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There are currently 23 member reviews
for The Family Man
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Diane W. (Oakton, VA)
Fascinating Study of Murdaugh
I 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.
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Charles M. (Hendersonville, NC)
A True Crime Novel that Reads Like a Modern Version of a Gothic Novel
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.
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Jennie W. (Denver, CO)
The Family Man
I really enjoyed The Family Man. It's well written and clearly well researched, which made it easy to stay engaged. I had already read articles and watched documentaries about the murder case, so I wasn't going in blind, but the book still gave me many details that I had not seen before.
I really liked how thoroughly the author broke down the fraud cases, the scope and depth of the fraud added a layer to the story that the other articles and documentaries did not dive into. It did not feel rushed or glossed over and provided some more understanding into the "family annihilator's" mind. I also liked the background on different family members and their social circle. It added a lot of context and painted a fuller picture of how everything fit together. Even though I already knew quite a bit about the murder case, the book was still dramatic and engaging. It didn't lose any impact even though I knew the outcome. Overall, it is definitely worth the read, even if you think you already know the story.
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Elizabeth V. (Bellbrook, OH)
The Anti-Family Man, Alex Murdoch
I followed the Murdoch trial in the news and watched the documentaries so i was immediately intrigued by the book. It was a very interesting read. I liked getting some behind-the-scenes details about the investigation and trial and some insight about what the Murdoch family was like. It was very interesting to read about the level of corruption in the local banking and legal communities that was possible simply because of the Murdoch family's long history in the area. Definitely a cautionary tale there. In the same vein, it was uncanny how many people seemed to find it easy to forgive his massive thefts, simply because he was a "good ol' boy" in their eyes.
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Jacqueline B. (Bloomington, IL)
A family falls apart
Like many of you, I watched in horror as the extraordinary facts about the murders at the South Carolina home of Alex Murdaugh were revealed. It was hard to miss. You may be thinking, as I was, that the world couldn't possibly need yet another true crime book (news report, TV show, etc) about this sensational crime and all the events leading up to it.
This book, written by British born journalist James Lasdun, is not that, but a dense and detailed family and cultural exploration of what might have led a respected, apparently dedicated family man, a lawyer, to commit these crimes. Lasdun openly shares his skepticism about Alex's guilt early in the book, and then proceeds to investigate the history and events which might have led Murdaugh to commit the crimes.
If you are a fan of history, psychology, and, yes, true crime, you may also find this book as fascinating as I did.
Thanks to #BookBrowse for the opportunity to read and review the ARC.
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Susan N. (Valencia, CA)
Murder in the Family
I received this book free from BookBrowse as an early reviewer. I am a big fan of narrative nonfiction and true crime and the author, James Lasdun, does both well. Most readers will be familiar with the case of Alex Murdaugh, the embezzler and murderer of his wife and younger son. The book reads like fiction, and in fact, is hard to believe. However, the crimes happened. Lasdun does a terrific job filing in the details of this incredible crime. He, also, provides an exhaustive account of the events occurring prior to the murder. The Murdaugh family has a murky history including another suspicious death. The reader becomes well acquainted with the complex character of Murdaugh and his family. The end of the book relates the author's interesting alternate theory as to what occurred that bloody evening. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed both the story and writing style of the author. I highly recommend this to reader and bookclubs of true crime.
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Sarah L. (McKeesport, PA)
Such an intriguing plot
I loved having the opportunity to read and review this book. It was wonderfully written and moved along nicely. To see a man transform from a loving husband to a monster was exciting but scary to read. When something so normal and mundane turns scary, flipping a family's reality upside down. This book was a great read and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is a true crime lover.
