This is a great educational extension to anyone interested in this particular true crime case. There were a lot of holes left in the docuseries, so I appreciated all of the blanks this book filled as well as providing better context for what happened in the court room. Like many multi-individual true crime books, it was hard to keep track of people's names at times, but after a while I got used to it. The narrator was a good fit for this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the audio ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was a great read into the lives of a family on the verge of self destruction. At times in the beginning, it is hard to understand which family member the book is talking about because a lot of them have the same names. For one like me who was and is obsessed with this family's story, this is great to get started to learn about their lives.

𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨!

What a terrifying, disturbing and fascinating story, this book was so well researched that it was impossible to put down. For fans of true crime and police procedurals this is a great read.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this gifted copy.

𝗧𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗩𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 by John Glatt author released August 8, 2023.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

I appreciate the audiobook file, but I can't give this book a positive review. I've followed this case from the beginning and there were too many "facts" presented that were not correct or sourced. The narrator's English accent came across as rudeness for the actual dialect and accent of the region. All together, it seems like a rushed effort to cash in on the publicity of the moment. Certainly not up to John Glatt's past work.

I knew very little about this whole story going into this book, and while the book goes into great detail about a great many things, I am left with the feeling that I still know very little about this family and just HOW they got to be so influential, enough that they could literally kill people and have little to no worry about repercussions [until now]. What a bunch of entitled, snotty, obnoxious people; most of the story either had me rolling my eyes or yelling in frustration and while this is a good book filled with interesting history, it is also a very frustrating and often puzzling read [I feel that this was a bit rushed and could have been better if fleshed out more] - I have never been able to understand just what others see in people like this. I think that this is not the last that we have seen and heard about this family [in fact just this week, there was a news article about one of the key players], and I think that we will never know what truly happened and what the truth really is.

I was able to get an audiobook ARC for this and it was really helpful. I liked the narrator very much, though there were moments where he was almost over-excited or frantic in his telling of the story. He has a very good speaking voice though and really made the story flow and I appreciated that immensely. He didn't try to do voices of all the players [thankfully] and I am very grateful for that. I would absolutely listen to him again.

I was asked to read and review this book by the publishers [St. Martin's Press], and I thank them, John Glatt, Shaun Grindell - Narrator, RB Media, and NetGalley for both the ARC and the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, I am a huge fan of John Glatt and have enjoyed everything I have read from him. Second, as a true crime fan, I did follow the new reports and trail about the Murdaugh family. This book was interesting and well researched. It had a way of enthralling me in the story even with me knowing most of it already. I highly recommend reading this!

If you have any interest in the Murdaugh Family scandal, you will enjoy this book. Having watched the Netflix "Murdaugh Murders" docuseries, I felt there were so many questions left unanswered, and this book was great for filling in a lot of the gaps the docuseries left. I also enjoyed that the book delved even deeper into the family history. While this may not be pertinent to the current family's sordid scandals it does show the power that the Murdaugh name has held in South Caroline for several generations which can explain how the family was able to get away with so much.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting look at the Murdaugh family it goes back a little farther than some of the docs do and covered some of the same things the documentaries have covered. This book also covers the recent trial that weren't included in some of the docs I've seen. This family is so unbelievably privileged and such deep roots in the low country that they were able to get away with crime after crime. I myself will be curious if the one surviving family member Buster can keep out of legal trouble.

Narrated by Shaun Grindell, I will admit to being a bit thrown by the fact that they picked a British narrator for this book but he does a good job at conveying the details of this case.

This book was laid out well with the fact of the cases. I recommend this one for your true crime collection.

3 stars

I received this audiobook from the publisher Tantor Audio and NetGalley for a fair and honest review.

I really liked the story and have been interested in it since the beginning. John Glatt does not disappoint in terms of the research and the pacing. His work on true crime stories is among the best.
However, the audiobook does not match the story. I love a British accent, but it just does not work with a story about the old money South also, there are some awkward stops in some parts that sound like the book or chapter has ended. This production quality is not very good at all. I wanted much more from this. Hopefully, these production issues will be resolved before release.

A Riveting Unveiling of Dark Secrets - 4.5 Stars

"Tangled Vines: Power, Privilege, and the Murdaugh Family Murders" by John Glatt is an enthralling journey into a complex web of crimes, power, and entitlement that will grip and shock readers. As a dedicated follower of John Glatt's work, having enjoyed six of his previous books, I eagerly delved into this adventure, especially given my prior exposure to the Murdaugh case through podcasts and a Netflix special.

Glatt's signature lies in his thorough research and his ability to unravel intricate stories. In this book, he takes us back in time to the Murdaugh family's beginnings, tracing their rise to prominence in South Carolina. While the historical background is informative, it's worth mentioning that the initial chapters felt a bit long, as they extensively cover the family's history before introducing key characters like Alex and Paul.

"Tangled Vines" takes an interesting approach by not starting with the widely known Mallory Beach case, but by delving into Alex's financial wrongdoings. The portrayal of Alex preying on vulnerable community members is both heart-wrenching and infuriating. These stories set a somber tone for the rest of the book, revealing the moral decay of a man consumed by greed.

The book also sheds light on other mysterious events involving the Murdaugh family. The strange circumstances surrounding Gloria Setterfield's death and the curious motel estate purchase add to the intrigue. Glatt connects these dots skillfully, adding layers of mystery and raising unsettling questions about the family's actions.

The heart-wrenching center of the story is the tragic boat crash that took Mallory Beach's life and injured Paul's friends. "Tangled Vines" vividly portrays the devastating consequences of recklessness and parental neglect, a pivotal point leading to the unraveling of the Murdaugh legacy. The subsequent events, including the murders of Paul and Maggie, are meticulously detailed. Glatt effectively emphasizes the strong motive behind these heinous acts – an attempt to avoid the impending financial investigation that threatened to expose Alec's misdeeds.

The portrayal of Alec's alleged suicide attempt adds a layer of complexity. While some might see it as a plea for sympathy, others may sense a darker intention. Glatt navigates this complexity well, leaving readers room to ponder.

Throughout "Tangled Vines," Glatt skillfully weaves facts to connect seemingly unrelated events. Yet, I wished for more of Glatt's personal insights. A touch more of his commentary could have added depth to the narrative, offering a different perspective.

It's worth noting that I experienced "Tangled Vines" as an audiobook, narrated by Shaun Grindell and published by Tantor Audio, with a duration of 9 hours and 10 minutes. Grindell's narration brought an immersive quality to the story.

In conclusion, "Tangled Vines" is a compelling and well-researched journey into a family's dark past, with a captivating narrative. While the early historical background extended the beginning, Glatt's meticulous research and storytelling shine throughout. For its gripping depiction of a chilling story and its ability to connect seemingly unrelated incidents, I award "Tangled Vines: Power, Privilege, and the Murdaugh Family Murders" a solid 4.5 stars. My sincere thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Tantor Audio, for the opportunity to explore this thought-provoking work. Please note that all opinions expressed are solely my own.

This is an extremely comprehensive account of the Murdaughs and the privileges that come with the name in South Carolina. Those that followed the court case and watched the various specials on the family will find some new pieces of information, but this true crime book would be best for those that didn't follow the scandals as closely.

I read this by audio book and the content started off a bit dry, with so much family history dating back hundreds of years that I didn't really care for and didn't really add much to the story.

Once the history was finished, the story was very much along the lines of the Netflix documentary about the Murdaugh Family Murders. It didn't add much to it, went through the same various cases relating to the family and in a less engaging manner.

The last 10-15% seemed to have more information on the trial than what I recall having seen in the doco. That was done well, with good quotes and explanations on the trial itself (I could be wrong here and forgetting the end of the doco).

The narrator did a fine job - what I would expect from a true crime book.

All in all, if you like true crime and have not watched the Netflix documentary about this awful man, I'd recommend this audiobook. If you have seen the doco, I'd probably just give this one a miss.

I won't delve into the actual family and what I think of them, because it'll be an essay and a half and there are no words to describe how horrific things are and what people get away with in some of the U.S. States (from what I've heard).

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my advanced listening copy in exchange for my honest review.

I am an avid true crime reader, or better yet, listener...I love true crime podcasts and basically, 90% of my audiobooks are true crime. I like John Glatt's work and was excited when I saw this book being offered on NetGalley. The book is a little more than 9 hours but they flew by quickly. It covers the background of the Murdaugh Dynasty and starts 3-4 generations back detailing how they rose to have so much power and money, It mentions the legal problems they have along the way and of course, it focuses on the generations of Alex and his sons. The book is very detailed but not repetitive, and even though I like true crime I did not know much about this case so a lot of information was new to me. Alex is an even worst person than I thought he was. John Glatt did an amazing job covering this case and I look forward to hearing or reading more of his books in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for providing me with this audiobook in exchange of an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance audio copy of this book. Given the fact that this true crime is steeped in "Southern Gothic," a narrator with a British accent was very disconcerting. If one has followed the Murdaugh case, there is nothing new and/or relevatory in this book. Everything in the book has been countlessly rehashed in all the major media outlets. There were a couple of contradictions within the book; one being the author's "dramataization" of Maggie's being shot first, and Paul coming upon it, and then him being shot. The author states that in the first half of the title, but posits the prosecution proof that Alec, Maggie, and Paul were at the kennels and interacting before the shooting as evidenced by Paul's cell phone video. Unforutnately, this book feels cranked out too quickly after the in order to capitalize on the public's interest in this case.

I followed this case when it was in the news, and I was so excited to receive the audio version from Netgalley. First of all, I was thrown by the fact that the narrator was British. I'm not asking for a narrator with a Southern drawl, but how about a narrator with a generic American accent! As far as the story goes, I felt it was pretty bland. I think it could have been told in a much more entertaining way. There were no surprises in this book.

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 a 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 an advanced 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!

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.

What a completely messed up family. Glad the law finally caught up with at least one of them. Buster will now always live in a shadow of this.

I love true crime and Mr Glatt does it best. His writing is very pleasing. He gives details of the case that you won't hear on TV. He's amazing

I don't think anyone in the US didn't already know about the Murdaughs. And living in NC and working for attorneys, I had a pretty solid knowledge of this family and all they have done.

I felt this book gave a very accurate, detailed history of the Murdaughs. Their power. The family members. And all they got away with - until they didn't.

This family had generations of skirting the law when they saw fit. But the recent generations took it to a whole new level. Alex and his wife Maggie let their sons drink while underage, which led to Paul driving a boat drunk that crashed and ended up in the death of a teenage girl. Their housekeeper's mysterious death falling down the stairs at their home. Missing money from settlements of Alex's clients. And ending with the murder of Maggie and Paul at one of their properties, resulting in Alex's arrest for the same.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Tantor Audio for both an ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review.