not my favourite audio book, nor the worst. story felt a bit repetitive at times with really pressing the flaws of the accused as if trying to defend. it went in an unexpected direction at times as well.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* I had never heard of this case so i found this book super interesting, would recommend

A well-done true crime novel. The author does a great job of presenting both sides of the story. It felt at first that the story was going to be bias against the suspect, but the author does a credible job of bringing up both sides. Unfortunately, the tragedy that occurred, ultimately prevents the reader from knowing the full truth of what happened. The story is a good read, and I recommend it for the true crime fan.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Investigative journalist Casey Sherman authors and 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 I live in the vicinity. I found this both interesting and deeply disturbing. It is an upsetting story and the real answers will probably never come to light now. This audiobook is easy to listen to and the facts of the case are well presented by the author, who looks at the story in its entirety from several different angles. Fans of 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.
The audiobook is read by the author, which I usually enjoy but not this time.
Wouldn't really recommend, but yeah, a lot of work put in so 3/5 for me.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

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.

I had never heard of this case before this book. I love how the author laid out all the facts of the story and made you think about Nathan and his autism and how it plays into the story. I like that author makes us think about other possible suspects. A good book for any true crime fans

In 2016 Nathan Carman, 22, is found at sea by a Chinese freighter in a life raft. His mother who joined him in his fishing boat is nowhere to be found. After the suspicious death of Nathan’s grandfather prior, author Casey Sherman takes us through the events as we ask “Was Nathan Carman a villain, or a victim?”

As a true crime lover, I had never heard of this case before. It’s truly a roller coaster. Nathan is a young man with Autism being implicated in very serious crimes by his extended family. Is Nathan a criminal, or misunderstood due his disability? This story is tragic and I really enjoyed how the author laid out events and evidence, as well as the narration of the audiobook. A great read for lovers of true crime!

3.5 stars.

This is the true story of Nathan Carman and the investigation behind his mother's untimely death. Nathan is the prime suspect as he was the last one with his mother on a fishing trip when a series of strange events unfolded.

I listened to the audiobook and loved that the author was also the narrator! He is an investigative journalist and had a great voice an inflection for storytelling. His pace and tone were perfect, easy to listen to and follow.

I enjoyed the layout of the information presented. It was well organized. The research was thorough and interesting. Nathan was on the Autism spectrum and this plays into the story a lot more than I was first expecting. Since Nathan's case was primarily circumstantial, it definitely brought questions in my mind about Nathan possibly being socially misunderstood. I appreciated the author's investigation into other possible suspects and answers.

Thanks to netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the ALC and chance to give my honest opinion!

3.5 stars

I very much enjoyed this story of deceit, power, family dysfunction, and murder. As far as true crime goes, this was an exceptionally researched and well written narrative about Nathan Carmen, a young man accused of parenticide.

Nathan grew up with enormous wealth. His grandfather, worth millions, took a shine to Nathan, being the first male grandchild. Although Nathan had psychological and emotional difficulties growing, his grandfather favored him and had his mind set on making him the next in line to run his company, bypassing all four of his aunts. However, after his grandfather is murdered in cold blood and his mom goes missing (presumed drowned) after a fishing trip gone wrong with Nathan on his boat, all fingers start to point in his direction.

Typically, with true crime, the story gets dissected, and all the pieces start fitting together with the ending being wrapped up with a bow on top. However, this one was different. There was much supposition and speculation. There was also hard evidence that pointed to guilt, but there was no resolution at the end. It left me on a cliffhanger, wanting more certainty. For this reason, it lost stars. The writing and execution were terrific, but focusing on this particular crime for the book wasn't the best choice.

I would definitely read more by this author. The audio performance was solid and kept me interested in the plot.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #RBMefia for an audiobook in exchange for an honest review. #BloodInTheWater

Thank you to Net Galley for an ARC of the audiobook. This was a true narrative of Nathan Carman and the deaths of his mother and grandfather. This audiobook was read by the author- which I always enjoy. I hadn’t heard of this story that happened on the east coast so it was very interesting to follow the investigation. The Nathan Carman story is definitely an interesting one and I would recommend it to most. This book was a little repetitive, which is why I gave it 4 stars. Really enjoyed this one.

Thank you to NetGalley, RB Media, and Casey Sherman for providing me with an ARC of the e-audiobook "Blood in the Water". True crime is one of my favorite genres to read. I went into this audiobook blind as I had never heard of Nathan Carman or the crimes for which he had been accused. I enjoyed Casey Sherman's narration of this book. I found the audiobook to be very intriguing and informative about Nathan and the murder of his grandfather and the "death" of his mother whose body has never been found. Did Nathan actually commit these crimes or was the court of public opinion basing their opinions on circumstantial evidence. True crime fans will devour this book as the writing and narration are excellent.

At first when I received this Audiobook I DNF it and marked that I will not be giving feedback but I decided to go back and finish the audiobook.

The reason I DNF it is because I couldn’t handle the narrators voice (which I feel so bad because it was the author so there’s not much you can do about it). I just felt like it was a very mono-toned voice that couldn’t get me into the book. I decided to speed it up and it made it much more manageable for me.

The author did a great job at recreating the events of this tragic story. I found he was good at sticking to reporting the actual details of the case and it wasn’t just others opinions about it.

If you like true crime, you will enjoy this book/audiobook.

As a longtime fan of true crime shows like 20/20 and Dateline, I was already familiar with the chilling case of Nathan Carman—the young man found floating on a raft in the North Atlantic, later accused of murdering both his grandfather and mother for financial gain. Going into Casey Sherman’s Blood in the Water, I thought I had a firm grasp on the facts and had made up my mind about Carman’s guilt. But this book challenged all of that.

Sherman’s investigative work is meticulous, balanced, and deeply compelling. Rather than sensationalizing the case, he takes a clear-eyed look at the complex web of family dysfunction, wealth, mental health, and tragedy that surrounds it. He dives into the toxic family dynamics and offers real insight into Carman’s troubled upbringing, including the role his autism may have played in how he was perceived—and how he navigated the world.

At times, you can’t help but feel sympathy for Carman, who was frequently maligned by his peers and even his own family. At other moments, his behavior is so emotionally distant and unsettling that it’s not hard to imagine him capable of terrible things. Sherman doesn’t force conclusions on the reader but instead presents the facts with nuance, leaving us to wrestle with the murky truth.

This is a gripping, thought-provoking read that will fascinate true crime fans looking for more than a cut-and-dried verdict. I highly recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of the audiobook.

Blood in the Water is a riveting and masterfully crafted work of investigative journalism. Casey Sherman does an exceptional job of presenting the facts in a clear, unbiased, and compelling way. As someone who went into the book with no prior knowledge of Nathan Carman or the case surrounding him, I found myself completely engrossed from the first chapter.

One aspect I especially appreciated was that Sherman himself narrated the audiobook. Hearing the story in the author’s own voice added an extra layer of authenticity and intensity—it felt like getting the inside story directly from the source.

Sherman’s storytelling is meticulous—he lays out the events and evidence piece by piece, letting readers form their own conclusions without steering them. The depth of research and attention to detail is evident throughout, making this not only a gripping true crime narrative but also a testament to the power of fact-based reporting.

This is a must-read (or must-listen) for anyone interested in true crime, journalism, or real-life mysteries that are stranger—and more tragic—than fiction.

I don't know exactly what it was that drew me in but this book captivated me! How is this not a dateline episode? Maybe it is I will need to do some digging! This book wasn't a deep enthralling edge of your seat thriller but it sucked me in and I could not stop listening. Maybe it tugged at my heartstrings because Nathan was has Asperger's and so does my brother. So many things they were explaining about him were things that my brother does exactly. I have always been worried that people would interpret the things he does and says the wrong way. This book just proves that people will and have for those with Asperger's. Yet, even though I had that connection with Nathan and could see his perspective of things I still went back and forth throughout the entire book on whether he was guilty or not. Honestly after reading it....I DON'T KNOW! The ending shocked me and I was not ready for it. I would say I would do my own research and digging but I felt like this book was very well researched and I would not find anything different. As this book was primarily told from what seemed like Nathans "side" or "story" it was done well enough that it still made you wonder if he was innocent or guilty. I am now going to see if there any documentaries out there about this case and watch them all and see if maybe they give another perspective and maybe some day I will make a decision on what I believe happened!

By Casey Sherman
Narrated by Casey Sherman

I have read/listened to every single book from Casey Sherman, he is one of my favorite authors. He is an amazing story teller and his voice doing narrations for this really sucks you in and makes you truly feel the emotions.
Casey is an amazing journalist and a great guy, I have known him since Bad Blood came out. He does the work and asks the questions before writing. His background as an investigative journalist really helps him write the truth, and get to the bottom of things. Casey never leaves any stones unturned.
This story about Nathan Carmen really had me questioning if he really commit the crimes they claim him to have of killing his grandfather John Chakalos and mother Linda Carmen. Nathan, being on the autism spectrum makes it hard to truly know if he had done what they claim. There truly was not enough evidence in either of the cases to convict. The Chakalos family had a lot of money causing a lot of tension and emotions within the family. His grandfather showered Nathan with money especially since he was the first born grandchild and was a male. This caused a lot of anger from his aunts because of John naming Nathan as heir to the family business.
We will never truly know who killed John Chakalos or Linda Carmen, but Casey really helps open your eyes to so many of the fine details that led up to these events. I highly recommend ALL of Casey’s book if you like true crime.
I did get to hear Casey talk about this in person at a book signing for the release which was amazing.

Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for the ALC audiobook. All opinions are my own.

I had not been aware of this case before seeing a blurb for this book and thought it sounded intriguing.
Nathan Carman is found floating in the sea, seven days after his fishing boat sinks. His mother remains missing, presumed dead. However, we discover that many people had witnessed odd behaviour from Nathan and that he would be in line to a substantial inheritance following the death of his mother.
Even more suspicious - Nathan’s wealthy grandfather had been murdered a few years previous, shot by a gun identical to one owned by Nathan.
Is he a cunning double murderer or a misunderstood neurodiverse man who finds himself in the middle of an extraordinary set of circumstances?
The background of the case was interesting but I did lose track of who was who in a couple of places, and there were dense areas of the family history that I struggled to get through. This lowered my overall rating to being an average read - there are better true crime mysteries out there but if, like me, you have read a lot of them then this might be a case you aren’t already familiar with.
I ‘read’ the audiobook, and the narrator was easy to listen to, no complaints in that area!
Thanks to Netgalley for a free audio ARC in return for a fair review.