Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1994)

I'd had this book on my TBR list for a while based on some recommendations from friends but I hadn't realized it was nonfiction until I went to buy a copy. For some reason I had thought it was fiction.

Then the book sat on my shelf and every time I thought about picking it up and reading it, I looked at the small print and put it back. I finally decided to get the audio edition. I am so glad I did. This was a fabulous book to experience by listening to it. Jeff Woodman manages to bring to life a wide variety of people in a way that makes the story even more interesting.

There's a shooting and a death at the heart of this book but it's definitely not just about that case. The subtitle of the book is "A Savannah Story" and the book is very much about Savannah and the people who live there.

The shooting and the four trials it took to get a verdict are only part of the story. The background and side stories are filled with interesting and sometimes larger than life characters. Berendt manages to wind the history of Savannah and its citizens so beautifully in and around the criminal case and trials of Jim Williams for killing Danny Hansford.

I highly recommend this audio edition of the book. There's a short interview with the author at the end. ( )

While randomly exploring cities in the US, author Joe Verendt arrived in Savannah and fell in love. At first he was drawn by the beautiful open squares surrounded by historical mansions and Southern society. After he deciding to split his residence between New York and Savannah, he found much more to love.

He introduces an unusual bevy of entertaining characters. Not just the proper uppercrust society of Savannah, but also those quirky enough to catch his eye. There's a man who could poison all of Savannah; a beloved resident who lives happily without permission in vacant mansions while their owners are away; a flamboyant drag queen, and my favorite of all – a voodoo witch who is certain she can alter trials with help from those in their graves.

Most of the story revolves around Jim Williams, a 'new-money' dealer of priceless antiques whose gay lover is found shot to death in Jim's study. Jim doesn't deny he did it, but the police theory of how it happened and Jim's explanation vary wildly.

I would not give this Pulitzer Prize finalist the 'true crime' label it often wears. But it is fun and entertaining and I'm glad to have finally read it. ( )

I'm giving this book 5 stars for making me want to visit Savannah - it seems like that place is full of stone cold weirdos - but 2 stars for true crime/murder purposes. The crime doesn't happen until 40% of the book is done, and the rest of it is just retrials and retrials galore. I loved all the black magic stuff, and the culture of Savannah was really very well drawn. I enjoyed it, it just wasn't quite what I was expecting. ( )

First off: I get that this book is a classic and therefore no one feels the need to describe anything about it, but I do wish someone had let me know about the rampant homophobia. ( )

Known in Savannah as 'The Book', this incredible book details the murder trials of Jim Williams, owner of Mercer House. It also depicts the lifestyle and culture of Savannah, a one of a kind city in the southern states of the USA. A must read, and the film is a must see. ( )