The Devil at His Elbow

Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty

De: Valerie Bauerlein

Narrado por: Maggi-Meg Reed, Valerie Bauerlein

Power, privilege, and blood—this is the definitive and thrilling true story of Alex Murdaugh’s violent downfall, from a veteran Wall Street Journal reporter who has become an authority on the case.

Alex Murdaugh was a benevolent dictator—the president of the South Carolina trial lawyers’ association, a political boss, a part-time prosecutor, and a partner in his family’s law firm. He was always ready with a favor, a drink, and an invitation to Moselle, his family’s 1,700-acre hunting estate. The Murdaugh name ignited respect—and fear—for a hundred miles.

When he murdered his wife, Maggie, and son Paul at Moselle on a dark summer night, the fragile façade of Alex’s world could no longer hold. His forefathers had covered up a midnight suicide at a remote railroad crossing, a bootlegging ring run from a courthouse, and the attempted murder of a pregnant lover. Alex, too, almost walked away from his unspeakable crimes with his reputation intact, but his downfall was secured by a twist of fate, some stray mistakes, and a fateful decision by an old friend who’d finally seen enough.

Why would a man who had everything kill his wife and grown son? To unwind the roots of Alex’s ruin, award-winning journalist Valerie Bauerlein reported not just from the courthouse every day but also along the backroads and through the tidal marshes of South Carolina’s Lowcountry. When the jurors made their pilgrimage to the crime scene, trying to envision Maggie and Paul’s last moments, she walked right behind them, sensing the ghosts that haunt the Murdaughs’ now-shattered legacy.

Through masterful research and cinematic writing, The Devil at His Elbow is a transporting journey through Alex’s life, the night of the murders, and the investigation that culminated in a trial that held tens of millions spellbound. With her stunning insights and fearless instinct for the truth, Bauerlein uncovers layers of the Murdaugh murder case that have not been told.

* This audiobook edition includes a downloadable PDF with a list of major characters, a map, and acknowledgments from the book.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2024 Valerie Bauerlein (P)2024 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“A memorable—and often chilling—account of tangled webs, addled minds, and the evil that men do . . . Bauerlein’s gracefully written, thoughtful treatment is by far the best… in the Murdaugh sweepstakes.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"When Truman Capote wrote In Cold Blood, he had the story of the Clutter slayings all to himself. With The Devil at His Elbow, Valerie Bauerlein has achieved something far more difficult journalistically: Despite wall-to-wall media coverage, she’s managed to produce the definitive account of the Murdaugh murders. Forget the podcasts, the TV specials, and the documentaries—this is the version of the story you’ll want to read. And once you pick it up, you won’t be able to put it down.”—John Carreyrou, Pulitzer Prize–winner and bestselling author of Bad Blood

“With The Devil at His Elbow, Valerie Bauerlein delivers a riveting story that explores the abuse of power and the human heart of darkness. This is an electrifying, horrifying tale, expertly reported and written.”—Jonathan Eig, author of the Pulitzer Prize–winning King: A Life

So good I listened twice!

This story has been dissected and analyzed ad nauseam through countless podcasts, network news stories, documentaries, shorts, reels etc. If you don’t know the name Murdaugh, start with this book. Beautifully written and narrated. So good, as soon as I finished the Epilogue, I immediately started Chapter 1 again.

Engaging non-fiction, told well

I’ve never read a true crime book before and am not one for non-fiction. This has been recommended to me & I decided to preview it. I was immediately struck by how engaging it was, and how the narrator reminded me of a fairytale being read. It was the perfect voice for this story & I was hooked every time I started listening.

Excellently Written

I’ve followed, researched and dug for all sorts of facts, information and past history of the Murdaugh family. I must say the author is spot on with all her information. Highly recommend!

Description of evil

I live in the low country a few miles from this crime. I watched it on T V every day, however now that it’s all said and done the author was able to bring out things they could never mention while the trial was ongoing. A true narcissist of the worst kind & the most evil and corrupt person I’ve ever heard of. Living across the river in Savannah I thought I already knew it all but , I didn’t have clue. Well written and factual. Great read

Insightful & eye opening

This author did a great job on the history and context to the entire story of the Murdaugh family. Of all the stories out there, this one is by far the best. Thanks for sharing!

The writing and research are excellent

I am floored-this was extensively researched and the writing style is equally impressive. I cannot imagine a better book of this trial and this family than this one. Five stars. AWESOME.

Outstanding Account

I thought there was nothing left to learn about this case, and I was wrong! Book thoroughly researched and I appreciated how she gave context around the family and crimes.

Finally, the full story.

For anyone who has followed this case from afar has always been left with many unanswered questions. This book answers them. This is the most comprehensive history of the Murdaugh case, family and community. Thorough and compelling, a literary work worthy of aclaim.

My honest Review

I love to read stories like this perhaps because I have a graduate degree in psychology. Therefore, I love to study human behavior. My review is that I was really impressed with this author and will definitely look for more of her books. Great story telling. Excellent attention to the details of the family from various perspectives i.e. psychological and family dynamics. Great descriptions of the pathology and character of various people. In addition, the narrator was excellent! I will be looking for more of her work as well.

Lying Liar

Excellent, engaging saga of a psychopath. The fathers in this family dynasty created several horrible sons, full of hubris, entitlement, and a complete lack of responsibility & accountability. Beware of the good old boys!