Despite the passage of time, the Lizzie Borden case continues to intrigue lovers of mysteries. The intrigue continues because the primary suspect was the victims' daughter and because the case has never been fully solved.

It's a familiar story. On Aug. 4, 1892, Andrew J. Borden, 70, and his second wife, Abby, 65, were murdered by multiple hatchet blows to the head, neck and shoulders in the home they shared with two unmarried daughters and a single servant in Fall River, Massachusetts. Lizzie, the younger of the two daughters, and Bridget (Maggie) Sullivan, the maid, are believed to have been in or about the house at the time of the murders, yet both professed to have heard nothing amiss.

Within days, rumors and circumstantial evidence led police to suspect Lizzie, 33, of the murders. On Aug. 11, Lizzie was arrested and charges were subsequently brought against her. Ultimately, a jury of her peers would find her "not guilty," though suspicion has endured for nearly 130 years.

In the intervening period the case of Lizzie Borden has been the subject of numerous novels, films and television programs. A majority have sought to explain how she got away with the crime. A few have attempted to substantiate her innocence or identify other probable culprits.

But this book may be the first to focus on the legal aspects and the lawyers involved, both the prosecution and the defense.

The book begins with a summary of what is now known about the murders, events leading up to them, and the immediate aftermath. The focus then shifts to the trial and includes arguments by the lawyers, statements of witnesses, and interpretations by the numerous journalists covering the trial (who were as free with their opinions as they were with their observations). The book also offers a window into the 19th-century period in which the events occurred.

This is an engaging and thoroughly researched work and should be of interest to any true crime reader. Robertson began her research as a Harvard undergraduate in 1990. She holds a Ph.D. in English from Oxford University and a JD from Stanford Law School.

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