A CALAMITY OF SOULS

By David Baldacci

⭐⭐⭐⭐ ½ (Goodreads: 4.48)

GENRE: Legal Thriller

PART OF A SERIES? No

WORTH READING? Yes

SUMMARY:

A Calamity of Souls is a historical legal thriller set in 1968 in Freeman County, southern Virginia, during the height of the Civil Rights movement. The story centres on a racially charged murder case that captures national attention.

Jack Lee, a white lawyer, is asked to defend Jerome Washington, a Black man accused of murdering a wealthy white couple. Throughout his career, Jack has remained a passive bystander to the racism surrounding him, never taking action to challenge the status quo. However, this case becomes his moral turning point. Despite having no experience with murder cases and facing significant community backlash and threats, Jack decides to defend the accused man.

Jack is soon joined by Desiree DuBose, a seasoned Black attorney from Chicago, and together they face a biased legal system, a hostile community, and personal loss.

Opening lines: “On any other day, the dead quiet coming from this room would have concerned no one, because the elderly couple usually napped peacefully, sat stationary as cats, or read their twin King James bibles in silence, aged fingers turning pages replete with wisdom, tranquility, and violence.”

The opening lines immediately drew me into A Calamity of Souls, a feeling amplified by its evocative title. I have always been drawn to stories (whether books, TV shows or movies) where someone fights for the underdog. Add in the element of race and/or diverse cultures and the story becomes even more compelling. I always appreciate books that make me research things; for example, I read up on the terrible Jim Crow laws during my reading of A Calamity of Souls.

I appreciated the way David Baldacci describes some aspects of scenes without going overboard. I’ll be honest: Baldacci has been a bit hit or miss for me over the years. I am a massive fan of his Memory Man series but could not get into the Will Robie or Camel Club series at all.

It was rewarding to see some of the main characters in A Calamity of Souls, including Jack, becoming increasingly enlightened to the plight of African-Americans. It's almost as if they had never really considered the specifics of an African-American's life. Other characters, too, slowly came to realise what life was like for African-Americans in the 1960s, even ones who you wouldn’t expect. Watching characters' understanding deepen and their moral strength grow in the face of such injustice was profound and impactful.

From what I've read, David Baldacci spent over a decade developing this story, drawing from his own experiences growing up in Richmond, Virginia — the former capital of the Confederacy — during the 1960s and 1970s. The novel represents a departure from his typical thriller format, focusing more deeply on historical and social issues while maintaining courtroom drama elements.

I thought A Calamity of Souls was fabulous and can recommend it without reservation. Unfortunately, though, it was one of those books that has potentially ruined my next read. It kept me up way past my bedtime every night, though, so don't say I didn't warn you!

Click here to purchase A Calamity of Souls on Amazon 

Click here if you’d like to delve into Baldacci’s great Memory Man series

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