Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

By: John Berendt

Narrated by: Jeff Woodman, Will Damron, John Berendt

Length: 15 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • An enormously engaging portrait of a most beguiling Southern city: “Elegant and wicked.... [This] might be the first true-crime book that makes the reader want to book a bed and breakfast for an extended weekend at the scene of the crime."—The New York Times Book Review

Shots rang out in Savannah's grandest mansion in the misty, early morning hours of May 2, 1981. Was it murder or self-defense? For nearly a decade, the shooting and its aftermath reverberated throughout this hauntingly beautiful city of moss-hung oaks and shaded squares. John Berendt's sharply observed, suspenseful, and witty narrative flows like a thoroughly engrossing novel, and yet it is a work of nonfiction. Berendt skillfully interweaves a hugely entertaining first-person account of life in this isolated remnant of the Old South with the unpredictable twists and turns of a landmark murder case.

It is a spellbinding story peopled by a gallery of remarkable characters: the well-bred society ladies of the Married Woman's Card Club; the turbulent young redneck gigolo; the hapless recluse who owns a bottle of poison so powerful it could kill every man, woman, and child in Savannah; the aging and profane Southern belle who is the "soul of pampered self-absorption"; the uproariously funny black drag queen; the acerbic and arrogant antiques dealer; the sweet-talking, piano-playing con artist; young blacks dancing the minuet at the black debutante ball; and Minerva, the voodoo priestess who works her magic in the graveyard at midnight. These and other Savannahians act as a Greek chorus, with Berendt revealing the alliances, hostilities, and intrigues that thrive in a town where everyone knows everyone else.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a sublime and seductive listening experience. Brilliantly conceived and masterfully written, this true-crime book has become a modern classic.

©1994 by John Berendt (P)1995 by Random House Audio Publishing, Inc., All Rights Reserved Under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions, Reproduced by Arrangement with Random House Audio Publishing, Inc.

Critic reviews

“John Berendt has written a gorgeous and haunting blend of travel book and murder mystery. It is enchanting and disturbing and deeply atmospheric.”—Michael Herr

“Forceful, clear, gripping, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is the best nonfiction novel since In Cold Blood and a lot more entertaining, since Berendt’s book has everything going for it—snobbism ruthless power, voodoo, local color, and a totally evil estheticism. I read it till dawn.”—Edmund White

“John Berendt has the ability to make the truth read like an exciting novel. This book is original, funny, and bleak—and it beckons quite alluringly to armchair adventurers who are as curious about human nature as about the nature of certain places. I finished reading it convinced that Savannah, may be the greatest performance artist of our day.”—Ann Beattie

You HAVE to hear this book....

I've seen the movie many times, and just got around to the book....as usual, the book is SO much better, but the movie is still great.....Being a native Southern daughter, I'm usually unimpressed with other people's attempts to capture what life is really like in the South....this New Yorker did a great job....the performance is great on the audio as well.

Well done.

I really enjoyed this book. It wasn't exactly what I thought it was but was still well worth it. The story was captivating and the narrator did a great job with all the characters. This is one I will eventually listen to again.

loved it

the narrator was excellent, the characters came alive through his voice, but the story dragged at times. overall a good read.

Best American Fiction I've Ever Read

What made the experience of listening to Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil the most enjoyable?

Every aspect of this book was perfection- this characters, the plot, the descriptions, the scenes, the dialogue.. it was all impeccable.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil?

Any scene with the Lady Chablis or Minerva.

What does Jeff Woodman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He gave each character a unique voice. Fantastic job. Bravo.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

I had no knowledge of Savannah, Georgia before this book. Now I want to visit the place.

Any additional comments?

Don't waste your time on the movie. Doesn't do the book any justice.

Book Lover

LOVE the book. I watched the movie years ago and loved it. I watched the movie again after finishing the read and in typical fashion the movie is now awful! John Berendt is a fantastic author.

Real Characters of Savannah

After a trip to Savannah, I wanted to read the book and found it true to life, gossipy, a good spectrum of the quirky real life character that have lived in Savannah on all levels of society. A beautiful description of the genteel old homes and the 23 park squares and streets of the historic district. I also highly recommend this audio book because of the accents and voices of the various characters used by the reader.

My T...

My T about this book (slang from the late and simply fabulous Grand Empress of Savannah) - read/listen to it!! It is a beautifully writer true crime story that is now on my personal top 20 books.

Southern Style

I missed this book when it was a best seller. This story epitomizes the loveliness of the Old South. It reads like a lazy southern afternoon. The story is homage to the fact that truth can be stranger than fiction. The characters are interesting and outrageous. I enjoyed every minute of it. Stick around for the author's talk at the end, it adds even more delight to the book.

Best story in Savanah Georgia

This book is my number 1 favorite book and will always be. Love the store and the City and people are to die for, No pun intended.

Great Listen!

If you could sum up Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil in three words, what would they be?

Really great listen

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes - I knew a litttle of the history from a previous trip to Savannah and was told to read this book. I was on edge the whole time trying to piece together what I already knew and how it would fit with the story.

What does Jeff Woodman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Woodman was a great narrator. The voices were distinct and the plot never became muttled.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laught out loud several times.