The Onion Field Audiobook By Joseph Wambaugh cover art

The Onion Field

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for $0.00
Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.

The Onion Field

By: Joseph Wambaugh
Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
Try for $0.00

$0.00/mo. after 3 months. Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $24.95

Buy for $24.95

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

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. True Crime Emotionally Gripping

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)
Gripping True Story • Detailed Character Development • Thorough Legal Portrayal • Powerful Emotional Impact
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
A very refreshing story told in a very unusual way - starting with the childhoods of the main protagonists and working through the crime and the subsequent drama in their lives. Fascinating details of how each of them is impacted by the crime and an enthralling read. Thoroughly recommended.

One of the best books I have listened to in ages

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I recommend this book to any true crime fan. Had a great time listening to this book.

This book was so good I spent more time exercising just to listen

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I read this book when it first came out decades ago. It still is an amazing story. Some of the characters are so bizarre that it seems like a crime novel, rather than nonfiction. The author Joseph Wambaugh did a great job.

Still an amazing story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
So insane that you won’t even believe it, the crime yes, but the trial(s) especially. Excellent narrator.

BEST TRUE CRIME BOOK EVER

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This was a great story of what policemen do every day. They can be on an ordinary patrol one moment, and dead the next. It's a stressful job. The book was so gripping in its descriptions of the individuals. I felt so heartbroken for those 2 young policemen and the agony of the aftermath for the survivor. Well written, well read. A terrible and procedural changing tragedy in my opinion. I once was married to a policeman.

A Compelling Listen

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Saw the movie back in the day so I thought I knew what happens... 30 + years later I get it. What a tale... The American justice system , PTSD and bagpipes.

Worth the trip.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I am the daughter of an LAPD police officer killed in the line of duty about 3 years after the officer in this book. It is a disturbing book no matter who you are but especially for me.
The character development is good, but the narration is monotonous, and it’s difficult to know is which character the author is talking about because of the flat narration. I think an actor with better voice distinction would help greatly. However, still a good read.

Police murder

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This true story pulls at your heartstrings and will keep your attention throughout the whole audiobook.The Narrator did An excellent job kudos to him.

Sad.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
So many books are written from the standpoint of the police; this book puts you into the slippery mind of the criminal.

Inside Job

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I’ve seen the movie several times and read the book at least twice so, the account of what happened is very known to me. This audio book does the story justice on all fronts. It’s a faithful rendition of Wambaugh’s masterpiece - well read and told with the appropriate amount of respect and humility. Our court system is truly broken .. probably beyond repair.

What a Tragically Magnificent Listen!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews