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523 reviews for:
The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty
Valerie Bauerlein
4.43 AVERAGE
523 reviews for:
The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty
Valerie Bauerlein
4.43 AVERAGE
I was extremely familiar with this case due to several podcasts, but to hear it all again in sequential order is just utterly astounding
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Book Review⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5’s
Thank you to @randomhouse, @prhaudio and @valerie.bauerlein for the #gifted book/audiobook.
I was completely intrigued by this book! True crime always captivates me, and this one was no exception. Valerie Bauerlein masterfully unravels the shocking downfall of Alex Murdaugh, a man who betrayed so many, stealing from the very people who trusted him. The depth of corruption in this story is staggering, and the author does an excellent job of exposing every layer.
At nearly 500 pages, this book is packed with detail, yet it never feels overwhelming. Bauerlein’s research is impeccable, and her cinematic writing makes it all so easy to follow. The narrative flows effortlessly, pulling readers straight into the heart of the scandal without wasting a moment. From the very first pages, she dives into Murdaugh’s despicable acts, making it impossible to put the book down.
For anyone fascinated by true crime, corruption, and justice, The Devil at His Elbow is a must-read. It’s a gripping, well-written, and thoroughly researched account of one of the most shocking legal dramas in recent history.
Thank you to @randomhouse, @prhaudio and @valerie.bauerlein for the #gifted book/audiobook.
I was completely intrigued by this book! True crime always captivates me, and this one was no exception. Valerie Bauerlein masterfully unravels the shocking downfall of Alex Murdaugh, a man who betrayed so many, stealing from the very people who trusted him. The depth of corruption in this story is staggering, and the author does an excellent job of exposing every layer.
At nearly 500 pages, this book is packed with detail, yet it never feels overwhelming. Bauerlein’s research is impeccable, and her cinematic writing makes it all so easy to follow. The narrative flows effortlessly, pulling readers straight into the heart of the scandal without wasting a moment. From the very first pages, she dives into Murdaugh’s despicable acts, making it impossible to put the book down.
For anyone fascinated by true crime, corruption, and justice, The Devil at His Elbow is a must-read. It’s a gripping, well-written, and thoroughly researched account of one of the most shocking legal dramas in recent history.
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This is the kind of non-fiction narrative storytelling that I *wanted* Jon Krakauer books to be, honestly. Bauerlein does a stunning job of distilling this incredibly complicated story into the important parts, without getting it muddy with lengthy tangents for the sake of history or context. She gives truly just enough history and just enough context to tell this story in the way it should be told, with compassion and emotion, and wonderful personal details. (I was personally struck in particular by some parts of Mark Tinsley's story, in particular the conversation between him and Judge Newman after the end of the trial. What a great scene.)
My only complaint is that of someone who has REALLY followed this story - in some places, I wanted MORE answers and MORE details that I knew they were there from other sources that I'd followed (like the trial and the SLED timeline, etc). But that's just my being petty, and that's not the book that Bauerlein set out to write, which is probably good. I have experienced the messy over-detail of some other nonfiction narratives and they inevitably meant I got bored in the middle (If I never hear another lengthy story about a specific detail of Mormon history, again looking at Kraukauer, it will be too soon).
So again, great job done here, even if I could have personally used more specifics on the case, especially during the trial portion (Maggie's cell phone and why it ended up where it did! The phone orientation switching in the timeline! And the ballistics angles! The nerdy stuff!) I know it was probably tough for her (and her editor) to edit as well, given all Bauerlein (a fantastic journalist for the WSJ - for those who watched the Netflix docuseries, you'll recognize her there) knows about this case, this family and this area of South Carolina. This is truly just fantastic journalism unspooled clearly for the lay reader. Now I just need the author to write some other books!
My only complaint is that of someone who has REALLY followed this story - in some places, I wanted MORE answers and MORE details that I knew they were there from other sources that I'd followed (like the trial and the SLED timeline, etc). But that's just my being petty, and that's not the book that Bauerlein set out to write, which is probably good. I have experienced the messy over-detail of some other nonfiction narratives and they inevitably meant I got bored in the middle (If I never hear another lengthy story about a specific detail of Mormon history, again looking at Kraukauer, it will be too soon).
So again, great job done here, even if I could have personally used more specifics on the case, especially during the trial portion (Maggie's cell phone and why it ended up where it did! The phone orientation switching in the timeline! And the ballistics angles! The nerdy stuff!) I know it was probably tough for her (and her editor) to edit as well, given all Bauerlein (a fantastic journalist for the WSJ - for those who watched the Netflix docuseries, you'll recognize her there) knows about this case, this family and this area of South Carolina. This is truly just fantastic journalism unspooled clearly for the lay reader. Now I just need the author to write some other books!
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