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494 reviews for:
The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty
Valerie Bauerlein
4.43 AVERAGE
494 reviews for:
The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty
Valerie Bauerlein
4.43 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
dark
informative
medium-paced
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
The most in-depth retelling of the story of this piece of shit and all of the deception his life included. I was flowing closely with this case when it was going on but this was even better
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting
Moderate: Alcoholism, Infertility, Infidelity, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
informative
medium-paced
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5 Stars
The Devil at His Elbow is a well-researched and compelling account of the unraveling of the Murdaugh dynasty. Valerie Bauerlein does an excellent job presenting the facts clearly and insightfully, giving readers a solid understanding of the people, power, and corruption involved in this disturbing real-life case. It's informative and detailed, with a strong journalistic voice.
The Devil at His Elbow is a well-researched and compelling account of the unraveling of the Murdaugh dynasty. Valerie Bauerlein does an excellent job presenting the facts clearly and insightfully, giving readers a solid understanding of the people, power, and corruption involved in this disturbing real-life case. It's informative and detailed, with a strong journalistic voice.
That said, I had watched the documentary prior to reading the book, and much of the content felt very familiar—almost like a transcript or companion to the documentary. For those already familiar with the case through other media, this book may not offer much new information. However, for readers who haven't followed the story closely, this would serve as a thorough and accessible introduction.
Ultimately, while I appreciated the writing and research, the lack of fresh insight or deeper analysis left me wishing for a bit more.
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
I had learned a bit about this case in the past from a documentary, so this was a very interesting read. It did a good job with the niche I like in true crime, which is "how was this crime able to happen?"
Kudos to the author for a very thorough approach, as well as one that was thoughtful towards all the victims involved.
Kudos to the author for a very thorough approach, as well as one that was thoughtful towards all the victims involved.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
I was completely riveted by this book! I remember hearing about Alex Murdaugh's trial a few years ago when it dominated conversations, along with the documentary. For some reason, I didn't tune in at the time—but I definitely will now! The layers of generational corruption, the mounting bodies surrounding the family, and the shocking attempts to shift blame for both the boat crash case and the murders of his wife and son are infuriating. On top of that, learning about how he stole millions from vulnerable clients and his own law firm is appalling. I'm so glad this man was finally exposed for his terrible actions. He certainly got what he deserved, and it's haunting to see the extent of his manipulation and the tragic consequences it had for his own family.
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
dark
emotional
informative