Publishers Weekly
02/03/2025
Bestseller Sherman (A Murder in Hollywood) delivers a riveting true crime tale about a tragic fishing trip, a bitter legal fight among members of a wealthy New England family, and the years of police work required to unravel a murder—or was it two? From the moment a Chinese cargo ship picked up a stranded Nathan Carman, 22, off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard in September 2016, Carman’s story began to unravel. Though he claimed his fishing boat had sunk with his mother onboard, the autistic young man hardly seemed to his rescuers like he had been adrift on a lifeboat for seven days. After Carman was brought to shore, his insurance company refused to pay out for the boat, which, along with his mother’s body, was never found. Carman’s aunts accused him of murdering his mother over a multimillion-dollar inheritance—a theory given weight by Carman’s possible involvement in the murder of his grandfather three years earlier. Sherman relishes the story’s operatic qualities and paces the narrative like a thriller, managing to compensate for the loose ends left by Carman’s 2023 death in police custody. It’s a chilling examination of money’s corrosive power. Photos. Agent: Peter Steinberg, UTA. (Apr.)
From the Publisher
"Bestseller [Casey] Sherman delivers a riveting true crime tale." — Publishers Weekly
"What I most admire about Casey Sherman is that he’s more than a writer. He’s also an outstanding investigative journalist, and he uses these skills to great effect in bringing this mind-boggling case to life. Blood in the Water is a twisty true crime narrative of greed, suspicion, and revenge, taking us from the high seas to the mansion of an enormously wealthy family. Compelling and cinematic, it keeps you guessing about the complicated family at the heart of this saga until the very last page. And it shows us that no matter how sophisticated our technology becomes, we can never have all the answers about what happens behind closed doors." — Shawn Cohen, New York Times bestselling author of College Girl, Missing
"Blood in the Water is utterly immersive. Casey Sherman is a master true crime storyteller. Like always, he brings characters to life which makes it hard to tear yourself away from the page!" — Zibby Owens, host of Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books, best-selling author of Blank
"Casey Sherman’s Blood in the Water is a riveting dive into a chilling true crime. With his trademark storytelling—an unparallelled depth and detail of research blended with a journalist's keen eye for how the truth really is stranger than fiction, Sherman exposes the dark undercurrents of money, betrayal, and deadly secrets. Seamlessly navigating between the many real-life characters that found themselves tangled up in this shocking true story, Sherman weaves a compelling and compulsively bingeworthy tale. From the first wave of suspicion to the final shocking depths of revelation, this is a page-turner. Recommended for true-crime junkies (calling Murdaugh saga fans!) as well as those new to the genre." — Sara DiVello, author of Broadway Butterfly: A Thriller; Founder and Host of Mystery and Thriller Mavens
"In Blood in the Water, Casey Sherman digs behind the headlines to create a vivid and absorbing account of a fascinating true crime story. Immersive and compelling, this Capote-esque narrative skillfully takes the reader through its many shocking twists and turns while unfolding a disturbing mystery as to what really happened on that little boat in the icy North Atlantic, when two went out and only one came back." — Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson, Oscar-nominated screenwriters of The Fighter, The Finest Hours, Patriots Day, The Outpost, and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
"Blood in the Water is a book for every true crime fan’s ‘to be read’ pile…though you won’t want to wait to read it! The tautly woven narrative showcases Sherman’s lyrical writing style and formidable research skills, guaranteeing a deep dive into family drama and depravity that’s nearly impossible to turn away from. Sherman is at the top of his game!" — Kristin Dilley, co-host, Mind Over Murder podcast
"Right from the opening pages, Casey Sherman’s Blood in the Water establishes a sense of foreboding. All signs point in one direction, but—even if you know the Nathan Carman case—you can’t help but think, and perhaps even hope, that there will be surprises, something to make you believe there is more than darkness in the tale of a family mired in tragedy, accusation, and intrigue. As each thread of the story is pulled and facts are revealed, the reader is offered chances to examine their own thoughts, feelings, and beliefs about human behavior, and how we decide what the truth is when there are few clear guideposts." — Holly Frey, creator of Criminalia and cohost of Stuff You Missed in History Class
