I vaguely recall hearing about this case, and maybe in the hands of a better writer, I would have liked it more? I think at this point Sherman and I are just not vibing. He does not write in a compelling way. This book was such a chore to get through. I could not even finish his Cape Cod Killer book, and A Murder in Hollywood only kept me going because it involved one of my favorite eras in Hollywood history.

Nathan Carman and his mom went out fishing, and a week later he was found in a lifeboat with his mother gone. He spun a story about how the boat sank and she drowned. Yet he was in pretty great shape for being lost at sea for a week in the North Atlantic.

A few years earlier, Nathan's extremely rich grandfather was murdered in his home, which made Nathan's mom extremely rich as a result. It's easy to see the conclusions that the investigators came to.

The family is weird, I don't know how else to say it. Maybe you just become a big weirdo when you have a lot of money, I don't know. The only person who was not weird was Nathan's grandmother, but her death occurred pretty early in the account. The grandpa who was murdered (likely by Nathan) was icky, and the mom who drowned (murdered actually, likely by Nathan)...I'm not sure how to describe. She was super attached to Nathan even though he wanted nothing to do with her and it really reminded me of the Sandy Hook killer and his mom.

As horrible as it sounds, I did not care about anything that was happening in this book. And I don't think it is the story itself, but Sherman's writing. It's just not good.At times it is awkward and just kind of clunky. There's a lot of filler that ended up just being distracting and not necessary to the story.

This was my first in-depth look at the case, and it was disappointing. If you are already know a lot about it, you can skip the book. If you don't, then I am torn on recommending it. His writing is simply not good, but I am not sure there are other books out there on the subject.

After reading thoroughly about the Murdaugh murders, I was intrigued when I saw this book, Blood in the Water by Casey Sherman, available to request as an eARC. Reading the summary of this true crime book pulled me in and I had to know more. While suspicions quickly mount, everything isn't as it appears.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received an advanced copy through NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are truthful and my own.

I highly recommend this book for any True Crime fans that are looking for a case that is not cut and dry, and want to read a deep dive into complex familial relationships, a little bit of psychology, and are okay with never getting final answers about the tragedy. I read it all in one afternoon - it was easy to read through and nuanced enough to be engaging.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 out of 5 stars

Blood in the Water by Casey Sherman is a thoroughly researched and detailed account of a fascinating and tragic piece of true crime history—the deadly 2003 mutiny aboard the fishing vessel Sea Breeze. Sherman’s journalistic background shines in the book’s structure and fact-driven narrative, giving readers an in-depth look at the personalities involved and the broader legal aftermath.

That said, the pacing can be uneven at times. Some sections felt bogged down by overly technical maritime language or lengthy courtroom minutiae that slowed the momentum. While the subject matter is compelling, the emotional stakes could have been better emphasized to draw readers in more deeply.

Overall, this is a solid read for true crime enthusiasts who enjoy investigative depth over narrative flair. It’s informative and thorough, but may not captivate readers looking for a more immersive or fast-paced storytelling style.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A true crime story about a young man Nathan and the mysterious circumstances surrounding the deaths of his grandfather and later his mother.

This was a wild story that I had never of! I thought Sherman did a great job with the way the narrative was structured and was sucked into the story. It does leave on a pretty unsatisfactory note (not because Sherman, but just the story). I wish we had more postscript or something. Maybe in a few years if there is new info, this could be re-released with additional chapters.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Nathan Carman’s story is one full of confusion and mystery.

I think if choosing between this book or a documentary- 20/20 episode, I would watch the doc. The book felt drawn out and I lost interest in the story.

The family is definitely weird. From the grandfather’s sex habits and the mother grabbing her dad’s testicles during a fight…wtf.

I’ve read a couple other books by the other and they are half and half for me. I prefer A Murder in Hollywood best.

Thank you to NetGalley, Casey Sherman, and Sourcebooks for the opportunity to read it. I have written this review voluntarily and honestly.

Investigative journalist Casey Sherman narrates the true crime story of New Englander Nathan Carman, who was rescued off the coast of RI after a fishing trip with his mother allegedly went awry. I am very familiar with this story because this happened recently and I live in the vicinity. I found this both interesting and deeply disturbing. It is an upsetting story and, sadly, the real answers will probably never come to light. The facts of the story are well-presented in a straightforward manner by the author, who looks at the story in its entirety from several different angles. Fans of contemporary true crime will be hooked.

Thank you to NetGalley and Recorded Books for the audiobook ARC!

The story of a man and his family, two deaths, and all the scheming that comes along with it, along with a metric ton of implication.
Oh, and money. A lot of money that everyone fights over and acts like children about.
An interesting story that ultimately comes down to a man versus his family, whether he did the crimes they accuse him of or not.
Frankly, I found all the major parties in this story to be wholly unlikeable and found myself disgusted by all of their actions. A bunch of greedy gits. Honestly, the only person I think I actually liked was the property caretaker!
There was a lot of effort put into this book, clearly, to talk to many people tangentially related to the situation. A lot of research. But there's something fundamentally soulless about it. Hollow. I can't put my finger on it, but listening to this was a chore. Possibly because there's no one to hook onto that you want to know more about. I wish I knew less about all these people.
Wouldn't really recommend, but yeah, a lot of work put in so 3/5 for me.

This was an interesting book about a case I don't remember hearing about. There were a few places where I thought things were repeated a little too much, but other than that I did enjoy it.

Great. Googly. Moogly.

This is one crazy, twisted, gobsmacking story that by the end, unfortunately, leaves you with more questions than answers; this is not the fault of the author though, I need to say. He does an excellent job in presenting this twisted story [there were moments where I just sat back and thought "WHAT. THE. HECK.], the writing and research was impeccable, and he tells the story clearly, to the point he is able to [there comes a point where there is just no more to tell] and leaves it up to the reader to make their OWN determination about what happened, who was or was not guilty, and how do people who experience all of this ever move forward [for the record, I am still very torn about what I feel and it will take me awhile to sort all that I read out and come to a conclusion]. It was an excellent read/story and it was my best read of the week!! Well done!!

The author narrates this book, and much like his previous book "A Murder in Hollywood", does an excellent job telling this story [he speaks very well, enunciates well, AND knew the pronunciation of all the words he uses in the book [trust me when I tell you, that after multiple audiobook this month where this was NOT a thing that happened, it was glorious to have one that actually did] and I would listen to him narrate anything [perhaps if he runs out of ideas for books, he could have a second career as a narrator?? :-) ]. I highly recommend listening to him tell this story!

Thank you to NetGalley, Casey Sherman, SOURCEBOOKS (non-fiction)/Sourcebooks, and RB Media/Recorded Books for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

Author Casey Sherman who has compiled a long list of nonfiction New York Times best sellers, with one closest to his heart a book called A Rose For Mary about his aunt who was the final victim of the Boston Strangler, has once again delved into another true-life murder mystery case in the New England area in which a man on a fishing boat trip with his mother is found floating alone in a life boat no boat or mother in sight. Was this an accident or intentional? Well, it depends on who you ask. This story is tragic in so many ways as it shows a very dysfunctional very wealthy family and a past murder which opens their lives to chaos, greed and secrets with an ending you couldn't make up.

Nathan Carman came from a very wealthy very dysfunctional family. But it was his grandfather who was rich and made sure his children knew it. Nathan as a child was diagnosed with Asperger's and was bullied at school, had no friends except for his horse and kept to himself. At one point as a young child, he even ran away and was found states away from their Connecticut home.

He had a tumultuous relationship with his mother, a love, hate, jealous relationship. His parents divorced, his father in California he lived with his mother in Connecticut and was never really happy. He was though, the apple of his grandfather's eye and was financially supported by him much to the dismay of his mother and her siblings.

Sadly, his grandfather was murdered in New Hampshire and Nathan was left to fend for himself even though he was bestowed a trust, but having never worked or had to manage money needless to say didn't understand the concept of spending. So, Nathan decides to buy a fishing boat and fixed it up even though it was in fairly good shape. He had never had any interest in boats up until now.

And this is where we are introduced to Nathan on the first page of this very sad yet extremely mysterious story on a life raft in the Atlantic Ocean alone where he is picked up by a ship and his first question is where's my mom?

But what the reader will discover is that this one sentence he uttered will not only lead him to being arrested by the police for the murder of his mother, a woman who was extremely wealthy in her own right but will also open the door to his past life and all that it encompassed. Nobody really ever knew the real Nathan Carmen.

The questions in the book to answer if we can... Did Nathan intentionally kill his mother? Did Nathan have other nefarious secrets? Did he know exactly what he was doing and plan murder. Sherman expertly takes the reader step by step into the evidence which seems to mount against Nathan. As the trial is set one can only wonder will he be found guilty with only circumstantial evidence? Will we ever know?

Blood In The Water is a wonderfully written true crime story which if it had been fiction no one would ever believe. But unfortunately, the story and all the mystery surrounding what happened is sadly true.

Thank you #NetGalley #Sourcebooks #CaseySherman #BloodInTheWater for the advanced copy.

This is a tragic true crime story about Nathan Carman. It opens with him being found floating in the middle of the North Atlantic on a raft, but instead of this rescue becoming the end of his story, instead it is only the beginning. This book covers the suspicious death of Nathan's mom on that same boat, and the shooting death of grandfather. Nathan was the last person to see both of these people before their death, and the book delves into the very real possibility that he killed them both.

This is a thrilling book about a real life true crime case featuring betrayal, money and murder. The author tells the story masterfully without sensationalism, allowing the reader to make their own decisions on what truly happened.

This is good narrative non-fiction, with pictures (always helpful).

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.

Enjoyed this true crime but the unresolved nature of the case was a bit frustrating. This is not a reflection of the author, obviously, the book is just telling the non-fiction of what took place. I think there are probably more interesting crimes to be written/read about than this one.

A detailed account of the pretext and investigation of a young man on the spectrum who was accused of murdering his mother at sea. His beloved grandfather was the closest to Nathan worth 40 million. A twist a the end leaves me wondering what really happened? Good but not resolved to o this reader's satisfaction.

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

An interesting true crime book about a young man pulled from a life raft after a week at sea when his fishing boat sank with his mother onboard. As more and more information is revealed, the story shifts from a son's tragic loss of his mother to accusations of multiple murders, insurance fraud, and family feuds.

Since there was never a verdict in the (numerous) cases discussed, the author did a good job of presenting the facts for both sides (and also in his author's note came to a different conclusion about the case than I did).

Dysfunctional describes the wealthy Chakalos family. John Chakalos built Athena Health Care Systems, a chain of assisted living facilities across New England. He controls his family as he does his business. Although he has four daughters, he grooms his first grandchild Nathan Carman, son of his daughter Linda, to take over the company. Nathan, however, is a troubled young man. He is autistic, has been reported for violent behavior in school, spent time in a psychiatric facility and has flunked out of college. Linda’s sisters are understandably jealous and resentful. Then John is murdered and the killer is never found, although his aunts suspect Nathan. Then he and his mother go on a fishing trip. The boat sinks, Linda disappears and Nathan is picked up by a cargo ship. He tells a wild tale drifting in a lifeboat for a week. This story soon unravels.

In Blood in the Water, Casey Sherman takes a deeper look at the tragedy of the Chakalos family. Did Nathan, with all his emotional problems, have planned a complicated boating accident? Could he have coldly killed the grandfather who loved him? Instead of offering answers, Sherman leaves readers with more questions and a sad, unexpected ending. 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks and Casey Sherman for this ARC.

Casey Sherman has written about a contemporary true crime that continues to make headlines several years after the prime suspect committed suicide in jail in June of 2023. Sherman does a deep dive into the case of Nathan Carmen who was arrested and charged in 2022 in connection with the death of his mother, Linda Carmen, who was killed in 2016 while on a fishing trip with Nathan off the coast of Rhode Island. Nathan's account of the boating tragedy was full of inconsistencies and the insurance carrier denied his claim for compensation for the sunken boat. A few years prior to the boating incident, Nathan's grandfather and Linda's father, John Chakalos, a wealthy real estate developer specializing in assisted living facilities, was shot dead in his home. Chakalos had adored Nathan his eldest grandchild, but he had a fraught relationship with his daughter. Yet, upon Chakalos' death, Linda became a wealthy woman. With a multi-million dollar fortune at stake, Nathan was the prime suspect in his mother's death and a suspect in his grandfather's murder.

Although Nathan Carmen will remain an enigma since he died before he would stand trial, Sherman has uncovered every stone in this sordid story, and it will appeal to those readers who are fascinated with how wealth and power can warp family ties. Thank you Sourcebooks and Net Galley for an advance copy of this gripping true crime narrative.

I had not heard of this case previously, but felt the author did a very good job of setting the stage, and introducing us to the family of Nathan Carman, as well as the elements of the crimes. But as clearly detailed as the crimes are, SPOILER ***


... there is no real resolution because this case never went to trial.

The victims are Nathan's grandfather John Chakalos, a multi-millionaire who adored his grandson, and Nathan's mother, Linda. The author details a thoroughly dysfunctional family, with frequent fights about inheritances from their wealthy grandfather/father. Nathan's aunts are upset because Chakalos clearly favors his first grandson, Nathan, and is grooming him to take over the company, although he appears woefully lacking in business and interpersonal skills.

Nathan is described as being on the spectrum, with an Asperberg's diagnonis, and his attitude and actions accelerate the tension within the family. As detailed by the author, Nathan is very off-putting, lies often and is not forthcoming. While we get lots of background on Chakalos due to his business career, family and friends, Nathan remains a bit of a mystery.

When Chakalos is found murdered in his home in 2013, gruesomely shot with a Sig Sauer rifle, there is no clear suspect and the case remains unsolved. But when Nathan and his mother go on a fishing trip in 2016, there are enough discrepancies that Nathan is a suspect, and in 2023, is indicated by a grand jury. However, because s mentioned above, the case is closed.

The author does an excellents job in presenting all the details, without bias, and we are left with an intriguing mystery, and I found myself equal parts appalled and sympathetic. 4 stars.