David Baldacci transports the reader to 1968 toa small town in southern Virginia. The reader witnesses the turbulent times of 1968 with the death of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr., and the riots and unrest. A wealthy, elderly, white couple falls victim to a devilish and brutal murderer. Standing over the bloody bodies, Jerome Washington, a black man, appears to be the murderer. The arrest and trial that follows highlights the unsavory history of racial tensions in the South. Jack Lee, a young, white lawyer retrieves the gauntlet and hopes to defend Jerome. David Baldacci’s presentation displays the emotions and flavor of this disturbing historic era. And to think that this battle continues today. ( )

Baldacci is back on his game. Loved this book. ( )

The history of racism in the United States in 1968 told through the perspective of a legal trial.

The place: Freeman County, Virginia,

The time: The summer of 1968

After anonymous call to the police department, A wealthy elderly white couple was found savagely murdered in their home. In the room with them was Jerome Washington, a Black man who had worked as their handyman. The corrupt racist government officers immediately decided Washington was the murderer. He was found lifting the woman when they arrived. After severely beating him, he was arrested. His first court-appointed lawyer did nothing to help him and then resigned.
Jack Lee, a young, relatively inexperienced white lawyer decided to defend him. There were not other lawyers willing to do so. He quickly faced threats from members of the community who did not like the idea of a white man defending a black man accused of killing white people.
Rather quickly, Desiree DuBose, a Black woman who worked for the Legal Defense Fund, arrived to take over the case realizing its national implications. She had recently won the case of Loving v Virginia before the Supreme Court which legalized interracial marriages. Lee did not want to give up the so she agreed to be second chair
Among the problems they encountered were legal officials were more loyal to racism than to law, lying witnesses, an extremely short time to prepare their case.
Many the characters and situations A CALAMITY OF SOULS seem stereotypical. In 1968, it was reality in many places in the United States, especially the South.
There were a few areas that were not logical for that time:
The army would not have illiterate enlistees.
A Vietnam veteran who was seriously wounded while in the service would be receiving a pension.
While people who knew Jack would refer to him by his first name, the story would not have referred to Desiree by her last name.
Interesting quote:
“The law’s supposed to be color blind,” Jack pointed out.
“ Law is blind if you colored, honey. It don’t see us, no how, no way.”
Interesting explanation:
“ And the automobiles they typically purchased were large because often whole families had to sleep in them. And the powerful engines were critical, to outrun whites intent on doing them harm, including the police.”
Both my husband and I were grabbed by the story. It is not a typical Baldacci book. However, we think it was one of the best and most important that he has written. It is realistic. Sadly, it is also very timely today. ( )

David Baldacci lays it out for the reader:

“I wanted to make this a story of two people from divergent life experiences who come together to tackle a problem as difficult as any America has ever confronted. I wanted it to be an unwieldy, fractious partnership ….. I wanted each to learn from the other, and for them to eventually find mutual respect and empathy for one another.”

Baldacci nailed it and then some. This is a powerful, demanding, frustrating and horrifying story that was made more difficult by baggage that I brought to it. Having seen it first hand as a northerner attending a Virginia college exactly during the period in this book, the hate, fear and division of blatant racism was front and center every day in every way. His writing perfected all the emotions I was channeling even as he was spinning an enormously well crafted story.

Extraordinarily written, upsetting for its undeniable truth and hard look at what we only wish was in the past. Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the amazing book. ( )

The novel is set in Virginia in 1968 at the height of racial tension in the aftermath of the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Jerome Washington is a driver and handyman for a wealthy older couple. He comes into the house to get his pay for the week and finds them dead. Almost immediately the police appear, cuff him, and beat him. The police, powerful people in the State of Virginia, and influential people in the US at the time, attempt to railroad him for the murders. Jack Lee, a lawyer, is asked by Miss Jessup, the maid from across the street, to represent Jerome as he is her relation. The citizens, police, and other powerful allies do not want him to represent Jerome and try many violent things to stop him, eventually burning down his home and killing his sister, Lucy. He is aided by the arrival of Desiree DuBose, a black lawyer from Chicago who travels around the United States furthering the causes of justice and equality for everyone. The story sets the stage for an epic struggle between the lawyers championing Whites and the lawyers championing the Blacks and trying to get equal justice for all. In order to free Jerome and his wife, who is also charged, Jack and Desiree must discover who actually did the killings. ( )