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A Calamity of Souls

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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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About this listen

'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
Crime Thrillers International Mystery & Crime Mystery Thriller & Suspense Law Civil rights

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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

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It took me a long time to get into it, and I almost gave up but once the story got going I was hooked. As a Swede, I am not so invested emotionally in American history. To me, there is only one race, The Human Race. Having said that, the problem doesn't get nearer a solution it seems. With the polarization going on today to my mind it is heading for a second civil war. Had to put those thoughts aside to get into the story. The narrator was what kept me keen to stay with the book

Now that was something different

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a great listen which touched upon a terrible time in American history, bigotry has no place in the world

black and white working together

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What a fantastic novel from start to finish. Brilliantly conceived and narrated tremendously. Loved it. Baldacci sure can deliver. J

Outstanding

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

Jack Lee and Desiree DuBose

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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.

A gripping read

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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

Compelling!

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Beautifully written. A scenario that may be for America in 2025… The author generates string emotions by confronting us with the hatred of these times.

The story

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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,

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

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

Amazing book, attention to detail and first class

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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.

Excellent book but hard upsetting read

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