Trial of Passion

By: William Deverell

Narrated by: John Morgan

Arthur Beauchamp, a heralded criminal lawyer, has moved to a quiet island off the British Columbia coast. While trying to recover from a marriage gone sour, his retirement is interrupted by his former law partners - they want Arthur to take charge of the defense trial of Jonathan O'Donnell, the acting dean of a law school. O'Donnell has been accused of rape by one of the students, Kimberley Martin, a smart but arrogant woman who is engaged to a rich businessman.

After much pleading, Beauchamp agrees to handle the case. He is drawn into complex legal situations dealing with gender and sex, while his personal life takes a provocative turn as well. A courtroom drama ensues, with unpredictable twists and bizarre events.

©2002 William Deverell (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

You Might REEEEELY Like this… Or Not

You like a murder/legal/psychological thriller with bodies littering the set and gun smoke thicker than gallons of blood spew? This AIN"T your novel. Actually it's two novels for the price of one.

1. A legal/psychological puzzle that' maximum improbable but William Deverell will make you suspend disbelief… At least he did me.
2. A romance puzzle… Boy gets girl/loses girl/gets girl…like that. But the boys and girls are not at all stereotypical.

If I'd known just those two things before listening… I'd have passed on "Trial Of Passion"… but I'm glad I didn't… If only because of John Morgan's tour-de-force presentation of the way Deverell does a quirky exposition.

The author chooses to unravel the novel in three minds… Three POVs… Each in the first person and present tense. Whew! That's unusual and a total challenge for the reader. Morgan pulls it off BIG TIME!

Of course he's able to follow the intricately idiosyncratic speech (thought) patterns of each of the characters… patterns that reveal almost as much about them as their actions… No more about them.

This book ia a masterpiece of craft, and it kept my attention like trap springing on a hungry mouse. But.. but… Not being a romance fan, I gave it four stars… You might want to pile up a lot more… Or not…

Trail of Passion

I just listened to it because the narrator, John M Morgan was fantastic and very talented

Great narration of William Deverell's writing!

If you could sum up Trial of Passion in three words, what would they be?

When you are a fan of William Deverell's writing style like I am and enjoy the recurring characters in his books, (Arthur Beauchamp), you will be delighted to sit back in a comfortable chair and/or take a long walk as I do to listen to the Trial of Passion! Very engaging and entertaining!

Who was your favorite character and why?

I love Arthur Beauchamp who is an accomplished lawyer with a strong intellect, humanity ,integrity, warmth and compassion for his fellow beings. He also has his own weaknesses which helps me love his character.

What about John Morgan’s performance did you like?

The narration of this book is so enjoyable! Mr. John Morgan nailed Arthur Beauchamp's character voice! I look forward to listening to more books narrated by John Morgan.

If you could take any character from Trial of Passion out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Arthur Beauchamp!

Any additional comments?

I'm looking forward for all of William Deverall's books to be added to Audible.Com with the quality of narration that has been demonstrated by John Morgan.

A poet writes a legal drama. Who knew!

I love this book. I've never reviewed a book, but this one is special. While the drama is engaging and gripping, the language used to tell the story is melodic and thoughtful. And it's more than just a drama. The protagonist recognizes the beauty in life, the complexity in people, and the value of the journey. And John Michael Morgan is an ideal narrator. He makes me want to hear this story over and over again. His talent truly conveys the poetic nature of the authors words. This is my first William Deverell novel, but it certainly won't be my last!

Great story

Would you listen to Trial of Passion again? Why?

yes....Love John Morgan's narration

What was one of the most memorable moments of Trial of Passion?

enjoyed the whole story

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

Brings life to each person in the story

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

not really

Any additional comments?

I would read anything narrated by John Morgan...Ordered this book because he narrated it.. this was my 3rd book read by him... not disappointed with the story

A solid 5 star book

Elegant prose, witty dialogue, a good story, believable characters, and excellent narration made listening a thoroughly enjoyable experience. It's also apparent that the author knows what it's like to try a case.

My best legal read in years

Where does Trial of Passion rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is the best legal "listen" to date. I have been doing audio books as well as my regular reading for a number of years. The performance was as good or better than the story which I liked as well. I adore the main character whose droll hunor and love of poetry conflict with tough advocate he is.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Trial of Passion?

The cresendo builds up to the finale in the court room I felt that a little hokey. I enjoyed his inner struggles with his past and future as well as his thoiughts during the legal proceedings. I have been a criminal defense lawyer for well over 50 years and really comisserated with the feelings so beautifully expressed.I have had many trials that had great emotion and some with much press but I could never tell the story as well as the author. I am a big fan of Grisham, Turow as well as Rumpole. I don't know how I missed Mr Deverell til now.

Have you listened to any of John Morgan’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Noi, but he's wonderful

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I actually laughed out loud while listening to the book. The wit of the Barrister turned farmer and his island adventures was most entertaining.The drama of the trial cannt be ignored.Handling trancript and courtroom colloquoys is an art. He has it.He weaves in his own feelins ,introspection and fears very well.

Any additional comments?

I intend to listen to Mr Morgan as often as I can and Mr Deverell has an 82 year old trial lawyer as a new fan

My first, but not last, Deverell

What did you love best about Trial of Passion?

This was one of the most literary mysteries I have encountered, reminding me a lot of Iain Pears writing. Characters were well developed, emotions nicely dealt with and allusions effective. The narration was spot on as well.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Trial of Passion?

The first hypnosis scene, which is when things began to fall into place. From then on, it was a treat to see how all the pieces were brought together to reach the conclusion.

Have you listened to any of John Morgan’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

The narration was outstanding!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, but the treatment of Beauchamp falling in love struck close to home!