Oh gosh, I really can't tell you how much I enjoyed this book. Really well written, on the edge of your seat stuff, despite this being a well known try event. Read it!

So, I decided to read See What I Have Done after another reviewer remarked how unsettled it left her. It was said in such a way that it was clear that she was recommending it.

Since it was about Lizzie Borden, always a favorite subject matter, I was anxious to read it for myself.

The book is definitely unsettling – mostly because of three characters: Lizzie, her uncle John, and a mysterious man hired by John. The other two characters, Lizzie’s sister and maid, did add to the background of the story but I simply didn’t find them all that interesting.

Using these five point of view characters, the author paints a disturbing picture of the murders and of the circumstances surrounding them. The author teases out salacious secrets which hint at the fact that dark things may have been happening in the Borden family prior to the murders.

Did I like the book?

Not really. Although I appreciated the way the author dangled little bits and pieces of fact and gossip in front of the reader, and though I did dearly appreciate Lizzie’s character (strange as she was), I found the storytelling heavy, two of our more suspicious characters almost cartoon-villain (I just needed to read about them twisting their mustaches and laughing maniacally), and found both Emma and Bridget to be uninteresting.

I found that I was simply reading to see if, in fact, the author was going to tell us that Lizzie committed the crime. (I won’t tell you that answer.)

For me, three stars. Although I appreciated the atmosphere the author built, she lost my interest through much of the book.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! I had heard a lot of buzz about See What I Have Done, and the cover is so beautiful and eye-catching, I knew I had to read it. While I liked this book, I didn't love it. I found the story somewhat tedious; however, I think the biggest obstacle for me was the fact that I never felt a connection to any of the characters. I don't have to like them, I just have to feel some strong emotion, and I didn't here. I would recommend this book to my library patrons who love true crime though. The idea of fictionalizing the murders of Lizzie's parents is a unique twist, and I can see the appeal.

Am interesting read, however I struggled to believe the characters were portrayed the way they should have been. I had never heard of the Borden murders so this was a whole new story and I thought Lizzie was a child, her thinking and portrayal was that of a child however, I learnt that Lizzie was in fact a grown woman.I think this may have possibly been the authors intention but I felt it detracted from the character and I struggled to have a relationship with them, especially Lizzie.

“Lizzie Borden took an axe and gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, she gave her father 41.”

This debut novel fictionalises the infamous murder of Andrew and Abby Borden in 1892. The story is told from the point of view of Emma and Lizzie – Andrew’s two adult daughters, who lived with their father and stepmother, the family’s Irish maid, Bridget, and of a man named Benjamin, who is asked to accompany Emma and Lizzie’s Uncle John to the small town of Fall River, Massachusetts, where the family live.

Of all the voices in this novel, that of Bridget was, for me, the most revealing (interestingly, she was often called ‘Maggie’ by the Borden family – following the Victorian tradition of naming servants by previous members of the household who had had that name, so all maids could be ‘Maud,’ in one house, for example, or names were changed if they were considered too ‘exotic’ or pretty). The author has given Bridget back her own name for this novel, and it is she who really shows what occurs behind the blind façade of a middle class Victorian home.

Although Andrew Borden was a wealthy, and successful, businessman, he was known for his frugality and things were far from happy in the Borden household. Relations between Abby Borden and her two step daughters were strained, it was known that Lizzie had a tendency to steal things and doors in the house were kept locked – both outer and inner doors – and there were arguments about who would inherit Andrew Borden’s property. Although the sisters were close, there were also tensions between them and Emma was away at the time of the murders.

The author really makes this time come alive and you need to have a strong stomach to read this book. From the pots of food that have been bubbling away for days on the stove, to the heat, blood and sickness surrounding the house, Sarah Schmidt assaults our senses. This is an uncomfortable topic for a novel and, at times, it makes for uncomfortable reading. Also, there is the disturbing voice of Lizzie’s character. Of course, you will draw your own conclusions about what happened that day, but Lizzie sounds much more like a fractious child than a grown woman in this novel and so, the parts of the storyline you see from her point of view, do feel disconnected from reality.

Overall, this is an interesting look at an infamous true crime, which created a furore and huge press attention – with speculation and interest still ongoing. The fact that a woman was accused of murder – and a middle class, gentlewoman, at that, really caused a sensation. Just be warned that this may make you feel slightly squeamish in places, but the writing is strong and this is an assured debut. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

This is a retelling of the Lizzie Borden story. Most people are aware of her. I knew that she had murdered people with an axe, but that was due to my remembering the poem.

This story starts with Lizzie stating "Someone's killed father." A good start to then be followed by a scene of characters in confusion as to what to do next, as well as the who was where at the time. The story tells of Lizzie and Emma, her sister, childhood and their upbringing. Loosing their mother and their father remarrying. It soon becomes clear that Lizzie is not to be trusted, she is a liar, thief, attention seeker and drama queen. Her sister Emma is desperate to leave the house and the family, she is not the only one. The house is almost a prison, capturing it's dwellers and not wanting to let them go.

Though I did enjoy this book, the choppiness of the timeline made it a little confusing on occasions. The flicking between past and present, as well as between characters caused me to backtrack on my reading. I am used to this style of writing and it is a great tool for creating perspectives from different angles, this one was a bit too much. If i had read it over several sittings , my brain may have been able to process it more.

I would recommend to general crime readers.

This is a story about Lizzie Borden and the murders that took place in 1892. If I'm completely honest, I was pulled in at the start even though the writing was a bit different than what I am used to read lately, but still it was captivating.

I was so desperate to know what truly happened and all the events that led up to that day in August. But then when I was at 50 %, things started to drag and honestly I felt that the story would still be the same without some parts. With each page I noticed that it was harder for me to get back to the story. The writing is honestly great and the darkness was felt while reading but somehow I just lost interest in how things will turn out in the end.

Nevertheless I still think that the story was good and I'm sure that a lot of people will like it.

~Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for allowing me to read the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.~

On the morning of August 4, 1892, Lizzie Borden calls out to her maid: Someone’s killed Father. The brutal ax-murder of Andrew and Abby Borden in their home in Fall River, Massachusetts, leaves little evidence and many unanswered questions.

Many in America are familiar with the case and have heard, or even sang, the childhood chant of "Lizzie Borden took an axe, and gave her mother forty whacks; when she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one."

This novel attempts to offer insights and possible alternatives as to what really happened in the Borden house that day. Much of the descriptive writing in the book was wonderful, and did bring a good sense of the emotional and physical atmosphere of the family's home.

The author provides viewpoints from Lizzie, her sister Emma, the maid Bridget, and a new "person of interest" - Benjamin. I didn't see the book as a story that was going to "solve" the Borden murders, but hoped for a story about the family that opened up other perspectives of why the violence occurred. I thought much of the author's writing on this aspect was overall very interesting. But some glimpses into the dysfunction and psyches of the family seemed like they were just about to get to a major revelation and then poof! Just an abrupt end to that part of the story.

Overall, I enjoyed the style of the author's writing. The book as a whole was a little slow, and included lovely prose that didn't really add to the story itself.

I received an ARC for free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Unique and intriguing take, Schmidt grips readers early on with her opening. Personally, I don't feel like the characters all worked together or that they were well developed but Schmidt's descriptive writing and clever plot helped me push past the negatives.

"They needed someone to tell them that it's family you need to worry about, not an outsider..."
Like a lot of UK readers, I went into 'See What I Have Done,' knowing very little about Lizzie Borden or the role she plays within the pantheon of true (American) crime. I could think of few better introductions to this story, or the Borden family than 'See What I Have Done.' This is an incredible book, even more so when you realise that it's a debut. The characters of Lizzie, the Borden family and the people in their orbit (the maid, Bridget and Benjamin, na'er do well who is pathologically obsessed with revenge upon his father and who becomes involved with the Bordens through some rather nefarious means) are beautifully sketched by Sarah Schmidt and you become utterly engrossed in discovering what exactly happened in the Borden household on that fateful day in August 1892.
Their living environment is one which seems to be wrapped up in pestilence - resentments bubble underneath the surface, both between family members and in Abby (the stepmother of the family)'s relationship to Bridget, a maid she perceives as being much more of a daughter to her than Lizzie and Emma. They appear to live off overly ripe, juicy pears and a pot of rotting mutton broth which sickens everyone which comes into contact with it. The story is rife with smells, heat and vomit (so probably one to steer clear of if you're sensitive to these things.)

I read a review of this recently which compared it to Patrick Suskind's 'Perfume' which is both interesting and apt. I can't think of another book in recent memory which captures smells and tastes so accurately and in such detail. This is a tale ribboned in blood. And, like many true crime stories, it may not always be satisfying but it is remarkably compelling.

I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley and Grove Atlantic. Thank you.

This is probably one of the most well written books I will never, ever want to read again. I felt like an emotional wet rag the whole time I was reading this fictionalized story of the Lizzie Borden tragedy. I cannot even begin to imagine what it must have been like for Sarah Schmidt. This is powerful prose and Schmidt's writing talent is what makes the retelling of this gruesomeness a possibility for readers to endure.

You've heard that awful rhyme, we all have, but how many of us want to research what that whole tragedy was about? Certainly not I. Schmidt has told the story in a fictionalized version with factual information forming the basis for the narrative. Then she has built what might have happened through the eyes of three women and one man and come up with a story of what could have been going on inside this household. The Borden family was prominent and wealthy in Fall River, Massachusetts, but Mr. and Mrs. Borden did not seem to want to be socially active. I can't help but wonder if they were simply penny pinchers or if they might have had some idea of what Lizzie was really like. Perhaps it was a combination of the two. Abby Borden was the second wife of Andrew Borden but Emma and Lizzie never forgot their mother and Abby was not able to have the sisters grow to love her.

This is a debut novel and quite an impressive one. There were some small things that kept grabbing my attention and distracting me from the story, but my overall reaction was so strong that I simply can't be bothered to worry abut them. I will positively put Sarah Schmidt on my list of authors to watch out for in the future.

I was so pleasantly suprised by this book. The mystery aspect of it was unpredictable and kept me on the edge of my seat during all the chapters of the novel. The characters were original and multidimensional and the plot didn't drag on or become boring. I enjoyed it a lot and I can't wait to read more books by this amazing author! 5 out of 5 stars, for sure!

Twisted, eerie - I had better hopes for this book and it fell flat.

Amazing and riveting book. What women doesn't need an axe right. This was a great book about Lizzie Borden and I enjoyed every step of the way! The ending.....BANG

This was an interesting and quite unique read. However, I guess I was expecting more of a true crime sort of thing, instead of a drama. The character development is remarkable, but at times it felt very slow. I enjoyed this book although I couldn't understand why were many characters eating pears all the time or picking up stuff from the ground and keeping it in their pockets... definetely not a book for everybody. This was one of those out of my confort zone reads for me.

This is a historical fiction about a famous crime from 1892, an interesting mix of truth and creativity in a highly dysfunctional family. It is very descriptive and highly vivid, Sarah Schmidt doing an excellent job depicting tastes and smells, disgust and claustrophobic feelings.

« ‘I can keep the best secrets.’ I hadn’t even told Emma that I loved our new mother. »

There are 4 PoVs (the two sisters - Lizzie and Emma, Bridget - the maid and Benjamin), the voices being well done and quite distinct from each other (the anoying thing was in Lizzie’s PoV, and sometimes even in Bridget’s, some words and onomatopoeias kept on being repetead) and the plot jumps between past and present events. Even though the story is pretty much static, it reads quickly, as you are engrossed in the story.

The relationships between family members are very strange, sometimes even creepy: between the two sisters there’s a mix of codependency and the need to escape the other one, of love and jelousy, of duty and own wishes/needs.

« Nobody knew me, didn’t expect anything from me. I wanted to stay like that forever. »

Also, there's clearly something strange in the relationship between Lizzie and John, but this is just hinted at, never more than a peculiar reaction or a thought from Bridget.

The ending is not very clear, but that is normal, as the real murder also has not been solved, there are just suppositions and theories...

I would recommend this book ONLY to those who like this kind of genre (historical real crime), because it is very dark and creepy and gruesome.

This seemed as if it could have been a good tale, however, it was so dark that I had a hard time picking the book back up. I really struggled to get through this one.

Inside the house on 92 Second Street...

The dark heart of See What I Have Done is a brutal double murder that still horrifies and strangely fascinates the world. You could say the acts on August 4, 1892 in Fall River, Massachusetts are laid out as one of the ultimate locked room mysteries that may never be correctly solved. Many are convinced of the final answer and even a few brave souls retrace steps taking an electronic recorder to interrogate the shadows but nothing is certain but perhaps this: the case will never be forgotten because of film, literature and the prying natures of the public. It is also one of those iconic tales that can easily become a cautionary legend that writes itself. It takes a special touch though to fully immerse the reader into the pages and luckily we have Ms. Schmidt as our unflinching guide who has a distinct way with her pen that is sure to appeal to the morose unpleasant side we all try to hide.

I bet you thought this was going to be one of those uncomplicated stories that are presented one way and then romance and whimsy makes an appearance. Sorry to disappoint and however lovely that would be but this isn’t that kind of novel. This is laudanum induced dream that feeds off of the reader’s morbid curiosities and taps at our most paranoid fears of what can go wrong behind locked doors. We think we are safe at home but we also can’t deny we have those times we feel shivers of doubt when we hesitate in a doorway and rethink what is lurking behind a smile or a sweaty handshake. Is the heavy greasy rancid meal you forced yourself to eat last night the real reason you are so ill this morning? In this feverish admission of events four views offer the base facts of the case but also challenge our most basic instincts as we follow the daily routines and repeated thoughts of key personalities that all have something to contribute to the reader’s suspicions. To heighten the senses (and twist even more with your final judgments) Ms. Schmidt has prepared for her guests to this collaboration of history and imagination all the tastes, sounds, blurred visions, raised neck hairs and of course scents of the sweltering summer day. I think it would be cruel not to warn any gentle reader at this point, you may not want to look under the table or in the pot.

As much as I found See What I Have Done a creepy though bizarrely interesting read (especially the claustrophobic tension of the Borden household but also the deep jealous thoughts and complex bonds that can occur between sisters), I still thought this novel a bit paced in the beginning and very frantic at the end where voices of the characters just faded out or future events were simply related from newspaper recounts. One or two times I caught an odd afterthought on the modern leaching into the story (a few details for the era seemed just “off”). There were also the final missed opportunities in this title that I really wanted to see re-imagined like the lesser important scenes. To be specific, I was hoping for Bridget’s narration to continue after August 4, 1892 (her chapters I couldn’t wait to find more of), the infamous trial to be remembered or told from anyone’s point of view that was there and finally a creative passage dedicated to one of the final gnawing mysteries of this case concerning a swift departure in 1905 or even one cryptic whisper from 1948 that just begs for a creative wave of the pen. Such a shame to see those scenes forgotten in the mad shuffle to get to the end, still I think See What I Have Done a book to recommend. It may take a certain persistent type of the curious who enjoys history, sensory reading and the unexplained sides of human nature but I know they are out there and they have one unique book waiting for them.

*I would like to thank Atlantic Monthly Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and enjoy See What I Have Done

A very creepy but fascinating book. Incredibly atmospheric, dark and unpleasant. It reminded me a lot of In Cold Blood, actually.
I had never heard of the story but it gripped me right from the start. The writing is so wonderful that it felt like I was there for most of it - though I'm glad I wasn't!
I only wish Sarah Schmidt had included notes explaining which characters and events were real. I always think those are very interesting.