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Forty Whacks: New Evidence in the Life and Legend of Lizzie Borden
The Fall River, Massachusetts, murders of well-to-do Andrew Borden and his wife, Abby, are as fascinating to the audience of today as they were to those who followed the trial of Lizzie Borden -- the daughter accused of the murders.
This vivid account gives a detailed picture of the nightmarish murder scene, the suspects, and the frenzied days when the nation hungered for news of the trial. Combining newly released evidence and extensive court transcripts, the author shows why there was insufficient evidence to prove Lizzie's involvement -- and why her jurors had no choice but to free her.
This vivid account gives a detailed picture of the nightmarish murder scene, the suspects, and the frenzied days when the nation hungered for news of the trial. Combining newly released evidence and extensive court transcripts, the author shows why there was insufficient evidence to prove Lizzie's involvement -- and why her jurors had no choice but to free her.
231 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1992
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390 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 14, 2019
In the plethora of Lizzie Borden books, this one stands out as unusually well-researched and fair-minded. Kent provides enormously useful amount of primary evidence: he quotes lengthy excerpts from contemporary newspaper articles, inquest and trial transcriptions, prior books on the case, and interviews. He usefully comments on these too, helping the reader understand what the original writers/speakers chose to leave in or out.
Readers who want to read a sensational thriller might find this book a bit dry reading, but I appreciated that Kent takes a thoughtful, considered approach to his topic. He doesn’t try to “solve” the mystery using thin evidence and his own assumptions, as so many Borden authors do. Instead, he shows the reader what is known and helps readers understand why the case is shrouded in so much legend.
I admire this book as one of the few that respects the reader as a thoughtful, intelligent person and that helps cut through the fables and myths. I’d definitely recommend it to someone wanting to understand why it’s so hard to separate fact from fiction in the Borden case.
Readers who want to read a sensational thriller might find this book a bit dry reading, but I appreciated that Kent takes a thoughtful, considered approach to his topic. He doesn’t try to “solve” the mystery using thin evidence and his own assumptions, as so many Borden authors do. Instead, he shows the reader what is known and helps readers understand why the case is shrouded in so much legend.
I admire this book as one of the few that respects the reader as a thoughtful, intelligent person and that helps cut through the fables and myths. I’d definitely recommend it to someone wanting to understand why it’s so hard to separate fact from fiction in the Borden case.
March 27, 2018
POSSIBLE SPOILERS !!!!
I gave this 5 stars because I have always been fascinated with unresolved murders and this one is no exception. I read this book while I was in college and although I don't remember too many details, I do remember when I was finished with the book , I was not convinced Lizzie Borden killed her father and step mother . To be fair, I think I would enjoy any book about this unsolved murder. It's a topic I can't get enough of and would devour any new book about this case. Good read
I gave this 5 stars because I have always been fascinated with unresolved murders and this one is no exception. I read this book while I was in college and although I don't remember too many details, I do remember when I was finished with the book , I was not convinced Lizzie Borden killed her father and step mother . To be fair, I think I would enjoy any book about this unsolved murder. It's a topic I can't get enough of and would devour any new book about this case. Good read
September 18, 2011
Contrary to popular belief, Kent was only the best in a long line of writers who examined the case and concluded that Lizzie was innocent. Arnold Brown's Lizzie Borden: The Legend, the Truth, the Final Chapter is also good, and unlike Kent, he tries to find the real killer and makes a great case for a suspect.
Most books, in fact, acquit her, but Kent's is the essential volume on the subject, for his excellent investigative journalism, the simple hard facts he puts together, and the (despite the rather lurid title) non-sensationalistic tone of the book. This book truly needs to go back into print.
June 29, 2015
This non-fiction book was published in 1992, the centennial year of the Borden murders. The author (who died the same year) promised that this book would lay out all of the facts, without a presupposition of guilt or innocence on the part of the only person ever charged in the murders. I think he did a good job in his quest, and I very much enjoyed reading this book.
At some point in the mid-morning hours of August 4th, 1892, in a house on a fairly busy street in Fall River, Massachusetts, Andrew Borden’s second wife Abby was savagely murdered with an axe or hatchet to her head in the upstairs guest room. Her death was not discovered at the time (the family thought she had gone out, in response to a note from a neighbor), and at about 11:00 am Andrew Borden was savagely murdered, also with an axe or hatchet to his head, as he lay napping on the sitting-room sofa downstairs. The dead man was a man of some wealth and property in the town. John Vinnicum Morse, the dead man’s brother in law (the brother of his first wife, who had died some thirty years before) had come for a visit, but at the time of the murders was not in the house. In fact, the only people at the house (or outside, in the attached barn) were Andrew’s thirty-tw0-year old daughter Lizzie (by his first wife, as was her older sister Emma, who was out of town on a visit), and the Irish maid, who had been out and about washing windows on the house all morning.
The murders caused an unprecedented sensation in the town, and an investigation was immediately started by the local police force. When Assistant City Marshal John Fleet (in charge of investigations) asked Lizzie, “Do you know of anyone who might have killed your father and mother?”, she answered, “She is not my mother, sir. She is my stepmother. My mother died when I was a child.” This statement, though simple and quite factual, made Fleet think that she might have been an unnatural child enough to have done the murders. Five exhaustive searches of the whole property were made; no bloodstained clothes were found (save for those on the bodies), no note to Abby Borden from the neighbor was ever found, and four complete axes or hatchets were found in the barn, plus a hatchet with a broken-off handle.
The two major newspapers in Fall River called for the police to find the perpetrator of the murders, while the new paper in town, the Fall River Globe, in the person of its star crime reporter Edwin Porter, insisted that Lizzie Borden was the one who had done the murders. In the fullness of time, she was arrested after an inquest (she had asked that her lawyer be present, and her request was denied), and was put on trial for the murders. After the trial the first definitive book on the murders and trial was published in 1893 by Edwin Porter, whose account of the murders and trial was somewhat lacking in truthfulness. In 1924 a second book was published, which noted the faults of the first book, but which also abridged testimony and other matters with a presupposition that Lizzie Borden was of course guilty. Other books and movies have come out about the murders and trial, most of which attempt to figure out just how Lizzie committed the murders.
I cannot speak to whether the author of this book did indeed lay out all of the facts and later testimony (not being in any kind of position to know what might have been left out), but despite the rather lurid dust jacket of the book (my copy of the book, acquired second-hand, is sans lurid book cover) the account given by the author does seem to give all of the facts, without either attempting to blame or exonerate Lizzie Borden. (The book does include only one photograph of Abby Borden’s murdered body, taken from behind; one can find on the Internet, as I did, the photo showing her from the side, which shows the destruction wrecked upon her head by the axe or hatchet.) But I do think the book is fair and even-handed, and I very much enjoyed reading it.
At some point in the mid-morning hours of August 4th, 1892, in a house on a fairly busy street in Fall River, Massachusetts, Andrew Borden’s second wife Abby was savagely murdered with an axe or hatchet to her head in the upstairs guest room. Her death was not discovered at the time (the family thought she had gone out, in response to a note from a neighbor), and at about 11:00 am Andrew Borden was savagely murdered, also with an axe or hatchet to his head, as he lay napping on the sitting-room sofa downstairs. The dead man was a man of some wealth and property in the town. John Vinnicum Morse, the dead man’s brother in law (the brother of his first wife, who had died some thirty years before) had come for a visit, but at the time of the murders was not in the house. In fact, the only people at the house (or outside, in the attached barn) were Andrew’s thirty-tw0-year old daughter Lizzie (by his first wife, as was her older sister Emma, who was out of town on a visit), and the Irish maid, who had been out and about washing windows on the house all morning.
The murders caused an unprecedented sensation in the town, and an investigation was immediately started by the local police force. When Assistant City Marshal John Fleet (in charge of investigations) asked Lizzie, “Do you know of anyone who might have killed your father and mother?”, she answered, “She is not my mother, sir. She is my stepmother. My mother died when I was a child.” This statement, though simple and quite factual, made Fleet think that she might have been an unnatural child enough to have done the murders. Five exhaustive searches of the whole property were made; no bloodstained clothes were found (save for those on the bodies), no note to Abby Borden from the neighbor was ever found, and four complete axes or hatchets were found in the barn, plus a hatchet with a broken-off handle.
The two major newspapers in Fall River called for the police to find the perpetrator of the murders, while the new paper in town, the Fall River Globe, in the person of its star crime reporter Edwin Porter, insisted that Lizzie Borden was the one who had done the murders. In the fullness of time, she was arrested after an inquest (she had asked that her lawyer be present, and her request was denied), and was put on trial for the murders. After the trial the first definitive book on the murders and trial was published in 1893 by Edwin Porter, whose account of the murders and trial was somewhat lacking in truthfulness. In 1924 a second book was published, which noted the faults of the first book, but which also abridged testimony and other matters with a presupposition that Lizzie Borden was of course guilty. Other books and movies have come out about the murders and trial, most of which attempt to figure out just how Lizzie committed the murders.
I cannot speak to whether the author of this book did indeed lay out all of the facts and later testimony (not being in any kind of position to know what might have been left out), but despite the rather lurid dust jacket of the book (my copy of the book, acquired second-hand, is sans lurid book cover) the account given by the author does seem to give all of the facts, without either attempting to blame or exonerate Lizzie Borden. (The book does include only one photograph of Abby Borden’s murdered body, taken from behind; one can find on the Internet, as I did, the photo showing her from the side, which shows the destruction wrecked upon her head by the axe or hatchet.) But I do think the book is fair and even-handed, and I very much enjoyed reading it.
August 12, 2022
Another good read on the Lizzie Bordon case. Though claiming to be impartial, the author obviously thinks Lizzie was innocent. He proceeds to punch holes in the prosecution's case while not taking the same aim at the defense. He takes "innocent until proven guilty" very seriously, even though anything written today can only be speculation as the case remains unsolved.
April 22, 2012
Crap writing that suffered from worse editing. I was exhausted after the first chapter. Awful.
September 18, 2020
I don't have much to say about this. It's a well-written and very thorough account of the circus that was the Lizzie Borden trial in 1893, the year after the murders. It's comprised of a whole lot of trial transcripts, which I appreciate having in book form but I did get bored reading them. There are also newspaper transcripts from the time. Are are ten pages of photos of Lizzie's family, including her birth mother, and the crime scenes. This was published in 1992 and I don't know if all of these photos were available at the time but I'm sure they're all online now.
The author seems appalled that Lizzie was even arrested, let alone tried for two murders for which there's no evidence against her and set out to showcase the lack of evidence. Lack of evidence doesn't mean she's innocent, Mr, Kent! The author died before this could be published. I don't like him saying that Abby Borden was unattractive. It was very unprofessional.
January 12, 2021
Very interesting
This book was able to keep my attention and the author seems to have really done her research. This book, IMHO focused more on the trial, but it appears that he had access to more information, such as some of the attorney's personal papers that few people have seen. A good read if you are interested in Lizzie.
This book was able to keep my attention and the author seems to have really done her research. This book, IMHO focused more on the trial, but it appears that he had access to more information, such as some of the attorney's personal papers that few people have seen. A good read if you are interested in Lizzie.
October 22, 2024
if you are interested in learning more about the facts of the Lizzie Borden case, then read this book. this gives an unbiased telling of both sides and leaves you to amazingly baffle at this infamous unsolved mystery. I absolutely love this story in history! sometimes the book does get a little wordy though.
August 22, 2012
My interest in the Lizzie Borden case is fairly new. I read Forty Whacks because it was recommended as a book that set out the facts without prejudice for or against Lizzie. Untrue. The author clearly believes that Lizzie is innocent and was unfairly treated by the State and by the yellow journalism of the time. He may be right, and the examination of how certain journalists pushed the police and prosecutors into an unwinnable trial is interesting. A lot of officials obviously lied on the stand. After reading Forty Whacks, I went from assuming Lizzie's guilt to a 50:50 stance.
June 28, 2008
I didn't know that much about the infamous Lizzie Borden case so I decided to read this. There is much doubt as to whether she actually murdered her parents or if it was someone else... Made me doubt all those things I had previously heard about her. I was surprised to learn that "40 whacks" is a myth. It is a silly rhyme that people came up with but she (or whomever the real killer is) didn't actually give anyone 40 whacks.
March 27, 2010
This was a really good book. The author tried hard to sort out all the muckracking, rumors and just plain lies from the actual happenings and evidence. He especially clarified the findings on the hatchets and axes from the house, the infamous burned dress and so on. We will never know whether Lizzie was guilty, but we do know the case against her was incredibly flawed and that the finding of Not guilty was the right one based on the evidence or lack thereof.
March 23, 2008
I love me a grisly historic fiction! It's a bit dry though; I'd be more interested in the story and less interested in the (incorrect) newspaper articles of the day. If you've ever seen a special on Lizzie Borden (and growing up in this area, who hasn't?!) it will put a slightly different spin on the story you've heard before.
August 2, 2013
Very interesting. I grew up with the story of Lizzie Borden My grandmother was from Fall River, and she told us the story early on. She had just about every book on the subject. This author seems rather clearly to believe in Lizzie's innocense, but let's the readers draw their own conclusions. My big question is, if Lizzie did it, how? And if not, who did?
July 23, 2022
This was a very interesting read. I've read other books about Lizzie Borden, but this one had me thinking that maybe she didn't do it. One of the crimes of the world that has always been puzzling. One I wish could be solved, but will never be. Perhaps a true perfect crime?
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August 8, 2008with (above)
August 16, 2011
Excellent account of The Lizzie Borden murder trial. It really shed some new light on Lizzie's innocence. I really enjoyed the reading of it!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews