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Set in the tumultuous year of 1968 in southern Virginia, a racially charged murder case sets a duo of white and Black lawyers against a deeply unfair system as they work to defend their wrongfully accused Black defendants in this courtroom drama from #1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci.
Jack Lee is a white lawyer from Freeman County, Virginia, who has never done anything to push back against racism—until he decides to represent Jerome Washington, a Black man charged with brutally killing an elderly wealthy white couple. Doubting his decision, Lee fears that his legal skills may not be enough to prevail in a case where the odds are already stacked against both him and his client. He quickly finds himself out of his depth when he realizes that what's at stake is far greater than the outcome of a murder trial.
Desiree DuBose is a Black lawyer from Chicago who has devoted her life to furthering the causes of justice and equality for all. She enters a fractious and unwieldy partnership with Lee in a legal battle against the best prosecutor in the Commonwealth. Yet DuBose is also aware that powerful outside forces are at work to blunt the victories achieved by the Civil Rights era.
Lee and DuBose could not be more dissimilar. On their own, neither one can stop the prosecution's deliberate march towards a guilty verdict and the electric chair. But together, the pair fight for what once seemed impossible: a chance for a fair trial and true justice.
Over a decade in the making, A Calamity of Souls breathes richly imagined and detailed life into a bygone era, taking the reader through a world that will seem both foreign and familiar.
Thrillers are very popular, but there are many types of thrillers - legal thrillers, spy thrillers, detective thrillers, etc. If you read thrillers, what's your favorite sub-genre, and who is the best author of that sub-genre, in your opinion?
I really like this question! You made me step back and think beyond the main genre to reflect in more detail on what draws me to this genre time and again. Since it's tough to narrow it down to just one sub-genre, I'll list three: conspiracy, legal/political and psychological. Picking one author ...
-Jill_Mercier
What are some books you loved reading in 2024?
...put in the same educational category was Madness by Antonia Hylton. Two of my "fun mystery" books read are Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb and A Calamity of Souls by David Baldacci Finally, I enjoyed all three of Sunny Hostin's fictional books about a family at the historical Black beaches on the East Coast.
-Joyce_Montague
"Bestseller Baldacci's stirring latest... generates satisfying tension from Jack and Desiree's clashing personalities, and his real-life experiences both as an attorney and as a child in 1960s Virginia lend the proceedings an air of uncommon authenticity. This ranks among the author's best." ―Publishers Weekly
"A nuanced portrait of a time and place, brought to vivid life by a writer at the top of his game… Ever-popular Baldacci at his best will have his legions of readers flocking." ―Booklist
"A Calamity of Souls, the story of a murder in southern Virginia in the mid-1960's, may be the best novel David Baldacci has ever written, which is saying a great deal. It has a gripping plot and a shocking ending, and even better than that, is also a perfect evocation of a difficult time in America's history, propelled by deep and moving characters and beautiful writing. It captured me completely from the very first page." ―Scott Turow, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
"This is David Baldacci at his best. Using the law and the courtroom as the stage for a searing parable on race and the cost and courage to do the right thing." ―Michael Connelly, #1 New York Times bestselling author
This information about A Calamity of Souls was first featured
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
David published his first novel, Absolute Power, in 1996. A major motion picture adaptation followed, with Clint Eastwood as its director and star. In total, David has published 32 novels for adults; all have been national and international bestsellers, and several have been adapted for film and television. His novels have been translated into more than 45 languages and sold in more than 80 countries; over 110 million copies are in print worldwide. David has also published five novels for younger readers.
A lifelong Virginian, David received his Bachelor's degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, after which he practiced law in Washington, D.C.
While David is involved with several philanthropic organizations, ...
... Full Biography
Author Interview
Link to David Baldacci's Website
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