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A Calamity of Souls

By: David Baldacci
Narrated by: Cary Hite, David Baldacci, Kiiri Sandy, MacLeod Andrews, Sisi Aisha Johnson
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Summary

'This is David Baldacci at his best' - Michael Connelly

'I couldn’t stop turning the pages, fascinated, moved, horrified' – Alex Michaelides

'A Tour de Force' – S.A. Cosby

'May be the best novel David Baldacci has ever written' - Scott Turow

'A tale of high tension, false assumptions and stubborn humanity' - Stacey Abrams


Set in the tumultuous year of 1968 in southern Virginia, a murder case sets a duo of Black and white lawyers against a deeply unfair system as they work to defend their wrongfully-accused Black defendants in this courtroom drama from the number one 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 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 town. 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.

©2024 David Baldacci (P)2024 Hachette Audio
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Critic reviews

Powerful, enlightening, and entertaining are some of the superlatives that might come to mind as listeners are transported to the world of trial attorney Jack Lee in Virginia in 1968--brought to life by a uniformly outstanding cast. - AudioFile

What listeners say about A Calamity of Souls

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Jack Lee and Desiree DuBose

Jack and DuBose took their seats at a table and the stares commenced. “She’s a professional colleague.”

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A gripping read

I loved the characters and the story had me hooked from the start. A very moving and distressing subject that’s quite a departure from Baldacci’s usual books.

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Compelling!

A total page turner which emerges the reader/listener in the heartfelt story of discrimination, racial struggles of the 60s in America and reminds us of what humanity really is. A cleverly worked piece of literature

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The story from start to finish was thought provoking, one amazing story

Completely different to any other story that has been written by David Baldacci i could not put in down so sad in many ways but inspiring in others,

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Amazing book, attention to detail and first class

Amazing book, one of his best. Will be a classic. A modern 'to kill a mockingbird'

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Excellent book but hard upsetting read

I was unsure if I would be able to complete the book after the distressing start but glad I did. It made me aware of the total unfairness of the treatment of black people probably throughout the world and unequal in the justice system.

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Very uncomfortable but compelling

I was totally gripped by this book but outraged by the racism especially when this book is set in the late 1960s. While I don't imagine the racism no longer exists it was the overt expression of it that was especially shocking.

I will read anything written by this author and love all his character arcs. Might there be a second outing for Dubose and Lee? I hope so!

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One of DB’s best!

Just a remarkable book on so many levels. From the first page I could not put this book down until I had finished it. Beautifully written and a story well told, combining the facts with fiction to make this book a compelling read. I have had the pleasure in reading most of David Baldacci’s books and this is certainly one of his finest so far.

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Best Baldacci Book Yet

Loved it !!! Couldn’t stop listening to it ,was absorbed from the first page . Love his books normally but this was something else . Brilliantly read as well . Best Audiobook I’ve listened to

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Do not miss this one!

Stunning. Great insight into recent American history with great characters and excellent narration. I’m a big fan of DB, and reckon that this is his finest.

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