January 2023. The State of South Carolina v. Richard Alexander Murdaugh. An attorney beyond suspicion is found guilty in an exceptional trial.
Alex Murdaugh, who comes from a long line of lawyers and prosecutors, stands before a jury for the first time at the Colleton Courthouse. He is accused of having murdered both his wife Maggie and his son Paul on the evening of June 7, 2021.
This trial marks the end of a fascinating story that gripped the United States for months. An unusual case involving financial crimes, drug abuse, corruption, attempted suicide disguised as murder, and other mysterious deaths in 2015, 2018, and 2019.
But more than anything else, this story explores America's perception of the notion of family, success, power, violence. . . . The tale of a declining dynasty in a declining country.
Arthur Cerf lived in Colleton County, South Carolina, for eight weeks to write about this high-profile trial, which he brilliantly recounts as one powerful family’s fall from grace.
50 States of France’s leading true crime journalists investigate America’s most notorious cases, one for every state in the Union, offering up fresh perspectives on famously storied crimes and reflecting, in the process, a dark national legacy that leads from coast to coast.
I didn’t watch the Murdaugh trial or anything but the whole thing sounded fascinating. This is the second book I’ve read on the murders and while I enjoyed this, I think the best book on the subject may be THE DEVIL AT HIS ELBOW by Valerie Bauerlein, who is actually mentioned in this book.
This book was relatively short, less than 200 pages, so it lacks for some detail, but, overall, it’s very good.
I am curious about the series, 50 Crimes in 50 States…but this one was marked “Ohio” for some reason?!?!
Book Review: The Murdaugh Murders Case: Fifty States of Crime by Arthur Cerf Rating: 4.5/5
A Foreign Lens on American Scandal Arthur Cerf’s The Murdaugh Murders Case offers a gripping, outsider’s perspective on one of South Carolina’s most notorious trials, blending forensic detail with sociological insight into the waning American aristocracy of the Murdaugh dynasty. As part of the Fifty States of Crime series—where French journalists dissect U.S. cases—Cerf’s eight-week immersion in Colleton County yields a narrative that transcends true crime tropes to interrogate themes of privilege, impunity, and systemic corruption.
Cerf’s prose is both clinical and evocative, particularly in depicting the trial’s surreal tension: a once-untouchable attorney now standing before a jury not as a practitioner of law, but as a defendant. As someone familiar with true crime’s sensationalism, I was struck by Cerf’s restraint. His focus on the cultural decay underlying the murders—the intoxicating sense of impunity bred by generational power—left me reflecting on how privilege distorts accountability. The book’s pacing mirrors the trial’s crescendo, with financial crimes and drug abuse woven into a tapestry of tragedy rather than lurid fodder.
Yet Cerf’s European perspective occasionally feels detached. His portrayal of Southern Gothic decline is poignant but risks exoticizing the region’s complexities. The translation (from French) is seamless, though some colloquialisms lack the grit of local reportage.
Constructive Criticism While Cerf excels at courtroom drama, deeper analysis of the legal strategies—particularly prosecutor Waters’ emphasis on Alex Murdaugh’s control of the crime scene —would enrich the narrative. The book also sidelines key figures like clerk Becky Hill, whose alleged misconduct during the trial later made headlines. A chapter contextualizing the Murdaughs within broader Southern legal dynasties could have elevated its scholarly appeal.
Summary Takeaways: - A French Vanity Fair journalist unravels the fall of an American dynasty—true crime meets Downton Abbey in the Deep South. - Cerf’s outsider lens exposes the rot beneath Southern gentility—a masterclass in narrative true crime. - For readers who devoured Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and Bad Blood—this is your next obsession. - The Murdaugh case as you’ve never seen it: less whodunit, more why-dunit. - A chilling reminder that the most dangerous criminals wear suits and carry briefcases.
Gratitude Thank you to Edelweiss and W.W. Norton for the advance copy. Cerf’s work is a testament to true crime’s power to reveal societal fractures, not just individual villainy.
Final Verdict: A meticulously reported, if occasionally distant, account that elevates true crime into cultural critique. Essential for readers seeking depth beyond the headlines.
Why Read It? To witness how a family’s fall from grace mirrors the unraveling of systems that enable them.
I was fascinated by the OJ Simpson trial back in the day, ditto for the JonBenet Ramsey saga. Other than those two, I'm not really much of a true crime junkie. But I did find the Murdaugh murders, in 2021, interesting.
In case you are new to the case: prominent citizen Alex Murdaugh, part of a law family that was now in its 4th generation of attorneys in South Carolina ("I don't think that any of us ever considered being anything but a lawyer," one said), was accused of killing his wife and son in June 2021. This seems inconceivable on the surface, but as you dig into the family's history, lots of oddities emerge.
For decades, the Murdaughs seemed to be involved in sketchy things. In 1940, Alex Murdaugh's ... grandfather, I think, was killed in a train accident when his car stopped on railroad tracks with an approaching train in view. "Coincidentally," the grandfather had been in poor health and was in financial straits at the time this happened, and the surviving family sued the railroad company, repeatedly. Throughout the years the Murdaugh law firm often sued the CSX railroad company for various alleged offenses. An office building the Murdaughs built was nicknamed "the office that CSX built."
There was also the story of the Murdaughs' housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield. The 57-year-old fell on the Murdaughs' front steps. Alex and his wife Maggie were home at the time and called 911. Satterfield died of her injuries a few weeks later, and at the funeral Alex suggested that her children sue him for wrongful death so that they could pocket an insurance payout. The insurance company paid out, but Alex's side company handled the payments and they all ended up going to Murdaugh rather than to the deceased's family.
So there were reasons to be suspicious of Alex when he called 911 after finding wife Maggie and son Paul's bodies on the property dead from gunshot wounds. He was charged with their murder and his 2023 trial was a media circus, given his prominence in the town. He admitted to a long-standing opioid addiction and was convicted, currently serving 2 life sentences.
This book was an interesting overview of the story, although it was short and didn't dig too deeply into topics. For instance, I wondered why Alex killed 22-year-old Paul but not his older son? Why kill his wife? The book had a large portion focusing on the trial and media people there, which didn't interest me nearly as much as the possible motives and backstories of the Murdaughs.
The book was translated from French and had some issues; not sure if these were translation-related or just the result of trying to get the book out quickly: "It's going to be really chaos;" "He was the antithesis of a Murdaugh would be presiding over the duel," etc.
Okay book for a brief overlook of the story if it interests you.
About 24% or so of the book is the events leading up to the murder and the night of the murders. The rest of the book recounts the trial, the media circus, the family history of the Murdaughs in the county, and the sentencing. For fans of both true crime and fans of trial books. This is a quick read of approximately 2-4 hours. Thanks to the publisher for the advanced release copy.
Arthur Cerf has written a first-rate book on the bizarre and fascinating murders committed by Alex Murdaugh. It is part of the excellent "50 States of Crime" series.
Murdaugh was a third-generation lawyer in Hampton County, South Carolina. His firm was the biggest one in the area. He was a successful and respected lawyer. He was also stealing money from his clients, embezzling millions from his law firm and trying to manage a serious drug problem.
His son and wife were shot on their large property. It pretty quickly seemed clear that Alex Murdaugh committed the murder, perhaps to collect on life insurance. Cerf does an excellent job telling the story of the trial. He also profiles the development of the small town since the civil war. The story ends with Murdaugh's conviction.
Cerf mentions the Clerk of Court Rebecca "Becky" Hill as kind of comic relief. She was leading a prayer circle for all of the Court employees to prepare for the craziness. She is deciding where cell phones can be used, working on the courtroom seating plan, ordering ginger ale for the reporters and ordering back up water. She caught Covid during the trial.
After the conviction, and after this book was completed, the Court discovered that Becky Hill had been having improper communications with the jury. She told jurors not to be fooled by Murtaugh when he testified. She told them that the defense was trying to confuse them. She was convicted of obstruction of justice. On May 13 of this year, the South Carolina Supreme Court reversed Murdaugh's conviction because of the prejudicial acts by Hill.
Cerf attended the whole trial. He does a very good job profiling the lawyers and the evidence. He had no way of knowing that the whole trial wouldn't count because, behind the scenes, Clerk Becky Hill was working to get a quick conviction to help her sell her upcoming book.
The trial has to be done all over. I wonder if Cerf will sit through the second one.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Arthur Cerf brings a fresh perspective to one of the most captivating true crime stories in the last decade. This examination of the Murdaugh family's spectacular fall from grace benefits from Cerf's outsider viewpoint and his commitment to immersive journalism by spending eight weeks in Colleton County to cover the trial firsthand. Cerf excels at contextualizing the Murdaugh case within the broader framework of American power structures and legal dynasties. His portrayal of the family as a "waning American aristocracy" provides compelling insight into how generations of influence ultimately contributed to their downfall. The author skillfully weaves together the multiple threads of this complex story: financial crimes, drug abuse, corruption, and the mysterious deaths that preceded the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh. What sets this account apart from other coverage of the case is Cerf's perspective as a French journalist observing American justice and society. He captures not just the facts of the case, but the cultural dynamics at play: the lingering power of old Southern families, the role of local media, and the way this story gripped the nation. The trial coverage itself is thorough and engaging, with Cerf providing clear explanations of the evidence and legal strategies while maintaining narrative momentum. His firsthand observations from the courthouse add authenticity and immediacy to the account. The author does well in balancing sympathy for the victims with objective analysis of Alex Murdaugh's actions and motivations. While some readers familiar with extensive media coverage of the case may find certain details repetitive, Cerf's perspective and analytical framework provide new insights into this uniquely American tragedy. The book works both as true crime narrative and as social commentary on power, privilege, and accountability.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers | Crime for the ARC copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review nor paid to do so. The thoughts and opinions are all my own.
The Murdaugh Murder Case refers to the tragic deaths of Maggie Murdaugh and her son, Paul Murdaugh, in 2021. Alex Murdaugh, Maggie's husband and Paul's father, was charged with their murders. The case gained media attention because of the family's prominence in South Carolina's legal community.
Even after claiming innocence, Alex was caught lying about his whereabouts at the time of the murders, and that, along with other evidence, led to his conviction.
This book is short but covers a lot, such as the Murdaugh family's history, along with the dark history of their home county, the Hamptons, and how they survived and thrived in-spite of it. It covers the murders and the legal battles, revealing the impact of wealth and power in the justice system.
If you love true crime like me, or any type of crime for that matter, you will love this book!
If you have not heard of the Murdaugh Murders, this book is for you. It gives a brief overview of not only the murders but all of the ongoings surrounding this prominent family. A family that was once beloved and a name sake in South Carolina's Lowcountry, becomes the name on every media outlet following a string of mysterious deaths. This is a real life story of drugs, violence, and power crashing down hard.
If you were a following of all of the documentaries and trial, this doesn't have anything groundbreaking that you probably wouldn't have already known. It was a quick fast paced read that recounts not only the murders of Paul and Maggie but also the suspicious deaths surrounding the entire Murdaugh family.
I read a different book about the Murdaugh murders that was a much thicker book so had a lot more detail. This one caught my eye at the library because it was a small book and looked like a quick read. It is only 177 pages and a small size so I started it one night and finished the next day. Apparently this is part of a series called 50 States Of Crime and is a French project where French authors write about American crime. This book says it has been translated. Other books in the series are: New York the Alice Crimmins case, California the Golden State Killer, Ohio The Cleveland John Doe case, Mississippi The Emmet Till case and Washington D.C. The Chandra Levy Case. I would definitely look for the other books in this series.
I’m not a huge true crime reader, but there are a few cases I follow: The Austin Yogurt Shop Murders, The Fort Worth Trio, and the Murdaugh Murders. The layers and generations of crime and corruption are a mix of vulgarity and impressiveness (not in a good way). This book on the murders is a good one. I’ve read a handful and listened to multiple podcasts. I appreciate the Arthur Cerf acknowledge many journalists that worked on this case. He also is great at describing the circus atmosphere that came to Hampton during the trial. At the end I wanted more. More about the financial crimes and theories. Thank you Crime Ink (great name!) and Net Galley. #TheMurdaughMurdersCase #NetGalley
The Murdaugh Murders Case is a true crime book that will keep you reading until the very end. The author Arthur Cef did a very good job of giving all the necessary details and describing the how and why this murder happened. It is a quick read but one you really want to read if you enjoy true crime. This is part of the 50 States of Crime series. It fits perfectly into this series. I am now going to read other books in this series. Thank you NetGalley and Penzler Publishers for the copy of the book. This is my personal review.
An interesting read that brings together much of the information that has accumulated over the course of time regarding this crime. That said, if you are looking for new information, you will not find much in the book that has not been published, printed, or broadcasted in a Tv show. I enjoyed the book but was disappointed there was not anything I already hadn't read or seen.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I have been obsessed with this case since listening to the podcast by Mandy Matney.
I thought I knew just about everything about this case but in this book, I learned new things. The book is written as if it's fiction - describing the events with pacing and background to keep me on the edge of my seat. So well done! Thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy!
Thank you to Crime Ink and NetGalley for an Advance Digital Copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I am a True Crime enthusiast, and have followed this case from the time I first heard of it. Mr. Cerf gives a thorough examination of the timeline, who Alex Murdaugh is and the family he comes from. I really enjoyed this read!
Another quick true crime read. The mythos of the Murdaugh family and the pills, the money, the embezzling, the boat accident, all obfuscate that at the end of the day, this is just another story of a family annihilator.