The story of Lizzie Borden revolves around one of the most sensational unsolved crimes in American history. Andrew and Abby Borden, Lizzie’s father and stepmother, were killed in a horrifying double axe murder.
Their violent deaths occurred in the nineteenth century, at a time when women were ruled by the heavy hand of patriarchy, and still had no legal rights. Also in this era, the Women’s Suffrage movement emerged as a powerful force that began to shift society toward greater freedom and legal protections for women.
As I looked deeply into the Borden case, I discovered numerous murderous women in the Victorian era whose circumstances echoed elements of Lizzie’s story. They, too, struggled with harshly restrictive laws and cultural norms that deprived them of so much. Did these unendurable pressures and expectations drive all of them to murder?
Mengenai Pengarang
Kimbra Eberly grew up in York, Pennsylvania, and moved to New York City, where she successfully pursued a career in music. When she happened to accompany a friend on vacation, they stayed at The Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast/Museum. The trip kindled Kimbra’s interest in unsolved crime, and she subsequently studied at the College of Staten Island, with a concentration in forensic psychology.
Kimbra worked as a researcher for the University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center for eight years. She travelled the country extensively and collected data for varied studies to improve government programs. She is an accomplished artist in diverse fields. You can visit her website at www.kimbraeberly.net. Kimbra lives happily in Staten Island, New York, with her partner and their two cats.