The Onion Field

By: Joseph Wambaugh

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

Length: 18 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

Hollywood. Saturday night. A broken taillight leads to a routine traffic stop. It shouldn’t have changed the lives of the four men involved, but it did. The Onion Field is the frighteningly true story of a fatal collision of destinies that would lead two young cops and two young robbers to a deserted field on the outskirts of Los Angeles, towards a bizarre execution and its terrible aftermath.

The Onion Field is the basis for the movie starring James Woods and John Savage.

©1973 Joseph Wambaugh (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

“More ambitious than In Cold Blood and equally compelling.” ( The New York Times)

“Wambaugh is the best in the business.” (Kathy Reichs)

“No other writer illuminates the heart beneath the badge better or more honestly than Joseph Wambaugh" (Robert Crais)

True crime

Fascinating true story of two policemen abducted by armed robbers.
The lives of the two criminals and the two cops are examined in detail.
The horrific night in the onion field is explained and the subsequent history of the criminal trials is covered.

Just too long

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No - not worth 18 hours!

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Abridged it

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

Conversational style brought it to life

Was The Onion Field worth the listening time?

No. It was 5 hours before the central event took place, and that took about 15 minutes to describe. 9 hours in the trial had already taken place, the verdict was in. I have no idea what filled the next 9 hours because I finally decided to cut my losses and move on to something more lively.

Any additional comments?

I think Joseph Wambaugh has been a giant in the field of true crime, but I didn't feel that this event merited the meticulous detail in which it was described.

The narrator

The book was really good, but the narrator might have been the best I have ever listened to. The guy was amazing.

I wanted to like this

I have read more true crime stories than any other genre and so looked forward to this critically acclaimed book. I had seen the movie years ago but had only the faintest recollection of it.

The book overshot it’s mark. Perhaps it was going for an In Cold Blood feel but there was too much on the two rather boring criminals. Their life story before and after the crime was bland.

A big yawn for me 🙁

Onion field

Best read novel I’ve ever listened too amazing story. If you’re thinking of getting this do it you won’t regret it

Beautiful & Tragic

Beautifully written, poignant and tragic. The author (and the narrator) put their heart & soul into every word.

Pulse-pounding and gripping! Couldn't put it down!

Joseph Wambaugh, a master at storytelling, I found this book almost too heard to continue listening... he puts you right in the middle of the event! At times too frightening!

loved it!!!

always wanted to read the book, this was better. will be using this app more.

prepare for an epic story!!

how some people become psychopathic can depend on the psychological strangeness of their parents. this is a study on many levels of psychopathy and sociopathy, and the deep impact of being affected by such people's casual evil. what a powerful story of how many courtroom battles are about many things except truth. a very sad story .

Lawyers

Broke out laughing when he said he didn’t care if the defendants went free just lock up the lawyers.