Lizzie Andrew Borden is one of the most notorious women to ever walk this earth. She and her older sister live in Fall River, Massachusetts with their father and step mother. Even though their father has amassed quite a bit of money, he is frugal to the point of cruelty, denying his family even the simplest comforts. There is no electricity or indoor plumbing for the Bordens because Andrew Borden sees these things as a waste of money. Overall, he is a very cold person who was less than a true father to his daughters.

Abby Durfee Gray enters the lives of the Bordens three years following the death of Andrew's first wife, and he decides it is time he remarries. He chooses Abby because she is a spinster, and he knows she will be grateful any man wants to marry her. Sadly, Abby never really forms a loving connection with either of her step- daughters. Couple that with the iron fist Andrew uses to rule the Borden household and the tension within these walls grows by leaps and bounds.

All of this tension culminates on the morning of August 4, 1892 when both Andrew and Abby are found murdered within the house, having been hacked to death with what seems to be a hatchet. Lizzie is arrested and charged with these murders. Later, she is acquitted of this horrific crime but no one ever forgives or forgets, and she is doomed to live a lonely existence.

While everyone is familiar with the story of Lizzie Borden, there have always been conflicting accounts of what actually happened at 92 Second Street on that hot August day; THE SECRETS OF LIZZIE BORDEN offers one of the most fascinating theories of all. Author Brandy Purdy takes a mixture of facts and speculation to put her own personal spin on this terrible tale of madness and murder. While she warns that it should be taken as a work of fiction, there are many facets that feel as if they are truth.

Lizzie Borden has always been a very thought-provoking figure in American history and many versions of her story have been depicted in the media throughout the years. THE SECRETS OF LIZZIE BORDEN is the one version that must not be missed. Written with a kind compassion Lizzie does not always receive in the re-telling of her story, I was treated to a new Lizzie Borden. This Lizzie does, indeed, have many secrets, and by the time you turn the final page, you will know them all.

In THE SECRETS OF LIZZIE BORDEN, I found a young girl who was never allowed to be her own person. I also discovered a woman who did whatever she needed on her journey to finding the one thing she wanted and needed the most—love. On this journey, she learned that both love and trust are things not easily encountered.

THE SECRETS OF LIZZIE BORDEN presents a new way of peering into the ongoing historical puzzle that continues to have people wondering what really happened. I had a very difficult time pulling myself away from this mesmerizing story. Even though I have always been rather sympathetic to Lizzie's plight, this version of events helped me to understand her even more.

For everyone with a bit of an armchair detective in them, THE SECRETS OF LIZZIE BORDEN will enthrall you. It will be impossible to stop reading once you begin. That is just how gripping this story is. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy today. It will linger in your thoughts long after you have finished reading.