About the Book
Under the Banner of Heaven is Jon Krakauer's investigation into fundamentalist Mormon splinter groups in the American West, built around the 1984 murders committed by brothers Ron and Dan Lafferty. The Laffertys claimed divine revelation compelled them to kill their sister-in-law Brenda and her infant daughter. Krakauer uses that crime as an anchor, then expands outward into the full history of the Latter-day Saints movement, including its founding, its early doctrines on polygamy, and the violent episodes in its 19th-century past.
The book moves between two tracks: the criminal case itself and a broader historical account of how American religious fundamentalism develops and sustains itself. Krakauer doesn't treat the Laffertys as aberrations. He frames them as a product of specific theological ideas taken to their logical extreme, and that framing makes the book more unsettling than a straightforward crime narrative would be.
This is not a quick true crime read. It's a long, research-heavy work that covers theology, history, polygamous communities in Utah and Arizona, and the psychology of religious certainty. Readers looking for a tight procedural will find more here than they bargained for, but that depth is also what gives the book its staying power.
Narration & Audio Performance
Scott Brick is one of the more reliable narrators working in the audiobook space, and he's a reasonable fit for this material. His style is measured and authoritative, he reads investigative nonfiction the way it should be read, without dramatizing it into something it isn't. Krakauer's prose can swing between spare crime reporting and dense theological history, and Brick handles both registers without making the shifts feel jarring.
The main limitation is pacing. Brick's delivery tends toward the deliberate, which works fine for the crime narrative sections but can make the longer historical digressions feel even slower than they read on the page. This is partly a book problem, not just a narrator problem, the historical chapters are genuinely dense. But listeners who find the pacing of the narrative sections excellent may notice a drag during the more academic stretches.
Production quality is clean. No music or sound effects, this is a straight narration, which suits the journalistic tone of the material.
The Audible Verdict
The audiobook is a solid production and Scott Brick is a competent narrator, but this book's depth, theological history, extensive footnotes in the print edition, complex timelines, means the audio format asks a lot of the listener's attention. It works, but the print version gives you more control over the denser sections. Use a free trial credit here rather than a paid one unless you specifically prefer audio for long-form nonfiction.
Listen on AudibleIs This Book a Good Fit for Audio?
Under the Banner of Heaven is primarily a narrative work, it tells a story, and large portions of it function like literary journalism. That structure translates reasonably well to audio. The crime narrative chapters have genuine momentum, and Krakauer's investigative style is conversational enough that being read to feels natural.
The complication is the book's historical scope. Krakauer spends significant time in 19th-century Mormon history, covering figures, events, and theological debates that require some concentration to follow. In print, readers can slow down, flip back, or skim. In audio, that's harder. If you're not already familiar with the broad contours of LDS history, you may find yourself rewinding more than you'd like during those sections.
The print edition also contains footnotes that extend and complicate arguments made in the main text, these don't translate to audio in any meaningful way. Listeners will get the full narrative, but some of the sourcing and nuance lives in those notes. For casual listening on commutes or walks, this is a fine choice. For close engagement with the material, the print version has a clear advantage.
Popular Listener Questions
Is this book part of a series?
No. Under the Banner of Heaven is a standalone work. No prior knowledge of Krakauer's other books is required.
Is the audiobook narrated by the author?
No. Jon Krakauer does not narrate. Scott Brick reads the audiobook.
How much of the book is true crime versus history?
Roughly half and half. The Lafferty murders anchor the narrative, but Krakauer spends substantial time on the history of the LDS church, 19th-century polygamy, and the development of fundamentalist offshoots. If you're expecting a purely procedural crime book, the historical material may feel like a significant detour.
Is this book controversial?
Yes. The book drew criticism from mainstream LDS leadership and members who felt Krakauer conflated the broader Mormon church with its fundamentalist splinter groups. That context is worth knowing going in, the book has a clear critical perspective on religious fundamentalism.
Has this been adapted for screen?
Yes. An FX limited series based on the book streamed on Hulu. The series covers similar ground but takes some liberties with the source material.
Similar Audiobooks
Krakauer's account of the 1996 Everest disaster follows the same investigative, first-person style. If you respond to how he builds a narrative around a disaster, this is the obvious next listen.
Into the Wild
Krakauer's profile of Chris McCandless shows the same interest in what drives people to extreme choices in pursuit of belief. Shorter and more personal than Under the Banner of Heaven.
Tara Westover's memoir about growing up in a survivalist fundamentalist family covers some of the same Idaho/Utah geography and explores how isolationist religious communities shape identity. Author-narrated.
In Cold Blood
Truman Capote's account of the Clutter family murders is the benchmark for literary true crime. Under the Banner of Heaven operates in the same tradition, a real crime used to examine something larger about American life.
Patrick Radden Keefe's account of IRA violence in Northern Ireland uses a similar structure, one crime, expanding outward into political and religious history. A strong audio production narrated by Matthew Blaney.
The Executioner's Song
Norman Mailer's account of Gary Gilmore is set in the same Mormon West and grapples with similar questions about violence, belief, and American identity. A long listen but directly relevant.
Audiobook Details
| Title | Under the Banner of Heaven |
|---|---|
| Author | Jon Krakauer |
| Narrator | Scott Brick |
| Genre | True Crime |
| Year | 2004 |
| Publisher | Vintage |
| Abridged | Unabridged |
| Cast | Single narrator |
| Author-narrated | No |
Ready to listen?
Under the Banner of Heaven is available on Audible and is a reasonable choice for a free trial credit if you listen to a lot of long-form nonfiction.
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