but again, not my favorite Borden book.

In the very early pages of the book, Diane Fanning narrates an incident where Lizzie Borden overhears a snippet of a conversation between her step-mother Abby and her uncle John regarding the many properties of her father, Andrew Borden. It is heavily implied, and often inferred by readers and historians and true-crime aficionados as the turning point where Lizzie supposedly plans her murder.
In her book Lizzie, Fanning revisits one of America’s most infamous true crime cases, the shocking and brutal axe murders of Andrew and Abby Borden. Narrated as a fictionalised re-telling with material collected through meticulous research, the book offers a portrait of Lizzie Borden through multiple lenses of society, identity, individuality, and sexuality.
Fanning’s strength in this book is her attention in detail to accurately re-create as much of the daily life in 1982 and how the Borden family lived. She slowly unfolds their life by talking about the town, its history, the rise of Andrew as a successful and respected businessman, of his re-marriage, of the bond between the sisters — Emma and Lizzie, of the acrimonious equations Lizzie had with Abby, the sweet nature of Emma, contrasted with polite coldness of Lizzie — it sets up the readers for what follows next.
Her treatment of the murders is succinct, not straying into a yellow journalism tone of reporting but rather of constraint. The emotional depictions of the aftermath of Lizzie and Emma, and how each individual responds to grief in their own way is captured with an emotional vulnerability, suggesting the emotional toll the murder took on the entire Borden household and the town.
However, the book starts to lose momentum after this — the daily minutiae of household tasks, Lizzie’s diatribes against the police and townsfolk’s, the numerous suspicions, start to wear on. I feel if the author had lingered or built up the emotional depth one might expect given the gravity of the crime and the looming possibility of arrest, might have the saved this stretch of prose from being curiously detached from the rest of the book.
That said, the narrative picks up pace once Lizzie is arrested and placed in jail while the court orders her trial for the murders. This whole section is gripping, tight with anticipation, engaging and richly detailed. It is here where Lizzie comes into herself completely. You finally see her centre of gravity shake a little, but she holds onto her nerves. The deft and vulnerability with which Fanning has written Lizzie showing her complex emotional state and strength is truly the highlight of the book.
Fanning’s treatment of all the main characters in the book play to the readers’ expectations of them — given the notoriety around the event it is understandable. But it is her treatment and portrayal of Lizzie, as a woman struggling with her unrealised potential, limited by society, who still plays to the galley, especially in the court room scenes in hopes of being acquitted is an achievement in manipulating the readers. Her emotional outbursts during moments of heightened emotions peppered throughout the book show a woman under tremendous stress, struggling to control and express herself truthfully. It is only in the aftermath of the court scenes, that we get to see a calm and composed Lizzie, living in blissful domesticity with her sister Emma. Is this the real Lizzie all along? Or is she a woman of a hysterical personality, as the lawyer for the prosecution debated.

Fanning explores several plausible motivations for the crime — from financial concerns, simmering resentment for the step-mother, repressed queerness, emotional instability. One theory purported by one of the medical examiners is that Lizzie may have committed the murders in a fugue-like stage, unable to fully comprehend or later recall her actions.

In the end, Lizzie, the book, offers no neat resolution. The truth behind the gruesome incident remains ambiguous, echoing Lizzie’s own words, “We’ll never entirely know the truth of how the murders were committed.”

A first-rate book for those with interest in historical fiction and true crime with a formidable and complex woman at the helm of it.

I love this case, which is what made me interested in reading this book. Lots of accurate facts were woven in, but also many opinions. The author's distaste and belief of guilt was evident throughout. I think I would have enjoyed it more if it was a non-fiction book, instead of a weird mixture of facts and made up dialogue/events. The conversations were unrealistic and forced in many parts. I think the author was trying to make it fit the time period, but ended up making the conversations choppy and robotic. Recommend to readers that are fans of the Lizzie Borden case, others should skip it.

The book itself seems so very interesting. I could not, no matter how many restarts, finish the book. I just couldn't get into it and therefore didn't even finish it.

This is my first time reading about the Lizzie Borden case, and this was an interesting read! Initially, it was a little difficult to keep track of all the characters, but I got used to it. I really liked the final confrontation between the two main characters and the build-up to it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Struggled with this. When I requested it I did not realise it is was fiction. Thus us a topic that fascinates me, so much so that I will be visiting the Borden house later this year.
Note to self, don't read fiction books about real life events

A well imagined historical fiction narrative of the trial of Lizzie Borden and the crime surrounding it.

I didn’t love the racist undertones on Lizzie’s part, but as it’s historical fiction it was probably quite accurate to the times, but was a shame, nonetheless.

Lizzie’s actions throughout the book were quite self-absorbed, whilst she sometimes showed gratitude or kindness, it seemed to only be when it suited her. I’m not sure if this was done on the part of the author as to sow doubt to her innocence (I won’t give away any spoilers on how the book ends) and to paint her as a narcissist, and if so, was cleverly done.

Had in depth and poignant discussions on women’s rights, which would implementation of such would not have been common at the time, but was refreshing to see women still thought of that.

Quite a lot of the story occurred after the trial, which was nice to see, too. It gave you a (partially fictional) window into potential interactions of her life, although it looks like the author did her research on Lizzie’s life and included real occurrences.

Lizzie by Diane Fanning had me hooked from the start — this story has always intrigued me. I appreciated how the author skillfully wove historical facts together with the rumors of the time. While most people believe they know who the murderer is, Fanning adds just enough nuance to make you second-guess what you thought you knew.

Thank you to netgalley for this ARC copy.

I am always interested in stories about Lizzie Borden, but this one was kind of a slog. It was more of a show about the way women are treated in society in the 1900's and less a story about Lizzie Borden.

Lizzie is the kind of true crime story that doesn't just recount facts, it pulls you deep into the psychology behind one of the most infamous cases in American history. Diane Fanning approaches Lizzie Borden’s story with a steady hand, balancing historical detail with a narrative style that keeps the pages turning.

What I really appreciated was that Fanning doesn’t try to force a single answer onto a case that’s been debated for over a century. She lays out the evidence, the social context, and the complex personalities involved, and lets you draw your own conclusions. At the same time, she isn’t afraid to point out the holes, the contradictions, and the chilling possibilities.

The writing is crisp and well-paced. You never feel bogged down by research, but it’s clear she did her homework. Lizzie herself is portrayed with a kind of unsettling ambiguity that makes the book even more compelling. You want to understand her, but you’re never quite sure if you do — and that’s part of what makes this book stick.

If you're into true crime that’s thoughtful, well-researched, and genuinely unsettling without being sensationalized, Lizzie is a solid pick. It’s both informative and haunting in the way only real-life mysteries can be.

whilst I typically enjoy content like this book, it just did not connect with me. I love everything to do with the lizzie Borden case and I find it was definitely accuarate to the events of the crime I could not find myself believing the conversations and felt a little out of place reading it. The pacing was good and it was a quick read, I have no complaints about the writing I think the genre might be something I do not personally enjoy.

Gruesome as it may sound, I love the Borden mystery (and I wholly believe that Lizzie did, in fact, murder her father and stepmother.) I was really looking forward to this book; unfortunately it didn't really convey any emotion or suspense. The writing is very stilted, and the characters very flat. I have no doubt Fanning did her research, there are plenty of confirmed references to the case included in the book, but it didn't hold my interest at all.

Unfortunately a DNF for me. I love the Lizzie Borden story so I was very excited to read this. However, the textbook like narrative made it very difficult to immerse myself in the story.

A highly interesting read. I was captivated from the very beginning and right up until the end. Definitely a book I would recommend

A thoroughly engaging retell of the story of Lizzie Borden. Cleverly written. I enjoyed reading the novel and thibk others would, too. Also, I found the cover to be compelling.