Description
A Calamity of Souls by David Baldacci is a historical courtroom drama set in southern Virginia in 1968, during a period of intense racial tension and social change. Jack Lee, a white lawyer who has never challenged the racism around him, agrees to defend Jerome Washington, a Black man accused of murdering an elderly and wealthy white couple. What begins as a difficult murder case soon becomes a much larger fight against a deeply unequal legal system.
Desiree DuBose, a Black lawyer from Chicago committed to justice and equality, joins Lee in defending Washington. The two lawyers come from very different backgrounds and initially struggle to work together, but they face a prosecution determined to secure a guilty verdict and the electric chair. As they fight for a fair trial, the case exposes the racial prejudice and powerful forces still working against the gains of the Civil Rights era.
A good choice for readers who enjoy historical fiction, courtroom dramas, legal thrillers and stories exploring racism, civil rights and the pursuit of justice in 1960s America.
