Member Reviews
I came late to Baldacci, starting with The Memory Man series, which led me to other series, but this book is really like no other Baldacci book.
Semi autobiographical as Baldacci was raised in Virginia and saw first hand how the black/white divide operated. He started this book a decade ago, and I believe this is the optimum time for this book to be published. A black man is accused of murdering a white couple. He is beaten and dragged off to jail.
It is 1968, and George Wallace is running for president, exacerbating the already bad Jim Crow prejudices in Virginia. Jack Lee, a white local lawyer, a son of middle-class parents with seemingly strong prejudices, is asked to take the case by the grandmother of the accused man. The ramifications of his decision will affect his family to a large degree.
Meanwhile, an experienced black female lawyer is sent by the NAACP to Virginia to help him. Deserie Dubose is from Chicago and travels wherever a black client needs representation. Baldacci brings these to people of very different backgrounds together to solve a problem and perhaps learn from each other. I wonder how some of Baldacci's loyal readers are going to react to this book.
I was in college in 1968, and this book had a visceral effect on me. I am from Ohio but lived in Annapolis Maryland in 1962, when schools were still segregated. I did not realize Maryland was a Southern state until I moved there and saw firsthand how differently blacks were treated. And not only blacks. I was the first Jew some of my classmates had met, which surprised me because many were Navy brats who had lived all around the world. One girl took me home to meet her grandmother, who asked me to show her my horns. I had no idea what she meant.
I hope people reading this book will have the same reaction as I did, and I hope it makes them think about comparing 1968 with the injustices of today. How much has changed, yet how much more needs to change.
The book is also a very good mystery, with twists and surprises.
I highly recommend it and hope it becomes a best seller. I will be suggesting it for several of my bookclubs because it is quite thought-provoking.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC for review.
This is an honest review.
David Baldacci has delivered an emotionally-charged legal thriller once again. While the setting is 1968, the racial prejudices sadly still ring true today making this book extremely timely and thought provoking.
First, I want to thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I have been a fan of David Baldacci's various series and standalones throughout the years. There are definitely elements in this book that are consistent with his style, but this book is quite unique even within his extensive library of books. It says that he has been working on this book off and on for 10 years, and you can feel how this book must have had its ups and downs. I think the author's upbringing in the south comes to the forefront and although there may be some parts which come off a little preachy, I think there are several, very important thought-provoking points that are brought to the forefront. Perhaps most importantly, in the current environment within our country, I think there are several points which should be real talking points amongst our peoples. This kind of story has been done before, but I think the author does a great job of tackling some very important issues within the story. As I said, I have been a fan of this author's books, and it just may be the times but quite frankly, this may be my favorite book he has ever written. Very well done. Thank you - 5 stars!!!!
A Calamity of Souls is David Baldacci’s best work to date and arguably his most important. Set in southern Virginia in 1968, a black man is accused of viscously murdering a wealthy, white older couple in their home. The case is a flash point following the Civil Rights Act is passed and gathers national attention, including a presidential candidate.
Attorney Jack Lee – the pride of Freeman County, VA and local legend – has been a bystander to racism his entire life and never did anything about it. Until now. Despite never trying a murder case, the backlash of the community, and the not-so-veiled threats, Jack agrees to represent the black man. Teaming up with a black, female attorney, the unlikely pair must confront racism head-on – inside the courtroom and out – to keep an innocent man from the electric chair.
A Calamity of Souls is an emotional rollercoaster. It’s not an easy read by any means. It’s tragic, heartbreaking, and hopeful. It forces the reader to confront our past, the present and ultimately our future. A Calamity of Souls might be set in 1968 but could easily take place today. The similarities are striking and maddening.
A Calamity of Souls should be required reading for everyone and has my highest recommendation.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the privilege to read an advanced copy of A Calamity of Souls!.
A Calamity of Souls by David Baldacci
This book departed from what I normally expect from David Baldacci. Normally, it would be a sit-on-the-edge-of-your-chair action adventure, ie. The Camel Club, which I highly recommend or Mercy, or Amos also highly recommend. This book is a thought-provoking metaphor for our current state of affairs. Baldacci recreates “To Kill a Mockingbird” in his own unique, and oblique manner.
The book forcefully makes you look at how you look at people of another color. Race is the plot's focus, but the situations posed are not just plot devices. Baldacci weaves a mystery around social commentary. I’m not privy to Baldacci’s thoughts but from my perspective, the book abounds with similes that apply to current events.
I always enjoy David Baldacci’s writing but this book may have provided more fodder for introspection than any of his other many books I’ve read.
I applaud his courage to tackle a controversial topic.
I highly recommend it.
More than anything else, this story - which the author says he started to write more than a decade ago - provides an unsettling look at a part of our history that these days, IMHO, many folks seem to want to shove under the rug where, also IMHO, it doesn't belong. And yes, it tends to get a bit "preachy" in spots, but if the message brings edification to just a few readers, that's fine by me. Set in 1968 in Virginia, where some residents are trying to live with new laws that protect the rights of some others (some accepting, others not so much), it centers on Jack Lee, a white lawyer who finds himself representing a Black man charged with the gruesome murder of a wealthy, elderly husband and wife. The second the man was found near the dead bodies, he was presumed guilty by virtually all the powers-that-be; so without hard evidence to the contrary, the man is destined for a lifetime behind bars at best.
And while Jack is a talented, experienced attorney, he's never dealt with a capital case - much less the blowback from those who believe his client has no real standing as a human being and therefore doesn't deserve someone to defend him (certainly not a white man). The situation gets what could be a bit of a break with the appearance of Desiree DuBose, a seasoned Black lawyer from Chicago who's made a name for herself with exactly this type of case. She and Jack form a somewhat uneasy alliance, both knowing that without the other, the defendant cannot possibly get a fair trial.
Quickly, though, they realize that outside of a couple of personal friends, the two of them are the only ones inside the courtroom who give a rip about fairness. To everyone else, their client is Black, guilty as charged and deserves to die - the sooner the better. As do, apparently, those who dare to try to prevent that from happening.
Of course, the backstories of the client, Jerome Washington, Jack and his family and Desiree add enlightenment to this complex story - as do the efforts of the aforesaid powers-that-be to "convince" Jack and Desiree to back off and allow the natural order of things to remain the status quo (this is the deep South, after all). More than that I can't say without giving too much away except that it's an exceptionally well-written book that's worth reading. Especially now.
David Baldacci does it again. Actually, as a long-time reader and fan of many of his characters, I enjoyed this stand-alone title more than I thought I would. As a born-and-raised Southerner, I know. Boy, do I know. It was hard to read in places, but a worthy read all the same. Highly recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I love David Baldacci's action novels so was interested to see what his writing is like in the courtroom genre. Overall the book was just OK. The overt and subtle racism and ensuing violence in the south is well done and I enjoyed the full fledged characters, especially with the defense lawyers. The overall plot was just so so, mostly stemming from the assumed guilt just because of the color of the defendants skin.
If you enjoyed A Time to Kill and/or To Kill A Mockingbird you will definitely enjoy this one as well.
This is a bit of a departure from David Baldacci’s usual suspense thrillers. It’s a vivid portrait of the segregated South in the 60s just as civil rights marches were reaching the reluctant, still racist states as good men were trying to change attitudes. I suspect some scenes (the “whites only” signs) were part of Baldacci’s own childhood since he was born and raised in Virginia (although he was in elementary school at the time), but he has brought 1968 to life.
This is the story of Jack Lee (who barely missed out being named Robert E. Lee), an idealistic young lawyer who is asked to defend Jerome Washington, a black man accused of murdering the wealthy white couple he worked for. Jerome had discovered the bodies and that alone was good enough for the police to presume his guilt and never look for any other suspects. Jack takes on the case as the previous public defender is threatened and flees. He’s never had a murder case before — what’s considered the ultimate challenge for a criminal defense attorney. As he’s told: “Colored man accused of killin’ rich white folks in Freeman County? I’d say that will be some challenge, all right. Some might say impossible.”
We get to understand a lot of Jack’s upbringing that has shaped him — a more understanding father, but a sometimes harsh mother, defended by his dad “Now, she has her beliefs. You may not agree with them, but they’re what she believes.”
As the odds stack up against Jack — beatings by strangers, the blowup of the case to national headlines, and then the addition of a hotshot attorney general as prosecutor who is trying to politically impress the ultimate racist of the day, George Wallace, Jack is finally surprised by the appearance of Desiree DuBose. She’s a black woman with the highest possible legal education of the day — Howard University followed by Yale Law School, an activist who has participated in the civil rights activities and has even won a case in the Supreme Court. She wants to take over the case, but he convinces her to let him partner with her.
It’s the partnership between Jack and Desiree that’s at the heart of this novel, although it still contains the mystery — who killed the rich couple and why is Jerome being framed? This is thought provoking and heart wrenching as well as sad when you realize a lot of the hateful feelings of 50 years ago still exist today. 5 stars! I think there’s a possibility we might get to meet Jack and Desiree again in the future.
Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Hilly Lee, Jack’s mother, has green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO The landscaping is distinctly southern: crepe myrtles, dogwoods and hydrangeas.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!
I just now finished this Very Powerful Novel, and I am now trying to catch my breath. Taking place in 1968 in Virginia, Jack Lee, a local lawyer takes on a case defending a black man, Jerome Washington, who is accused of murdering a very affluent white couple. They were murdered in their home where Jerome worked as a handyman. What transpires is a novel rich in history, and the prejudices that takes place between black and white residents of a small southern town. Add to this brilliant story a black woman lawyer, Desiree Dubois, who is called in to help Jack with Jerome’s defense.
This is a story that will stay with you for a very long time, as it should. A very emotional read with a cast of extremely well thought out characters. I highly recommend this novel. Don’t Miss it. Thank You To Netgalley, The Author, David Baldacci, and The Publisher Grand Central Publishing, for allowing me to read this novel for my honest review.
Wow - what a book!! I raced through this and loved every second. A calamity of souls is a very thought provoking and a different style from most of his books, but it is extremely well researched and well written powerful legal thriller, which will have you on the edge of your seat.
This is a fictional historical book based in 1968 with a racially charged murder case at the heart. Two fantastic new characters in Jack Lee and Desiree Du Bois who are representing a black family in Freeman County. Brilliant character development.
Might even be his best yet and I've read almost all of Baldacci's books and will definitely been catching up with the couple I've missed. Every book he writes just gets a little bit better and his first book Absolute Power written in 1996 was also fantastic and made into a movie.
A big thanks to Grand Central Publishing for the advance review copy. I know this book will fly off the shelves and be enjoyed by many. I can easily see this being made into a movie and a sequel would be brilliant.
A thought provoking legal case set in Virginia during Jim Crow and George Wallace sixties era. Two prominent whites are found murdered. The obvious suspect is the black hired help. Jack is the attorney who’s going to defend his client with everyone against him. Desiree DuBose swoops in from Chicago with aspirations of the bigger picture. She’s a black female attorney at the Legal Defense Fund. She is not warmly welcomed or accepted yet, expects to take the lead in the case. The prosecution has powerful and wealthy names on it’s side. The defendant has only his family and one strong neighborhood woman on his side. The legal drama is one of Baldacci’s best efforts with an accurate southern historical atmosphere. It isn’t a political or preachy story, just an example of how hundreds, if not thousands of legal proceedings were conducted during this era. My take is that history should teach and inspire us not to repeat injustice. If only we could read this story and say how far we’ve come and how proud we are not to repeat past wrongs. Thanks to the author for the years he put into the final product, Baldacci remains one of my all-time favorite authors.
An uncorrected digital galley of “A Calamity of Souls” by David Baldacci, published by Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Book Group, expected publication 04/16/2024, was provided by NetGalley. These are always my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.
Thought provoking. Heartbreaking. Powerful. This book has it all and I think this is Baldacci’s BEST!
A Calamity of Souls, a standalone book, is difficult to read due to the finely woven depiction of life in 1968 rural Virginia, amidst racial turmoil, the Viet Nam war, and Presidential campaign politics. Racial prejudice is at its worst.
A poor black man, Jerome Washington, is accused of murdering a wealthy elderly couple and a naive local lawyer, Jack Lee, is set to defend the accused.The arrival of Desiree DuBose, a well known Civil Rights activist, brings legal help and insight to Lee. The lawyers encounter roadblocks, threats, lies and misdirection in their pursuit of justice.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Nice easy read as one would expect from a Baldacci book. Well plotted novel with nice characterization of the protagonists.
It's great to see Baldacci venturing out to historical fiction and not sugar coating the mistakes that were made. I could definitely see sequel potential here,
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
David Baldacci's A Calamity of Souls (Grand Central Publishing 2024) starts as a typical 1960's racial-legal-social saga. Black man arrested for the murder of a white family in Freeman County. Prejudiced white police find him guilty until proven innocent despite that the US Supreme Court has taken steps to correct that. In the 1960's, public perception--both among legal experts and everyman--hasn’t caught up with the Supreme Court's evolved jurisprudence, but this book shows how the fix will take hold, one case at a time. In this story, one white lawyer (Jack Lee), raised to believe all men were created equal, fights to save a black man (Jerome Washington). We are led to assume Washington is innocent, but there is scant proof either way. At first. Of course not. That comes out as we turn the pages, and we do that eagerly, engaged, and curious. Lee teams up with a black female civil rights attorney, Desiree DeBose, to fight for Washington's future, but also the future rights of all black American citizens.
The story is well plotted, interspersed richly with U.S. race history, both the shame and heroism as we fought to correct centuries of accepted practice, struggling as a country to find our feet. There is lots of backstory of the white attorney's upbringing--that left his mind open enough to defend a black man who every one knew was guilty. You can't fail to be struck by his resolve, made more resolute the more he is personally and physically attacked. As the story develops, both sides--black and white--struggle to come to terms with an America trying to bring equality to all people all races.
This story was better than I thought it would be, touching on these difficult topics without getting too preachy. One point I was curious about: 'Black' was always capitalized (for that group) while 'white' never was. I'm not sure of that message, but it didn't take away from the 5/5 rating.
The best book Baldacci has ever written, and I can see why it took so long to write. It’s a masterpiece. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher.
As he stated in the authors notes at the beginning of the book, the author took 10 years to write this book. It is not your typical Baldacci book. It is set in 1968 in Virginia and focuses in on the case of a black man accused of killing his white employers. The story paints a picture of racial prejudices, corrupt officials including police officers and hatred toward blacks. The ending is an unexpected surprise. This is a thought provoking book. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.
A Calamity of Souls
by David Baldacci
Pub Date: April 16, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.
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.
Don't miss this one! I highly recommend this stand alone novel.
**The author’s note explains that this book has taken him over a decade to write. He put it aside to work on other projects however this story kept coming back to him. It also explains how some parts of the novel are “autobiographical elements in this story”. I really appreciated the notes at the beginning rather than the end of the novel - they explain a lot!
. It is really unlike any other book I have read by this author and is perhaps his best novel ever.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher, Grand Central Publishing, It was my pleasure to read and review this title.
I loved this outstanding novel! It gripped me from beginning to end, and I think that this is both the best and the most important book that David Baldacci has ever written. In the author's notes at the beginning, he states that he has wanted to write this book for over 10 years, and his reasons why. The book is set in a small town in rural Virginia, in 1968 and centers around the trial of Jerome, a black man accused of murdering his wealthy, elderly, white employers. Jack is a young, white attorney in the town, who is asked if he will defend Jerome. Although he has never tried a murder case, Jack is convinced Jerome is innocent and agrees. Desiree, a black attorney and Civil Rights activist from Chicago hears of the case, and travels to Virginia to work with Jack. Proving the innocence of their client, however, is thwarted at every turn by racial bias, corrupt officials, manufactured evidence and fraud. Everyone connected to the defense find themselves in danger at every turn. They need to both defend Jerome, and discover who really committed the crime, since no police investigation was ever done. The mystery of what really happened twists throughout the book until it's final, surprising conclusion. David Baldacci has created a powerful story and characters that shine a glaring light on the world of 1968 in the South, with all of its prejudices and hatred. It is a thought provoking, totally absorbing book. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of the book. The opinions of this review are my own.
A Calamity of Souls is a captivating, intense look into Southern racial tensions and torment. Family dramas, murders, accusations, lies, prejudices, passions and perhaps even a love story or two swirl together into a fabulous story. Could not put this heartbreaking book down until the major plot mystery was stunningly revealed.
Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.