Borden Books

SEA CLOCKS tells the story of John Harrison, the English craftsman who solved the problem of how to determine longitude. Until he came along, latitude (distance north or south) was pretty easy to determine but longitude (distance east and west) was nothing more than a guess. The idea was understood but there was no practical way to make the determination. It depended upon the accurate determination of time which was beyond the mechanical devices of the day, especially at sea.

Harrison came from a humble background and trained himself. He managed to make important friends and connections. He also had many who were jealous of him and held him down. He spent his life solving the problem of longitude only to find that many snobs wanted to wait for a solution until it could be provided by somebody of the right social class.

This is not an exciting read but it is in informative one that might well appeal to young people. It presents just enough of the technicalities to make the problem understandable but does not go off into detail. Mostly, it is just a story of perseverance and honor. It's a good example.

Louise Borden's Sea Clocks: The Story Of Longitude is a picture book rendition of a troubling problem for sailors in the 1700's and before - although they could measure their latitude, they could not calculate their longitude, and therefore did not know exactly where they were on the waves. Many lives were lost at sea because of this. The solution to the problem would be to devise a clock that would keep accurate time at sea, regardless of water or weather conditions. Many struggled to create such a timekeeper; Sea Clocks follows the work of mechanical genius John Harrison (1693-1776), who labored tirelessly to make a viable sea clock a reality. Black-and-white and some sketchy color illustrations by Erik Blegvad nicely illuminate this engaging picture book about solving a real world problem.

G.F. Borden seems to be an expert on tanks in World War II, having earlier written "Easter Day" about a tank crew behind enemy lines trying to get themselves and their captured Italian tank to safety. Seven Six One is about an African-American tank battalion during World War II. Interestingly, none of the characters ever expressly say that the soldiers in this unit are black, but even if you don't know anything about the Seven Six One, it is quickly apparent. Borden is familiar with the shortcomings of the Sherman tank compared to German Panthers and Tiger IIs, and portrays the courage of the men who continue to fight in inferior machines. He also shows how well the Germans fought up until the end of the war, even though it was obvious to everyone that they were going to lose. This book does not glorify war, but it justly glorifies men who willingly chose combat as a way of demonstrating that they were as good Americans as anyone else.

G.F. Borden, author of the excellent Easter Day, 1941 has outdone himself in this, another novel of WWII. Borden is not a romantic, and his works are grittily realistic, but here there's another wrinkle: the story line follows a real-life unit, the 761st Tank Battalion, an all-black outfit caught up in the grueling march through France, Luxembourg and Belgium toward Germany from November of '44, until the end of the war. The events in the novel are based on the actual combat history of the unit, and the author does not exalt shoot-'em-up heroics over the steady, quiet courage and endurance necessary to win wars. Borden is not black, but this is a story that needed to be told, and he's told it well. These black soldiers were as good as the best on either side of that conflict, as this serious novel convincingly illustrates.

I read this book to my grandchildren before we visited the Boston Commons. It peaked their interest in visiting this historical spot and created lots of good dialog between us. Since then, I have used it in my classroom when we study the Revolutionary War. Then I show a picture of me standing in the Commons with my grandchildren. This makes history seem more real to them. I recommend this book for home and educational purposes.
Nola Wilkinson

Sleds on Boston Common makes history come alive by focusing on a fictional group of children who want to go sledding during the tension-filled days just before the start of the American Revolution. The story moves beyond the normal heroism of the patriots and the perfidy of the British to put a warm human face on everyone. Reading this story can be the precursor to a wonderful visit to the Boston Common to locate where the best sled runs might be. It can also help ignite an interest in American history.

Henry Price lives in Boston, where his father runs a small toy and map shop. Because of rebellious activities, the port of Boston was closed by the king on June 1, 1774. This hurt commerce and everyone was suffering economically. Despite this, Henry's father had made Henry a new sled for his birthday which fell on December 22, 1774. During the two hour break from school at lunchtime, Henry and his siblings head for the Boston Common with the new sled. They are discouraged to find that thousands of troops are setting up camp there, and the troops block all the best sled runs!

What to do? When Henry sees General Thomas Gage, the British Governer of Massachusetts Colony, Henry decides to speak to him. But first, he and his brothers and sister count the troops, horses, and anything else that the patriots want to know.

General Gage turns to Henry and says, "Let this boy have his words."

After listening to Henry, General Gage says, "I'm a father as well as a soldier for my king . . . ." " . . . I know my own children would like to sled this hill if there were here." "He shook my hand, man to man." "My eldest son is named Henry."

In this fictional story, General Gage tells his troops to allow the children to sled, to clear a good run, and to keep the ice in one pond undisturbed for skating.

The children were able to return again and again. "Because General Gage was a man of his word."

The war started in April 1975, and General Gage was ordered to return to England in October 1975.

The illustrations in the book build from splashes of watercolors with inked outlines and details. The images are done in kaleidoscopic form that suggests movement by the figures.

The author also provides an end note that describes more about the events described here, in order to help create that bridge into interest in American history.

The book is also done in blank verse, which gives the style an elegance and crispness that make it a pleasure to read.

I suggest that you also read the poem, The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, to your child as a follow-on. If the interest continues to build in your family, there are many fine fictional stories about the early days of the American Revolution that you can also read to and with your child.

You should also use this book to reinforce the point that even those who oppose you are usually well-meaning.

Have a good run!

I think this a great and intersting book. It is a great help for international buisness. Although it took three weeks to get a book from someone located in the same state as me. It shouldn't have taken so long, i needed it for a class.

Well composed and useful book for those traveling abroad as well for seeking additional knowledge on the cultural experiences of different countries.

the book serves as a source of information for leadership and managers in global perspective

With all the international trade and travel to and from foreign countries this book prepares all people in the cultures and foreign courtesies
each of us should at least have an idea of. Most foreigners appreciate even the most small recognition that we can expend toward their culture and practices even if we make small blunders in doing so - it shows we are aware that there are differences in cultures and we are at least trying to show respect for theirs'.

This was a recommendation and I have found it to be very helpful. Use it as a general reference only but it is nice to have a little insight to the different cultures.

This is the first book I have ever read about Lizzie Borden. I was aware of the basic facts when starting this book, and I was pleased to find that it presented a fairly comprehensive overview of the case. However, the accusation of a secret son of Andrew Borden's just doesn't make sense. The entire theory of his guilt is based on the testimony of one or two people and their vague recollections of years long past. It seems that Brown found a new theory that hadn't been played out before, and then manipulated the facts AROUND that theory, instead of letting the facts speak for themselves. There is absolutely NO EVIDENCE that William Borden had anything to do with the crime, and the entire last chapter consists of pages and pages of pure speculation.

I was extremely disappointed with this book. Mr. Brown does have a gift for writing, and the first several chapters were nicely arranged to pique one's interest in the final explanation promised at the end. Having put my nose to the grindstone to get quickly to this explanation of what really happened that day, I was very upset when I reached it. The author fails to wrap up many (even most?) of the loose ends he creates. Worse, his ability to creatively excite the imagination in the eariler chapters becomes a handicap in this flop of a finale.

Brown claims that he has an anonymous, now deceased source who knew Andrew Borden's here-to-fore unknown illegitimate son, William. This William, who is described as being very fond of his axe, is supposed to have claimed to have murdered his father & stepmother. Lizzie was supposed to have been an accessory, keeping quiet, risking the trial, in return for an early inheritance. Naturally, we cannot read the source for ourselves, and I must wonder if William Borden's story, recounted years later (he was talking to his hatchet at the time) is entirely to be trusted even if Brown's witness has been absolutely accurate about everything that he heard.

The problem is, there is little proof. Even supposing that Brown's research into William Borden's birth is correct, and that he has drawn the proper conclusion about his real paternity, even supposing that his informant is absolutely correct, there is no evidence for the details of the killing or Lizzie's involvement. Brown starts by talking about political corruption; no doubt it exists, but that doesn't prove that it was operative in this case.

Possible, but no compelling evidence. I'd recommend David Kent's Forty Whacks: New Evidence in the Life and Legend of Lizzie Borden as the best book on the subject

I have read many books about this case and I say without any hesitation that this book is very enjoyable, very concise and elaborates on points that many other books just say....Lizzie did it. We all know she was accused of murder, not found guilty. I personally don't think that she did. Think about it? I woman of small stature killing 2 people with a hatchet? And not just a couple of blows.....19 for her stepmother (over 200 pounds) and 11 for her father. She may have been guilty of greed which the author also elaborates on. I am afraid to say that many people take the easy way out, jump on the bandwagon and say...oh, Lizzie did it! Explore some other possibilities. This author has researched two full years....uncovered some material that has been overlooked and spent some genuine time preparing thoughts and tying all the ends together in a book that is both engaging and believable.

Yet,it still is not the best reading.Nowhere does it mention about the enemies of Andrew Borden.The dour Andrew Borden had acquired a small list of angry business partners,that may have sought revenge.Borden's parsimonious lifestyle crimped the social moblity of his daughters.There is a strong possiblity that John Morris committed the crimes.Morris knowing the weight of suspecion would fall on the Borden Sisters.Why would the charwoman Bridget Sullivan kill her employers off?Perhaps to receive a portion of the inheritence from the Borden sisters?Would Billy Borden resort to parricide to avenge his misbegotten birth?Billy Borden was disowned by Andrew and his second wife,Abby.In 1901,Billy was found hanging from a tree.Was it a staged suicide,a murder perhaps?Helen Egan added the Billy Borden story years later,around the hamlet of Fall River.Is it not strange that John Morris could resite the names of all nine Irish catholic priests on the trolley-car that humid day of the murders?Was he and later Henry Hawthorne coached by Helen Egan? And was it not strange that stage-actress Nance O'Neill moved into the new Maplecroft house,six months after the trial vindicated Lizzie of the murders?Bridget Sullivan died in 1941,at a Wyoming hospital,still admiring Lizzie.Nance O'Neill died at Englewood,New Jersey,in 1965,never speaking about her past 'Boston Marriage' with Lizzie. This book raises some of the best questions about the never-ending Lizzie subject.And i think a better one can be written still. Above average reading.(N.B.-Lizzie's second street bedroom goes for 250 dollars per night,and 350 during the peak season.So,book well in advance.)

This was a book club selection, and I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. The storyline was at times smart, funny, poignant and altogether believable. We had the pleasure of discussing this book with the author, Debra Borden, who is hysterical! Can't wait to read her next one.

Good thing I took this book out from the library instead of buying. The story may have been great, but I was too busy flipping pages and racing through the tedious flashbacks to find my way back to the story. Way too many flashbacks that were way too long! This would have been much better as an autobiography. That being said, however, the parts of the story that were in the present were very well written, and the dialogue was snappy.

A wonderful read. I have purchased several copies to pass along to friends and family.

This author is hilarious. I was laughing through the whole book. I would love to meet the author, have drink and crack so jokes with her! Hurry and finish the second book!

Too pretentious to be a satire, too insipid to be social commentary, "Lucky Me," a smug, debut novel, is a listless exploration of the never-ending family travails suburban housewife and aspiring writer Julie Berman confronts. The author, Debra Borden, trots out every conceivable conundrum an attractive, angst-ridden middle-aged Jewish woman could face and deadens the protagonist's search for meaning with a predictable plot and a never-ending clutter of detail. The novel carries little suspense; its characters slog through the challenges that unsettle, but never truly threaten, their otherwise secure lives. This is a distressingly clichéd work, reinforcing rather than examining stereotypes about affluent Jewish mothers who supposedly have little else to do with their lives than chagrin their daughters.

Julie Berman faces a monosyllabic son who discovers the joy of sex, a blissfully devoted husband who is oblivious to his wife's boredom and perpetual anxieties and a bright collegiate daughter whose infatuation with her college professor exposes every crack in the supposedly solid relationship in the family. As if these difficulties were not enough, Julie has the hots for a local journalist and the miseries of trying to deal with her own mother's life-long passive-aggressive pathologies. Borden could have written a novel that treats an important theme: how adult children come to grips with the unintended cruelties inflicted on them by their parents. Instead, Julie's mother is little more than the Jewish mother from hell, and Julie's sufferings amount to little more than wringing her hands until she meets the oracular Dr. Bob, a mental health worker who doesn't even receive the dignity of a last name.

Not only does Borden insult her readers with a hackneyed plot and unaffecting characters; she inundates us with details that add nothing to the novel. Why in the world would anyone care to have a person-by-person accounting of a Passover dinner invitation list? Who cares what sexual positions her dogs assume when they decide that the Seder is the proper time to exercise their "feelings" for each other. Is it really important for us to know what designer labels Julie favors or what the enormous emotional toll exacted on her when she can't figure out exactly what outfit to wear to lunch?

"Lucky Me" is a novel of lost opportunities. Instead of elucidating the tumult, fear and anger an adult child needs to express in overcoming the long-term consequences of being raised by an oppressive parent, author Debra Borden supplies bromides and the predictable happy-ever-after conclusion a discerning reader could predict from page one. All that's missing from this tepid debut is a peel-off happy face. If good vibrations is what you're after, save your money -- buy some children's stickers rather than squander your money on this book.

I had the privilege of editing the first version of this book for author David Rehak. This is an excellent, updated version with a new cover that I find appropriate for the book's content.

Did Lizzie Borden Axe For It? is Rehak's first nonfiction book, for which he did extensive research. Rehak discovered many new facts about Lizzie Borden, and to lighten the serious nature of the book, he also wrote some humorous skits. At first thought, one would tend to think humor wouldn't work in a book like this, but he pulls it off ... somehow. I found the break from gore to humor to be a welcome relief. (Well, it works in the best horror movies, doesn't it?)

Even if you're not into "Bordenia," which I'm not, you will be intrigued by this book. It's different, to say the least. I learned new things about Lizzie Borden that haven't been brought to light before, and the previously unpublished photos add more mystery to the content.

Someone once wrote of Rehak: "He dares to go where most authors fear to tread." And I agree: In his fictitious works, he writes about many taboo subjects. This nonfiction book about Lizzie Borden seems natural for his unique skills.

Reviewed by: Betty Dravis, 2008
Author of: Millennium Babe: The Prophecy

Well written, great research and good photos. Anybody who appreciates
good documentation and entertainment will love this book.

There are many unsolved murders in history, but few hold the public interest like the 1892 slayings of Andrew and Abby Borden in Fall River, Massachusetts. Lizzie, 32 years old at the time, was tried for the murders and found innocent but as David Rehak points out, her acquittal was never fully endorsed by public opinion. He proposes that the story lives on in part because the public sees Lizzie as either (a) having acted out their own fantasy of retribution, or else (b) as a symbol of gross suspicion and injustice. There was family disharmony, a large inheritance under dispute, a suspect of unblemished reputation, and a mountain of fact and speculation that defied integration into a sound case.

Did Lizzie Borden Axe for It? is a compendium of Bordenia that is sure to enlighten all with an interest in this mystifying case. David Rehak, known for his works of fiction, developed an interest in the case and researched meticulously before presenting this book. The current edition has been amplified and re-issued, and there are a few editing flaws in this new version that could have been addressed to bump my rank up to five stars. In spite of this, I found it an absorbing and extremely thorough canvass of the facts and speculations about the case. There are many photographs included, some of them previously unpublished.

Starting with a thorough chronology of the fateful day in August 1892, Rehak goes on to examine the sometimes-confusing facts from the public record. Next he covers the speculation and rumor that emerged in his research. The suggestion of a never-revealed diary, theories about Lizzie's relationships and sexuality, and stories from her later life are detailed fastidiously. The sites and "shrines" associated with Lizzie's life and the murders are covered--the house where the Bordens lived and died is now a bed-and-breakfast hotel.

The final section of the book is the most unusual. Rehak discusses a number of articles in print that relate to the case. He details the non-disclosure of case-related documents held by Lizzie's trial attorney which are protected by legal privilege. There is a challenge to this status from a number of parties, with the argument being made that historical interest trumps privilege in this case, with all participants being long dead. Will we ever see the contents of the five file drawers secured in a law firm in Springfield, Massachusetts?

As a final serving of Bordenia, the book finishes with some fictional writings featuring Lizzie and the case. Here the speculations are given free rein! It's an entertaining finish to a sad story. Our desire to know what actually happened to Andrew and Abby Borden may never be satisfied, but Did Lizzie Borden Axe for It? takes the discussion forward in a most entertaining fashion.

Linda Bulger, 2008

The third and revised printing of David Rehak's 270 page softcover book, Did Lizzie Borden Axe for It?, contains a never before seen note written in Lizzie's hand shortly after the sinking of the Titanic. That alone makes it a collectible as far as I'm concerned.

This is a different kind of Lizzie book. Traditionally, the Lizzie books have a sequential, narrative progression, spilling forth the saga of the murders of Andrew and Abby Borden against the backdrop of Fall River, Massachusetts and peppered with some new (and often outrageous) theories of "who dunnit." Not this book. No long, flowing narratives here. No in-depth research filling chapter after chapter. Instead Dave takes us on a thoroughly enjoyable Mr. Toad's wild ride weaving in and out, up and down, over and around and back again, giving us punches of "in your face" data to quickly absorb, question, and quickly move on.

In the Introduction he says he deals with the facts "as we know them". Well, not entirely. For example, an early error is in the constricted Timeline that has John Morse visiting his niece and nephew, "the Emerys" on Weybosset street. Nonetheless, with almost bullet-point speed he whisks us through "Lizzie didn't do it", then rebounds with "Lizzie did it" having laid out the basics and offers conclusions - not opinionated but taken from reportings of the day.

Then we are off and flying again into the skies of "whys". Why was Lizzie thought to be a lesbian - featuring Nance O'Neil; why does Lizzie linger; why was Lizzie a romantic being, and so on. Along the read-ride we bump into Lizzie's alledged boyfriend (David Anthony), the alleged illegitimate son of Andrew (William S. Borden), her disloyal friend (Alice Russell), her loyal supporter (Mary Livermore). If television's TMZ and "Access Hollywood" were turned into a book on Lizzie, this would be it. Fast flashes that move from one salacious tidbit to another, the reader learns something new, re-processes something already known, and finds points to question and challenge - depending upon the level of expertise of the reader.

While Mr. Rehak asserts he makes no claim as to her guilt or innocence, it is clear he has a real affection for the inscrutable Miss Borden and sways from an unbiased hand more than once. For this we can forgive him. Most authors attempting to maintain neutrality often write with a slight transparency allowing the reader to draw the correct conclusion.

There are two things that have never been published in any book on the Borden case before and they appear in this book only. One is revealed to the public in printed form for the first time. First, this portrait of Andrew J. Borden as a young man - perhaps taken at the time he married Sarah Morse Borden. Neither this image or similar image has appeared in a book up to this time. Second, and more importantly, something "new" in Lizzie's own hand: a note she wrote not long after the sinking of the Titantic wanting the initial "B" placed on toiletry items for her matching case. It gives us insight into Lizzie's own vanity, her keen eye for quality, and maybe even tells us how much that "B" as in B O R D E N meant to her.

I would recommend to any Bordenia collector to purchase Dave's book for these images alone. However, as the reader traverses through the uneven flow of these pages, he/she will come upon many new images not published previously except in his own editions. In addition, one can't help but chuckle at some of the fantasy in the form of poems, psychic contacts with meeting Lizzie, and particularly "Lizzie's New Hat", all the more solidifying the fact this is like no other Lizzie book and stands as an "Anomaly of Audacity" to put a twisted contemporary pun on it.

David Rehak has done us all a favor, regardless of the factual accuracy and lack of scholarly research and citations. He has given us a marvelous compendium representative of the orbit that spins around our Miss Lizzie, and he's done it with originality, good humor, and a fast track ride wholly entertaining and worthy of our attention.

I wrote about this new edition coming out in a previous blog entry of mine whereby I explained the facts of why a second edition was "rushed to print." This third edition has corrected the abysmal editing errors that were an unfortunate result. You can read why this happened at my blog. If you have the first edition - hold on to that baby - it's value just soared! And having a collection of all 3 is what the true Borden collector aspires. So if you are a collector, you'll want this book and Dave's two previous issues.

It was my pleasure to provide Dave with several of the images in the book, some not published before. In the 8 years I have known him, I've found him to be a kind man - a sensitive man, and one I'm proud to call a friend. I recommend you purchase this unique collectible and treat yourself to that wild ride! :)

Faye Musselman
Payson, Arizona
www.phayemuss.wordpress.com

I recently finished reading David Rehak's book; "DID LIZZIE BORDEN AXE FOR IT?"
As the "fly-sheet" indicates, this book on Lizzie Borden is a collection of facts and poses no theory or specific agenda regarding the murders.
It would have been better if, Rehak had put a little more of himself and ideas into the book.

Rehak delivers a "semi-truck" full of accumulated factual information and then...dumps the entire load onto the reader with little or, no mercy. Trying to dig oneself out from underneath this mountain of information to understand what is pertinent and what is not, seems a rather hopless task.

The author also seems to simply by-pass some informational leads because "he" feels the story has nothing supporting it's validity. For instance; he mentions (on page65-66) an old nurse who, in 1984 claimed she had cared for Lizzie Borden in 1926 (the year before Lizzie's death). The nurse claimed Lizzie had confided in her that one of her "boyfriends" (if she ever had any),David Anthony had in fact, committed the crimes. This man, according to the author, was later identified (by whom?), but died in 1924. Mr. Rehak dismisses this entire story seemingly because suspect, David Anthony would have only been 22 years old at the time of the crime while Lizzie would have been 32.

Despite all of this; David Rehak has published not a literary masterpiece, but a much better reference book for all of us "arm-chair" detectives to call upon when the trail gets even colder.

Did Lizzie Axe for it? I think, she asked someone else "to Axe for her."

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Lizzie Borden was acquitted by the superior court, but hung by public opinion for the hatchet murders of her parents around the turn of the century. It's been a sensation for true-crime junkies ever since. This particular book does not present a far-fetched or ridiciulous explanation of what really happened that day. The explanation he gives is entirely plausible... and, yes, he does suggest who the murderer was.

I read this book four times it gives you
another way at looking at lizzie it could change your mind.
I just love it great book

This is a very readable non-fiction Lizzie book. The first two-thirds where Masterton deals mostly with just the facts (though somewhat selectively) are the strongest part of the book. The last third where he theorizes is less effective. He's perhaps not a very convincing theorist, but he writes well and this book is a really fun read, with a few humorous witticisms thrown in.

David Rehak
author of "Did Lizzie Borden Axe For It?"

We know "Lizzie Didn't Do It" because that was the verdict in 1893. The first half of the book is best as an introduction to this case. In the second half William Masterton creates stories about the other suspects. Presumably they were all investigated by the Fall River Police Department and ruled out as suspects.

The two main suspects, based on other books, was Joseph Carpenter (the former bookkeeper who embezzled funds from Borden's business), and William Brayton (the member of the family who was swindled out of property by Andrew Borden). Both had alibis for the time of the murders.

William Masterton concocted a story that Abby was killed after Andrew! This is historical nonsense! The alarm was raised not long after Andrew was killed, the home was guarded, there was no opportunity for Abby to have returned home after Andrew's death. You can only guess at the reason (or prejudice) for this.
William Masterton didn't solve the crime.

I have read most of the books on the trial and murder of Lizzie Borden's parents (including Porter's reprint). I have to say this is the most enjoyable of all. Reason? Well, it's not boring. I liked the authors tongue and check style. He does a great job in cutting through a lot of hoopla. I suggest reading another book on the Murders first, like Forty Whacks, or watch the A & E or History Channel special on the murders first. I just think you will enjoy this book more, if you read a cut and dry version first. I wish this book had been printed in hardback, and not such a silly name for the book and cover art work, but that is really the only complaint I have..... Still five stars!!! Bottom line - If your interested in the Borden murders you have got to have this.

This novel is similar to Evan Hunter's "Lizzie" in that Lizzie is portrayed as having lezzie tendencies. In the Hunter book, she goes off to Europe to have a lesbian affair with a wealthy and amoral Englishwoman, while in this book she has a lesbian affair with Bridget, the maid. As has already been pointed out, Lizzie is over-sympathetically portrayed here. Overall, I rather enjoyed it.

David Rehak
author of "Did Lizzie Borden Axe For It?"

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!

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.

"Lizzie Borden" is a novel about Lizzie Borden, the accused axe murderess from 1892's Fall River, Massachusetts. The book deals with Lizzie and her life in the 'house of hate' with her father, step-mother and sister, Emma. Most books about Lizzie Borden mention the house as being bland, without 'modern' conveniences, closed-in, locked up, but they don't go into detail. Ms. Engstrom's book does an excellent job of making the reader feel that claustrophobic building around Lizzie and, therefore, giving us a better understanding of Lizzie's real life character. The character of Lizzie, however, is portrayed as "too good" - I was waiting for her to be made into a Saint at the end of the book. The character of Emma was made into an alcoholic slut who took mysterious trips to a nearby town, coming back with bruises on her covered face. The book suffers much from Emma's far out characterization. Ending with the murders, we are left with one of those politically correct guilt trips. Yeah, Lizzie did it. But it's OKAY!

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 a slow-moving book with a lot of cozy and very little mystery. Set in a small town in New England in the week leading up to Thanksgiving, the plot involves a newcomer who antagonizes long-time residents. What struck me was how hostile the lead characters are to all newcomers!!!! Even the newcomer's cat is hateful (and -- coming from a catlover with several cats -- totally unbelievable -- cats do not charge up to strange dogs on the street and attack them). A little boy -- stranger -- is horrible and he and his father more or less get chased out of town.

I think you're supposed to think how wonderful it would be to live in this picturesque village with colonial architecture and snow on the ground, but what struck me was how unpleasant it would be to be a newcomer in that town.

The plot involves the death of one of these hateful newcomers. For very silly reasons, the lead character is a suspect and the victim is a neighbor, so she's interested in finding out who did it. But not very interested. Somehow the mystery gets solved. Mostly the story involves getting ready for Thanksgiving.

I could forgive all of the hostility toward outsiders if there were an engaging plot that moved right along. There isn't. This book just barely makes it into the "murder mystery" category, and you're halfway through the book before anyone dies. Mostly we hear about the lead character cooking meals, talking to her son, taking her good cat with her to her hardware store, talking to her best friend cousin about not-very-interesting-or-relevant things, etc.

I guess the popularity of the book has to do with people imagining how wonderful it would be to be in a closeknit community in a pretty little town like that at Thanksgiving. Personally, I really missed having a strong plot and likable characters.

Death of a Turkey is not a turkey! Mayor Peggy Turner is up to her neck in trouble again. She has a new obnoxious neighbor and Max is messing up her planned Thanksgiving family get together, and she thinks things can't get worse but they do. On a cold snow filled day her nasty neigbor is found dead with a turkey skewer in her back, and guess who's hardware store window display has severl sekwers in it, and to add to her misery her store window is now broken. Peggy becomes one of Stu's prime suspects, what can she do to prove that she is innocent? Guess you will have to read the book to find out, enjoy!

ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK! GREAT HOLIDAY READ AND GREAT CHARACTERS! CAN'T WAIT TO READ MORE OF THIS SERIES.

Breathtakingly beautiful pristine snow, delectable pumpkin muffins, hot coffee, warm friendships, a cozy kitchen. . . . Kate Borden has defined cozy.

This is the best book I have ever read in my life! This series, "Death of a Tart", "Death of a Trickster", and "Death of a Turkey" is the best series I have ever read. Each book keeps getting better, even though you don't think a book can get any better than that. This series is the coziest, most entertaining, most magnificent, most awesome, most well-written, absolutely the best series ever written.

In this 3rd book of the series, Peggy Jean finds a body in the snow. . . . She and the police chief Stu are determined to find out who is responsible for it.

While they are investigating, the rest of the book is so cozy, you feel like you're on a cotton cloud. I think one of the main reasons the book is so cozy is because most of the book takes place in Peggy Jean's cozy kitchen or in the quaint little town, and because of the warm friendships that make the kitchen and the town cozy. You feel like you are right there in the kitchen, or in the hardware store, or in the cozy town. The characters feel so real, and I love them all.

I especially love the ending. . . . there are a couple of nice little surprises.

I will never be able to sing enough praise for the magnificent, the splendid, the incredibly talented Kate Borden.

3rd and hopefully not final installment of Peggy Turner and Cobb's Landing. In this outing, Peggy the mayor of this small New England town, is forced by the irrepressible Max, to put aside her own Thanksgiving plans so Max can capitalize on an original Pilgrim Thanksgiving for the tourists. If this weren't enough, Peggy has to deal with the new obnoxious neighbor who is found dead on the village green, Stu's new fiance - which he is afraid to tell his own mother about and her growing love for Ian. I really enjoy this series of books and hope that Kate Borden hasn't stopped writing about the antics of this little town.