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There are currently 23 member reviews
for The Family Man
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Susan R. (Greensboro, NC)
Betrayal and Murder
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.
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Stephanie K. (Glendale, AZ)
All In the Family
The Family Man by James Lasdun is a chilling account of the corruption in what Alex Murdaugh's family referred to as "the House of Murdaugh." The three-generation family of lawyers knew lives of great privilege in their small southern town as well as out in the world at large. This true-crime tale recounts the many red herrings and barricades family members threw up in order to protect themselves and attempt to put the onus on others nearby. It was fascinating and horrifying at the same time to realize how very much great wealth allows a family to get away with. Most readers will find that the Murdaugh family cast so many aspersions on others that even the reader begins to doubt her/his own judgement. This is definitely a cautionary tale for our time.
