Forty Whacks: New Evidence in the Life and Legend of Lizzie Borden - Hardcover

Kent, David

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0899093515 ISBN 13: 9780899093512

Publisher: Yankee Books, 1992

Synopsis

A reexamination of the Lizzie Borden murder case presents new trial evidence and suspects and describes how Borden was hounded by prosecutors, pursued by the press, and presumed guilty despite her acquittal. 25,000 first printing. $25,000 ad/promo.

About this title

From Publishers Weekly:

On Aug. 3, 1892, wealthy businessman Andrew Borden and his second wife, Abby, of Fall River, Mass., were hacked to death on a hot summer morning. Presumably Borden's younger daughter Lizzie and an Irish servant woman were the only other people in the house. Lizzie was tried for the murders and acquitted, supposedly closing the case. But speculations about the Fall River murders have refused to subside, prompting dozens of books, short stories, plays, an opera and even a ballet, many of these offering alternative conjectures about the killer. This carefully researched book is one of the best ever done on the case. The late Kent, an actor and fiction writer, lays out the flimsy evidence and comments impartially on the court testimony, making it clear that the verdict of not guilty was justified. And, perhaps uniquely among the writers about the case, Kent presents no theory about mysterious strangers, disgruntled former employees or estranged relatives. He simply confesses, convincingly, that he has no idea who committed the crime--except that it was not Lizzie Borden. Photos.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal:

It is known with certainty that Andrew and Abby Borden were killed in 1892. All else is conjecture. Arnold Braun's Lizzie Borden ( LJ 8/91) presented yet another theory of who the killer might have been, and now Kent reveals new evidence about the case, although he does not point to a suspect. History will not be changed by Kent's findings or by any of the plethora of books commemorating the 100th anniversary of the deed. Still, Forty Whacks gives a good presentation of the social history of the time. It also shows Lizzie as she probably was instead of the way the late Victorian tabloids portrayed her. Kent gives good, crisp images of the main characters and their motives, including those who perjured themselves. The book succeeds best when the author narrates and is less successful when relying on trial transcripts. Overall, though, it is a balanced addition to the body of literature on the Borden murders. Recommended to public libraries and for all true crime collections.
- Lois Walker, formerly with Winthrop Coll. Lib., Rock Hill, S.C.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Yankee Books
• Publication date: 1992
• ISBN 10: 0899093515
• ISBN 13: 9780899093512
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 231