The Family Man: Blood and Betrayal in the House of Murdaugh
by James Lasdun
A True Crime Novel that Reads Like a Modern Version of a Gothic Novel (4/24/2026)
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.
Fatherland: A Novel
by Victoria Shorr
A Family Saga Portraying a Father Abandoning his Family (3/8/2026)
Having read FATHERLAND, I intend to read earlier novels written by this author. The book is nicely paced, but I was hooked on the story by the first two chapters where it becomes clear what the father had in mind.
This is a family saga which at its heart explores the effects of a father's abandonment of is family, Essentially, the book is about how a doctor's three children are impacted by the father's decision to leave their mother and them for another woman. The story is mostly seen through the eyes of Josie, one of his children.
As one would expect, the father (Henry) is very selfish when he leaves his wife (Lara) and his kids. However, the father's perspective is shared even though most readers probably couldn't support what he is doing.
The book was hard to put down; it was a fast read.
Having read FATHERLAND, I intend to read earlier novels written by this author. The book is nicely paced, but I was hooked on the story by the first two chapters where it becomes clear what the father had in mind.
This is a family saga which at its heart explores the effects of a father's abandonment of is family, Essentially, the book is about how a doctor's three children are impacted by the father's decision to leave their mother and them for another woman. The story is mostly seen through the eyes of Josie, one of his children.
As one would expect, the father (Henry) is very selfish when he leaves his wife (Lara) and his kids. However, the father's perspective is shared even though most readers probably couldn't support what he is doing.
The book was hard to put down; it was a fast read.
