Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read this advanced copy. John Glatt always writes amazing true crime novels. He gets you all the info you want to know. I loved learning every last detail about the Murdaugh dynasty and family. What a tangled vine it is! Amazing how the community can love a family so much and think they are wonderful, while at the same time this family is stealing from the poor, right behind their back.

Alex Murdaugh is a perfect example of deceptions and misdeeds leading to increasingly more corruption and ultimately to murder. The author spent a lot of time reviewing the history of the Murdaugh family and their influence in South Carolina's low country. It is no surprise that Alex fell prey to a corrupt lifestyle. I always appreciate the way John Glatt presents the background and timeline in his true crime narratives. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy to read and review.

This true crime did not disappoint! You can feel like a true detective because you can take notes on all that has happened within this family! Buckle up and enjoy!

I watched the Netflix documentary and thought I knew what had gone down with the Murdaughs and was not sure what else I could learn from this book. However, I am a fan of John Glatt’s work and so I was looking forward to this and he did not disappoint. A lot of this was already known, however I liked the spin that he took in providing the history of the family and their rise, not just their downfall. It helped provide some context as to how deep their roots and pockets went, as well as how certain family members could have gotten away with so much. Like I said, I did not learn a whole lot more about the tragic events themselves but they were still harrowing to read about vs. watch via a documentary, and all I can say is it is WILD how things were allowed to progress as far as they did, and extremely sad how so many unsuspecting folks trusted them with everything and got screwed. I definitely recommend this one if you are a true crime fan.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital copy to review.

This story is so insane if it was fictional we would not buy into it. I had no idea so much corruption was involved in this family for so long. This case is truly insane.

John Glatt is one of my favorite true crime authors for the amount of investigation and credibility he brings to his writing. He does it in an artful way that you get lost in the story line and aren’t overwhelmed with all the facts and details that need to be included to fully understand what is unfolding in a retelling based on evidence.

Really well researched timeline of the Murdaugh cases that had lots of tidbits that I have never heard after feeling like I watched everything related to the case. Very well done, especially the bits about the Murdaugh dynasty and how they made their money. They've always skirted the law but at least were able to hide it well, unlike Alex.

I thought I knew a lot about the Murdaugh story, but of course prolific true crime author John Glatt digs deep to reveal details many have never heard. Tangled Vines iss a page-turner with jaw dropping moments from start to finish, and I found myself reading parts out loud to my husband because I was shocked over and over again. He and I have seen pretty much every documentary out there about Paul Murdaugh's irresponsible drunken rage boat driving that resulted in the tragic accidental death of Mallory Beach, and the subsequent horrific murders of Paul and his mother, Maggie, at the hands of his father, lawyer Alex Murdaugh. But it all paled in comparison to John Glatt's investigation into the rise and fall of one of South Carolina's most prolific family dynasties. Glatt has a knack for sharing details without overwhelming readers, cutting right to the point instead of wasting prose. Not only did I learn so much through his investigative work, but it was also riveting page after page. The only negative is that it end prior to Alex's murder trial -- maybe we can convince Glatt to write about the trial, too??? I don't know if it'll ever not seem insensitive to recommend a true crime book, but for what it's worth, I highly recommend this one.

**Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.**

really good book about the murdaugh family and how corrupt the family was and how much power the family had over certain situations and it all came crumbling down by his son and his accident and the murder of his son and wife. really good book .

Tangled Vines is the sad tale of the downfall of an iconic Southern family, culminating in a senseless murder. The Murdaugh family had lorded over the judicial system in South Carolina’s Lowcountry for generations. Their influence stretched across all political factions and permeated any criminal or civil proceeding in their jurisdiction, Author John Glatt once again does an excellent job of chronicling this true-crime saga, using interviews, court transcripts, police reports, etc., to help the reader navigate the maze of crimes committed by Alec Murdaugh, as well as the events that led up to his crimes, and ultimately the murders of his wife and youngest son. Regardless of how familiar you think you may be with this story that garnered national attention, this is a must-read, as this story has so many threads, all pulled nicely together in this book.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I don't usually read true crime but after watching the Alex Murdaugh's trail and listening to several podcast I was hoping to get more insight into who Alex Murdaugh waas and why would he do such a horrible thing or actually several things. From stealing from people who came to him for help to killing his wife and son. What kind of man could do this? This book takes you back to the beginning to the first Murdaugh which was Alex's great-great-great grandfather. You may wonder why but all this past history shows just how the Murdaugh's came to be powerful figures in Hampton and surrounding counties in South Carolina. However, Alex brought down years of Murdaugh's making money from other people's misery and all the iilegal stuff they may have been invovled in. This book tells about all the crazy things the Murdaugh's would do in court and how they let their status whinin the court system intimidate the small town of Hampton.
Tangles Vines tells all about Alex and the Murdaugh family but it stops right before the court case. So if you want to know about The Murdaugh Family and how they came to be this is the book you need. (Please know this book doesn't have anything about the trial).

It seemed for awhile that the Murdaugh family WAS the nightly news. Each day brought new tidbits to keep the public coming back for more, but the back story of the family and their tight hold on the communities in which they lived, worked and played was never played out for public view. John Glatt gives us a deep dive into the dynasty that the Murdaughs assumed would live on forever. But evil will out itself. The disdain with which anyone named Murdaugh viewed those not of their family became more apparent with every page. The story is so much more surprising because it is true. A really great reading experience that I would recommend to everyone who loves true crime or the drama you usually only find in fiction.

This is a fascinating, chilling look at the Murdaugh family and the various crimes that they have been involved in. Glatt has clearly done a ton of research, and first lays out the history of the extremely powerful and influential Murdaugh family, particularly their role in the judicial system.

This then leads into a highly detailed account of their crimes, from stealing money to a deadly boat accident, to a death they are suspected of being involved in, to a fall that may not be so accidental.

This is still an ongoing investigation, and Glatt capitalizes on this perfectly, providing the information people want to know in a well-written format. I would recommend this book.

Tangled Vines covers the infamous Murdaugh Family and the incredible hubris and entitlement of the whole family. At its core, Alex Murdaugh was the worst of the worst -- a narcissistic sociopath who lacked empathy or caring about anyone else and would resort to stealing and murder of his own family if any one got in his way. But the family is also to blame (his grandfather, father, wife, etc.) for enabling and encouraging this sense of entitlement. The leaders in the legal community also are to blame for allowing the unchecked power grab by this family. At one point, the author compares it to a Shakespearean-like tragedy but even in Shakespeare plays, I sometimes feel some sympathy or understanding for the villains. I don't have any sympathy for this family or others who enabled their behaviors and lifestyles. They all got something out of being complacent and I am just happy justice is finally being served against this "untouchable" family. This book helped fill in some of the background I was not aware of so I recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC and I left this review voluntarily.

This book was decently written, but it also felt like it was rushed to market without a real conclusion. I mean, the murder trial was just resolved in March, so of course none of it is here. So basically, you get all the backstory without any of the payoff.

One thing that did make me happy was the thought that if Alex Murdaugh could finally be arrested and have around 90 charges against him, then it’s still possible that the chargers against Trump will actually stick.

Not too long ago, the Murdaugh Murders captivated an entire nation. It did not start with just a murder though - there is a darker past, and much more hidden behind the Murdaugh name.

Author John Glatt takes the reader through a fantastic journey of money, power, greed, and political clout in the deep south. This family was the southern Kennedy family - a family that would not let anything stand in their way. Maintaining their hold on power through law, the Murdaugh clan learned to wield not only political clout, but also building an wall that outsiders could not easily puncture.

Fantastic, and full of great information - this was so very hard to put down. I had both an advanced reader copy and advance audio edition, and both allowed me to constantly continue the journey through this dynastic family.
Hold onto your seat - this ride is one that you will not soon forget!

This gave so much back story on the Murdaugh family and it's hard to believe they got away with everything they did throughout all these years. Sad it got to this point and ended the way it did. **Small personal note, I almost said forget it to reading this after about the 7th use of 'gregarious' in the span of about 40 pages. There had to be a better word to use then that one over and over at the beginning.** It is extremely well researched and covers all the 'vines' of the family, it's unreal all the things in their lives they were able to cover up and do. It kept you reading simply to see what else the family had gotten into and done.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

John Glatt has made a name for himself by delivering best selling true crime novels. He doesn't disappoint with his latest undertaking of the Murdaugh case. Engaging and interesting, this complex case is well written and intriguing. Perfect for lovers of true crime.

This is my first time reading a John Glatt true crime novel and it was very interesting how he weaves facts and narratives. Glatt really shows this family's historical rise to power and the lengths they would take to keep up local reputation and notoriety. My mother's side of the family is from Estill, SC next to Hampton and I've attended a many Watermelon Festival so it was eerie to read about places and names I've absentmindedly seen throughout my life. I would recommend this novel and John Glatt as an author.

Like most of the country, I was captivated with the Alex Murdaugh case and subsequent trial. I felt like there was more information out there that I wanted to know and this book really pulled all of the pieces together for me. Glatt did an excellent job of laying it all out there and including facts we didn’t know before. A master of his craft!

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Tantor Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the new true crime book by John Glatt, narrated by Shaun Grindell - 4 stars!

This is the story of the Murdaugh family and its hold on the South Carolina low country where they lived and worked for centuries. But the story really took off when prominent attorney Alex Murdaugh discovered the bodies of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, on the grounds of their lodge. Then months later, Alex himself was discovered shot in the head on a local roadside. It's also the story of all the corruption this family was involved with, stealing their clients' settlements, making their own bad behaviors go away, and even covering up murders.

While this story has been in the headlines over the last couple years, this book really covered all the gifts and privileges this one family enjoyed for a century, and all the ways they abused that power. It's shameful to know how many people this family had in their pockets and the power they wielded to allow their own bad behavior to go unpunished. A must read for true crime buffs! My only issue was that it was a little strange to listen to the audiotape narrated by a British voice when the subject matter was a deep southern family. He did a great job; I just feel his voice wasn't the right one for this book.