64 pages 2 hours read

Valerie Bauerlein

The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty

Nonfiction | Biography | Adult | Published in 2024

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Essay Topics

1.

Bauerlein asserts that each Murdaugh generation is “the same but different” (96). How does she support this claim? In your response, consider her detailed sketches of the early generations of Murdaughs and of Alex and his sons.

2.

Unlike his family’s past cover-ups, Alex had to contend with modern technology as he tried to conceal his family’s crimes. How did digital evidence play a pivotal role in catching Alex, or conversely, how did modern technology hinder the investigations? In your response, focus on one of the following: Alex’s financial crimes, the boat crash cover-up, or the murder cover-up.

3.

What role does Bauerlein’s portrayal of Mark Tinsley play in illuminating the darker aspects of Alex’s personality?