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Blood on Their Hands: Murder, Corruption, and the Fall of the Murdaugh Dynasty by Mandy Matney
nikkidactyl's review against another edition
dark
informative
tense
slow-paced
4.0
Part investigative journalism, part memoir, this is a great story by Mandy Matney, a reporter who covered the Murdaugh family from the early days. Her story as a woman journalist in South Carolina is revealing about the power structure in SC that allowed a family like the Murdaughs to remain untouchable by law enforcement for generations, while embezzling and 🔪 to live the life they thought they were owed. Read by the author. Def recommend for the true crime fam 📚
retiredjourno15's review
1.0
As a retired journalist, it was really difficult to listen to the author speak as if she was infallible in every aspect of storytelling. I was hoping to get a complete story of the Murdaugh case, however, it was an entitlement piece about how every other reporter to tell the story was incompetent and unworthy. I only gave it a star because it mentioned some nuisances about the case that I didn’t know.
sweetcaroline76's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
lauren_lovestoread's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
Excellent and engaging, as well as super informative writing. I love how honest and unapologetic Mandy Matney is, both in her reporting and in sharing her personal experiences as a female journalist. Highly recommend!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Murder
barelyconcealed's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
0.75
This is quite bad.
The only reason I think I managed through this was because I was waiting for a few other audiobooks to come in through Libby and I needed something to fill my long commute home. This was very nearly a DNF, for a few big reasons.
I am not familiar with the podcast that Matney runs based on this subject. I am familiar with the subject matter. The Murdaugh case - famous among true crime watchers - is already kind of a messy case to begin with, but Matney makes the inspired choice to (between confusing elements of a confused story) to constantly and readily insert herself. Not Gonzo style - that might have been interesting - but instead in near grotesque jumps to personal, unrelated anecdotes.
I'm not sure who wanted a book based on the least interesting perspective in the room during the investigation and prosecution of an accidental death, double homicide and extensive fraud but I guess if you wanted that perspective, here it is. Matney inserts her own story alongside the narrative in the kind of podcaster-white-knight caricature that I've come to expect (for another case study, see Payne Lindsey); this wouldn't have been solved without Matney. Matney is a key point along which this entire case pivots.
There is more time spent in this book on the trip that Matney takes with her fiance to Jamaica than on the trial itself. For a double homicide. I exit this book knowing more about Matney and every time that she's been personally and professionally slighted than about any other figure in this story and this is supposedly about the Murdaugh case.
In ways that I can't quite articulate there's something very white feminism about this book; repeatedly Matney will bring up this story and relate it to the regional plight of people of color, but barely talks about the non-white victims of this case, she tells a very strange story about a Jamaican souvenir vendor that only just avoids pastoral stereotypes, and talks a lot in the slang of the girlboss - Murdaugh isn't lying, he's gaslighting. People can't disagree with her unless they're a part of the good ole boys club. It's just exhausting and narratively unfounded. I'm not saying that the men in her life aren't ignoring her concerns because she's a woman, I'm saying that she doesn't establish that that is why.
Unless you're a fan of Matney, I see absolutely no reason to read this book.
The only reason I think I managed through this was because I was waiting for a few other audiobooks to come in through Libby and I needed something to fill my long commute home. This was very nearly a DNF, for a few big reasons.
I am not familiar with the podcast that Matney runs based on this subject. I am familiar with the subject matter. The Murdaugh case - famous among true crime watchers - is already kind of a messy case to begin with, but Matney makes the inspired choice to (between confusing elements of a confused story) to constantly and readily insert herself. Not Gonzo style - that might have been interesting - but instead in near grotesque jumps to personal, unrelated anecdotes.
I'm not sure who wanted a book based on the least interesting perspective in the room during the investigation and prosecution of an accidental death, double homicide and extensive fraud but I guess if you wanted that perspective, here it is. Matney inserts her own story alongside the narrative in the kind of podcaster-white-knight caricature that I've come to expect (for another case study, see Payne Lindsey); this wouldn't have been solved without Matney. Matney is a key point along which this entire case pivots.
There is more time spent in this book on the trip that Matney takes with her fiance to Jamaica than on the trial itself. For a double homicide. I exit this book knowing more about Matney and every time that she's been personally and professionally slighted than about any other figure in this story and this is supposedly about the Murdaugh case.
In ways that I can't quite articulate there's something very white feminism about this book; repeatedly Matney will bring up this story and relate it to the regional plight of people of color, but barely talks about the non-white victims of this case, she tells a very strange story about a Jamaican souvenir vendor that only just avoids pastoral stereotypes, and talks a lot in the slang of the girlboss - Murdaugh isn't lying, he's gaslighting. People can't disagree with her unless they're a part of the good ole boys club. It's just exhausting and narratively unfounded. I'm not saying that the men in her life aren't ignoring her concerns because she's a woman, I'm saying that she doesn't establish that that is why.
Unless you're a fan of Matney, I see absolutely no reason to read this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
armiel's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.25
A very interesting book. It is my first time reading a "true crime" related memoir, and I enjoyed it. I never found myself being bored; on the contrary, I could not put the book down. I felt like the book was handled with care and understanding when writing about such delicate cases that affect people's lives.
Lastly I really appreciated the reflexion and hopeful note the ended with.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gaslighting
Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Car accident, and Murder