Calamity of Souls by David Baldacci is a book that you will never forget. The book puts you in the tumultuous times of 1968 in Virginia when many white people and black people struggled to get along. The laws had changed but the minds of many white people in Virginia had not. Jack Lee is a white lawyer who has spent his life in Freeman County, Virginia. Jerome Washington, a black man, who worked for a wealthy white couple is accused of murdering them. Jerome was their driver, handy man, and did many other jobs around the house for them. Jerome's mother is someone that Jack and his family know. When Jerome is arrested she comes looking for Jack to help with the case against Jerome. Jerome has never battled against racism, but believes in equality for all. After meeting Jerome and thinking it through, Jack decides to take the case.

Jack soon finds out that he's taken on more than just Jerome's case. He's also taken on the small minded people that are filled with hate before even knowing someone. This case has a national following as it's also quite political. Desiree DuBose is a black lawyer from Chicago who travels all over the country fighting for the rights of black people who are treated unfairly. She's fought in front of the Supreme Court and won. She's well known and she decides to head to Virginia to offer Jack her help. The big guns have been brought in to argue the case and even a judge was handpicked to hear the case. As things turn violent, Jack wonders if it's worth what he, Desiree, and his family have to go through for justice. It's an important case, but a lot is lost as this case is fought in court and outside of court. Will Jack and Desiree be able to convince a jury of 12 white people that their client is innocent? Will the violence get to Jack and Desiree? Will Jerome be able to get back home to his young kids or will he get the death penalty?

This is a very important book covering a very difficult time in the past. At times it is very hard to read the things happening, but stick it out! This book and the characters in it will be with me for a very long time. A Calamity of Souls is available now and one of David Baldacci's very best books. I rate Calamity of Souls 5 stars with my very highest recommendation. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced copy of Calamity of Souls in exchange for a fair review. #CalamityofSouls

"A Calamity of Souls" by David Baldacci introduces readers to Jack Lee, a white lawyer from Freeman County, Virginia, who confronts his own complacency towards racism when he takes on the case of Jerome Washington, a Black man accused of a heinous crime. Doubting his abilities and fearing the odds stacked against him and his client, Lee partners with Desiree DuBose, a passionate Black lawyer from Chicago devoted to justice and equality. As they navigate a legal battle against formidable opposition, they realize that the case is emblematic of larger societal forces at play. Despite their differences, Lee and DuBose unite to fight for a fair trial and true justice, challenging the status quo and confronting powerful outside influences. With meticulous detail and vivid storytelling, Baldacci's novel immerses readers in a world that is both distant and familiar, offering a compelling exploration of justice, race, and the complexities of the human experience.

A Calamity of Souls by David Baldacci is an eye opening look at the amount of prejudice in the 1960's. The way the case unravels keeps readers guessing the outcome.

I wish we lived in a world that was just and equal for all, and that lawyers could concentrate on being simply lawyers and not spokespersons for a cause. But today we saw justice done. It was tragic and heartbreaking and should remind us that we're all human, and we can all rise high or fall low, but we should all be judged by the same standard. That is the only way we can move forward as a country, as a people.

David Baldacci went out of his norm to write this one. We have heard this tale so many times of the injustice of the 1960's and the push for equal rights for all. Jack Lee has lived and worked Freeman County, Virgina all his life. When he takes the case of an accused black man, accused of killing his employer and wife, he knows he is way over his head. The system is rigged against his client. His case becomes more interesting when Desiree DuBose a black lawyer from Chicago offers Jack her help in fighting the system. This is a multi tiered story of justice, fighting injustice, racism, and the human heart. Why we do the things we do becomes the question for both Desiree and Jack. They both know for justice to happen for their client, they must find who killed the victims and why. Baldacci a master in unfolding a plot does so again. All in the name of justice.

I also liked that he kept politics out. Racism has gotten worse because of politics not better. It has been used to pit us against each other and not used used to bring us together. Baldacci whole purpose is to bring people together for a greater cause.

A special thank you to Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

1968 Virginia - Old values and prejudices throughout this Mother of States and Baldacci presents a masterful work of historical fiction and legal drama in this nearly 500 page book.
The story brings in Jack Lee- a relatively new lawyer in Freeman County Virginia to defend a black man who was arrested for brutally murdering a wealthy white elderly couple in their home. Enter, Desiree DuBose, a black lawyer from Chicago who works for the Legal Defense Fund to serve as his co-counsel in the case.
The characters were well developed as was the legal case. I found the courtroom drama to be intense although somewhat predictable, I loved the twist at the end -did not see it coming at all. I remember 1968 as it was the first time that I could vote and I also remember the hatred and the shock surrounding the assassinations of MLK and RFK. I think the author introduced these events into the story to provide background to the atmosphere of the times - the prejudice, and the racial injustice that was pervasive in the country.
This is the first book by the author that I've read and I liked it a lot, although I thought that it was a little heavy on the bigotry (even though the destructive acts and treatment of Blacks was pretty realistic).
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and have reviewed this book with my own opinions.

Really enjoyed this one; while there are similarities to other Baldacci novels I've read, this one also had a different feel to it - more drama and less mystery/thriller/detective, which was a nice change. I enjoy Baldacci's writing, but it was nice to have a slightly different genre. And while its true that this is a subject that has been done before (many times), and this book really didn't bring anything new to the subject, I enjoyed reading it from this author's perspective. In addition, there were so many wonderful characters in this book.

Two issues - I think its a shame that the author had to revise the book to remove the N word. While its not a remotely acceptable word now, for the timeline of the book it was common. And the way he chose to alter it honestly called more attention to it than if he had just used it where it made sense.

Second - why were all the characters called by their first names, except for Desiree? I didn't understand why she was consistently referred to by her last name. It grated on me more and more the further into the book I got.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest novel by the wonderful David Baldacci. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

It's 1968 in southern Virginia, when a Black man, Jerome Washington, is charged with killing the elderly wealthy white couple he works for. Jack Lee is a white lawyer who decides to represent Jerome, but fears that his legal skills may not be good enough to overcome all the odds stacked against his client. Enter Desiree DuBose, a Black lawyer from Chicago, who has devoted her life to furthering the causes of justice and equality for everyone. She enters into a partnership with Lee in a legal battle against the best prosecutor in the Commonwealth. Will they be able to prevent Jerome from going to the electric chair?

This is such a powerful book. Jack's speech after the trial is well worth the price of the book alone, and are words that each of us needs to really think about. Because while some things have changed from the horrible racial division in this book, many have not, and we all need to step up. Baldacci has once again created characters that make you feel about them and their experiences, which allow those bigger issues of power, racism and discrimination to feel so very personal. I also loved that these characters had recognizable flaws that made them feel more human. The courtroom scenes were gripping and wonderfully written. Highly recommended!

A Calamity of Souls is a legal mystery/thriller that is set in rural Southern Virginia in 1968--a tumultuous year in American history characterized by the Vietnam War, assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy, race riots and civil disobedience, cultural wars, you name it. And all of these elements are in this new book by David Baldacci.

A double homicide has occurred in Freeman County, Virginia, and white law enforcement is quick to arrest and name a Black handyman Driver as the guilty party, largely because he is found with the deceased bodies of an older husband/wife. But the picture is much more complicated. Jack Lee, a native of the county and a lawyer, is asked to serve as the counselor for Jerome Washington, the accused. Lee is over his head, having never defended a murder case particularly in a racially charged environment.

Enter Desiree DuBose, a Black lawyer from Chicago who surveys the country looking for cases such as this to prevent a rush to judgment and a fair legal process for African American citizens. Jack is hesitant to accept Desiree as a second chair, but ultimately realizes he needs her help.

The plot moves forward as the two lawyers first sort out their own misperceptions of one another, and then try to focus on defending Jerome whose rights have been abused one after another. The lawyers find themselves in danger, as evil acts begin to occur surrounding each of them and Jack's family.

This is a powerful story, and it is compelling reading. If you like murder mysteries add this to your list.

I want to thank the publisher, author David Baldacci, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an ARC of this new title.

I’ve been a huge fan of David Baldacci for decades. He never disappoints, but this one delivers in a way unlike most of his other books. While the story isn’t exactly original, (I could point to many similar stories sitting on my bookshelves.) Baldacci adds his own particular style in delivering this raw, emotionally and racially charged story that will leave you thinking about it long after you’ve set the book down. While the stories aren’t the same, I can’t help but compare the impact this one delivers to Grisham’s A Time to Kill. If you aren’t already a fan of David Baldacci you will be after you read this book. I’d like to thank Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eArc of A Calamity of Souls.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R24D39SIYV4N6B/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

There’s nothing better than when a must-read author writes a must-read book! And when David Baldacci says that it’s taken him a decade to write this story, you know it must be something special! In this riveting historical fiction, Baldacci addresses racial injustice in this courtroom and family drama with a rawness that cannot be ignored!
Set in very racially divided Southern Virginia in 1968, Jack Lee agrees to represent a black man accused, and in the eyes of many in the community already deemed guilty, of killing his elderly white and prominent employers. Lee quickly realizes this case is bigger than just the trial on hand, as important as that is. Fortunately, the case has caught the attention of Desiree DuBose, a black lawyer from Chicago who has devoted her life and career to trying to right the wrongs against the black community by bringing national attention to the issues. Faced with threats, violence, and unadulterated hatred Lee and DuBose work together to fight for their client, fight against prejudice, bias and brutality.
In an emotional story, life during the early Civil Rights movement in the South becomes real through the vast array of well developed characters as they grapple with the knowledge that things they have known to be true may in fact be very wrong.

David Baldacci is one of the best writers who can easily write suspense and then come out with a book like A Calamity of Souls which is incredibly detailed historical fiction. The story takes place in 1968 Virginia and involves themes of race, justice, tragedy, and redemption. Whew, what an absolutely genius story with near-perfect writing.

Here is what you need to know:

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 and 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. And he quickly finds himself out of his depth when he realizes that what is 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 everyone. She comes to Freeman County and 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.

Just published, get it now!

"A Calamity of Souls" by David Baldacci is an absolute must-read! Set in 1968, it's a gripping courtroom drama tackling racial injustice in southern Virginia.
When Black Vietnam veteran Jerome Washington is wrongly accused of murder, a duo of lawyers—white and Black—fight against a deeply unfair system. Jack Lee, a local attorney, and Desiree DuBose, a dedicated advocate, form an unlikely alliance to defend Jerome against overwhelming odds. As they uncover the truth, they face prejudice, danger, and unexpected twists.
Baldacci masterfully blends historical, legal, and family drama into a captivating story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. With well-developed characters and intense courtroom scenes, this novel is both timely and essential reading.
I couldn't put it down!

Taking over a decade to write, Baldacci crafts a beautifully written story of a lawyer who fights for racial injustices. This story is a standalone and unlike Baldacci’s other novels.
Set in 1968 southern Virginia a black man is accused of a heinous crime. Lee, an attorney who has never tried a case along with DuBose a black female attorney from Chicago team up to try and keep their client from the electric chair.
This is a gripping courtroom drama that will keep you reading until the last page. Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for my ARC it was fabulous!

A Calamity of Souls
David Baldacci
April 16, 2024

Virginia, 1968, and an affluent white couple is found dead. The only person around is their black handy man/chauffer/groundskeeper, Jerome, covered in blood. He’s come in to collect his pay and found them murdered. Jerome is a family man, a decorated Viet Nam veteran, and yet, he is accused and found guilty in the eyes of the law – and everyone else - before they’ve even put him in the jail cell.

These are perilous times with little mind paid to the eliminated Jim Crow laws along with blatant and hateful racism at every turn. When Jack Lee, a white lawyer, is asked by Jerome’s Grandma-in-law to take on the case he’s at first hesitant but he knows this is his chance to do something about the racial discrimination and hate he’s seen and has often ignored throughout his life.

Jack, along with Desiree DuBoise, a black lawyer from Chicago, take on Jerome’s case which has exploded into so much more. The inclusion of Jerome’s family, the racial tensions, and the sheer danger it put everyone involve in was mind-blowing, tragic and at times, awe inspiring.

This is a tough book to read; it exposes a lot of hateful history but in turn, it shows the dedication and bravery of people who worked towards change, often at great peril to themselves and their families.

I know I didn’t even come close to reviewing this book in any manner that deems worthy of how much it deserves but I’m a little bit at a loss for words.

My thanks to @GrandCentralPub for this gifted DRC.

Master storyteller David Baldacci returns following series The Edge (The 6:20 Man #2) and Simply Lies (Mickey Gibson #1) with his latest riveting standalone, A CALAMITY OF SOULS. Set during the desegregation of the South, a gripping courtroom drama of racial injustice and suspense combined with a gripping family drama that will leave you breathless until the final page is turned!

I have been a long-time fan of the author—whether a series or standalone, A CALAMITY OF SOULS is one of my favorites. Baldacci at his finest! 5 Stars + and Top Books of 2024!

Set in 1968, in Virginia, as the book opens, we meet a hardworking Black Vietnam veteran, Jerome Washington, husband and father, accused and arrested for the murder of his white employers, Leslie and Anne Randolph.

They are two of the most prominent wealthy family members in the segregated Freeman County.

Jerome had been with the couple for many years and was washing their Buick. He entered the home to pick up his weekly pay when he found them covered in blood. He tried to help by moving them off the floor. Then, the cops arrived and handcuffed him immediately.

A setup? It appears he is taking the fall for someone; however, in this county, a Black man's word is no good. Who will believe him? He is beaten and already assumed guilty when he is innocent due to his color.

Miss Jessup (Black) was Ashby's maid, cook, and nurse (their lawyer neighbor), and everyone knew her. She was a relative of Jerome's family. Jack Lee remembered her when he was a boy delivering the paper. She reached out to Jack Lee to represent Jerome.

Jack Lee, who is just turning 33, is a young local white criminal defense attorney who agrees to take the case. He is unmarried, drives a Fiat, and is eight years out of law school. Lucy, his sister at 37, was born with a deformity after their mother was given a sedative due to an impacted wisdom tooth when she was unaware she was pregnant. He also had a brother, Jeff.

His family believed in kindness and respect, whether you're black, white, rich, or poor.

As Jack becomes engrossed in the case, everyone is against him with much prejudice, and he soon realizes he is out of his element.

However, his salvation came when Desiree DuBose, a Black lawyer from Chicago sent by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, arrived to assist Jack with the case. She is smart and has devoted her life to helping with the justice and equality of her clients.

The two lawyers begin working together to defend Jerome against an unjust and unfair town, fighting them at every turn. They work well together even though different. They have to put on their investigation hats and dig deep in a race against time when the local cops are not that helpful and want to hang Jerome.

However, they know he is innocent and has a family and daughters to get back to. Who is the real murderer, and why are they allowing an innocent man to take the fall? What was the motive?

Both Jack and Desiree are in danger, and the racists will stop at nothing to keep them from working on the case, even getting to the families. Jack learns to respect Desiree and admires her when he has barely left his state and has never flown. She has been everywhere representing those in need of a fair trial.

It is the two of them against an entire town of racial injustice and prejudice. After losing their office and other lives, rather than giving up, they are more determined to bring justice to the forefront and save Jerome.

Two lawyers, black and white, fight against a deeply unfair system as they work to defend their wrongfully accused Black defendant. However, there is a final twist and more surprises you do not see coming, which will leave your jaw dropping in this heartbreaking suspense.

A CALAMITY OF SOULS is a high-octane, action-packed, and moving legal thriller during the civil rights movement. Timely, critical, and essential reading. Even though fictional, the stories are real, then and now. I loved this book and its well-developed characters you care about and root for.

Gripping, character-driven, and plot-driven, with intense courtroom scenes, a stellar blending of historical, legal, psychological, and family drama. Baldacci fans will devour, as well as Grisham, Connelly, Turow, Eskens, Hart, and Dugoni fans.

Thank you, David, for telling this moving story, which has been a long time in the making. No one could have said it better. The author's expertise as an award-winning author. former lawyer, and growing up in the area during this period, shines through on each page, making the characters come alive.

A CALAMITY OF SOULS is exceptional and would make a superb movie or TV series. I hope we see more of Jack and Desiree in the future. Ideal for book clubs and further discussions. I highly recommend it!

Thank you, Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley, for a digital early reading review copy. I also pre-ordered the audiobook and cannot wait to listen with narrators MacLeod Andrews (favorite), Sisi Aisha Johnson, Kiiri Sandy, and Cary Hite. The hardcover is a must for your home library! A classic.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Pub Date: April 16, 2024
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This was a book that intrigued me based on the plot and the fact that I do not typically read a lot of books written by male authors.

I want to start by stating that this book was not poorly written by any means at all, it just wasn't written for me. As a person of color, reading a book where the white lawyer is really faced with the inner turmoil of how hard racism is to fight against is just not the journey for me in this capacity.

Seeing as this author is recommended for readers who enjoy John Grisham and Clive Cussler--neither of whom I have read, I personally think this book was for someone of an older age range than me. I would (and have) recommended this book to both my father and uncle in-laws who are both big fans of Grisham and Cussler.

Jack Lee, a young white lawyer in 1960s Virginia, takes on the defense of a Black man accused of a double homicide. This is a story that took David Baldacci ten years to write, but I finished reading this in just over one day because it was so hard to put down. From the opening scenes of Jerome Washington’s arrest to his trial and its’ aftermath, Baldacci takes you to the Old South with its’ racial divisions and prejudices. Lee is accused of being a traitor to his race and receives a beating to drive home the point. He considers dropping the case, but the arrival of Desiree DuBose strengthens his resolve to see justice done. She is a Black female lawyer offering her services as a co-counsel in a case that has gotten national attention. She and Jack have their differences in approaching the case yet make a strong team in the courtroom.

The Hanovers were a wealthy couple who employed Jerome as their handyman. When he is found at the scene of the crime he is arrested even though he has no blood on his clothes or shoes at a scene filled with blood splatters. He is beaten by the arresting officers and his wife is later arrested as his accomplice. The prosecutor feels he has a strong case, most of it is based on circumstantial evidence and questionable testimony. With a jury of twelve white men and witnesses forced to commit perjury, Jerome and his wife are facing the electric chair. It is not enough to just show reasonable doubt in his case. Time is running out as disturbing facts come to light regarding events leading up to the murder. At times this was a disturbing story. The treatment of Jerome was brutal and the attacks on Jack and his family, leading to the death of an innocent girl, brought me to tears. This story is a must read and will stay with you long after the last page. I would like to thank NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing this book for my review.

One of Baldacci’s most powerful books. He writes head-on and honestly about the racial issues, especially in the judicial system, in the 1960’s. This novel is not only of our past but it also rings loud and true today.

Set in Virginia in 1968, after the murders of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, racial tension is a fact of life in segregated Freeman County. Jerome Washington, a young Black married father who served in Vietnam is arrested for the double murder of Leslie and Anne Randolph, his wealthy, white employers. Jack Lee, a white criminal attorney with no experience at murder trials, is convinced by the accused man's family to represent Jerome. The local reaction to Jack's decision to defend a Black man of such a horrible crime puts him and his loved ones in danger. Realizing he may be in way over his head, he is approached by Desiree DuBose, a Black attorney from the Legal Defense Fund, to work together. The case takes on national attention with George Wallace's people trying to use the trial to bolster support for him. The prosecution rushes the case to trial where the lack of hard evidence doesn't seem to matter.

A Calamity of Souls is one of David Baldacci's most personal novels. The author, raised in Richmond, Virginia, notes that the book has many autobiographical elements and that he started writing the novel over a decade ago. It's quite a tour de force - perhaps his best. I'm a big fan of his entertaining, action-packed series work but this book is much different given the subject matter. Jack Lee is a great character. While a talented attorney, this case gives him the chance to truly stand for something. Desiree is a force of nature who is brilliant yet realizes she is fighting an uphill, exhausting battle every day of her life. This riveting story kept me glued and very angry.

I've been a fan of David Baldacci books since his first novel in the mid 1990s. I particularly like his stand alone novels like "Absolute Power' and "Last Man Standing". "A Calamity of Souls" is another stand alone and it could be his best book ever. Great characters, a fast paced plot, and the social commentary that informs some of his best books. It was a page turner and I read it straight through in two days. Highly recommended

Thanks to Net Galley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced reader copy.