Blood in the Water tells the story of Nathan Carman and the mysterious deaths of two people close to him - his mother and grandfather- years apart. When young Nathan is rescued floating in a life raft after his fishing boat sank, it sets off an investigation and national notoriety when the circumstances of his rescue are examined more closely, and reveals that his mother was on the fishing boat as well. Despite a widespread search, his mother was never found, and when police look more deeply into Nathan, they discover that his multimillionaire grandfather was murdered years earlier, with Nathan as a person of interest. The author does a superb job laying out the facts of the story, and letting the reader decide for themselves Nathan’s guilt or innocence, and he doesn’t inject his own opinions into the case. This leaves the reader with an objective and comprehensive narrative of the investigations into the deaths, culled from police reports, court testimony, etc. This is a fascinating story, and the book moves quickly and will hold your interest. A must read for true crime aficionados. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

Nathan Carman, is a lonely man on the Autism spectrum who stands accused of two family murders. His grandfather having been shot in his bed and his mother gone without a trace when her son’s boat sinks on a poorly planned fishing trip . Between 2013 and 2024 Nathan went through a harrowing public legal battle to declare his innocence to his family, insurance agencies, and the police.

Before reading this book I hadn’t heard of this case, which shocked me. John Chakalos was a pillar of his northeast community. His daughter, Linda Carman was a kind, divorced mother of a child with Asperger’s (now Autism Spectrum Disorder). These two would be the ideal victims to be plastered in headlines, especially with the surviving sisters fighting to make sure the killer is found.

Sherman does a great job of subtly highlighting the blunders that the police made throughout their investigations. By the end of the book I was left wondering how between several police agencies, private insurance investigators, and the Coast Guard there was still no real answer on who murdered John Chakalos and what happened to Linda while on her son’s boat. We’re left to decide for ourselves if Nathan was guilty or not guilty.

At times I felt like I was being bogged down by legal and maritime jargon. It took me out of the story. While Sherman lets the reader decide if Nathan was guilty or not, that felt like a coincidence. At some points he really harps on Nathan’s ASD and other times he makes sure to mention that people saw him as cold, creepy, or untrustworthy. He does this without taking the time to give a small explanation of what Asperger’s is or how that might change his demeanor.

Overall, this being my first Sherman read I would happily pick up another.

I took about a week to get through this book. I had a bid of a harder time to get through this than most books because my attention would leave. However I had never heard of this case so that was pretty cool to read about. I don’t want to spoil but it wasn’t what though. I would have given 5 stars but it was dry at points.

This is a wildly mysterious case in which the suspect’s wealthy grandfather and then mother die under suspicious circumstances. Is it just a coincidence or did Nathan Carman kill both close family members for money? They were the two people who were closest to him in the world, and he had virtually no other friends besides them. Nathan was on the autism spectrum and avoided getting close to most people. A twisted case with a surprise ending.

Much to my husband’s puzzlement, I am a big fan of true crime. I listen to podcasts, watch TV shows like Dateline and 48 hours, and read true crime books (another great thing about reading on a device rather than a printed book: you don’t have to cover up odd titles or gruesome pictures!). So when there is a wealthy family with multiple murders, it’s likely I have at least HEARD of the story/family/case. When I read that Casey Sherman, author of Helltown and A Murder in Hollywood, had a new book about Nathan Carman,my initial reactions were “Oh, good!” and “Who is Nathan Carman?” As I read further, I was eager to read it, and thanks to Sourcebooks and NetGalley, I received a copy of Blood In The Water in exchange for my honest review.
The story opens with the miraculous rescue of Nathan Carman as he is found floating on a lifeboat in the North Atlantic. His story is that he and his mother were fishing in their boat, the boat sank, and despite his efforts to find her, his mother had disappeared and apparently drowned, leaving no trace. A WEEK EARLIER. Funny thing, Nathan is in incredibly good shape for having (allegedly) been on a lifeboat in the North Atlantic for an entire week. So, no surprise, both his family members and law enforcement have questions. MANY questions.
Their questions only multiply when they consider the mysterious murder of Nathan’s multi-millionaire grandfather just a few years back. Nathan's mother was extremely wealthy as a result, and now it looks like Nathan is in line to inherit at least seven million dollars. It turns out Nathan’s grandfather was killed with the same kind of gun he bought just a month earlier, and he left a huge chunk of his wealth to Nathan’s mother, along with leaving $500,000 to Nathan. Nathan lived well for a few years,, not working (or really doing anything productive), but he eventually started to run out of money…so, he took her out on their fishing boat, along with a life boat and supplies adequate for himself for a week…hmmm.
It’s an incredible story, and I am not surprised to read that Netflix is making it into a movie (or series, not sure which). Like I said, I read a lot of true crime. Much of it is not that well written, but Mr. Sherman writes very well and clearly does his research. I enjoyed it! Four stars.

I hadn't heard of this case or this family before now, but this was WILD. A large, chaotic, and traditionally patriarchal family with tons of newish generational wealth combusts when the next heir to the family business allegedly *jumps the gun* in order to get his inheritance.

The end of this book was a gut-punch. I won't elaborate for anyone that also isn't familiar with this case, but wow.

Three stars for this true crime/family drama.

Nathan Carman, a disaffected loner is connected to, not one, but two murders within his own family. Like, it’s the holidays and all, so I kind of see it, but really? One is hard enough to hide. Trust me, I’ve done the math on this.

First Nathan’s wealthy grandfather is shot to death n his home. Then Nathan is pulled from the sea in a dramatic rescue and claims that the boat where he and his mother were fishing suddenly sank and he was the sole survivor. Of course there’s a great deal of money at stake. Is Nathan, who is on the autism spectrum, making him difficult to communicate with, guilty?

Well, my friends, of course he is! This is really never in doubt…are you new? Nathan isn’t even a very good criminal but this is yet another story that shows just how hard it can be to convict someone of murder when even the proverbial blind man blah, blah, blah. While this is interesting true crime Nathan really is a sad sack, and you really want to see him pay.

read if you like:
📚 non-fiction
👮‍♂️ true crime
🙋🏻‍♂️ little covered stories

summary:
I can’t believe I live in New England, love true crime and never actually knew this story. The book follows Nathan Carman, a young man found floating on a raft off the coast of Rhode Island, who claims his boat sank and his mother is missing. As questions loom about his story, the author takes us back to his childhood, as the grandson of an extremely wealthy man living in Connecticut. When his grandfather suspiciously passes away, all eyes are on Nathan and his mother, and while they avoid suspicion at the time, Nathan’s Atlantic rescue reopens the investigation around who he really is and what he’s done.

This book moves quickly at first, sharing the details of his rescue and then flipping back to his childhood. However, the latter half of the book moves a little bit slower, going into detail about the investigation and trial of Nathan’s multiple crimes. If you love a criminal procedural, or like understanding the detail behind state-specific criminal charges, this book is a fascinating look at a man’s escape from accountability. I would love to hear a podcast about this story — if anyone knows of one, let me know!

Thanks to SOURCEBOOKS and NetGalley for the advanced copy! Check this book out when it releases on April 8!

A good true crime book that is well researched. I have read about this case before but this took a deep dive into it. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this free eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was an exciting and thrilling read, I couldn't put it down. The author was exceptional at getting and holding my attention., This true crime story was written in a manner that makes the reader stay engaged. The author was also great at presenting all the information to the reader, allowing me to follow along with the writer easily. mI would highly recommend this book to fellow true crime lovers.

This was an excellent, "just-the-facts ma'am," recounting of the mystery surrounding Nathan Carman and the deaths of his grandfather and mother and is exactly what I was looking for. Sherman doesn't insert himself into the narrative like so many true crime authors do these days and simply lays out the facts so that the reader can draw his or her own conclusions (and for those curious about his opinion, he shares that in the book's afterword).

Casey Sherman does a great job in writing this type of book, it had that research element that I was looking for and had that true crime element that I wanted. I thought it was respectful and written well.

A very interesting exploration of a shocking true crime case. Keeps you thinking.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/215057204

I had never heard of this case before and it was so intriguing. I couldn't put this book down. The writing was superb and there was a lot of well researched information. There was some very interesting people involved in this case, namely Nathan, his grandfather, and his mother. This case will leave you thinking and disturbed about what did or did not happen in that life raft.

Blood in the Water by Casey Sherman is a gripping true-crime account that chronicles the harrowing events surrounding the 1975 murder of a young woman in a small Massachusetts town. Sherman expertly weaves together the investigation, trial, and personal stories of those affected by the crime, creating a fast-paced narrative filled with tension and emotional depth. The book highlights the complexities of the justice system, the media's role in sensationalizing crime, and the long-lasting impact of tragedy on a community. Sherman’s meticulous research and compelling storytelling make Blood in the Water a powerful, chilling read for true-crime enthusiasts and anyone fascinated by the darker side of human nature.

Since I had just finished another true crime book this week, I only intended to read a chapter or two of this one this weekend. Well, it didn’t work out that way. I started reading it yesterday afternoon and finished reading it last night. Author Casey Sherman looks at an intriguing case that is not well known to most individuals who don’t live in New England. Did Nathan Carman kill his grandfather and mother?

Nathan’s grandfather John Chakalos was a very wealthy man who owned nursing homes. He freely gave money to his four daughters and grandson Nathan, but it appears, according to this book, some family members never thought it was enough. There was jealousy, too, that Mr. Chakalos favored Nathan since he was the first-born grandson. He saw Nathan as being his most important heir, the person who would run the business after he was gone.

How realistic was that wish? Nathan had Asperger’s Syndrome, had trouble communicating with others, and had a troubled relationship with his mother. (His parents were divorced.) He was good at teaching himself new things, though, and was very close to his grandfather. Nathan also considered his mother his best friend, but that obviously was one of those love-hate relationships between an only son and a dominating mother. Could he have possibly killed the only two individuals who spent time with him and cared so much about him?

It’s two complicated murder cases, to say the least. Others had animosity toward John Chakalos, including a family member who asked his groundskeeper if she could kill him and make it look like a hunting accident! She did not take the request seriously until he was shot to death in his own bed. In addition, he had a young “mistress” he did kinky things with, and, as she told it, it was nothing but a paying job to her. Did someone she know, such as an angry boyfriend, kill her elderly client? Plus, it's easy to imagine Nathan's grandfather telling him he needed to have a sex life with someone like her, if not her, and that caused Nathan great emotional turmoil. Enough turmoil to murder the old man? No arrests were made.

It’s two complicated murder cases, to say the least. Others had animosity toward John Chakalos, including a family member who asked his groundskeeper if she could kill him and make it look like a hunting accident! She did not take the request seriously until he was shot to death in his own bed. In addition, he had a young “mistress” he did kinky things with, and, as she told it, it was nothing but a paying job to her. Did someone she know, such as an angry boyfriend, kill her elderly client? Plus, it's not hard to imagine Nathan's grandfather telling him he needed to have a sex life with someone like her, if not her, and that caused Nathan great emotional turmoil. Enough turmoil to murder the old man? No arrests were made.

The death of Nathan’s mother Linda Carman reopened that case, though, because she had gone fishing with Nathan in his boat one night and he claimed the boat sank, as did his mother. The kicker was he was picked up in a life raft seven days later in such good physical shape, that the Coast Guard and others said he could not possibly have been in a life raft for a week! If not, where was he? Where was his mother? Were the two deaths crimes of hatred or greed or two incidents that left Nathan falsely accused of murder? What happened in Nathan’s jail cell and why?

Twisted story. Great true crime.
Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

I had never heard about this true crime before: Blood in the Water by Casey Sherman dives deep into the twisted case of Nathan Carman, a young man with a turbulent past who survived being lost at sea for a week. But the real mystery starts when questions arise about the fate of his mother, who is presumed drowned after their fishing boat sank. Nathan’s miraculous survival, paired with his seemingly perfect condition, stirs suspicion—not just about his mother’s disappearance but also the unsolved murder of his wealthy grandfather.

Sherman skillfully unravels a narrative that raises more questions than it answers. With millions of dollars at stake, the family’s deep-rooted conflicts come to light, pushing readers to wonder if Nathan was behind these tragedies or if there’s something more sinister lurking beneath the surface. This book is a captivating read for those who love true crime filled with family drama, high stakes, and unsettling questions about trust and betrayal.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the opportunity to read and review Blood in the Water prior to publication.

This book had me turning the page faster then probably needed lol I enjoyed digging into this one a lot! Murder, mayhem, a fishing trip gone wrong? Welp guess you’ll have to dive in to see what happens next!

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️