Anatomy of a Murder

By: Robert Traver

Narrated by: Jason Culp

Length: 19 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's Summary

First published by St. Martin's in 1958, Robert Traver's Anatomy of a Murder immediately became the number one best seller in America, and was subsequently turned into the successful and now classic Otto Preminger film. It is is not only the most popular courtroom drama in American fiction, but one of the most popular novels of our time. 

A gripping tale of deceit, murder, and a sensational trial, Anatomy of a Murder is unmatched in the authenticity of its settings, events, and characters. 

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Griffin

"The characters are as fresh as when they were first created, the tension high, and the cross- examinations and legal chicanery full of suspense. The novel is simply what it says on the cover. A classic." (Tangled Web)

©1958, 2014 Robert Traver (P)2020 Macmillan Audio

Critic Reviews

"For the lay reader, the entertainment lies in the action...but for the lawyer, undoubtedly the greatest pleasure stems from the author's obvious competence in, and love for, the law." (University of Miami Law Review)

Great story

Nothing dramatic happens in the course of the novel - the violence happens off stage before the first chapter - but I couldn’t stop listening until it was done. The story even seems to lack a truly satisfying denouement but somehow gets away with that too. The movie follows the book very closely and shows what the author describes so well that I felt like I was reading it twice. A cut above the usual lame courtroom drama.

Awesome!!!

I have listened to probably 125 books on audible and this would be in the top ten. One thing I like is when a book hooks me quickly and this book did just that, after a few minutes I found myself looking for opportunities to listen. The narrator does a very good job with the different characters and his voice was perfect. Even though the book is 19 hours long, it went by so quickly that it seemed like a much shorter book. The story had many layers and reminded me of a Grisham type book, but the character development was much superior, like a Scott Turrow. My only complaint is there was a bit of swearing, and I felt I needed to keep my headphones on so others would not hear, not as much as a Scott Turrow but more than a Grisham. What a find!!

If you liked the movie,you'll love this audiobook!

The story like the movie,is absolutely exceptional!! One should watch the movie first to familiarize yourself with the characters and the story line...
The unexpected bonus in this audio is the narration by Jason Culp...If you are a fan of Jimmy Stewart then you'll love the spot on performance tendered by Jason,,In fact he nailed the voice and cadence of Jimmy,,not only him but each of the characters! If they had academy awards for narrators then he should have one for this performance!!
ABSOLUTELY RIVETING!

...and the story begins ... when???

If you can get over the narrator sounding like Hiram Holiday, then maybe you can figure out that the the first two chapters are ramblings of the author and not part of the story. You sort of fall into the actual story and it takes a while to figure out that the trout story is no longer that of the author but that the story has actually begun. (Dialog is a clue.).

Charming and funny!

Old fashioned in a delightful way. And what a great story. I’m now going to see what else this author wrote.

captivating drama

Exciting narration in a pleasant voice that carried the listener along. a legal thriller that is as unpredictable in the twists as was the end point. Making a long story appear so short because of excitement is masterful. Certainly worth the time invested in listening.

Great Story!

Enjoyable story. One of the best audible books I have listened to in a long time. Much better then the movie, which I encourage everyone to watch.
It makes me want to go to the Upper Peninsula of
Michigan and smell the fresh air of the lake.

Tedious and dated

This book is just too long, repetitive, overly descriptive, and tedious to listen to. Maybe lawyers love this level of detail, but as a casual listener, I found the tedium extremely annoying. The narration was awful. The lawyer sounded like a goofball cartoon character, not someone I would hire to defend me from a murder charge. The "romance" between the defense attorney and a witness/suspect was laughable. Listening to the lawyer describe female anatomy, smears, etc was cringeworthy. And the defense attorney "patting his secretary on the fanny", yikes, ummm, no, no, no...and the annoying nickname for Parnell..."Parn", ugh got so tired of hearing that. I stuck it out to the end, but I had a hard time getting through it.

Classic brilliant

Brilliant court drama performance was outstanding dialogue was engrossing and Enlightening
As a doctor it almost made me want to be a lawyer (just kidding )
Steven lamm MD clinical professor of medicine

Here Ye, Hear Ye!

While certain mores have changed since the book was originally published—(thankfully) a woman can now dance barefoot without scandal—the drama surrounding crimes of passion, especially a murder, remains immutable. As a former trial lawyer, I can attest that few books more accurately chronicle the life and rhythm of a trial from unpredictability of the witnesses to the inscrutability of a jury to the highs and lows of participating in the drama. While there are many books fashioned around the law, Robert Traver shows us how the law itself—the charges, defenses, and rules of evidence—is the true arbiter of the story that unfolds. For the non-lawyer it is an exposition of the tools and trade. For the practicing lawyers and former lawyers among us, it is a reminder of our craft.

An old favourite revisited

I really enjoyed this audiobook. I have read the book several times (a while ago now) and , of course, seen the Film version with James Stewart as the main character. What tells here is that tthe text is a first person narritive and this is brought to life in audio format. Especially as the defence Lawyer, Paul Biegler, expresses his thoughts while talking to witnesses or questioning them in Court.