A Calamity of Souls
By David Baldacci
- Release Date: 2024-04-16
- Genre: Mysteries & Thrillers
Description
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 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.
Over a decade in the writing, 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.
Reviews
His Best
5By Samnite100More….A Calamity of Souls. David Baldacci
5By Wet againThis excellent read takes place in Virginia in 1968. A respected white couple is savagely murdered and a black man who worked for the couple and his wife is arrested and charged for the murder. They don’t stand a chance in a court of law in this racially divided southern atmosphere. George Wallace is running for president and is using this court case to further enhance his racist views. Jack Lee born and raised in this town agrees to represent the man and woman being charged fr a crime they didn’t commit. A prominent civil rights attorney convinces Jack to work with her as partners. An excellent read!! My highest recommendation!!Eduardo
5By efuuiiiiiiiiEdsssssCalamity of Souls
5By Mongoose SteveRiveting and relevant today. A tough read but worth it. It was hard to put the book down. One of his best.Good read
5By STT GirlAuthentic. Well written. Well developed characters. Thought provoking.One of the Best
5By Kid of the 60'sOne of the best books I have ever read. The mixture of real life with fictional characters in revealing truth about our racial relationships in the United States is electric. It may have taken Baldacci ten years to complete it, but it is absolutely worth the effort. It gives us much to think about.it was bad
1By dhjfdkjdjkfcojfno5 star
5By lysieeeeeJust reading the sample, I am hooked. Can’t wait to purchase