Blink Book Review: “The Devil at His Elbow” by Valerie Bauerlein

By Reba Hull Campbell

Like many people, I decided to do no more reading about, listening to or watching anything about the Murdaugh case once the trial ended in March 2022. I had no interest in what podcasters, movies, tv series, books, blogs or news hounds had to say once the sentencing was over.

That was until I saw that Valerie Bauerlein had written a book about the trial. I’d crossed work paths with Valerie back in her early career when she worked at The State newspaper in Columbia. I continued to follow her writing through her Wall Street Journal work. I knew this book would not be the sensational, rumor-ridden, speculative narrative that so many writers, podcasters, movie producers and news people had resorted to post-trial.

I wasn’t disappointed. Valerie’s direct news writing style intersecting with the narrative skill of an empathetic storyteller makes this book engaging, interesting, easy to follow, and a pleasure to read.

One of my favorite sentences of the book comes on page 23 with the description of South Carolina heat in August:

“It was late August, the time of year when the heat was so baked into the asphalt that ladies wore flat shoes so their heels wouldn’t get stuck in the parking lot.”

There are more like this on every page.

Valerie’s focus on her research is part of what makes this account so different from others. She talked at her book signing event at All Good Books in Columbia about the fact checker she hired and the weeks of research she did herself. Her intent was to make sure not only the story chronology was accurate but also the family history and stories of others impacted were correct.

The vivid descriptions of the Lowcountry sketch a true picture of what Hampton County looks and feels like to a reader who may know nothing of the geography or history of the area. From the descriptions of the Hampton town square where the Murdough law firm building dominates to the narrow roads of backcountry routes the family passed daily, Valerie’s writing is a pleasure to read, even when the story turns dark.

Valerie’s account of going to Moselle was the most haunting section of the book. She served as the print pool reporter to cover the jurors’ visit to the crime scene. Valerie writes about this experience through a complex and multi-faceted lens as a seasoned reporter, a mama bear to her own two children and human with a broken heart over a tragic situation.

At All Good Books in Columbia with Avery Wilkes on 8.23.24

At Valerie’s book event in Columbia, she had the crowd in silent awe with her account of how her emotions surged as she stood in the exact spots where the murders happened. She did this without a hint of sensationalism or exploitation of the situation – both in the book and in person.

The only other book I’ve ever read with this same combination of beautiful writing was Jennifer Berry Hawes’ “Grace Will Lead Us Home,” an account of the Charleston church shootings in 2015. She and Valerie are both masters of that delicate balance only a few writers can achieve where the objective instincts of a reporter intersect with the empathetic heart of a storyteller. (Read my review of “Grace Will Lead Us Home.”)

And a couple of personal plugs. Go to All Good Books to buy the book in Columbia or order it online through them. And Valerie’s podcast interview on Bourbon in the Backroom is worth a listen too.

Back in 2022, Reba set out to get off the screens and back to books for the summer. Her accountability was writing short Blink Book Reviews (so short you can read them in a blink). Join her Blink Book Review Facebook group to follow along for the ongoing series.