Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

Written by John Berendt

Narrated by John Berendt, Jeff Woodman and Will Damron

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 reads 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 reading experience. Brilliantly conceived and masterfully written, this true-crime book has become a modern classic.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
• Release date: Nov 22, 2005
• ISBN: 9780739334546

John Berendt

John Berendt nació en 1939 en Syracuse, Nueva York. Después obtener una licenciatura por la Universidad de Harvard fue editor asociado de la revista Esquire, de la que posteriormente fue columnista. También trabajó como guionista televisivo y editor de The New York Magazine. Sus continuos viajes entre Nueva York y la ciudad de Savannah, en Georgia, donde acabaría residiendo, le ayudaron a conocer la vida social de esta ciudad sureña, algo que retrataría a la perfección en su obra más conocida, Medianoche en el jardín del bien y del mal (1994). Esta novela se mantuvo durante cuatro años consecutivos en la lista de los libros más leídos de The New York Times y dio pie a la versión cinematográfica dirigida por Clint Eastwood, con Kevin Spacey y John Cusack en los papeles principales. En 2006 publicó La ciudad de los ángeles caídos.

Reviews for Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

[G. Munckel · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a novel in the same vein as Capote's In Cold Blood: it tells the story of a real crime, a fictionalized chronicle. But in this case, the crime is only revealed at the end of the first half of the book. This first half takes its time, chronicling the inhabitants of Savannah, Georgia, and the city’s history, dedicating a chapter to each character. This is a double-edged sword because, on one hand, it stirs a certain sympathy for the place and its people, but on the other hand, the interest in the plot begins to fade.

It is a very specific book, for better or worse, because while it seems to be a good portrayal of Savannah during that time, it also becomes too digressive if you're not interested in the particular American lifestyle of that city, a place with beautiful houses and wealthy people, accustomed to parties and luxury, who did not expect to be marred by a crime but, at the same time, are not too affected by it.

“When faced with the invitations, Savannah's high society had to confront the fact that the most glamorous social event of the entire winter season was to be held at the site of a notorious crime still pending clarification; in fact, less than a month after the party, the host would have to stand trial as the main and only suspect of committing a murder.” And that sentence summarizes the spirit of the best parts of this book.

In any case, it is interesting that despite the significance of some of its characters and even the prominent presence of the narrator in some of their stories, it seems that the city, Savannah, is the true protagonist of the book. (Translated from Spanish)

[El lector utópico · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A curious novel populated by a series of highly peculiar characters. Yes, very, very peculiar: a singular, altruistic squatter who acts out of vocation and necessity, with a big personality; a glamorous lady with virtuoso fingers for the piano and a suitable voice for singing; a male prostitute who makes those who enjoy him feel like they are in seventh heaven; a transvestite of immense femininity and beauty; a half-crazy witch but fully convinced of the powers that reside beyond the world of the living; a crime whose victim and perpetrator are known from the very moment it is committed, but trivial details keep the reader in suspense throughout the text; and above all, a city, Savannah, that like an old lady who resists leaving behind the charms and beauty of her youth, has a soul of its own that captivates, seduces, and enamors. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Thank you @Monte for your recommendation. (Translated from Spanish)

[fepa63 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

First I watched the movie and then after visiting Savannah (Georgia) I read the book and became interested in the events that inspired it. I think the way Berendt presents the characters and this wonderful city is fantastic. The central story (the murder of the male lover of one of the city's most influential characters) is surrounded by small anecdotes and situations of particularly quirky characters. The Lady Chablis deserves a separate paragraph...!!! I enjoyed the reading very much and surely... whoever hasn’t been to Savannah... will keep it in mind for a future trip after reading the novel. (Translated from Spanish)