"Alex Murdaugh had inherited his forebears' power and prowess and then squandered it, the work of a hundred years washed away in blood."

This whole case, from start to finish, is the very definition of "Life is stranger than fiction." And the Murdaugh family, or better yet their legacy is the definition of betrayal, wickedness, greed. Alex squandered nothing. He merely put bricks atop an already built wall of them that was destined to crumble.

Superb writing. Well researched. Well organized. An excellent account of the most vile, despicable human beings to ever rot on this Earth.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the in depth look into Alex Murdaugh and showing how truly evil this man is.

The author does a great job of going into the history of this family, making it easy to follow and interesting as well. I have watched a few documentaries on Alex Murdaugh and learned more in this book than what I did from those documentaries. This was one of the best true crime books I have read

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Ah, the piece of trash that is Alex Murdaugh. If you are unfamiliar with this poor excuse for a human, then allow me to compliment you on the mighty fine rock you have been able to live under because this case was everywhere for a while. His story was reported on daily and there was already (rushed) documentaries and books on the saga of him murdering his wife and son. I've watched nearly all of them, so the question is whether or not Valerie Bauerlein's The Devil at His Elbow is the definitive source for the whole story. Quite simply, yes.

Bauerlein was on hand for almost all, if not all, of Murdaugh's trial and has done amazing work pulling together all the little details in this tangled web. It's not enough to just talk about Alex Murdaugh. He did not come out of nowhere. He was part of a dynasty that ruled part of South Carolina for 100 years. You know those movies where someone gets jammed up in a small town where the villain seems to control everyone? That was Hampton County, South Carolina for a very long time and Alex wasn't the first villain.

Bauerlein's research is impeccable, but her storytelling chops are what I really need to highlight. Valerie Bauerlein had me going and she got me good. As I mentioned, I know a lot about the case already so the first half before you get to the murders felt like well-trodden ground for me. In fact, I caught myself thinking, "Ok, Valerie, you are stating too many unnecessary facts. Get on with it." Except they weren't unnecessary and like a magician, Bauerlein makes it all come together when the state prosecutor rips Murdaugh in half on the witness stand. I'd like to take a moment to humbly apologize to Bauerlein for being impatient. That's my bad. Won't happen again.

If you know the case, there is more to it and it's all in here. If you don't know the case, then you are in for a ride. It's a must read for everyone.

(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgally and Random House.)

This is about Alex Murdaugh and his family. They had very expensive tastes, lived in a mansion and had plenty of expensive toys. Paul, Alex's son, was quite uncontrollable, often drunk, but his father had many influential people in his pocket, so charges were usually dropped.....until someone died on his boat
A very true account of this scheming man and his family.
I thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Well researched and well told story of the Murdaugh saga. Best of the Murdaugh books so far. Well researched and well told story of the Murdaugh saga. Best of the Murdaugh books so far.

MUST READ!!! 5/5 Stars!

This book is amazing. Anyone that watched the Murdaugh Trial live or any live coverage this book is so good. The Author covered this case for years on the ground in South Carolina and attended every day of trial, along with the jury view at Moselle. It was cool to see the coverage from a journalist who was there every step of the way and in person at the trial. There are interesting things written throughout this book that haven't been reported on TV and its a must read for all true crime fans.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC!!

Alex Murdaugh’s words during his trial, "Oh, what a tangled web we weave," really resonated with me as I read this captivating book. Murdaugh's ability to spin endless lies was truly astonishing! This quote perfectly captures the complex dynamics surrounding Murdaugh and his esteemed family of well-known lawyers in South Carolina, portrayed in "The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty."

The book dives deep into the lives of four generations of the Murdaughs, revealing the sharp contrast between their public image of southern hospitality and their involvement in scandals ranging from embezzlement to murder. Author Valerie Bauerlein expertly guides us through this tangled history, vividly illustrating how the family's privilege fueled their wrongdoing, ultimately leading to their dramatic downfall. This gripping account offers a chilling look into the depths of human depravity and the crumbling of a once-prominent legacy.

While I couldn't watch the trial live every day, I diligently kept up with the daily recaps, which helped me fully appreciate the gripping chapters focusing on the trial. Prosecutor Creighton Waters fearlessly unearthed the truth and exposed Murdaugh's arrogance, deftly cornering him as he contradicted himself time and again while on the stand. As I read, especially the chapters on the trial, I found myself going back and re-watching these parts on YouTube. Re-watching those parts after reading Bauerlein’s words brought a whole different level to things for me. Bauerlein took readers through the complex connections between privilege, internal conflicts, and corruption, shedding light on the family's tragic collapse.

As someone who closely followed the Murdaughs after the devastating murders of Maggie and Paul, I found this book to offer the most comprehensive coverage, evoking both fascination and deep sorrow for the victims of Murdaugh's deceit and manipulation. Throughout the book, there is a common theme surrounding Paul Murdaugh and how out of control he truly was. It’s sad how Alex Murdaugh and Maggie Murdaugh openly allowed him to drink while underage. If not for their negligence, Mallory Beach would still be alive today.

A big thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Valerie Bauerlein for the chance to read this advanced copy. I thoroughly enjoyed it & I wholeheartedly recommend it.

This book was incredible. I have been following this case from the beginning. I am so happy to have found a book that detailed the entire history of this family - from the late 1800s until present day, spanning four generations. Four generations of deceit and trauma all in one book.

This is the true story of the Murdaugh family, a long line of prominent lawyers making their mark in small town South Carolina. In the public eye they were well-known good ol boys. Their southern hospitality was known all over the county. They would give you the shirt off their back, some said. But behind closed doors they harbored deep, dark secrets. Each decade and each generation had their own scandals including embezzlement, money laundering, suspicious deaths, outright murder, and fraud. This family got away with so much until it all came crashing down.

From the great grandfather to Alex Murdaugh and his sons, it was fascinating to see the timeline of their downfall. There is so much death and trauma surrounding this family. It could have been overwhelming with the amount of information packed into this book, but the author detailed the timeline in a way that made sense. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to read more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Devil at His Elbow by Valerie Bauerlein is a must read if you're interested in the Murdaugh family murders.

I've read other books about the family and watched the television specials and the legacy of just getting away (almost) with murder will hopefully be done now that Alex is in jail for the murder of his wife and son and theft of the millions from innocent accident victims.

The in-depth writing and investigating that the author did is easy to follow in her book. She exposes the Murdaugh dynasty of privilege and corruption and how it took just one person at the family law firm to care enough to find out what Alex was doing and to unknowingly start the chain of events that toppled the lies and led to the whole tragic event.

The story is so fascinating to me because it seems we all aspire to live lives of having endless money, but don't realize the evil that some people do to keep their secrets under cover. Alex Murdaugh deserves every minute of jail time he will be serving and more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in lieu of an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was the second book I’ve read about this awful family, and I can say without hyperbole that they got what was coming to them. Everyone kept praising their relatives, despite the fact that most of them were awful too. Almost every single Murdaugh was a corrupt jerk. The things they got away with… the things they did… it’s all so infuriating. Even worse is the fact that they almost didn’t even charge him with murder!!

I’ve said it again and again — our justice system is broken and needs a complete overhaul. I basically disliked almost everyone in the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

"'Oh my god,' he said. 'The jackass has shot himself.'"

#Thedevilathiselbow" is soooooo good. Living in Virginia and having spent a good amount of time in South Carolina, I was riveted by the saga of Alex Murdaugh as it played out in summer 2021. The Murdaughs first came to my attention when Maggie and Paul were brutally murdered at their home.

Ms. Bauerlein does a fantastic job of outlining the Murdaugh's dynasty in Hampton County. How they kept businesses from getting a foothold in this "judicial hellhole." We see how years and years of privilege bring about this horrific crime (and many others) and how that privilege creates the perpetrator. We see how one attorney's pursuit of Alex's financial records brings the family crumbling down. We see how Alex and Maggie's refusal to manage their feral son, Paul, brings the family crumbling down. We see how residents, for years and years, live terrified of crossing the Murdaughs. The devil was truly at their elbow.

The chapters of the trial are riveting. We see how Creighton Waters spent a few years living and breathing the Murdaughs. We see how Alex's hubris on the stand dooms him.

You only need to look in his eyes to see he has no soul. Have mercy.

P.S. thanks to #netgalley for the ARC.

One of the best true crime books I have read on the Murdaugh Saga. Meticulously researched. Talk about a tangled web 😬

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/210454076