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The Family Man: Blood and Betrayal in the House of Murdaugh
An immersive account of a seemingly loving father’s transformation into family annihilator.
In March 2023, Alex Murdaugh was found guilty of murdering his wife and younger son at Moselle, their home in South Carolina’s Lowcountry. In The Family Man, James Lasdun takes a new angle on this story of corruption in high places, massive fraud, opioid abuse, fake suicides, suspicious accidents, and the generational recklessness of the wealthy legal dynasty at its center. The acclaimed novelist brings his long-standing interest in the darker drives of the human psyche to investigate the events leading up to the slaughter at Moselle, examining Murdaugh through original interviews with those involved in the case, transcripts of phone calls Murdaugh made from prison, the literature of criminal psychology, and the murder trial itself. Deeply researched, sharply written, and with the page-turning intensity of a Southern gothic novel, The Family Man constructs a masterful portrait of Murdaugh and the mind-boggling crimes that wreaked havoc on his community in the Lowcountry.
In March 2023, Alex Murdaugh was found guilty of murdering his wife and younger son at Moselle, their home in South Carolina’s Lowcountry. In The Family Man, James Lasdun takes a new angle on this story of corruption in high places, massive fraud, opioid abuse, fake suicides, suspicious accidents, and the generational recklessness of the wealthy legal dynasty at its center. The acclaimed novelist brings his long-standing interest in the darker drives of the human psyche to investigate the events leading up to the slaughter at Moselle, examining Murdaugh through original interviews with those involved in the case, transcripts of phone calls Murdaugh made from prison, the literature of criminal psychology, and the murder trial itself. Deeply researched, sharply written, and with the page-turning intensity of a Southern gothic novel, The Family Man constructs a masterful portrait of Murdaugh and the mind-boggling crimes that wreaked havoc on his community in the Lowcountry.
432 pages, Hardcover
Published May 5, 2026
About the author
James Lasdun
41 books148 followersJames Lasdun was born in London and now lives in upstate New York. He has published two novels as well as several collections of short stories and poetry. He has been long-listed for the Man Booker Prize and short-listed for the Los Angeles Times, T. S. Eliot, and Forward prizes in poetry; and he was the winner of the inaugural U.K./BBC Short Story Prize. His nonfiction has been published in Harper’s Magazine, Granta, and the London Review of Books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
Review of advance copy
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Having read "The Devil at his Elbow" by Valerie Bauerlain, I know the story line better than if I would have only followed the nationwide coverage of the trial of Alex Murdaugh for murdering his wife and son. The key to Murdaugh's conviction was being caught in several lies, and the author's use of the transcripts was excellent.
The book is well researched, although I got somewhat bored with the author's speculations and his dive into the psychology of a murderer which were often included in parenthesis (like this), and I found those distracting.
The author added some new materials and insights. He followed Alex Murdaugh to jail, and he had access to jailhouse communications. He also interviewed lots of people from the community to give the reader and understanding of the family dynamics. The book gives the reader a clear understanding of who Alex Murdaugh is, but one can still wonder whether he did what he was charged with doing: the murders.
The book is a novelist's take on the trial, while Bauerlain's book was a reporter's take on the same trial.
Do I think he was guilty? Yes, but I wonder if he didn't have an accomplice. Did he get what he deserved? For sure.
Having read "The Devil at his Elbow" by Valerie Bauerlain, I know the story line better than if I would have only followed the nationwide coverage of the trial of Alex Murdaugh for murdering his wife and son. The key to Murdaugh's conviction was being caught in several lies, and the author's use of the transcripts was excellent.
The book is well researched, although I got somewhat bored with the author's speculations and his dive into the psychology of a murderer which were often included in parenthesis (like this), and I found those distracting.
The author added some new materials and insights. He followed Alex Murdaugh to jail, and he had access to jailhouse communications. He also interviewed lots of people from the community to give the reader and understanding of the family dynamics. The book gives the reader a clear understanding of who Alex Murdaugh is, but one can still wonder whether he did what he was charged with doing: the murders.
The book is a novelist's take on the trial, while Bauerlain's book was a reporter's take on the same trial.
Do I think he was guilty? Yes, but I wonder if he didn't have an accomplice. Did he get what he deserved? For sure.
May 13, 2026
James Lasdun has put together an exhaustive account detailing the life of Alex Murdaugh, and the many crimes he committed. Alex's bold schemes and abundant lies tells a horrific, yet absolutely fascinating story that reads so much like fiction that you have to remind yourself what you are reading is in fact true life. His actions hurt so many people, with his wife and son paying the ultimate price with their deaths. Did Alex kill them, or were they killed because of Alex? Prior to reading this book I had watched two documentaries and read another true crime book on the subject and I was sure he did it. But James Lasdun presents extensive phone data that makes me at least wonder if he did do it, did he have help? I appreciate the work James put into making this a book that is all about the facts, and there are facts that are mostly for Alex being guilty, but there are also facts that he might not be guilty. James himself has times when he questions Alex's guilt just a bit, and this opened my eyes to at least looking at the data in new light. By the end of the book I still have a gut feeling that Alex is guilty, but as I write this review I see this morning the court overturned Alex's convictions and have ordered a new trial.
This book is a little dry and slow at times, but James does an excellent job at keeping all of the details straight, and reminding us of what we might have forgotten as we work our way through everything that is presented. I found the cell phone call data, as well as the lock screen data to be a chilling account of what happened the night Paul and Maggie were killed. I also appreciated the transcripts of calls Alex made from Jail. What a fascinating insight into the man that appears to love deeply and be everyone's best friend, with seemingly zero understanding that the life he lived and the money he had is gone. Or is it? I think this story is far from over. Perhaps James will write a second installment after the new trial.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC in exchange for my honest review. Matt Godfrey narrated with an easy-to-listen-to tone in his voice. He presents the facts in the book and shows doubt when James expressed it, but otherwise leaves the listener open to decide if they feel Alex is guilty or not.
This book is a little dry and slow at times, but James does an excellent job at keeping all of the details straight, and reminding us of what we might have forgotten as we work our way through everything that is presented. I found the cell phone call data, as well as the lock screen data to be a chilling account of what happened the night Paul and Maggie were killed. I also appreciated the transcripts of calls Alex made from Jail. What a fascinating insight into the man that appears to love deeply and be everyone's best friend, with seemingly zero understanding that the life he lived and the money he had is gone. Or is it? I think this story is far from over. Perhaps James will write a second installment after the new trial.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC in exchange for my honest review. Matt Godfrey narrated with an easy-to-listen-to tone in his voice. He presents the facts in the book and shows doubt when James expressed it, but otherwise leaves the listener open to decide if they feel Alex is guilty or not.
May 30, 2026
Thorough and well-researched. In the face of overwhelming evidence and a guilty verdict, the author and most readers will still wonder how a man can kill his own son. Wife, more believable. But son? It's hard to fathom.
June 18, 2026
I read a lovely essay in London Review of Books about the writer going to courtrooms across all parts of the USA that really shed light on the sheer size and strangeness of this wild, wild country in a way that seemingly only outsiders like De Tocqueville or Baudrillard, etc, are able to do. The beauty of his writing on these courthouses and desolate towns really hit me, and then made me seek out his other writing. I was happy to find that he came out with a book in the past month touching on similar courthouse hijinks, and with a southern gothic twist. This book, of course, is ostensibly about the horrific murder trial of Alex Murdaugh who was tried for killing his wife and son in South Carolina, but it has bigger game to hunt (maybe I should use a different metaphor?) and really gets into questions of human nature, money, addiction, and justice.
The book does a really good job showing how power structures work outside of the big cities, like Patrick Wyman laid out a few years ago in American Gentry. Local dynasties are basically able to do whatever they want; well, whatever they want short of murdering their own family....except it turns out Murdaugh will actually probably walk due to a technicality after this book went to publishing. Neat!
The book does a really good job showing how power structures work outside of the big cities, like Patrick Wyman laid out a few years ago in American Gentry. Local dynasties are basically able to do whatever they want; well, whatever they want short of murdering their own family....except it turns out Murdaugh will actually probably walk due to a technicality after this book went to publishing. Neat!
May 25, 2026
There are a lot of books available on the Murdaugh murders, which I followed in the news for a while when they first occurred. There was a lot going on in the news, though, and I didn't seek out many details. This book was highly reviewed by a publication I trust, even compared to Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, a book I quite enjoyed and should read again. But I'm here to tell you, James Lasdun is no Truman Capote. He's not even Ann Rule.
The case itself is almost simple. A man, Alex Murdaugh, lacking basic human feelings, steals from his law clients, murders his wife and son, and later fakes an attempt on his own life to draw suspicion away from himself. There is extensive coverage here of the crime scenes and trials with abundant information on how it all went down.
The problem is the persistent author inserts. Sometimes he's a reporter, sometimes he's a detective, sometimes he's just a bewildered husband and father, but always always always he's in there trying to find the real reasons behind the many crimes, because he can't imagine committing them himself so it must not have happened that way. We also hear too much about a work of fiction he got stuck on because he couldn't put himself in the shoes of his own murderous protagonist. A guy who literally can't believe that people can and do murder their own closest family is not the guy to be writing this book. He throws in a lot of "insight" from literature to prove he went to college, and lectures us endlessly on "family annihilators", a term I strongly suspect he learned while writing this book because he does not understand it and it does not fit this case. Don't take my word for it. He cites multiple cases of family annihilators for comparison and none of them are anything like the Murdaugh murders. Somehow the author fails to see this and it's a glaring oversight.
Because I can be tedious as well, I will explain. Family annihilators annihilate their families. Completely and utterly destroy. Among the examples he cited are a man who took his wife and younger child to visit his older child at college so he could kill all of them, including himself, in the hotel room, and a man who, after murdering his wife and two young children, drove across town to murder his parents before returning home, taking sleeping pills, and setting the house on fire. Another man killed everyone in his household and set fire to the house after blocking the driveway to ensure he wouldn't be rescued.
Alex Murdaugh, on the other hand, murdered his wife and younger son to buy time and sympathy before his fraud and embezzlement came to light. He did not call his older son to the family home to kill him as well. He did not kill himself. He left immediately after the murders to visit his elderly mother and get news about his dying father (and probably to hide the murder weapons at her house). He did not kill his mother and her caregiver, or his father. Lasdun tries mightily to twist one of the "types" of family annihilators to fit Alex Murdaugh, but what he says makes no sense and it still doesn't fit. He isn't anything as dramatic or tragic as a true family annihilator, he's just a small, selfish, greedy little man who killed his wife and son to try to stay out of a different kind of trouble for a few days longer. The author's refusal to accept the very facts he's reporting, and his insistence on inserting his feelings as some kind of evidence is frustrating to read and honestly goes against everything he's pretending to be here.
The case itself is almost simple. A man, Alex Murdaugh, lacking basic human feelings, steals from his law clients, murders his wife and son, and later fakes an attempt on his own life to draw suspicion away from himself. There is extensive coverage here of the crime scenes and trials with abundant information on how it all went down.
The problem is the persistent author inserts. Sometimes he's a reporter, sometimes he's a detective, sometimes he's just a bewildered husband and father, but always always always he's in there trying to find the real reasons behind the many crimes, because he can't imagine committing them himself so it must not have happened that way. We also hear too much about a work of fiction he got stuck on because he couldn't put himself in the shoes of his own murderous protagonist. A guy who literally can't believe that people can and do murder their own closest family is not the guy to be writing this book. He throws in a lot of "insight" from literature to prove he went to college, and lectures us endlessly on "family annihilators", a term I strongly suspect he learned while writing this book because he does not understand it and it does not fit this case. Don't take my word for it. He cites multiple cases of family annihilators for comparison and none of them are anything like the Murdaugh murders. Somehow the author fails to see this and it's a glaring oversight.
Because I can be tedious as well, I will explain. Family annihilators annihilate their families. Completely and utterly destroy. Among the examples he cited are a man who took his wife and younger child to visit his older child at college so he could kill all of them, including himself, in the hotel room, and a man who, after murdering his wife and two young children, drove across town to murder his parents before returning home, taking sleeping pills, and setting the house on fire. Another man killed everyone in his household and set fire to the house after blocking the driveway to ensure he wouldn't be rescued.
Alex Murdaugh, on the other hand, murdered his wife and younger son to buy time and sympathy before his fraud and embezzlement came to light. He did not call his older son to the family home to kill him as well. He did not kill himself. He left immediately after the murders to visit his elderly mother and get news about his dying father (and probably to hide the murder weapons at her house). He did not kill his mother and her caregiver, or his father. Lasdun tries mightily to twist one of the "types" of family annihilators to fit Alex Murdaugh, but what he says makes no sense and it still doesn't fit. He isn't anything as dramatic or tragic as a true family annihilator, he's just a small, selfish, greedy little man who killed his wife and son to try to stay out of a different kind of trouble for a few days longer. The author's refusal to accept the very facts he's reporting, and his insistence on inserting his feelings as some kind of evidence is frustrating to read and honestly goes against everything he's pretending to be here.
May 10, 2026
Alec Murdaugh was a respective member of the South Carolina community, until a 911 call comes in one night. Alec’s wife and son are dead on their own property. As Alec life starts to unravel, all his secrets come out. Including opioid abuse, fraud, faking suicide, and other suspicious accidents.
I did like this book because I find this case interesting. But I feel like I learned nothing new from the book that I didn’t already know.
I did like this book because I find this case interesting. But I feel like I learned nothing new from the book that I didn’t already know.
June 1, 2026
James Lasdun's The Family Man: Blood and Betrayal in the House of Murdaugh is one of the most balanced and psychologically insightful accounts of the Murdaugh saga that I have encountered. In a case that has generated countless documentaries, podcasts, television specials, and sensational headlines, Lasdun succeeds in doing something increasingly rare: he resists the temptation to turn the story into either a simple true-crime spectacle or a morality play. Instead, he presents a carefully researched and remarkably unbiased examination of a family, a community, and a system that ultimately collapsed under the weight of its own contradictions.
What impressed me most throughout the book was Lasdun's commitment to nuance. The Murdaugh case has often been framed through stark binaries of innocence and guilt, victim and villain, yet Lasdun recognizes that reality is rarely so straightforward. While he does not shy away from the overwhelming evidence against Alex Murdaugh or the devastating consequences of his actions, he also seeks to understand the psychological and social forces that shaped the environment in which those actions occurred. This approach gives the book a depth that many other treatments of the case lack.
The psychological dimensions of the story are particularly compelling. Rather than focusing exclusively on the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh in 2021, Lasdun traces the long arc of family history, privilege, expectation, and dysfunction that preceded the crimes. The Murdaugh family occupied a position of extraordinary influence in South Carolina's Lowcountry for generations, and the author effectively demonstrates how such power can distort both personal identity and public accountability. Reading the book, one gains the impression of a family trapped by its own mythology, where maintaining appearances often became more important than confronting reality.
For me, one of the most significant aspects of the narrative is the treatment of the 2019 boating accident that resulted in the death of Mallory Beach, nearly two years before the murders that would bring international attention to the Murdaugh name. Lasdun presents this tragedy not simply as a precursor to later events but as a crucial turning point in understanding the psychological pressures building within the family. The accident exposed longstanding assumptions about privilege and immunity from consequences, while simultaneously placing immense legal, financial, and emotional strain upon Alex and Paul Murdaugh.
The boating accident serves as an important lens through which to examine Paul's character as well as the broader family dynamic. Lasdun avoids reducing him to a caricature and instead portrays a young man whose flaws were amplified by an environment that frequently insulated him from accountability. The resulting legal proceedings threatened not only individual family members but also the reputation and influence that had defined the Murdaugh dynasty for generations. In this sense, the accident functions as a catalyst that accelerated tensions already present beneath the surface.
Lasdun's greatest strength as a writer lies in his refusal to speculate beyond the available evidence. In an era when many true-crime narratives rely heavily upon conjecture, he remains disciplined and measured. He carefully distinguishes between established facts, competing interpretations, and unanswered questions. This methodological restraint gives the book considerable credibility and allows readers to draw their own conclusions rather than being directed toward a predetermined narrative.
The author also excels at situating the crimes within their broader social context. The story becomes not merely one of individual wrongdoing but of institutional power, local politics, legal culture, and community relationships. By exploring these interconnected factors, Lasdun demonstrates how the Murdaugh saga reflects larger questions about privilege, justice, and accountability in American society.
Ultimately, The Family Man is far more than another retelling of a famous murder case. It is a thoughtful examination of family psychology, inherited power, and personal collapse. While the murders understandably remain at the center of the narrative, Lasdun convincingly argues that they cannot be understood in isolation from the years of dysfunction and mounting pressure that preceded them. His balanced approach, careful research, and commitment to objectivity make this one of the strongest books available on the subject. For readers interested not only in what happened but also in why it happened, this is an exceptionally rewarding and insightful account.
What impressed me most throughout the book was Lasdun's commitment to nuance. The Murdaugh case has often been framed through stark binaries of innocence and guilt, victim and villain, yet Lasdun recognizes that reality is rarely so straightforward. While he does not shy away from the overwhelming evidence against Alex Murdaugh or the devastating consequences of his actions, he also seeks to understand the psychological and social forces that shaped the environment in which those actions occurred. This approach gives the book a depth that many other treatments of the case lack.
The psychological dimensions of the story are particularly compelling. Rather than focusing exclusively on the murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh in 2021, Lasdun traces the long arc of family history, privilege, expectation, and dysfunction that preceded the crimes. The Murdaugh family occupied a position of extraordinary influence in South Carolina's Lowcountry for generations, and the author effectively demonstrates how such power can distort both personal identity and public accountability. Reading the book, one gains the impression of a family trapped by its own mythology, where maintaining appearances often became more important than confronting reality.
For me, one of the most significant aspects of the narrative is the treatment of the 2019 boating accident that resulted in the death of Mallory Beach, nearly two years before the murders that would bring international attention to the Murdaugh name. Lasdun presents this tragedy not simply as a precursor to later events but as a crucial turning point in understanding the psychological pressures building within the family. The accident exposed longstanding assumptions about privilege and immunity from consequences, while simultaneously placing immense legal, financial, and emotional strain upon Alex and Paul Murdaugh.
The boating accident serves as an important lens through which to examine Paul's character as well as the broader family dynamic. Lasdun avoids reducing him to a caricature and instead portrays a young man whose flaws were amplified by an environment that frequently insulated him from accountability. The resulting legal proceedings threatened not only individual family members but also the reputation and influence that had defined the Murdaugh dynasty for generations. In this sense, the accident functions as a catalyst that accelerated tensions already present beneath the surface.
Lasdun's greatest strength as a writer lies in his refusal to speculate beyond the available evidence. In an era when many true-crime narratives rely heavily upon conjecture, he remains disciplined and measured. He carefully distinguishes between established facts, competing interpretations, and unanswered questions. This methodological restraint gives the book considerable credibility and allows readers to draw their own conclusions rather than being directed toward a predetermined narrative.
The author also excels at situating the crimes within their broader social context. The story becomes not merely one of individual wrongdoing but of institutional power, local politics, legal culture, and community relationships. By exploring these interconnected factors, Lasdun demonstrates how the Murdaugh saga reflects larger questions about privilege, justice, and accountability in American society.
Ultimately, The Family Man is far more than another retelling of a famous murder case. It is a thoughtful examination of family psychology, inherited power, and personal collapse. While the murders understandably remain at the center of the narrative, Lasdun convincingly argues that they cannot be understood in isolation from the years of dysfunction and mounting pressure that preceded them. His balanced approach, careful research, and commitment to objectivity make this one of the strongest books available on the subject. For readers interested not only in what happened but also in why it happened, this is an exceptionally rewarding and insightful account.
June 28, 2026
I didn't like this one as much as the Valerie Bauerlein book about the Murdaughs that came out two years ago. But I liked it much better than the one coauthored by the local reporter, Many Matney.
James Lasden is a New Yorker reporter, so his style is more highfalutin' than you might expect for a true crime story. One of the murder victims has a nickname ("Timmy") that was based on South Park. There's no confusion about this, and South Park had been on the air for longer than the murder victim had been alive. So Lasdun mentions this but also has to mention what Martin Amis thought of the name Timmy. Jeezy creezy, that has nothing to do with anything.
Plus one star for shedding some light on what happened to poor Stephen Smith, an openly gay teen who died in an apparently unrelated case. Smith had car trouble and was walking along an unlit road in the dark. A drunk driver in a truck struck him—not with the truck but with the truck's side mirror. Smith's fatal injuries were inconsistent with being hit with a truck but consistent with being struck with a speeding metal object such as a truck's side mirror. A suspect in the case evidently admitted to not only driving drunk but also replacing his broken side mirror. However, the case remains officially open.
Minus one star for the author telling us the plot of the novel he ended up not finishing. This is actually worse than hearing about what someone else dreamed last night.
James Lasden is a New Yorker reporter, so his style is more highfalutin' than you might expect for a true crime story. One of the murder victims has a nickname ("Timmy") that was based on South Park. There's no confusion about this, and South Park had been on the air for longer than the murder victim had been alive. So Lasdun mentions this but also has to mention what Martin Amis thought of the name Timmy. Jeezy creezy, that has nothing to do with anything.
Plus one star for shedding some light on what happened to poor Stephen Smith, an openly gay teen who died in an apparently unrelated case. Smith had car trouble and was walking along an unlit road in the dark. A drunk driver in a truck struck him—not with the truck but with the truck's side mirror. Smith's fatal injuries were inconsistent with being hit with a truck but consistent with being struck with a speeding metal object such as a truck's side mirror. A suspect in the case evidently admitted to not only driving drunk but also replacing his broken side mirror. However, the case remains officially open.
Minus one star for the author telling us the plot of the novel he ended up not finishing. This is actually worse than hearing about what someone else dreamed last night.
June 2, 2026
This didnt really add anything that wasnt already in the Netflix documentary imo
May 11, 2026
Good book, but The Devil at His Elbow is better.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
ARC for review. To be published May 5, 2026.
4 stars
Another Alex Murdaugh book, a sub/genre which is well in its way to needing its own shelf. I just can’t get enough of this Southern, horrible, entitled, Titian-headed murderer, and I have always been a bit obsessive about good true crime…I’m glad that I didn’t develop this fixation until after the trial was over or I might have been glued to Court TV each day (even though we don’t have it. Maybe I would have sold plasma to get it. We only have channels that show sports. Do people still sell plasma? Is that a thing? I don’t know that they would buy mine, me being damaged goods and all.) But I digress.
Lasdun (whom my spell check insists on calling “Aladdin,” so if he turns up, you’ll know) was actually covering the case for someone, maybe the “New Yorker,” so he had a chance to spend a fair amount of time in the Low Country and to get up close and personal with a number of the people involved (none of the family, of course.). He also didn’t hesitate to give his own opinions and theories which are interesting, though they sometimes color what he believes is worth following up on/paying attention to in this whole mess.
For example, Lasdun does not believe either of the Murdaugh sons was involved in the death of Stephen Smith. Other people are sure they were. But since Lasdun believes they were blameless, Smith’s story barely merits a mention here where other books have covered it at length, with the idea that it might offer some motive as to why Alex might kill Paul.
This fresh look at the many crimes of Alex Murdaugh (for there were many crimes, regardless of whether you believe he killed Maggie and Paul) brings to light new points, including transcripts of some of Alex’s calls from jail, which I have not seen reproduced elsewhere. I still think THE DEVIL AT HIS ELBOW by Valerie Bauerlain, a book noted by this author, is probably the best book on the subject, but this was very good.
4 stars
Another Alex Murdaugh book, a sub/genre which is well in its way to needing its own shelf. I just can’t get enough of this Southern, horrible, entitled, Titian-headed murderer, and I have always been a bit obsessive about good true crime…I’m glad that I didn’t develop this fixation until after the trial was over or I might have been glued to Court TV each day (even though we don’t have it. Maybe I would have sold plasma to get it. We only have channels that show sports. Do people still sell plasma? Is that a thing? I don’t know that they would buy mine, me being damaged goods and all.) But I digress.
Lasdun (whom my spell check insists on calling “Aladdin,” so if he turns up, you’ll know) was actually covering the case for someone, maybe the “New Yorker,” so he had a chance to spend a fair amount of time in the Low Country and to get up close and personal with a number of the people involved (none of the family, of course.). He also didn’t hesitate to give his own opinions and theories which are interesting, though they sometimes color what he believes is worth following up on/paying attention to in this whole mess.
For example, Lasdun does not believe either of the Murdaugh sons was involved in the death of Stephen Smith. Other people are sure they were. But since Lasdun believes they were blameless, Smith’s story barely merits a mention here where other books have covered it at length, with the idea that it might offer some motive as to why Alex might kill Paul.
This fresh look at the many crimes of Alex Murdaugh (for there were many crimes, regardless of whether you believe he killed Maggie and Paul) brings to light new points, including transcripts of some of Alex’s calls from jail, which I have not seen reproduced elsewhere. I still think THE DEVIL AT HIS ELBOW by Valerie Bauerlain, a book noted by this author, is probably the best book on the subject, but this was very good.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"The Family Man" is a true crime take on the infamous Murdaugh murders.
In 2023, Alex Murdaugh was convicted of the murder of his son and wife. The major facts of his case are well known--the power of his family line in South Carolina, the involvement of his son in a boat tragedy, his own involvement in drugs and embezzlement. What Lasdun--the beat writer for the New Yorker who covered this case--seems to be doing here is sorting through the evidence one last time, trying to wrestle with the impossible question: How can a seemingly loving man, even a man who is an addict and capable of stealing from people in desperate situations, murder his own family in cold-blood?
In "The Family Man," Lasdun takes apart the prosecution's case, pointing out discrepancies, and even offering his own theories to try to fill in gaps in the case. This is not a simple recap of the case; it's clear Lasdun is genuinely trying to critically analyze all of the evidence put forth. Grappling with the hardest question, why, he turns to psychological studies and criminal history to discuss potential models for people who kill their loved ones.
These are all good points and interesting ones. What is a bit of a struggle, though, is I'm not sure the book brought anything new to the table. The psychological theories mentioned are, for example, fairly obvious (or at least they seemed to me).
Why the rating? I go by the original GoodRead star system, in which 2 stars is just okay. The book didn't give me a lot of new information, but it was thoughtful, and I appreciated the critical eye the author brought to the prosecution's case. (Even though Murdaugh's culpability isn't in doubt, there were issues in the case that weren't sufficiently addressed in the prosecution's presentation.)
With gratitude to the publisher and Netgalley as well as Edelweiss for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.
In 2023, Alex Murdaugh was convicted of the murder of his son and wife. The major facts of his case are well known--the power of his family line in South Carolina, the involvement of his son in a boat tragedy, his own involvement in drugs and embezzlement. What Lasdun--the beat writer for the New Yorker who covered this case--seems to be doing here is sorting through the evidence one last time, trying to wrestle with the impossible question: How can a seemingly loving man, even a man who is an addict and capable of stealing from people in desperate situations, murder his own family in cold-blood?
In "The Family Man," Lasdun takes apart the prosecution's case, pointing out discrepancies, and even offering his own theories to try to fill in gaps in the case. This is not a simple recap of the case; it's clear Lasdun is genuinely trying to critically analyze all of the evidence put forth. Grappling with the hardest question, why, he turns to psychological studies and criminal history to discuss potential models for people who kill their loved ones.
These are all good points and interesting ones. What is a bit of a struggle, though, is I'm not sure the book brought anything new to the table. The psychological theories mentioned are, for example, fairly obvious (or at least they seemed to me).
Why the rating? I go by the original GoodRead star system, in which 2 stars is just okay. The book didn't give me a lot of new information, but it was thoughtful, and I appreciated the critical eye the author brought to the prosecution's case. (Even though Murdaugh's culpability isn't in doubt, there were issues in the case that weren't sufficiently addressed in the prosecution's presentation.)
With gratitude to the publisher and Netgalley as well as Edelweiss for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.
June 5, 2026
More like 2.5 stars for me, for reasons detailed below:
Alex Murdaugh (pronounced Elick Murdock) is a very bad man, who did awful things that almost certainly included killing his wife and 22 year old son. He definitely stole and embezzled millions from his clients for whom he, a personal injury lawyer, won many large judgements. And yet, many of those he swindled still love him. What is the story with this guy? That’s what this book is trying to figure out, and this kind of stuff in usually right in my sweet spot. But this book didn’t really work for me as well as I’d hoped. Why? It’s the writing approach. The author, a journalist for the New Yorker, inserts himself into the story in ways that are almost entirely unnecessary, though it does set up his speculations in the final chapters which is pretty compelling stuff. But he wastes our time by talking about his visits to various sites, his impressions of the area, all sorts of novelistic details that don’t require any first-person reporting, which in turn undercuts the story of the case itself. This approach would be fine in a long piece in the New Yorker, but is frustrating in a book like this — this isn’t a case that calls for first person reporting, it’s plenty interesting on its own, and every time one of these little sojourns came up, I groaned. Also, there are a million people in this story, and rarely if ever does the author remind you of who’s who. Again, in a 5000 word New Yorker story, no problem, you can keep all this stuff in your head or go back and figure it out. But in a 15 hour audio book, a reminder that Sloan is the detective from SLED or this other guy is the judge, or that this Buster is Alex’s kid or whatever would’ve been nice. By the end of the case, it was all kind of a jumble, which, honestly, fits better into the Netflix documentary on the case. I was disappointed by this book even as I was fascinated by the case. Which is too bad.
Grade: C+
Alex Murdaugh (pronounced Elick Murdock) is a very bad man, who did awful things that almost certainly included killing his wife and 22 year old son. He definitely stole and embezzled millions from his clients for whom he, a personal injury lawyer, won many large judgements. And yet, many of those he swindled still love him. What is the story with this guy? That’s what this book is trying to figure out, and this kind of stuff in usually right in my sweet spot. But this book didn’t really work for me as well as I’d hoped. Why? It’s the writing approach. The author, a journalist for the New Yorker, inserts himself into the story in ways that are almost entirely unnecessary, though it does set up his speculations in the final chapters which is pretty compelling stuff. But he wastes our time by talking about his visits to various sites, his impressions of the area, all sorts of novelistic details that don’t require any first-person reporting, which in turn undercuts the story of the case itself. This approach would be fine in a long piece in the New Yorker, but is frustrating in a book like this — this isn’t a case that calls for first person reporting, it’s plenty interesting on its own, and every time one of these little sojourns came up, I groaned. Also, there are a million people in this story, and rarely if ever does the author remind you of who’s who. Again, in a 5000 word New Yorker story, no problem, you can keep all this stuff in your head or go back and figure it out. But in a 15 hour audio book, a reminder that Sloan is the detective from SLED or this other guy is the judge, or that this Buster is Alex’s kid or whatever would’ve been nice. By the end of the case, it was all kind of a jumble, which, honestly, fits better into the Netflix documentary on the case. I was disappointed by this book even as I was fascinated by the case. Which is too bad.
Grade: C+
Review of advance copy
This is a review of an advance copy of the book, which I received from Bookbrowse.com.
THis is the third book I have read about the Murdaugh murders , the other two being Tangled Vines by John Glatt, a British investigative journalist and true crime author, and The Devil at His Elbow, by Wall Street Journal reporter Valerie Bauerlein. Both are pretty much straight investigative reporting, detailing the context of the murders, the investigation and the subsequent trial and conviction of Alec Murdaugh for the murder of his wife and youngest sun. James Lasdun, who is primarily a novelist, takes a slightly different, more personal approach. Tasked with writing an article on the murders for the New Yorker, he decided to conduct his own investigation of the investigation, to determine whether he personally would judge Alec Murdaugh guilty of the horrific crimes of which he stood accused.
Lasdun's research is extensive. Not only does he spend time in South Carolina, speaking to dozens of people who know Alec Murdaugh and tracking down the rumors about the murders in the community, he makes se of the information presented in media and in the other books I've referenced. HE also digs into scientific and medical research on psychopathy, with a focus on what sort of person would even commit such a heinous crime against members of his own family whom he professed to love. He does reach a conclusion, and the last chapters of the book detail his thoughts on the results of the trial and the scenario of the murder. I leave it to the reader to discover what he decides. I found Lasdun's storytelling engaging. He weaves a compelling tale from a very complex fact situation and and creates a book that's really hard to put down.
THis is the third book I have read about the Murdaugh murders , the other two being Tangled Vines by John Glatt, a British investigative journalist and true crime author, and The Devil at His Elbow, by Wall Street Journal reporter Valerie Bauerlein. Both are pretty much straight investigative reporting, detailing the context of the murders, the investigation and the subsequent trial and conviction of Alec Murdaugh for the murder of his wife and youngest sun. James Lasdun, who is primarily a novelist, takes a slightly different, more personal approach. Tasked with writing an article on the murders for the New Yorker, he decided to conduct his own investigation of the investigation, to determine whether he personally would judge Alec Murdaugh guilty of the horrific crimes of which he stood accused.
Lasdun's research is extensive. Not only does he spend time in South Carolina, speaking to dozens of people who know Alec Murdaugh and tracking down the rumors about the murders in the community, he makes se of the information presented in media and in the other books I've referenced. HE also digs into scientific and medical research on psychopathy, with a focus on what sort of person would even commit such a heinous crime against members of his own family whom he professed to love. He does reach a conclusion, and the last chapters of the book detail his thoughts on the results of the trial and the scenario of the murder. I leave it to the reader to discover what he decides. I found Lasdun's storytelling engaging. He weaves a compelling tale from a very complex fact situation and and creates a book that's really hard to put down.
Review of advance copy
I don’t read many true crime books but this one caught my eye since it occurred in an area of South Carolina that I’m familiar with plus I wanted to learn more about what would cause a seemingly happy family man to kill his wife and son. The author did a fantastic job with his research and laid the story out in a concise way. He also wrote about some of the inconsistencies that were published in the press and the rumors that were going on while the crime was being solved. Even though it’s still difficult to believe that someone could kill their wife and son (Paul), the author does an excellent job of explaining the mindset and problems that drove Alex to commit murder.
The author did extensive research for this book but for me the most important thing that he did was to interview many people who knew Alex – not only the people he worked with but family members and people in town who had known him his entire life. Along with the boat accident, he explained other deaths that may have been associated with the family and how they affected (or why they didn’t affect) the entire family. I have read several books about the murders but this is the first one that gives transcripts from phone calls that Alex made from prison after his conviction. The conversations gave a good look at his state of mind and his lack of remorse because despite the verdict, he always said that there was no way that he would kill his beloved wife and son.
This book is a well-done portrait of Alex Murdaugh and the horrific crimes that he was accused of. The writing is so well done and the research so extensive that it reads like a Southern murder novel.
The author did extensive research for this book but for me the most important thing that he did was to interview many people who knew Alex – not only the people he worked with but family members and people in town who had known him his entire life. Along with the boat accident, he explained other deaths that may have been associated with the family and how they affected (or why they didn’t affect) the entire family. I have read several books about the murders but this is the first one that gives transcripts from phone calls that Alex made from prison after his conviction. The conversations gave a good look at his state of mind and his lack of remorse because despite the verdict, he always said that there was no way that he would kill his beloved wife and son.
This book is a well-done portrait of Alex Murdaugh and the horrific crimes that he was accused of. The writing is so well done and the research so extensive that it reads like a Southern murder novel.
May 10, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.
My senior in high school came home one day and mentioned that in her law class, they had to pick a real-life murder case to examine. She mentioned the Murdaugh case, and while I had heard the name, I knew nothing about the happenings because I choose to stay away from most true crime cases. She mentioned a Netflix documentary, and I watched it so I could help her with her homework if needed. The Family Man recounts the case from beginning to today much like the documentary.
The book lays out the prosecution’s case against Alex Murdaugh, but this is not some cheering section for the state. The author points out several discrepancies in the prosecution’s case and theorizes where there are gaps in the case. The author, Lasdun, covered the case for the New Yorker, presents evidence and counter evidence, wrestling with what is known and what is speculation. This comes across as an even-measured look at the murder of Murdaugh’s son and wife.
I’m not quite sure why the Murdaugh case drew so much media attention. Maybe it was because an old, rich, white guy was the suspect. He seemingly had it all, only to discover that what was below the surface was much more shocking. The addictions, the embezzlement, and now the murder of loved ones.
While I found the audiobook interesting and enjoyed the voice of the narrator, I’m not sure how much new information was revealed in the book compared to watching the Netflix series or what was known to the general public, but it kept me interested and engaged.
My senior in high school came home one day and mentioned that in her law class, they had to pick a real-life murder case to examine. She mentioned the Murdaugh case, and while I had heard the name, I knew nothing about the happenings because I choose to stay away from most true crime cases. She mentioned a Netflix documentary, and I watched it so I could help her with her homework if needed. The Family Man recounts the case from beginning to today much like the documentary.
The book lays out the prosecution’s case against Alex Murdaugh, but this is not some cheering section for the state. The author points out several discrepancies in the prosecution’s case and theorizes where there are gaps in the case. The author, Lasdun, covered the case for the New Yorker, presents evidence and counter evidence, wrestling with what is known and what is speculation. This comes across as an even-measured look at the murder of Murdaugh’s son and wife.
I’m not quite sure why the Murdaugh case drew so much media attention. Maybe it was because an old, rich, white guy was the suspect. He seemingly had it all, only to discover that what was below the surface was much more shocking. The addictions, the embezzlement, and now the murder of loved ones.
While I found the audiobook interesting and enjoyed the voice of the narrator, I’m not sure how much new information was revealed in the book compared to watching the Netflix series or what was known to the general public, but it kept me interested and engaged.
June 5, 2026
James Lasdun’s The Family Man is a thorough, absorbing account of the Alex Murdaugh story, covering both the financial crimes and the murder case that originally led to Murdaugh’s conviction. Since the book’s publication, Murdaugh’s murder convictions have been overturned and a new trial has been ordered. That is an important development, but it does not change the fact that his financial convictions still stand, which means Murdaugh remains in prison.
Lasdun is a wonderful writer, and what could easily become a pileup of names, dates, legal details, and family history instead becomes a clear and compelling narrative. Some parts of the book naturally overlap with HBO’s Low Country: The Murdaugh Dynasty, especially in its coverage of the Murdaugh family’s place in the Low Country of South Carolina and the broader culture that surrounded them. That is not a criticism of the book. It is more a necessity of telling this story honestly and completely. What Lasdun adds is the depth and control of a gifted writer who can pull together the crimes, the family dynamics, the legal world, and the sense of place without losing sight of the human damage at the center of it all.
For readers who followed the case closely, The Family Man is still worth reading. For those who know only the broad outlines, it is an excellent and carefully written account. I do not want to spoil anything for readers, but I was especially intrigued by parts near the end of the book dealing with Murdaugh’s connections to some unsavory figures I had not previously known about, as well as texts and calls I had not encountered before despite reading and watching nearly everything about the Murdaugh murders.
Lasdun is a wonderful writer, and what could easily become a pileup of names, dates, legal details, and family history instead becomes a clear and compelling narrative. Some parts of the book naturally overlap with HBO’s Low Country: The Murdaugh Dynasty, especially in its coverage of the Murdaugh family’s place in the Low Country of South Carolina and the broader culture that surrounded them. That is not a criticism of the book. It is more a necessity of telling this story honestly and completely. What Lasdun adds is the depth and control of a gifted writer who can pull together the crimes, the family dynamics, the legal world, and the sense of place without losing sight of the human damage at the center of it all.
For readers who followed the case closely, The Family Man is still worth reading. For those who know only the broad outlines, it is an excellent and carefully written account. I do not want to spoil anything for readers, but I was especially intrigued by parts near the end of the book dealing with Murdaugh’s connections to some unsavory figures I had not previously known about, as well as texts and calls I had not encountered before despite reading and watching nearly everything about the Murdaugh murders.
Read
March 30, 2026I didn’t follow the Murdaugh trial nor did I watch any of the made for TV dramatizations of his family life and events leading to the murders. This book was my introduction to all this and it has made me want to learn more.
The author does a masterful job of attempting to explain Alex Murdaugh, but as even he finally notes, it’s not clear if anyone – even Alex himself – can truly understand what motivates him.
Did he really murder his wife and son? The jury convicted him – and relatively quickly. But was that because he is such a liar, fraud, and cheat that since he’s clearly a bad person and one can’t believe anything he says, that murder is not unbelievable and no one else seems to be a suspect? And maybe, as the author points out, the jury really didn’t like being taken in even temporarily by his good-ole-boy-hale-fellow-well-met-you-know-I-would-never-lie-to-you persona – when it became clear that he had lied to them about why he lied repeatedly to the police about not being at the kennel. After that, his I would never hurt my wife and son rang less and less true apparently.
The author also did an amazing amount of research trying to understand Alex – was he a psychopath (he certainly didn’t care about the people he hurt), an opioid addict (he was certainly that, but did that cause violent episodes), a “family annihilator” (someone who was so desperate to save them – and/or himself – from the shame about to come down on him over the fraud) or was he some portion of all three and even more besides?
This is a fascinating book and I highly recommend it.
The author does a masterful job of attempting to explain Alex Murdaugh, but as even he finally notes, it’s not clear if anyone – even Alex himself – can truly understand what motivates him.
Did he really murder his wife and son? The jury convicted him – and relatively quickly. But was that because he is such a liar, fraud, and cheat that since he’s clearly a bad person and one can’t believe anything he says, that murder is not unbelievable and no one else seems to be a suspect? And maybe, as the author points out, the jury really didn’t like being taken in even temporarily by his good-ole-boy-hale-fellow-well-met-you-know-I-would-never-lie-to-you persona – when it became clear that he had lied to them about why he lied repeatedly to the police about not being at the kennel. After that, his I would never hurt my wife and son rang less and less true apparently.
The author also did an amazing amount of research trying to understand Alex – was he a psychopath (he certainly didn’t care about the people he hurt), an opioid addict (he was certainly that, but did that cause violent episodes), a “family annihilator” (someone who was so desperate to save them – and/or himself – from the shame about to come down on him over the fraud) or was he some portion of all three and even more besides?
This is a fascinating book and I highly recommend it.
April 27, 2026
A thorough and engaging overview and analysis of the Murdaugh murder case, the context, the events, the court case, the verdict and all the questions and considerations around it. It also delves into some interesting speculations, theories and has interviews with different people involved, in the aftermath of the case. It has insights on the different terms thrown around in court, on comparative cases, on addiction and the plausibility of different stories, different explanations, different alibis, different people's responses to everything. It is detailed, it expands on everything, and it gives both the official narrative and those still circulating, the justification behind them all. It is well done, clearly laid out, every angle considered.
This is a brilliant example of how true crime should be done. Acknowledging personal opinions and doubts but accepting and laying out all evidence and facts, even those contradictory is personal feelings. All explanations are considered, the truth of what happened as far as we can know is laid out, speculations are addressed, analysed, and any evidence supporting them is acknowledged. There is a good mix of fact and speculation, of evidence and analysis, of direct quotes and faithful summaries. There are walk throughs of scenes, evocative imaginings, alongside clear witness statements, court testimonies and eventual verdicts.
An engaging, interesting and thorough overview of an awful case, one of murder, of embezzlement, of hurt, of endangerment, of pain, of a family destroyed.
This is a brilliant example of how true crime should be done. Acknowledging personal opinions and doubts but accepting and laying out all evidence and facts, even those contradictory is personal feelings. All explanations are considered, the truth of what happened as far as we can know is laid out, speculations are addressed, analysed, and any evidence supporting them is acknowledged. There is a good mix of fact and speculation, of evidence and analysis, of direct quotes and faithful summaries. There are walk throughs of scenes, evocative imaginings, alongside clear witness statements, court testimonies and eventual verdicts.
An engaging, interesting and thorough overview of an awful case, one of murder, of embezzlement, of hurt, of endangerment, of pain, of a family destroyed.
May 13, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and dreamscape media for the ALC.
The Family Man is a detailed account of the Murdaugh murders that occurred in South Carolina. Alec Murdaugh murdered his wife and son in cold blood. I know this was national news, but it occurred during Covid so I actually knew nothing of these murders. I probably saw a quick account in the news during that time, but there was so much information flying around about the pandemic that this kind of flew under the radar for me. I am a true crime fan so I was really excited to listen to this book. James Lasdun originally covered the story for the New Yorker and has now turned it into a full-fledged book.
Overall, I thought the book was really well researched and provided a death of information. It covers the early life of Alec Murdaugh, through his law career, including his embezzlement scheme as well as the murder and his criminal trial. He also presents some theories of motive behind the crime.
I think I would’ve enjoyed this more if I had read it as an actual book as opposed to listen as an audiobook. There was nothing wrong with the narration or the book itself. It was just really long. I tend to only listen to audiobooks in the car during my commute and a 10 hour book takes me quite a bit of time to get through. I often found my mind wandering, not due to material being presented, but more so that I was just having a hard time focusing on the narration. Overall, I would definitely recommend both the audio and the book depending on your reading preferences.
The Family Man is a detailed account of the Murdaugh murders that occurred in South Carolina. Alec Murdaugh murdered his wife and son in cold blood. I know this was national news, but it occurred during Covid so I actually knew nothing of these murders. I probably saw a quick account in the news during that time, but there was so much information flying around about the pandemic that this kind of flew under the radar for me. I am a true crime fan so I was really excited to listen to this book. James Lasdun originally covered the story for the New Yorker and has now turned it into a full-fledged book.
Overall, I thought the book was really well researched and provided a death of information. It covers the early life of Alec Murdaugh, through his law career, including his embezzlement scheme as well as the murder and his criminal trial. He also presents some theories of motive behind the crime.
I think I would’ve enjoyed this more if I had read it as an actual book as opposed to listen as an audiobook. There was nothing wrong with the narration or the book itself. It was just really long. I tend to only listen to audiobooks in the car during my commute and a 10 hour book takes me quite a bit of time to get through. I often found my mind wandering, not due to material being presented, but more so that I was just having a hard time focusing on the narration. Overall, I would definitely recommend both the audio and the book depending on your reading preferences.
Review of advance copy
Advance Reader Copy from BookBrowse
I am not an avid reader or follower of true crime stories, but it surely comes as no surprise that the extensive media coverage of the bizarre complexities of the Murdaugh trial and the events leading to it caught my attention. James Lasdun, an author whose works I have not previously read, offers a detailed, lucid, and highly readable account of the many events leading up to and including the trial where Alex Murdaugh was found guilty of the murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul.
James Lasdun, a New York City resident of British origin, spent much time in South Carolina’s Low Country before, throughout, and after the trial, speaking with Murdaugh's friends, adversaries, associates, neighbors, and others with any manner of connection to the Murdaugh family and painting vivid pictures of the life of Alex Murdaugh and his years of deception, embezzlement, and opioid addiction prior to his ultimate arrest for the murders of his wife and son.
The core story of perpetrator Murdaugh and his victims, leading up to and including his trial, is followed by Lasdun’s own thoughtful and again, well-researched insights into the many questions posed. Was the jury’s guilty verdict correct, or could Murdaugh, with all his faults, be innocent of the murders? Or given that Murdaugh was guilty, what psychological pressures and derangements could have been at play, not only concerning the murders, but equally regarding the stolen funds and his severe addiction? Was Murdaugh truly a “family annihilator?”
I thoroughly recommend “The Family Man.” Certainly to true crime aficionados, but also to the curious, who, like me, enjoy a thoroughly researched, well-written, and logically structured true account of a real-life topic, that Lasdun describes at one point as an “inkblot of murk.”
I am not an avid reader or follower of true crime stories, but it surely comes as no surprise that the extensive media coverage of the bizarre complexities of the Murdaugh trial and the events leading to it caught my attention. James Lasdun, an author whose works I have not previously read, offers a detailed, lucid, and highly readable account of the many events leading up to and including the trial where Alex Murdaugh was found guilty of the murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul.
James Lasdun, a New York City resident of British origin, spent much time in South Carolina’s Low Country before, throughout, and after the trial, speaking with Murdaugh's friends, adversaries, associates, neighbors, and others with any manner of connection to the Murdaugh family and painting vivid pictures of the life of Alex Murdaugh and his years of deception, embezzlement, and opioid addiction prior to his ultimate arrest for the murders of his wife and son.
The core story of perpetrator Murdaugh and his victims, leading up to and including his trial, is followed by Lasdun’s own thoughtful and again, well-researched insights into the many questions posed. Was the jury’s guilty verdict correct, or could Murdaugh, with all his faults, be innocent of the murders? Or given that Murdaugh was guilty, what psychological pressures and derangements could have been at play, not only concerning the murders, but equally regarding the stolen funds and his severe addiction? Was Murdaugh truly a “family annihilator?”
I thoroughly recommend “The Family Man.” Certainly to true crime aficionados, but also to the curious, who, like me, enjoy a thoroughly researched, well-written, and logically structured true account of a real-life topic, that Lasdun describes at one point as an “inkblot of murk.”
May 8, 2026
Audiobook review
This book was a refreshing take on the Murdaugh saga that has been exhaustively written about. I was pleasantly surprised by new information and angles that were explored in this book. I loved that the narration of this book sounded as if the narrator was just having a conversation with the reader. I liked that every possible scenario for the boat crash and murders was explored. It was an interesting take that the author had a hard time believing that Alec could have killed son. The term “family annihilator” was used. I hadn’t heard this term before, but feel it’s an accurate way to describe the way this man took out his family and destroyed his legacy. I like that the book cast doubt on who committed the crimes rather than automatically just painting the picture through bias and assumptions. The author also explores possible psychological reasons for the way Alec acted and the idea that the perfect storm of events converged upon Alec those last weeks prior to the murders that could have sent him over the edge. The book was written in a very respectful way considering such a sensitive topic. I feel that the audiobook adds quite a lot to this story and it makes it feel more personal. A must read/listen for any true crime love or anyone who followed this case as it unfolded! *Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!
This book was a refreshing take on the Murdaugh saga that has been exhaustively written about. I was pleasantly surprised by new information and angles that were explored in this book. I loved that the narration of this book sounded as if the narrator was just having a conversation with the reader. I liked that every possible scenario for the boat crash and murders was explored. It was an interesting take that the author had a hard time believing that Alec could have killed son. The term “family annihilator” was used. I hadn’t heard this term before, but feel it’s an accurate way to describe the way this man took out his family and destroyed his legacy. I like that the book cast doubt on who committed the crimes rather than automatically just painting the picture through bias and assumptions. The author also explores possible psychological reasons for the way Alec acted and the idea that the perfect storm of events converged upon Alec those last weeks prior to the murders that could have sent him over the edge. The book was written in a very respectful way considering such a sensitive topic. I feel that the audiobook adds quite a lot to this story and it makes it feel more personal. A must read/listen for any true crime love or anyone who followed this case as it unfolded! *Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!
May 20, 2026
4.5 stars rounded up.
I came into this with a morbid curiosity in knowing more about the Murdaugh Murders. The headlines, livestreams, interviews, and podcasts all spread information with a nonlinear timeline and conflicting details, and I could never fully wrap my head around the chaos of everything that happened and what led up to it.
Lasdun scratched that itch and then some. This tome captures the Murdaugh controversies going back to the grandfather. Then it goes through property settlements, the infamous boat crash, the family dynamics, and of course, the murder itself. In between, it humanizes everyone involved, including Alex/Alec himself, and provides unique insight into court dynamics, jury experiences, and even some rarely discussed details about the "brotherhood" within law firms.
Did I walk away with a clear understanding of why the murders happened? Do I now know for certain who all was involved? No. I'm probably further away from either of those answers than ever. But I think that's exactly what Lasdun would have wanted. He introduced novel hypotheses that really make the reader question how a "Family Man" can flip into a "family annihilator."
Highly recommend for anyone who is interested in true crime deep dives; even if you are unfamiliar with the case, worry not, Lasdun will catch you right up.
Thank you, NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company, for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest opinions.
I came into this with a morbid curiosity in knowing more about the Murdaugh Murders. The headlines, livestreams, interviews, and podcasts all spread information with a nonlinear timeline and conflicting details, and I could never fully wrap my head around the chaos of everything that happened and what led up to it.
Lasdun scratched that itch and then some. This tome captures the Murdaugh controversies going back to the grandfather. Then it goes through property settlements, the infamous boat crash, the family dynamics, and of course, the murder itself. In between, it humanizes everyone involved, including Alex/Alec himself, and provides unique insight into court dynamics, jury experiences, and even some rarely discussed details about the "brotherhood" within law firms.
Did I walk away with a clear understanding of why the murders happened? Do I now know for certain who all was involved? No. I'm probably further away from either of those answers than ever. But I think that's exactly what Lasdun would have wanted. He introduced novel hypotheses that really make the reader question how a "Family Man" can flip into a "family annihilator."
Highly recommend for anyone who is interested in true crime deep dives; even if you are unfamiliar with the case, worry not, Lasdun will catch you right up.
Thank you, NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company, for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest opinions.
May 5, 2026
I live in coastal South Carolina, not too far from where these events occurred. The Murdaugh case has been thoroughly covered by local TV news and social media. I have watched the documentaries and the trial. I thought I knew everything. I was wrong. The Family Man, by journalist James Lasdun, grew from a detailed New Yorker article and shows thorough research. It is almost impossible to understand how Alex Murdaugh, a man born to such wealth and privilege, could shoot his wife and son in cold blood as he looked in their faces. Ladsun details the generations of powerful Murdaugh men who flaunted rules, cheated friends and put themselves above the laws that they swore to obey. Alex was the result of this long line of criminal behavior. Considering him to be a sociopath, Ladsun gives a psychological profile of Alex and compares him to other “family annihilators” making his horrific crime plausible because others under pressure have done the same thing. He also makes an intriguing connection between Alex and Paul’s personality changing behavior while under the influence of substance abuse.
The Murdaugh case is complex, multilayered and familiar to millions of Americans. The Family Man not only presents new theories, it reads like fiction. 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, W. W. Norton & Company and James Lasdun for this ARC.
The Murdaugh case is complex, multilayered and familiar to millions of Americans. The Family Man not only presents new theories, it reads like fiction. 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, W. W. Norton & Company and James Lasdun for this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My interest in the Murdaugh case comes from the same place as it has for many others: the schadenfreude of an almost farcical real life Southern Gothic tale of generational trauma and privilege all crumbling down. It also quickly became obscenely byzantine to keep track of as a casual observer. Not interested in delving into sensational coverage of an event that needed no added drama, I was happy to find a relatively straightforward reporting of the events that was both informative and provided a lot of useful context in Lasdun’s The Family Man.
On a side note, reading this also served a bit of a personal cathartic experience: a few years ago, I found myself opening up the news to find a photo of man I used to date who had become a ‘family annihilator’, killing his wife, two small children, and himself. I am still reeling from this horrific crime only tangentially connected to me, so reading the summary of the various proposed types of this kind of criminal behavior was especially interesting to me.
My one quibble of note is that, at times, the extensive use of transcripts bogged down the flow.
Thank you to Netgalley and W. W. Norton & Company for an ARC of this book for review.
On a side note, reading this also served a bit of a personal cathartic experience: a few years ago, I found myself opening up the news to find a photo of man I used to date who had become a ‘family annihilator’, killing his wife, two small children, and himself. I am still reeling from this horrific crime only tangentially connected to me, so reading the summary of the various proposed types of this kind of criminal behavior was especially interesting to me.
My one quibble of note is that, at times, the extensive use of transcripts bogged down the flow.
Thank you to Netgalley and W. W. Norton & Company for an ARC of this book for review.
May 7, 2026
Thank you NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and James Lasdun for allowing me to listen to this advanced copy.
"An immersive account of a seemingly loving father’s transformation into family annihilator."
In March 2023, Alex Murdaugh was found guilty of murdering his wife and younger son at Moselle, their home in South Carolina in June 7, 2021. Being from North Carolina this was all over the news and social media for years. However, even though a huge true crime fan, I never really paid too much attention to it. However when I saw this book available on NetGalley I requested it so I could get all of the information.
Unfortunately I feel like there was too much information. I have read a lot of true crime and that sometimes is an issue. It got to the point when I found myself losing focus due to the information being shared not that interesting or necessary to the story.
Who Would I Recommend This To: Those who enjoy True Crime with a lot of information.
Audio Book Notes: The narrator was fine.
Overall: I honestly think this could have been much shorter.
"An immersive account of a seemingly loving father’s transformation into family annihilator."
In March 2023, Alex Murdaugh was found guilty of murdering his wife and younger son at Moselle, their home in South Carolina in June 7, 2021. Being from North Carolina this was all over the news and social media for years. However, even though a huge true crime fan, I never really paid too much attention to it. However when I saw this book available on NetGalley I requested it so I could get all of the information.
Unfortunately I feel like there was too much information. I have read a lot of true crime and that sometimes is an issue. It got to the point when I found myself losing focus due to the information being shared not that interesting or necessary to the story.
Who Would I Recommend This To: Those who enjoy True Crime with a lot of information.
Audio Book Notes: The narrator was fine.
Overall: I honestly think this could have been much shorter.
April 25, 2026
A thoroughly researched look at a highly visible true crime case.
A thank you is due to NetGalley and the publishers for the audio ARC of this one.
I found the writing to be very easy to follow And the narrator easy to understand. The author was very thorough with background And evidence And seemed to be reasoned in his approach to the evidence. When he did reach a conclusion about the evidence, he presented it in a way that made me question the relevance of it in the big picture of the trial. That is exactly what I am looking for in a true crime book. Conclusions were never force fed to me, which happens a lot in these types of books.
Ultimately, this was an excellent book. My satisfaction rating And engagement took a hit just because of the dearth of coverage about the Murdaughs And this case. While that is unfortunate, it is certainly not the authors fault. I highly recommend this one for any fan of true crime And believe this is an important book for anyone following this case. 4 stars.
A thank you is due to NetGalley and the publishers for the audio ARC of this one.
I found the writing to be very easy to follow And the narrator easy to understand. The author was very thorough with background And evidence And seemed to be reasoned in his approach to the evidence. When he did reach a conclusion about the evidence, he presented it in a way that made me question the relevance of it in the big picture of the trial. That is exactly what I am looking for in a true crime book. Conclusions were never force fed to me, which happens a lot in these types of books.
Ultimately, this was an excellent book. My satisfaction rating And engagement took a hit just because of the dearth of coverage about the Murdaughs And this case. While that is unfortunate, it is certainly not the authors fault. I highly recommend this one for any fan of true crime And believe this is an important book for anyone following this case. 4 stars.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
James Lasdun’s The Family Man is an in-depth examination of the Alex Murdaugh murders of his wife and son, and the events that preceded and followed them.
As someone who has followed every podcast and documentary on these murders, I was surprised by how much I still had to learn. Lasdun avoids the sensationalism often found in this genre, choosing instead to dive into the complex psychological and social factors behind the crimes. The flow of the writing is seamless, and every word mattered to the overall story.
The narrator has a gift for keeping the listener’s attention through dense details, making the complex topics feel accessible rather than overwhelming. The distinct energy the narrator brings to the prose really elevated the experience for me.
I highly recommend this to anyone who thinks they already know everything about the Murdaugh case, or anyone looking for a single source on the subject.
Thank you Netgalley, James Lasdun, and Dreamscape Media for this ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
As someone who has followed every podcast and documentary on these murders, I was surprised by how much I still had to learn. Lasdun avoids the sensationalism often found in this genre, choosing instead to dive into the complex psychological and social factors behind the crimes. The flow of the writing is seamless, and every word mattered to the overall story.
The narrator has a gift for keeping the listener’s attention through dense details, making the complex topics feel accessible rather than overwhelming. The distinct energy the narrator brings to the prose really elevated the experience for me.
I highly recommend this to anyone who thinks they already know everything about the Murdaugh case, or anyone looking for a single source on the subject.
Thank you Netgalley, James Lasdun, and Dreamscape Media for this ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 3, 2026
As someone who follows true crime and watches a lot of documentaries, when this came across my netgalley I decided to go ahead and request it because I had heard about this story and remembered following it to some extent but then recently watching a documentary about it.
I personally did not know all the details outlined in this book and I think that it made this book a better experience for me than someone who had already had extensive knowledge about the case.
This book does a good job at outlining literally every little detail including his embezzlement schemes, timelines, even jailhouse communication transcripts and courthouse transcripts. I think that if I hadn't listened to it as an audiobook I probably wouldn't have finished it it's very detail heavy which is good for some things but did drone on a little bit.
Overall I left this book with a much wider knowledge of the Alex Murdaugh case. He truly has gotten what he deserves and I hope that his co-conspirators get the same treatment.
I personally did not know all the details outlined in this book and I think that it made this book a better experience for me than someone who had already had extensive knowledge about the case.
This book does a good job at outlining literally every little detail including his embezzlement schemes, timelines, even jailhouse communication transcripts and courthouse transcripts. I think that if I hadn't listened to it as an audiobook I probably wouldn't have finished it it's very detail heavy which is good for some things but did drone on a little bit.
Overall I left this book with a much wider knowledge of the Alex Murdaugh case. He truly has gotten what he deserves and I hope that his co-conspirators get the same treatment.
June 22, 2026
Worst of the coverages of the Murdaugh coverage. (Yes, I’ve read multiple). Between the glorification of the grand old South and her traditions and continuous shock that a man could kill his son and wife, I almost didn’t finish this book. Yes, the traditions and behavior of Southerners can be nice, but jeez, the fawning over the decay is just too much. Along with the failure to acknowledge racism. The south is so much more and less than its accents, manners, traditions, and old mansions. Typical yankee missing the point.
More importantly, did any woman read this before this was published? Or did this author talk to a woman ever, in his life? To no woman is it shocking that a man would kill his “beloved” wife and son. Zero. None. Men kill women. And the most dangerous men of all are those closest to us. And they will kill their children too.
Also, without talking to the defendant, how could he possibly guess what his plans were or he thought would happen? I wish I could give less than 1 star.
More importantly, did any woman read this before this was published? Or did this author talk to a woman ever, in his life? To no woman is it shocking that a man would kill his “beloved” wife and son. Zero. None. Men kill women. And the most dangerous men of all are those closest to us. And they will kill their children too.
Also, without talking to the defendant, how could he possibly guess what his plans were or he thought would happen? I wish I could give less than 1 star.
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