Tangled Vines

Power, Privilege, and the Murdaugh Family Murders

By: John Glatt

Narrated by: Shaun Grindell

Among the tree-lined waterways of South Carolina low country, the Murdaugh name means power. A century-old, multimillion-dollar law practice has catapulted the family into incredible wealth and local celebrity—but it was an unimaginable tragedy that would thrust them into the national spotlight. On June 7th, 2021, prominent attorney Alex Murdaugh discovered the bodies of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, on the grounds of their thousand-acre hunting lodge. The mystery deepened only months later when Alex himself was shot in the head and left for dead on the side of the road.

But as authorities scrambled for clues and the community reeled from the loss and media attention, dark secrets about this Southern legal dynasty came to light. The Murdaughs, it turned out, were feared as much as they were loved. And they wouldn't hesitate to wield their influence to protect one of their own; two years before he was killed, a highly intoxicated Paul Murdaugh was at the helm of a boat when it crashed and killed a teenage girl, and his light treatment by police led to speculation that privilege had come into play. As bombshells of financial fraud were revealed and more suspicious deaths were linked to the Murdaughs, a new portrait of Alex Murdaugh emerged: a desperate man on the brink of ruin who would do anything, even plan his own death, to save his family's reputation.

©2023 John Glatt (P)2023 Tantor

Fascinating story. Terrible narrator.

I found it difficult to get past the narrator, with a British accent, reading a book about a South Carolina family dynasty that fell. Very poor choice and made it almost impossible for me to get through it. Too bad because it is a story that should be heard.

I finally stopped listening to this book when the account of what happened at the kennels varied greatly from the testimony in the trial

Great story lousy narrator

I found the story well written. It’s shocking how the family flaunted their wealth and did nothing to curb poor behavior. The narration of the book was awful. Hard to understand his words a lot of the time. A good read that shouldn’t be missed.

Not a favorite

I wanted to listen to this primarily to learn more about the case, and I did accomplish that. But I must add that it will not be one of my favorites, maybe because of the narration--didn't really connect with it. Maybe it is too soon after the event.

Excellent Book in all Respects

As someone who followed this case I have found this to be the most comprehensive record of the downfall of this dynasty. From a full history of the family to the outcome of the criminal trial, the full story is told. The narrator is excellent. I highly recommend this book.

Story of Double Murder Inconsistent with Crime Scene Reconstruction

Rich with a lot of detail unavailable in the other books, podcasts or documentaries, it’s certainly worth the listen. Interesting, however, that the account of the double murder in this books is inconsistent with the forensic crime scene reconstruction.