Who Was Lizzie Borden?

By: Meg Belviso, Who HQ

Published by Penguin Group, 2026-07-07

How did a young woman who was devoted to helping others become the prime suspect in her parents' gruesome deaths? Learn everything we know about the mysterious case of Lizzie Borden in this compelling biography.

In August of 1892, the Borden family housekeeper found a horrific scene: Mr. and Mrs. Borden both murdered in their own home. There were no signs of forced entry, and no sign that a stranger had been in the house at all! The only other person who was home was their daughter, Lizzie Borden. Although there was some tension between Lizzie, her father, and her stepmother, there was little evidence to tie her directly to the case. And what was the motive for the double homicide? The mystery surrounding these murders became a sensational case in Fall River, Massachusetts, and beyond. Lizzie Borden became a celebrity almost overnight. But was she guilty? And, if not Lizzie, then who else could have been responsible?