Book Summary and Reviews of The Family Man by James Lasdun

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George_M

Family Values
America's fascination with true crime is completely satisfied by Family Man. I was barely aware of the Murdaugh saga while the trial progressed and didn't know why the media seemed so fixated on this trial. It was as if it was the O.J. case all over again. So I went into this book with keen interest on the man at the center of it all. I wanted to understand what would make someone commit such a horrible crime. And I got it. Family Man is a deep and powerful dive into the mind of a man who callously took the lives of the people closest to him. If you're like me, you will come away knowing the man…but not knowing why, really. Family Man will be noted forever as a great, and fascinating story

Diane C. (Louisville, KY)

Compelling Read!
James Lasdun's The Family Man: Blood and Betrayal in the House of Murdaugh—like the best true crime writing--reads as compulsively as good fiction. The principal players in this family saga are well-fleshed out, both physically and to the extent possible, psychologically. Equally well-rendered are the myriad characters whose lives were affected by the larger Murdaugh story. The South Carolina setting—almost a character in its own right—is brought to life with a particularity that underscores how important the cultural and physical landscape where the "blood and betrayal" occurred is to understanding both how and why they happened. All of this makes for an immersive reading experience. Lasdun's book is also noteworthy in its format: he narrates it from a chronological perspective of his coverage of events as they occurred. His increasing horror and disbelief as the complicated story of Alex Murdaugh's downfall emerges mirrors the readers' own.

Lois_K

The Family Man?
Not many non-fiction books about murder pack the same punch as James Lasdun's "The Family Man". Prior to reading the book, I knew a quite a bit about the Murdaugh murders from news articles. In addition to the facts of the case, Lasdun gives us far more insight into the motivation for the murders than new stories provided. The background into the events leading up to the murders is very detailed and well-documented from interviews and police reports. Even though factual, the book reads more like a great fiction than non-fiction. Rather than asking the reader "Who did it?" Lasdun repeatedly asks "Why did he do it?". Lasdun encounters difficulty in accepting the reasons, which may also present challenges for certain readers. This story proves once again that truth is stranger than fiction.

Carol_N

Great Read
I do not consider myself a true crime aficionado, but I am curious and able to appreciate a well-researched, structured account of the highly explosive murder and media coverage of Alex Murdaugh's trial. James Lasdun, a well-respective New Yorker columnist, provided me with just that in "The Family Man."

His immersive account of this, thought to be loving, father's coldblooded murder of his son and wife fascinating and thought provoking. He offers a detailed and highly readable accounting of the events leading to and including thr highly media covered trial where Alex Murdaugh was found guilty. The author spent a great deal of time in South Carolina before, during and after the trial interviewing his friends, associates, enemies, and neighbors. He paints for his readers the disturbing life of Alex with its deceptions, embezzlements, and opioid addiction prior to these tragic murders. He provides his own thoughtful insights to the case. Was the jury verdict the right one? Could Murdaugh, despite his many faults, have been innocent? What kind of psychological games had he been playing, especially if one considers his history of money games and addiction?

I came away from this book feeling this author laid it all out there, Lasdun thoroughly goes over the facts in an unbiased manner. By presenting the known and also some unknown facts about this highly discussed trial, he presents to his readers one of the best books written about the Murdaugh case and the man behind it.

Marie_Webb

A Book I couldn't Pass Up
Most of us had heard about the murders. Author James Lasdun takes us to a 'dark, dark place' in his true crime book "The Family Man". The South Carolina low country setting plays a part, with guns, booze, drugs and fraud contributing to the picture.

The author tells us he wrote this book partly for personal reasons, which he shares with the reader. I felt as if he was inviting me along, to share his sleuthing and his thoughts about the wealthy, powerful Murdaugh family and the husband and father accused of murdering his wife and younger son in 2021.

Like a developing photograph, evidence gradually comes to light. The author interviews many locals, who have worked and played with the Murdaugh family for decades. Eventually we are invited into the trial itself. Lasdun obviously knows his stuff, and tells us not only what happened but also his thoughts and reflections. Some readers may find these detours a distraction, but I enjoyed them.

The writing is sharp throughout and reflects copious research, but is never boring. I loved this book, and believe the author has finally given this horrendous chapter of history its due.

Darra_W

"Oh, what a tangled web we weave..."
Given its extensive coverage in the mainstream media—both reportorial and fictionalized—you may think you know all there is to know about Alex Murdaugh, fallen Low Country patriarch, and his dysfunctional family. But author James Lasdun, in this stark and revelatory foray into the true crime genre, would suggest otherwise. In The Family Man: Blood and Betrayal in the House of Murdaugh, Lasdun demonstrates a tenacious ability to dig deep into the history and psyche of a troubled man capable of destroying himself and his family while wreaking havoc on the lives of the many friends, colleagues, and clients who trusted him. Extensively researched and surprisingly suspenseful, this true-life tale of "Gothic malignancy" rates five stars from me.

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