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Swamp Kings: The Story of the Murdaugh Family of South Carolina and a Century of Backwoods Power
The stranger-than-fiction story of the now-notorious low country clan, in all its Southern Gothic intensity—by an author with unparalleled access to and knowledge of the players, the history, and the place.
The most famous man in South Carolina lives jailed in the state capital. He stands accused of a staggering amount of wrongdoing—ninety-nine crimes and counting. Once a high-flying, smooth-talking, pedigreed Southern lawyer, Alex Murdaugh is now disbarred and disgraced. For more than a decade, prosecutors claim, Alex was secretly a fraud, a thief, a drug dealer and an all-around phony. On the night of June 7, 2021, they claim, he also became a killer.
The many alleged crimes of Alex Murdaugh, revealed piecemeal over the last two years, have appalled the general public. Yet his implosion—the spectacular manner in which he has turned his vaunted family name to mud—has also proved mesmerizing. With every revelation, Murdaugh is further shown to be a man without bottom. Every new disclosure eclipses and redefines what’s already known, making this a gothic crime story for the ages.
Yet even more remarkable is the fact that none of this bad behavior is unprecedented. In Swamp Kings, Jason Ryan reveals it is only the tip of the iceberg, and that when it comes to this family, history has a way of repeating itself. For every alleged, headline-grabbing crime associated with Alex Murdaugh, mirror-image incidents have played out within his family’s past, including parallel instances of fraud, theft, trafficking, calamitous late-night boat crashes, and even murder.
Spanning a century of misdeeds and set amongst the swamps, pines, and poverty, Swamp Kings weaves together the jaw-dropping narratives of generations of Murdaughs, culminating in the trial that transfixed the nation and shining a bright light on the swamp kings of Hampton County—and their numerous victims—at last.
The most famous man in South Carolina lives jailed in the state capital. He stands accused of a staggering amount of wrongdoing—ninety-nine crimes and counting. Once a high-flying, smooth-talking, pedigreed Southern lawyer, Alex Murdaugh is now disbarred and disgraced. For more than a decade, prosecutors claim, Alex was secretly a fraud, a thief, a drug dealer and an all-around phony. On the night of June 7, 2021, they claim, he also became a killer.
The many alleged crimes of Alex Murdaugh, revealed piecemeal over the last two years, have appalled the general public. Yet his implosion—the spectacular manner in which he has turned his vaunted family name to mud—has also proved mesmerizing. With every revelation, Murdaugh is further shown to be a man without bottom. Every new disclosure eclipses and redefines what’s already known, making this a gothic crime story for the ages.
Yet even more remarkable is the fact that none of this bad behavior is unprecedented. In Swamp Kings, Jason Ryan reveals it is only the tip of the iceberg, and that when it comes to this family, history has a way of repeating itself. For every alleged, headline-grabbing crime associated with Alex Murdaugh, mirror-image incidents have played out within his family’s past, including parallel instances of fraud, theft, trafficking, calamitous late-night boat crashes, and even murder.
Spanning a century of misdeeds and set amongst the swamps, pines, and poverty, Swamp Kings weaves together the jaw-dropping narratives of generations of Murdaughs, culminating in the trial that transfixed the nation and shining a bright light on the swamp kings of Hampton County—and their numerous victims—at last.
14 pages, Audiobook
Published April 2, 2024
220 people are currently reading
667 people want to read
About the author
Jason Ryan
32 books14 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
March 13, 2025
4.5 "spilling the peach iced tea" stars !!!
2024 Honorable Mention Read
This knocked my socks off !
I have family in South Carolina and so as a youngster and teens I spent some time there each year. I also lived in Savannah for a year with a gal I loved in my twenties. I find the South both extremely wonderful and extremely frightening. Subcultures are rampant and the rules of engagement are so very different from what I am used to. The uber- masculinity of the South and the innuendos...Enough !
I vaguely followed the Murdaugh murders and saw a few mediocre news docs. Less than satisfying although the overall narrative intrigued. I picked this up on a whim and y'all I am so very glad that I did.
Lets be clear this is not a straightforward true crime book nor is it a psychological profile of Alex Murdaugh. Mr. Ryan does something extremely interesting....
He writes an in-depth century family history of the all the dominant male Murdaughs and their insidious take over of a number of low country South Carolina counties through dominating the law(both criminal and civil) crooked ethics, favoritism, good ol boyness moving to questionable deals, threats, harassment, theft, suspicious deaths and finally murder. Each generation becomes more powerful and immoral....the Murdaughs do not let anything or anybody stand in their way....
This is an exceptional book of true crime narrative, regional/family history and armchair cultural anthropology. Research journalism at its very best.
Thanx for all your hard work and attention to detail Mr. Ryan !
2024 Honorable Mention Read
This knocked my socks off !
I have family in South Carolina and so as a youngster and teens I spent some time there each year. I also lived in Savannah for a year with a gal I loved in my twenties. I find the South both extremely wonderful and extremely frightening. Subcultures are rampant and the rules of engagement are so very different from what I am used to. The uber- masculinity of the South and the innuendos...Enough !
I vaguely followed the Murdaugh murders and saw a few mediocre news docs. Less than satisfying although the overall narrative intrigued. I picked this up on a whim and y'all I am so very glad that I did.
Lets be clear this is not a straightforward true crime book nor is it a psychological profile of Alex Murdaugh. Mr. Ryan does something extremely interesting....
He writes an in-depth century family history of the all the dominant male Murdaughs and their insidious take over of a number of low country South Carolina counties through dominating the law(both criminal and civil) crooked ethics, favoritism, good ol boyness moving to questionable deals, threats, harassment, theft, suspicious deaths and finally murder. Each generation becomes more powerful and immoral....the Murdaughs do not let anything or anybody stand in their way....
This is an exceptional book of true crime narrative, regional/family history and armchair cultural anthropology. Research journalism at its very best.
Thanx for all your hard work and attention to detail Mr. Ryan !
June 18, 2024
Swamp Kings: The Murdaugh Family of South Carolina and a Century of Backwoods Power is a nonfiction book that explores the history of the Murdaugh family of Hampton County, South Carolina.
Many may be familiar with the Murdaugh name following Alex Murdaugh's trial and conviction for the killing of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, in June of 2021. Several documentaries, podcasts and other media have been created examining this case and crimes.
This book differs in that it's not solely focused on the recent murders, nor the boating accident in February of 2019 that resulted in the tragic death of Mallory Beach.
In Swamp Kings, the author, Jason Ryan, digs much deeper into the roots of the Murdaugh family's power and legacy in Hampton County. I enjoyed learning about the family and their deep hold in the area. It also had a bit of history of the Lowcountry, which I found enlightening.
I think if you go into this just expecting a True Crime novel focused on the murders of Maggie and Paul, you may be disappointed, but if you are here more for the history and a better understanding of this family's position within the community, you should be satisfied.
I hesitate to say enjoy, because of the content, but you should walk away having learned some new things in regards to the family.
I come away with what I believe to be a better understanding of the events and environment that shaped Alex, and even Paul, into the men they became. It certainly doesn't solve anything, or explain anything, but perhaps puts a little more context to these brutal crimes.
I feel the author did a solid job researching and pulling together all this information in a fast-paced and engaging way. I certainly was never bored while listening to the audio. In fact, it kept me wanting to go back to it.
My one critique would be that I wasn't crazy about the way the book was constructed, or laid out. I'm not sure how to explain it. The order in which the information was presented, I guess, would be fair to say.
For example, it's going over things that happened in Paul's life, Alex's life, Alex's father's life and Alex's father's father's life. The men's names are all very similar and it would jump around in time, often feeling muddled.
Like we'd be at the boating accident, and then without any preamble, or title head, jump back to the 1960s, but there would be a Buster here and a Buster there. I always had to pay attention to dates mentioned to figure out exactly who we were talking about.
I think I would have preferred a more linear layout, maybe with it broken into Parts, starting with the great-grandfather of Paul and then moving forward through time to the present day.
With this being said though, that's purely personal taste and I support the author's freedom to choose how he thinks best to present his research. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in the case, or maybe to people who want to know more about the Murdaugh family in general, or the history of the Lowcountry of South Carolina.
Thank you, Spotify Audiobooks, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm glad that I picked this up.
Many may be familiar with the Murdaugh name following Alex Murdaugh's trial and conviction for the killing of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, in June of 2021. Several documentaries, podcasts and other media have been created examining this case and crimes.
This book differs in that it's not solely focused on the recent murders, nor the boating accident in February of 2019 that resulted in the tragic death of Mallory Beach.
In Swamp Kings, the author, Jason Ryan, digs much deeper into the roots of the Murdaugh family's power and legacy in Hampton County. I enjoyed learning about the family and their deep hold in the area. It also had a bit of history of the Lowcountry, which I found enlightening.
I think if you go into this just expecting a True Crime novel focused on the murders of Maggie and Paul, you may be disappointed, but if you are here more for the history and a better understanding of this family's position within the community, you should be satisfied.
I hesitate to say enjoy, because of the content, but you should walk away having learned some new things in regards to the family.
I come away with what I believe to be a better understanding of the events and environment that shaped Alex, and even Paul, into the men they became. It certainly doesn't solve anything, or explain anything, but perhaps puts a little more context to these brutal crimes.
I feel the author did a solid job researching and pulling together all this information in a fast-paced and engaging way. I certainly was never bored while listening to the audio. In fact, it kept me wanting to go back to it.
My one critique would be that I wasn't crazy about the way the book was constructed, or laid out. I'm not sure how to explain it. The order in which the information was presented, I guess, would be fair to say.
For example, it's going over things that happened in Paul's life, Alex's life, Alex's father's life and Alex's father's father's life. The men's names are all very similar and it would jump around in time, often feeling muddled.
Like we'd be at the boating accident, and then without any preamble, or title head, jump back to the 1960s, but there would be a Buster here and a Buster there. I always had to pay attention to dates mentioned to figure out exactly who we were talking about.
I think I would have preferred a more linear layout, maybe with it broken into Parts, starting with the great-grandfather of Paul and then moving forward through time to the present day.
With this being said though, that's purely personal taste and I support the author's freedom to choose how he thinks best to present his research. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in the case, or maybe to people who want to know more about the Murdaugh family in general, or the history of the Lowcountry of South Carolina.
Thank you, Spotify Audiobooks, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm glad that I picked this up.
June 19, 2024
The sultry swamplands of the southern states can be beautiful. Specifically, the swamplands of South Carolina—-especially the area known as the Lowcountry—-boast beautiful cypress trees that can be found only in the American South. The swamps can be beautiful, but they hide threats well: sweltering humidity, swarms of mosquitoes, and murky black waters where alligators lie in wait for their next meal.
Alex Murdaugh was a child of South Carolina. More than that, he was the fourth Richard Murdaugh (his middle name is “Alexander”), the fourth in a line of well-to-do South Carolinians who built a name and reputation for themselves in the state as lawyers, specifically elected prosecutors known as solicitors. His great-grandfather and grandfather had built a legacy of a powerful and influential family, well-respected and loved by the community. But, like the swamplands, the Murdaugh family hid a lot of dangerous secrets.
On June 7, 2021, Alex Murdaugh’s family legacy of deception and illicit behavior culminated in the brutal double murder of Alex’s wife, Maggie, and their youngest son, Paul. Despite being the person to call 911, Alex was soon arrested for the murders, due to inconsistencies with his story and strong evidence that he was the perpetrator. His trial began on January 25, 2023 and ended on March 2, 2023. The jury found Alex guilty on all counts.
Jason Ryan’s “Swamp Kings” is somewhat more than a true-crime story. It is a biographical sketch of a wealthy, powerful family that let their wealth and power give them the sense that they can get away with anything, including murder, and, for almost a century, it almost succeeded.
The Murdaughs’ legacy of corruption and deceit began during the Prohibition years, when the eldest Murdaugh, Richard “Buster” Murdaugh, as solicitor of the 14th Judicial Circuit, began to make private deals with illegal whiskey bootleggers. Bootlegging was a boon to the South Carolina economy in the 1920s, and everyone—-politicians, police officers, judges, lawyers, businessmen—-dreamed of a slice of that pie.
Over the course of four generations, while the Murdaugh cachet continued to grow as well-beloved members of the community, so too did the rumors and allegations of wrongdoing, including jury-tampering, mishandling and suppressing evidence in cases, and blatant thievery.
Alex, addicted to oxycontin and other opioids, tried to feed his habit by stealing money from his clients. In a separate trial, Alex was tried and indicted on 22 counts of money laundering and wire- and bank-fraud. He was later ordered to repay almost $9 million to the families that he bilked out of their legal winnings.
The story of the Murdaughs is a disgusting one, but it tells an almost-now-cliche narrative of rich people in this country being allowed to do things for which everyday Americans like you and me would be thrown in prison.
Alex Murdaugh was a child of South Carolina. More than that, he was the fourth Richard Murdaugh (his middle name is “Alexander”), the fourth in a line of well-to-do South Carolinians who built a name and reputation for themselves in the state as lawyers, specifically elected prosecutors known as solicitors. His great-grandfather and grandfather had built a legacy of a powerful and influential family, well-respected and loved by the community. But, like the swamplands, the Murdaugh family hid a lot of dangerous secrets.
On June 7, 2021, Alex Murdaugh’s family legacy of deception and illicit behavior culminated in the brutal double murder of Alex’s wife, Maggie, and their youngest son, Paul. Despite being the person to call 911, Alex was soon arrested for the murders, due to inconsistencies with his story and strong evidence that he was the perpetrator. His trial began on January 25, 2023 and ended on March 2, 2023. The jury found Alex guilty on all counts.
Jason Ryan’s “Swamp Kings” is somewhat more than a true-crime story. It is a biographical sketch of a wealthy, powerful family that let their wealth and power give them the sense that they can get away with anything, including murder, and, for almost a century, it almost succeeded.
The Murdaughs’ legacy of corruption and deceit began during the Prohibition years, when the eldest Murdaugh, Richard “Buster” Murdaugh, as solicitor of the 14th Judicial Circuit, began to make private deals with illegal whiskey bootleggers. Bootlegging was a boon to the South Carolina economy in the 1920s, and everyone—-politicians, police officers, judges, lawyers, businessmen—-dreamed of a slice of that pie.
Over the course of four generations, while the Murdaugh cachet continued to grow as well-beloved members of the community, so too did the rumors and allegations of wrongdoing, including jury-tampering, mishandling and suppressing evidence in cases, and blatant thievery.
Alex, addicted to oxycontin and other opioids, tried to feed his habit by stealing money from his clients. In a separate trial, Alex was tried and indicted on 22 counts of money laundering and wire- and bank-fraud. He was later ordered to repay almost $9 million to the families that he bilked out of their legal winnings.
The story of the Murdaughs is a disgusting one, but it tells an almost-now-cliche narrative of rich people in this country being allowed to do things for which everyday Americans like you and me would be thrown in prison.
March 30, 2024
I've seen several documentaries/true crime episodes about this case, so I did a quick read of the synopsis and requested on Netgalley.
I guess I didn't read the synopsis well enough because I was expecting this book to be more about the more current crimes and murders. Instead, it was a very long life story of generations of Murdaughs. I wasn't super interested in this.
The timeline also hopped around a lot without any real indication that we were switching which was a little bit disorienting especially in the audiobook. I wish that the timeline had been consistent, past to present, or had clear indications of switching times (maybe a date or something) when we switched.
The narrator was great. He made parts that weren't super interesting still feel interesting.
This was partially my fault for not reading and understanding the synopsis when it clearly states the book spans generations of Murdaughs, so if you are interested in this family's history, don't let my review put you off from reading it!
Thank you to Netgalley and Spotify Audiobooks for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I guess I didn't read the synopsis well enough because I was expecting this book to be more about the more current crimes and murders. Instead, it was a very long life story of generations of Murdaughs. I wasn't super interested in this.
The timeline also hopped around a lot without any real indication that we were switching which was a little bit disorienting especially in the audiobook. I wish that the timeline had been consistent, past to present, or had clear indications of switching times (maybe a date or something) when we switched.
The narrator was great. He made parts that weren't super interesting still feel interesting.
This was partially my fault for not reading and understanding the synopsis when it clearly states the book spans generations of Murdaughs, so if you are interested in this family's history, don't let my review put you off from reading it!
Thank you to Netgalley and Spotify Audiobooks for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
April 18, 2024
The book was interesting. I listened to the audiobook. The narrator couldn’t be bothered to learn how to properly pronounce the South Carolina names of Edisto Beach and Wofford College. These are well known places within the state and within the region. It’s insulting that the he didn’t trouble himself to prounce Edisto correctly when it was repeated so often throughout the book. It’s even more appalling that the editors didn’t bother to check. I won’t be recommending this audiobook or reader to anyone.
November 28, 2024
I will confess that I’ve been rather obsessed with the whole Murdaugh family fiasco over the last year so I was glad to listen to this. This story is different in that it parallels the lives and unsavory actions of the earlier Murdaughs in connection with Alex and son. The book goes back forth between time periods and is really in-depth and well-written. Since this was an audiobook, I had to relisten to portions at times when my mind wandered, but I’m general a great book. Any true crime fan will find this to be a worthy read.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Edelweiss, Spotify Audiobooks and Jason Ryan for my complimentary e-audio ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Edelweiss, Spotify Audiobooks and Jason Ryan for my complimentary e-audio ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
June 11, 2024
Jason Ryan really did his research, but I guess I cared less about the history of the Murdaugh family than I thought.
May 2, 2024
3.5 ⭐️ - I appreciate the depth and research this author did to complete this book. I listened to it on Spotify and I had to rewind sometimes to re-listen to parts because it jumps around a lot, as noted in most of the reviews. I followed this story as it was happening and also have watched all the Netflix documentaries etc. so I was drawn to this audiobook. The book does offer more perspective on the background of the family and their history that you don’t really get from the movies/series. I appreciated that, minus to change of gears regularly in each chapter.
*Additionally, I think this book is definitely one to have trigger warnings, there were moments it was hard to listen to and readers should be warned that it goes into detail about sexual assault, domestic abuse, etc.
*Additionally, I think this book is definitely one to have trigger warnings, there were moments it was hard to listen to and readers should be warned that it goes into detail about sexual assault, domestic abuse, etc.
June 8, 2024
I currently live in the area described in the book, so this was fascinating to me. I really could see the line of power Alex Murdaugh had come from. This is a close-up look at the whole family and the history of the area. I knocked it down one star because the shifting back and forth in time starts to get confusing. Overall, a great read especially if you live in the low country.
May 18, 2025
~4.0~
HUTCHINGS BOOKCLUB MAY 2025
I am lowkey ashamed that on May 18th, I finished my first book of the month…
At least I’m still 25 books ahead of my reading goal hahahaha
HUTCHINGS BOOKCLUB MAY 2025
I am lowkey ashamed that on May 18th, I finished my first book of the month…
At least I’m still 25 books ahead of my reading goal hahahaha
May 9, 2025
*3.8?
HUTCHINGS BOOK CLUB MAY 2025
HUTCHINGS BOOK CLUB MAY 2025
April 21, 2024
Maybe reading a physical copy would’ve caused me to give more stars, but the idiot book was hard to follow. It kept jumping back and forth between eras. I would’ve liked it better if it were chronological. That said, Alex isn’t the only awful person in this family. There’s a long history of awfulness.
April 10, 2024
Swamp Kings was truly a phenomenal book. I was so impressed with the amount of care, detail, and research that was put into this book. Sometimes, when I started to feel like the book was jumping timelines too much and was convoluting the story, the author circled back, connected it all, and suddenly everything made sense again. It was genius journalism. I will say, to no fault of the author, that the story did get a little confusing at times just because a lot of the main characters share the same name and nickname. Despite this, all of the information is essential to understanding this family’s heritage and their entire history. This family has spent most of American history living a privileged life, bending the law at their will. I have spent the last year or so watching and ingesting any documentary that I could about the Murdaugh family, so going into this book, I really did not think that I would be getting new information. But the author describes how he essentially lived a second life in the Low Country, spending hours behind a microfiche machine at the library, and that shows in his extensive research. This was a truly solid true crime book. I am heavily impressed.
May 2, 2024
If you made this story up, no one would want to read about it because it's so far-fetched. Even people who read James Patterson books would think it was dumb.
The Murdaughs didn't know when to call it quits and so they just kept lying, stealing, cheating, and killing until it all came crashing down.
I didn't know many details about the Murdaughs of the past, so this was fascinating. What a bunch of nutballs.
If you are already familiar with Alex Murdaugh's trial and want some backgrounds on the clan, this will certainly scratch that itch. However, I found myself thoroughly confused by this audiobook.
The author admits at the beginning that every man in the Murdaugh family has one of about 3 names that they just keep reusing. The author evidently thinks this warning is sufficient to clear things up for the reader/listener and from then on he throws you into a neck deep pool of Busters, Randys, and Alexes without explaining which one each section is about.
It constantly jumps around in time and you have to hold on to context clues for dear life or simply let the tidalwave of good ol' boys wash you away.
Thank you to NetGalley for my review copy.
The Murdaughs didn't know when to call it quits and so they just kept lying, stealing, cheating, and killing until it all came crashing down.
I didn't know many details about the Murdaughs of the past, so this was fascinating. What a bunch of nutballs.
If you are already familiar with Alex Murdaugh's trial and want some backgrounds on the clan, this will certainly scratch that itch. However, I found myself thoroughly confused by this audiobook.
The author admits at the beginning that every man in the Murdaugh family has one of about 3 names that they just keep reusing. The author evidently thinks this warning is sufficient to clear things up for the reader/listener and from then on he throws you into a neck deep pool of Busters, Randys, and Alexes without explaining which one each section is about.
It constantly jumps around in time and you have to hold on to context clues for dear life or simply let the tidalwave of good ol' boys wash you away.
Thank you to NetGalley for my review copy.
April 10, 2024
Might as well start out with a confession: I received the audiobook (thank you, Spotify Audiobooks — who knew this was a thing? Not I) and I liked the narrator very much but I just could not stay awake! So I bought the book, and my review is based on reading that. OK, more confessing! I am somewhat of a true crime fanatic, and a geographical bigot. I read and listen to books and podcasts about lots of true crime, and I pretty much think the southeastern quadrant of the country is just terrible. But damn, there sure is a lot of good crime reporting in and from that area!
In recent years, much of the most astonishing series of crimes and reporting has revolved around the Murdaugh Murders. If you haven’t followed this story and you dive into this book, better buckle up because it is way more shocking than can easily be understood. The younger son and wife of the famous, “high-flying, smooth-talking, pedigreed Southern lawyer, Alex Murdaugh” ** were found murdered on the family compound in the South Carolina LowCountry, with the 911 call reporting the discovery of their bodies made by Alex. Since then, an almost unbelievable list of crimes (over 100) have been attributed to him, and he has been convicted and sent to prison. As the stories unfolded, they kept getting more and more shocking, and revealed that he was not only guilty of two murders, he had also been a drug trafficker, thief, con man, and just a despicable human being (not a crime in itself, but OMG Alex is disgusting.
I thought the book was primarily focused on Alex and the crimes in the recent decade or so, but the first part (more than 2/3) is an exhaustive telling of several generations of Murdaughs…with several named Buster. No, seriously. Subtitled “The Story of the Murdaugh Family of South Carolina & A Century of Backwoods Power”, reading this book I learned more than I ever wanted to about multiple lawyers named Murdaugh. I was a bit overwhelmed by it all, but it helped me try to understand how Alex and his sons (especially Paul, the young murder victim) came to be so arrogant and stunningly cruel and just disgusting people. Alex Murdaugh is now disbarred, disgraced, and locked away. Prosecutors showed that Alex was crazed by the scandal that was about to be revealed and his final desperate bid to escape accountability led him to kill his wife and son.
There were a ton of headlines associated with Alex Murdaugh’s crimes, but the author’s incredibly deep research shows how similar incidents have occurred in his family’s past, including “fraud, theft, illicit trafficking of babies and booze, calamitous boat crashes, and even alleged murder.”**
The book goes deeply into the generations of Murdaughs, showing how their generations of lawyers lorded it over the people in the impoverished and isolated part of the Deep South where they lived. Again, I had expected more of a story about the fairly recent crimes, but this is a deep dive into the whole Murdaugh family and their extensive criminal undertakings. My only real complaint about the book is the difficulty I had due to the jumping around in time over and over, only to have to stop and think “OK, which generation is this, and which Buster?” It is compelling storytelling, and excellent reporting. I also like that it even touched on the various pronunciations of the names (it has been at times confusing in various podcasts and news reports to hear Alex, Alec, Ellick, and Murdaugh, Murdock – you get the idea.)
For true crime fans, as well as people who think rich white folks in the South can do no wrong. Warning: you will likely feel like you need a shower after this one! But really well done—it’s not the author’s fault this clan is so horrible. Four stars. (NOTE: Quotes** above are from the publisher’s blurbs).
In recent years, much of the most astonishing series of crimes and reporting has revolved around the Murdaugh Murders. If you haven’t followed this story and you dive into this book, better buckle up because it is way more shocking than can easily be understood. The younger son and wife of the famous, “high-flying, smooth-talking, pedigreed Southern lawyer, Alex Murdaugh” ** were found murdered on the family compound in the South Carolina LowCountry, with the 911 call reporting the discovery of their bodies made by Alex. Since then, an almost unbelievable list of crimes (over 100) have been attributed to him, and he has been convicted and sent to prison. As the stories unfolded, they kept getting more and more shocking, and revealed that he was not only guilty of two murders, he had also been a drug trafficker, thief, con man, and just a despicable human being (not a crime in itself, but OMG Alex is disgusting.
I thought the book was primarily focused on Alex and the crimes in the recent decade or so, but the first part (more than 2/3) is an exhaustive telling of several generations of Murdaughs…with several named Buster. No, seriously. Subtitled “The Story of the Murdaugh Family of South Carolina & A Century of Backwoods Power”, reading this book I learned more than I ever wanted to about multiple lawyers named Murdaugh. I was a bit overwhelmed by it all, but it helped me try to understand how Alex and his sons (especially Paul, the young murder victim) came to be so arrogant and stunningly cruel and just disgusting people. Alex Murdaugh is now disbarred, disgraced, and locked away. Prosecutors showed that Alex was crazed by the scandal that was about to be revealed and his final desperate bid to escape accountability led him to kill his wife and son.
There were a ton of headlines associated with Alex Murdaugh’s crimes, but the author’s incredibly deep research shows how similar incidents have occurred in his family’s past, including “fraud, theft, illicit trafficking of babies and booze, calamitous boat crashes, and even alleged murder.”**
The book goes deeply into the generations of Murdaughs, showing how their generations of lawyers lorded it over the people in the impoverished and isolated part of the Deep South where they lived. Again, I had expected more of a story about the fairly recent crimes, but this is a deep dive into the whole Murdaugh family and their extensive criminal undertakings. My only real complaint about the book is the difficulty I had due to the jumping around in time over and over, only to have to stop and think “OK, which generation is this, and which Buster?” It is compelling storytelling, and excellent reporting. I also like that it even touched on the various pronunciations of the names (it has been at times confusing in various podcasts and news reports to hear Alex, Alec, Ellick, and Murdaugh, Murdock – you get the idea.)
For true crime fans, as well as people who think rich white folks in the South can do no wrong. Warning: you will likely feel like you need a shower after this one! But really well done—it’s not the author’s fault this clan is so horrible. Four stars. (NOTE: Quotes** above are from the publisher’s blurbs).
November 5, 2024
After reading Valerie Bauerlein’s book The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty and Mandy Matney’s book Blood on Their Hands: Murder, Corruption, and the Fall of the Murdaugh Dynasty, I was more interested in the history of Murdaugh Family. Valerie Bauerlein’s book is more an appetizer for this one; she skims over the family’s bad behavior and gives you enough to titillate but leaves you wondering if there’s more. She concentrates on the Alex Murdaugh family and the case that made Alex (in)famous.
Jason takes on the family history and boy does he uncover the rot in that family!
Some who have reviewed the book take issue with the back and forth narrative style he uses to cover the five (5) generations of Murdaugh men: Randolph, Randolph Jr., Randolph III, Richard Alexander (Alex), and Paul Murdaugh. However, I enjoyed it because he would pull certain behaviors these men shared and show how it traveled down the generations, mutating and getting worse as it went. I thought Alex was the ultimate iteration of bad behavior in this family, but he’s nothing compared to his grandfather, Randolph Jr. (aka “Buster”). Whew! Buster was Alex and Paul with real power at his disposal.
When people would discuss the power and fear the Murdaughs evoked in the 14th circuit, they would make vague assertions about how the Murdaughs could have you disappeared or taken care of. This book details the how of how it would happen using court filings, interviews, newspaper clippings, etc. For example, how does Buster (Randolph Jr.) continually evade the feds who keep trying to convict him? How does he manage to have all his co-conspirators in an illegal bootlegging operation arrested, tried, and convicted while he manages to skate on all charges? This book goes into detail and leaves you with your mouth hanging at the audacity.
Now, consider that last example: How does he manage to have all his co-conspirators in an illegal bootlegging operation arrested, tried, and convicted while he manages to skate on all charges? Change it from an illegal bootlegging operation to the wholesale theft of client monies and you can see that Alex was merely running the same scam his grandfather had years earlier! Only, he didn’t have Buster’s power and that, in my opinion, was his downfall.
Swamp Kings does an excellent job of demonstrating that, for the Murdaugh men, their only loyalty was to themselves and they used the power and authority they had to rule the Low Country with an iron fist. How else do you explain Buster attempting to have his pregnant mistress murdered, Handsome (Randolph III) casually threatening his wife by placing her obituary in the newspaper, and Alex murdering his wife and child? (Again, anyone who thinks Alex isn’t like his grandfather should read this book. Buster tried to have his pregnant mistress and child killed. Alex killed his wife and son.)
Personally, if you really want to understand the Murdaugh family and how Alex ended up where he is, Bauerlein’s book and Ryan’s book cover just about everything you’ll want to know and a few things you never even dreamt possible.
Jason takes on the family history and boy does he uncover the rot in that family!
Some who have reviewed the book take issue with the back and forth narrative style he uses to cover the five (5) generations of Murdaugh men: Randolph, Randolph Jr., Randolph III, Richard Alexander (Alex), and Paul Murdaugh. However, I enjoyed it because he would pull certain behaviors these men shared and show how it traveled down the generations, mutating and getting worse as it went. I thought Alex was the ultimate iteration of bad behavior in this family, but he’s nothing compared to his grandfather, Randolph Jr. (aka “Buster”). Whew! Buster was Alex and Paul with real power at his disposal.
When people would discuss the power and fear the Murdaughs evoked in the 14th circuit, they would make vague assertions about how the Murdaughs could have you disappeared or taken care of. This book details the how of how it would happen using court filings, interviews, newspaper clippings, etc. For example, how does Buster (Randolph Jr.) continually evade the feds who keep trying to convict him? How does he manage to have all his co-conspirators in an illegal bootlegging operation arrested, tried, and convicted while he manages to skate on all charges? This book goes into detail and leaves you with your mouth hanging at the audacity.
Now, consider that last example: How does he manage to have all his co-conspirators in an illegal bootlegging operation arrested, tried, and convicted while he manages to skate on all charges? Change it from an illegal bootlegging operation to the wholesale theft of client monies and you can see that Alex was merely running the same scam his grandfather had years earlier! Only, he didn’t have Buster’s power and that, in my opinion, was his downfall.
Swamp Kings does an excellent job of demonstrating that, for the Murdaugh men, their only loyalty was to themselves and they used the power and authority they had to rule the Low Country with an iron fist. How else do you explain Buster attempting to have his pregnant mistress murdered, Handsome (Randolph III) casually threatening his wife by placing her obituary in the newspaper, and Alex murdering his wife and child? (Again, anyone who thinks Alex isn’t like his grandfather should read this book. Buster tried to have his pregnant mistress and child killed. Alex killed his wife and son.)
Personally, if you really want to understand the Murdaugh family and how Alex ended up where he is, Bauerlein’s book and Ryan’s book cover just about everything you’ll want to know and a few things you never even dreamt possible.
April 19, 2024
Stars: 3.5
Who doesn’t love a good true crime story that follows one family over almost a hundred years, a small town drama in the swamps of South Carolina? Jason Ryan’s book examines the Murdaugh family, which has acted as the solicitors in their corner of the Palmetto state, reigning benevolently of the judicial system in the 14th judicial circuit, as long as you didn’t cross them. Last year's sensational trial of Alex Murdaugh for the murder of his wife and son brought the country’s attention to this family and there are a lot of skeletons in their closets. Ryan doesn’t go easy on the family but you can see why he, and anyone, might fall under their spell a bit. This book is a real life Southern Gothic tale.
So, let’s start with the good, this book was obviously well-researched and the writing is great. The story is fascinating, so obviously it is going to hold your interest. The main problem, and this is a huge issue, is the structure of the book; each chapter deals with a seemingly separate subject but it incorporates all four generations of Murdaughs at different times, so Ryan will be discussing a case argued by Randolph Murdaugh in one paragraph and he will switch over to the discussion of Buster Murdaugh’s marriage but there are like three Busters and four Randys so you aren’t quite sure which one you are now reading about. I think if you are reading the book it might be a bit confusing but when you are listening and can’t flip back to the beginning where Ryan lists the members of the family and their birth years, it is incredibly distracting. I appreciate that Ryan was taking a chance and trying to avoid a chronological story, but I think it would have read better that way - there were so many court cases discussed, all really interesting, but we were jumping between time periods and the story doesn’t build on itself and show how the family consolidated their power. And look, I’m a genealogist, I can deal with people with the same name, but even I couldn’t keep people straight because I didn’t feel like I had enough time to understand one man before we moved on to another and then another.
I would recommend this book, but definitely as an e-book or physical book so that you can easily refer back to the beginning.
Who doesn’t love a good true crime story that follows one family over almost a hundred years, a small town drama in the swamps of South Carolina? Jason Ryan’s book examines the Murdaugh family, which has acted as the solicitors in their corner of the Palmetto state, reigning benevolently of the judicial system in the 14th judicial circuit, as long as you didn’t cross them. Last year's sensational trial of Alex Murdaugh for the murder of his wife and son brought the country’s attention to this family and there are a lot of skeletons in their closets. Ryan doesn’t go easy on the family but you can see why he, and anyone, might fall under their spell a bit. This book is a real life Southern Gothic tale.
So, let’s start with the good, this book was obviously well-researched and the writing is great. The story is fascinating, so obviously it is going to hold your interest. The main problem, and this is a huge issue, is the structure of the book; each chapter deals with a seemingly separate subject but it incorporates all four generations of Murdaughs at different times, so Ryan will be discussing a case argued by Randolph Murdaugh in one paragraph and he will switch over to the discussion of Buster Murdaugh’s marriage but there are like three Busters and four Randys so you aren’t quite sure which one you are now reading about. I think if you are reading the book it might be a bit confusing but when you are listening and can’t flip back to the beginning where Ryan lists the members of the family and their birth years, it is incredibly distracting. I appreciate that Ryan was taking a chance and trying to avoid a chronological story, but I think it would have read better that way - there were so many court cases discussed, all really interesting, but we were jumping between time periods and the story doesn’t build on itself and show how the family consolidated their power. And look, I’m a genealogist, I can deal with people with the same name, but even I couldn’t keep people straight because I didn’t feel like I had enough time to understand one man before we moved on to another and then another.
I would recommend this book, but definitely as an e-book or physical book so that you can easily refer back to the beginning.
January 29, 2025
I normally do not write reviews on books I've read, but this one deserved one. Partially due to what I read in other reviews and perspective to future readers, but mostly to say this was a very interesting and fantastic book. If someone unaware of the "Murdough Trial", this could easily be mistaken for fiction. That is simply to say, Alex Murdough is only the tip of the iceberg in a larger than life and seemingly very corrupt family.
As were so many others, I was completely caught up in the murder trial of Alex. Prior to reading this book, I skimmed through the reviews. Many e-book readers expressed that the book was hard to follow as the time-line jumped around so much. Now I can appreciate that opinion, although I think it was easier reading the print book as I could look back to brief bios of each generation of the Murdough men, most useful for the dates. I appreciate the way it was written,, the jumping around in time because it really gave a fullness to the Murdough family history that I'm not sure could be accomplished had it been written in chronological order. I do believe it would have been a "smoother" read with a brief heading of some kind to express the sudden change in time. Regardless, I found this book very intriguing and informative. So much research and detail went into the writing of this book- so much I didn't know simply from watching the trial. It fascinated me while simultaneously causing me to wonder how this family saga could have unfolded as it did. But as it is stated multiple times in various ways, the Lowcountry was a place unlike any other. How true that really is!
I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys non fiction, history and found themselves glued to the murder trial. If you simply want a factual recounting of Alex and all his exploits and the trial, this book is probably not going to be as satisfying or informative. It, however, is a wonderful book for anyone who likes to dig a little deeper.
As were so many others, I was completely caught up in the murder trial of Alex. Prior to reading this book, I skimmed through the reviews. Many e-book readers expressed that the book was hard to follow as the time-line jumped around so much. Now I can appreciate that opinion, although I think it was easier reading the print book as I could look back to brief bios of each generation of the Murdough men, most useful for the dates. I appreciate the way it was written,, the jumping around in time because it really gave a fullness to the Murdough family history that I'm not sure could be accomplished had it been written in chronological order. I do believe it would have been a "smoother" read with a brief heading of some kind to express the sudden change in time. Regardless, I found this book very intriguing and informative. So much research and detail went into the writing of this book- so much I didn't know simply from watching the trial. It fascinated me while simultaneously causing me to wonder how this family saga could have unfolded as it did. But as it is stated multiple times in various ways, the Lowcountry was a place unlike any other. How true that really is!
I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys non fiction, history and found themselves glued to the murder trial. If you simply want a factual recounting of Alex and all his exploits and the trial, this book is probably not going to be as satisfying or informative. It, however, is a wonderful book for anyone who likes to dig a little deeper.
June 25, 2024
I appreciate that this book started with the history of the Murdaugh family. At first I didn't like that the author kept going back and forth between recent and historical events. Several of the negative reviews seem to come from the audio book and I can see how this style would be confusing without the clear demarcations in print.
Then I went back and re-read the first part and this stuck out, "...this was merely the latest version of scandal in the swamp. When it came to the Murdaugh family of South Carolina, history had a funny way of repeating itself." Alex's grandfather Randolph Murdaugh Jr "Buster" enabled a whiskey bootlegging ring, represented a hashish smuggler, and stole from his client's settlement. His great-uncle Johnny Glenn Murdaugh sadistically beat and sexually abused his wife and step-children, and claimed to have killed five people and buried them in a pecan grove.
In this context, it's not unusual that Paul Murdaugh was a cruel drunk at a young age, or that Alex Murdaugh was addicted to opioids, stole from his clients, and murdered his wife and son. They were chips off the old block.
The book takes some detours into local history and small town characters but generally comes back around to the endemic corruption in South Carolina's 14th Judicial Circuit and the Murdaugh family. There's not much new to be said about Maggie and Paul's murders, the boat crash and Mallory Beach's death, or the murder of Stephen Smith. Those have been covered in many other documentaries and articles. But the historical details have been well researched and the narrative well written. The Murdaugh family was rotten from the beginning.
Then I went back and re-read the first part and this stuck out, "...this was merely the latest version of scandal in the swamp. When it came to the Murdaugh family of South Carolina, history had a funny way of repeating itself." Alex's grandfather Randolph Murdaugh Jr "Buster" enabled a whiskey bootlegging ring, represented a hashish smuggler, and stole from his client's settlement. His great-uncle Johnny Glenn Murdaugh sadistically beat and sexually abused his wife and step-children, and claimed to have killed five people and buried them in a pecan grove.
In this context, it's not unusual that Paul Murdaugh was a cruel drunk at a young age, or that Alex Murdaugh was addicted to opioids, stole from his clients, and murdered his wife and son. They were chips off the old block.
The book takes some detours into local history and small town characters but generally comes back around to the endemic corruption in South Carolina's 14th Judicial Circuit and the Murdaugh family. There's not much new to be said about Maggie and Paul's murders, the boat crash and Mallory Beach's death, or the murder of Stephen Smith. Those have been covered in many other documentaries and articles. But the historical details have been well researched and the narrative well written. The Murdaugh family was rotten from the beginning.
March 5, 2025
Tl;dr -- if you're looking for true crime, this isn't your book. If you want a detailed history of a corrupt family and the swamps of South Carolina, this is for you.
I was tasked with reading this to see if it was appropriate for a high school. It isn't, if you're wondering (graphic depictions of child and animal abuse, plus language).
I started reading this as a physical book and couldn't do it. Luckily, Spotify has an audiobook version available, so about three-fourths of a chapter in, I switched to that.
Like many other reviewers, I was hoping for a true crime drama focusing on the well-known case. What I got instead was a history of the Low Country of South Carolina and of the Murdaugh Family. (Yes, this is obvious from the title, but I didn't think that it would be as detailed as this is.) There are so many generations of Murdaughs that it gets confusing, especially as the narrator in no way follows a linear path, hopping from one Murdaugh to the next. We also get histories and backstories of people who in no consequential way come in to the Murdaugh story -- even the previous generations. There has to be 25 pages alone on the Watermelon Festival, including the history of the silhouette cutter who worked the event (???) and other than setting the scene of the town, has no need to be included in the book. The infamous boat crash isn't covered until halfway through, so if that's what you're after, skip ahead.
Great regional history, but especially boring for a true crime book.
I was tasked with reading this to see if it was appropriate for a high school. It isn't, if you're wondering (graphic depictions of child and animal abuse, plus language).
I started reading this as a physical book and couldn't do it. Luckily, Spotify has an audiobook version available, so about three-fourths of a chapter in, I switched to that.
Like many other reviewers, I was hoping for a true crime drama focusing on the well-known case. What I got instead was a history of the Low Country of South Carolina and of the Murdaugh Family. (Yes, this is obvious from the title, but I didn't think that it would be as detailed as this is.) There are so many generations of Murdaughs that it gets confusing, especially as the narrator in no way follows a linear path, hopping from one Murdaugh to the next. We also get histories and backstories of people who in no consequential way come in to the Murdaugh story -- even the previous generations. There has to be 25 pages alone on the Watermelon Festival, including the history of the silhouette cutter who worked the event (???) and other than setting the scene of the town, has no need to be included in the book. The infamous boat crash isn't covered until halfway through, so if that's what you're after, skip ahead.
Great regional history, but especially boring for a true crime book.
June 2, 2024
As a resident of Colleton County, South Carolina, I’ve been invested in this story for a while! I’m a newcomer to the area, but I’ve heard lots of people talk about the Murdaugh’s shady past and the hold they had over this area. However, I could never have imagined the depth of their evil! This book is eye-opening as it shows how Alex Murdaugh came to murder his family, but also the generations of privilege and trickery that seemed to make him think he could get away with it.
This book is not fluffy opinions. It’s facts as reported in newspapers and documents, as well as eye-witnesses. It’s the perfect read if you think you know all there is to know about the Murdaugh case. The accounts of the Murdaugh family and other southern families will curl your toes. I gasped out loud multiple times while reading the things they did and said.
It’s truly mind-blowing and exposes the “good old boy” network that used to exist in the area.
I had to keep reminding myself that I was not reading fiction, but real events that actually happened. The timeline jumps back and forth, which some reviewers said they didn’t like, but I thought it made the story more engaging.
Now I need to find more book by this author, because I’m definitely a new fan!
This book is not fluffy opinions. It’s facts as reported in newspapers and documents, as well as eye-witnesses. It’s the perfect read if you think you know all there is to know about the Murdaugh case. The accounts of the Murdaugh family and other southern families will curl your toes. I gasped out loud multiple times while reading the things they did and said.
It’s truly mind-blowing and exposes the “good old boy” network that used to exist in the area.
I had to keep reminding myself that I was not reading fiction, but real events that actually happened. The timeline jumps back and forth, which some reviewers said they didn’t like, but I thought it made the story more engaging.
Now I need to find more book by this author, because I’m definitely a new fan!
June 10, 2024
Being from South Carolina and working in State Government all my life, the history of the Murdaugh family and their political and down right home town Good Ol' Boy system did not surprise me at all. I enjoyed and appreciated all the investigative journalism the author did in preparation for this book. It did not bother me the way he switched storylines back and forth between present day and and generations. Once you got the Buster's straight in your mind, along with the Randy's, it was easy-peasy to read. I lived the actual "Man's World", Good Ol' Boy system working the in early 70's and trust me, it existed. I would like to believe that this world is rid of political and social hustlers like the generations of Murdaugh's in South Carolina, but just go to the SC State House during session and witness that it still survives! The only thing missing from the book is the nicknames so frequent in South Carolina are there are no Bubbas (except for the dog) and no Skeeters! I did enjoy the book and kudos to author!
July 12, 2024
Jason Ryan did his research, that’s for sure. This book covers 5 generations of the Murdaugh family in amazing detail. You’ve got JP Murdaugh, and his wife, Annie; Randolph Murdaugh, Sr, and his wife, Etta; Randolph (Buster) Murdaugh, Jr, and his wife, Gladys; Randolph (Randy) Murdaugh, III, and his wife, Libby; and Randolph (Alex) Murdaugh, and his wife, Maggie (whose sons were Richard (Buster) Murdaugh, Jr, and Paul). I would have never been able to follow an audio version of this book - the printed version was difficult enough. The only way it worked for me was writing down the names of the Murdaugh men, their wives, and their children on a piece of paper and using it as a bookmark so I could constantly refer to it when Ryan went from speaking about one character/one decade to another character/decade on the same page. All that aside, every single Murdaugh man was vile and despicable, and it’s not at all surprising that Alex Murdaugh killed his wife and youngest son in cold blood to save his own skin.
September 27, 2024
Meh. I followed this case closely and was interested in reading a good account of the crimes committed by Alex , as well as the trial. After finishing this book, I'm still interested in finding that book, this isn't it.
It seemed like 90% of the book explained how the Murdaugh family is comprised of assholes that goes back for generations. Seeing how Alex's family continues to behave to this current day, I'm certain that this miserable family's legacy will continue.
The murders, embezzlement and trial were almost an afterthought, quickly breezed through.
The author made the curious, and confusing decision to jump back and forth in time all through the book. Since the Murdaugh family seems to only have a handful of names and nicknames that they recycle through the generations, it was mind-numbingly hard to follow; are we now talking about Buster, or Buster the IV, III, etc? And then the very next paragraph would jump to an unrelated story 40 years prior, or 30 years later? Weird approach to take.
I don't recommend this book, and will continue to look for a well-written account of an incredible story.
It seemed like 90% of the book explained how the Murdaugh family is comprised of assholes that goes back for generations. Seeing how Alex's family continues to behave to this current day, I'm certain that this miserable family's legacy will continue.
The murders, embezzlement and trial were almost an afterthought, quickly breezed through.
The author made the curious, and confusing decision to jump back and forth in time all through the book. Since the Murdaugh family seems to only have a handful of names and nicknames that they recycle through the generations, it was mind-numbingly hard to follow; are we now talking about Buster, or Buster the IV, III, etc? And then the very next paragraph would jump to an unrelated story 40 years prior, or 30 years later? Weird approach to take.
I don't recommend this book, and will continue to look for a well-written account of an incredible story.
August 15, 2024
What I expected: a cohesive, on topic history of uniquely bad Murdaugh family members. Maybe some facts about the infamous recent case that I didn’t know.
What I got instead: a slog through what appears to be an average, rich, white, southern family all of whom are named either Buster or Randy with no distinction between people or time periods. The book jumped around decades almost in each paragraph which was especially jarring in an audiobook format. Is this family full of terrible people? Absolutely, they suck. Are they terrible in a unique way? Not really, until Alex the family annihilator and his nightmare son Paul.
I also didn’t need the approximately 400 detours through useless South Carolina trivia. In an effort to fill pages (I guess?), the author discusses Civil War history, the history of old town buildings, some poetry about swamps, more information about swamps, local watermelon festivals, still more swamp geography, a local and problematic newspaper advice column, a weird trip down a local river (in a swamp!) by men who are completely irrelevant, and painfully detailed accounts of criminal cases prosecuted by one of the endless Busters or Randys.
I should have just watched a documentary.
What I got instead: a slog through what appears to be an average, rich, white, southern family all of whom are named either Buster or Randy with no distinction between people or time periods. The book jumped around decades almost in each paragraph which was especially jarring in an audiobook format. Is this family full of terrible people? Absolutely, they suck. Are they terrible in a unique way? Not really, until Alex the family annihilator and his nightmare son Paul.
I also didn’t need the approximately 400 detours through useless South Carolina trivia. In an effort to fill pages (I guess?), the author discusses Civil War history, the history of old town buildings, some poetry about swamps, more information about swamps, local watermelon festivals, still more swamp geography, a local and problematic newspaper advice column, a weird trip down a local river (in a swamp!) by men who are completely irrelevant, and painfully detailed accounts of criminal cases prosecuted by one of the endless Busters or Randys.
I should have just watched a documentary.
March 31, 2025
This book added more to the saga of the Murdaughs in that it went much more in depth with the earlier generations. Alex Murdaugh's sociopath tendencies did not develop in a vacuum.
The writing is excellent - detailed but not too detailed. However, the choice to lay the book out by going back and forth among the generations was confusing. I see why the author did it - it was a device to keep the reader invested in the current story that most people are interested in. But too many men have similar names, and I found it very confusing -- "Now which Randolph is this?" If this is the style to be used, it would be improved with a heading for each section to remind the reader which generation is being written about.
I deducted one point for the use of vulgarities in places. No need to write out the words. Use stars if these words must be included, but don't contribute to the lowering of polite discourse.
The writing is excellent - detailed but not too detailed. However, the choice to lay the book out by going back and forth among the generations was confusing. I see why the author did it - it was a device to keep the reader invested in the current story that most people are interested in. But too many men have similar names, and I found it very confusing -- "Now which Randolph is this?" If this is the style to be used, it would be improved with a heading for each section to remind the reader which generation is being written about.
I deducted one point for the use of vulgarities in places. No need to write out the words. Use stars if these words must be included, but don't contribute to the lowering of polite discourse.
August 27, 2024
#murdaughfamily
I've read several books recounting the story of Alex Murdaugh and must say I've been most impressed this selection.
Swamp Kings gives a detailed history of not only the Murdaugh family, but the historical development of the towns and counties that make up the South Carolina lowcountry's Fourteenth Judicial Circuit. Stories told of multiple Busters, Randolphs, Randys, Alexanders, bootleggers, hunters that floated a cow in the swamp, and a lawsuit involving a herd of cattle that were once part of a divorce settlement.
The information doesn't start with the boat crash, or Stephen Smith. I'm talking about stories predating Sherman's March to the Sea!!! I'm loving it and highly recommend if you enjoy reading, history, true crime, southern gothic, or anything Murdaugh.
#AudibleEdition
I've read several books recounting the story of Alex Murdaugh and must say I've been most impressed this selection.
Swamp Kings gives a detailed history of not only the Murdaugh family, but the historical development of the towns and counties that make up the South Carolina lowcountry's Fourteenth Judicial Circuit. Stories told of multiple Busters, Randolphs, Randys, Alexanders, bootleggers, hunters that floated a cow in the swamp, and a lawsuit involving a herd of cattle that were once part of a divorce settlement.
The information doesn't start with the boat crash, or Stephen Smith. I'm talking about stories predating Sherman's March to the Sea!!! I'm loving it and highly recommend if you enjoy reading, history, true crime, southern gothic, or anything Murdaugh.
#AudibleEdition
August 2, 2024
There are very few books I regret spending my time reading, but this was definitely one.
If you want to know all about cypress trees, swamps, and South Carolina history, dig in. If you want some insights into the Murdaugh case, watch a documentary.
This book is 400 pages long. The Murdaugh case doesn't start until about page 280, but there are plenty of pages about a watermelon festival, town park politics, and even excerpts of books written in the 1800's about the geography during the Civil War.
There is absolutely nothing to be learned about the case from this book. The only "new" information is that his entire family were pieces of excrement, but other than that, it's not about the case at all.
I finished out of spite and cannot wait to get this book out of my house.
If you want to know all about cypress trees, swamps, and South Carolina history, dig in. If you want some insights into the Murdaugh case, watch a documentary.
This book is 400 pages long. The Murdaugh case doesn't start until about page 280, but there are plenty of pages about a watermelon festival, town park politics, and even excerpts of books written in the 1800's about the geography during the Civil War.
There is absolutely nothing to be learned about the case from this book. The only "new" information is that his entire family were pieces of excrement, but other than that, it's not about the case at all.
I finished out of spite and cannot wait to get this book out of my house.
March 8, 2025
This was not that good and the case takes a back seat compared to the extensive family history. I felt like it was absolutely wayyyyyyyyyyyy too looooooooooooooong and I didn't care about the first 95 percent of the book and I didn't finish but I'm going to count it as read because I read the majority of it. I wish I hadn't wasted my time. I truly feel like they could have condensed the majority of it in 1 chapter and focused on the case rather than the history of the family that I think was absolutely unnecessary. I WOULD NOT recommend this to anyone based on the pages and pages of history I did not care about. It was unneeded filler and I feel like it didn't add anything to the case. At least the on and on and on drone that could have been 1 chapter
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May 1, 2024This one went deep into the generations of this awful family and that awfulness went back generations! I actually learned new things in this one and got a better insight into the family. Even if you have read other books or seen documentaries this one gave a good background on the whole family.
The narration by Joe Hempel was well done and I like that he sometimes leaned into the southern accent, the last book on this family I read was narrated by a Brit and it was an odd choice!
I highly recommend this one.
I received this audiobook from the publisher Spotify Audiobooks and NetGalley for a fair and honest review.
The narration by Joe Hempel was well done and I like that he sometimes leaned into the southern accent, the last book on this family I read was narrated by a Brit and it was an odd choice!
I highly recommend this one.
I received this audiobook from the publisher Spotify Audiobooks and NetGalley for a fair and honest review.
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