David Baldacci

David Baldacci: Biography

David Baldacci was born on August 5th, 1960 and is currently 63 years old. David Baldacci was born in Richmond, Virginia, USA. Baldacci attended Virginia Commonwealth University where he received a B.A. Political Science and University of Virginia School of Law where he received a Juris Doctorate Degree.

David Baldacci is probably best known for his Standalone Novels. There are currently 12 novels available. The first standalone was released in 1995 with the novel Absolute Power. The most recently released novel was A Calamity of Souls which was released in 2024. There are no upcoming standalone novels by David at this time.

David Baldacci has also written the Amos Decker series which has 7 books including Memory Man and The Last Mile.

Baldacci's first novel published was Absolute Power, which was three years in the making for that. Prior to the publication of that, Baldacci would write many short stories and screenplays. While they weren't a success, Baldacci felt it helped him learn how to tell stories, according to an article in the VCU News. Baldacci was writing since he was a child, thanks to his mother giving him a notebook which he could use to write stories. When he thanked her for this later on and what it led to in his life, she said she just gave it to David to keep him quiet.

David is the co-founder of the Wish You Well Foundation with his wife, Michelle Baldacci. This foundation works on supporting literacy in adults and families in the USA.

In 2008, David Baldacci was awarded the gold St. Christopher medal. This is the highest honour bestowed by the Comune of Barga.

David is a hands-on researcher when it comes to his novels. In an interview with BookBrowse, he mentioned that while researching the novel Last Man Standing, he learned horse riding as well as firing machine guns, as an example. In the same interview, he said that research normally takes him more than four months, with a book taking a year or more to write.

David Baldacci is a member of The Nielsen Bestseller Award's 21st Century Platinum Hall of Fame.

One Good Deed was listed as one of the Top 5 Historical Fiction Thrillers of 2019 by The Real Book Spy website.

David Baldacci: Awards & Accolades

David Baldacci has won multiple awards including: The International Thriller Writers Award, Silver Bullet Award, in 2008, Barnes & Noble Awards, Writers for Writers Award, in 2012, Library of Virginia, Lifetime Achievement Award, in 2017, Nielsen Awards, Honorary Platinum Bestseller Award, in 2018 and the PEN/Faulkner Award, Literary Champion, in 2024. David Baldacci was also nominated for the Crime Thriller Awards, The Bestseller Dagger, in 2011.

Baldacci's books have also won multiple awards, Absolute Power won the W.H. Smith Award, Thumping Good Read Award, in 1997. One Good Deed won the Nero Award, Best Mystery Novel, in 2020.

David Baldacci books have also been nominated for multiple awards, The Innocent was nominated for the Goodreads Awards, Best Mystery and Thriller, in 2012. The Target was nominated for the Goodreads Awards, Best Mystery and Thriller, in 2014. FaceOff was nominated for the Anthony Award, Best Anthology / Collection, in 2015. The Escape was nominated for the Goodreads Awards, Best Mystery and Thriller, in 2015. Memory Man was nominated for the Goodreads Awards, Best Mystery and Thriller, in 2015. The Last Mile was nominated for the Goodreads Awards, Best Mystery and Thriller, in 2016. One Good Deed was nominated for the International Thriller Writers Award, Best Hardcover Novel, in 2020.

David Baldacci: Lists & Other Mentions

• Hour Game was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2004.
• Simple Genius was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2007.
• Stone Cold was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2007.
• The Whole Truth was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2008.
• First Family was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2009.
• Deliver Us From Evil was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2010.
• Hell's Corner was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2010.
• Zero Day was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2011.
• The Hit was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2013.
• The Target was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2014.
• Memory Man was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2015.
• The Fix was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2017.
• The Fallen was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2018.
• Long Road to Mercy was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2019.
• Redemption was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2019.
• One Good Deed was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2019.
• A Minute to Midnight was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2019.
• Walk the Wire was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2020.
• A Gambling Man was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2021.
• Mercy was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2021.
• Dream Town was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2022.
• Long Shadows was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2022.

David Baldacci: TV/Movies Based on Books

The first novel to be adapted to a movie by David Baldacci was the award winning novel, Absolute Power. The standalone novel which was written in 1996, was made into a movie two years later. It starred Gene Hackman and Clint Eastwood.

The standalone novel Wish You Well was made into a movie in 2013. It starred Ellen Burstyn, Mackenzie Foy and Josh Lucas. Baldacci wrote the screenplay.

In 2017, Baldacci's novel The Christmas Train was adapted into a TV movie on the Hallmark Channel. It starred Dermot Mulroney, Joan Cusack and Danny Glover.

One Summer was adapted for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries in 2021. The TV movie starred Sam Page, Amanda Schull and Sarah Drew.

The Sean King and Michelle Maxwell series of novels was made into a TV show in 2013, of which Baldacci was a consulting producer on. It starred Jon Tenney as Sean King, and Rebecca Romijn playing the part of Michelle Maxwell. Airing on TNT, it lasted one season and ten episodes.

Related Authors

The most common authors followed by users who also follow David Baldacci are:

1. Michael Connelly, author of the Harry Bosch Series.
2. Lee Child, author of the Jack Reacher Series.
3. John Grisham, author of the Jake Brigance Series.
4. James Patterson, author of the Women's Murder Club Series.
5. Harlan Coben, author of the Myron Bolitar Series.

David Baldacci: F.A.Q

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Andrew M.

2 years ago

Honestly, I was never a fan of David Baldacci’s books until I came across a list of his books and decided to give them a try.
Baldacci is one of my best thriller and suspense authors.
I really liked Absolute Power, thanks to the likable fictional characters in the book.
Confession- I liked the movie more than the novel.
He is an all-round writer and does not leave the young readers out and has something for them- Freddy and the French Fries series.
He ensures the readers are thrilled throughout his books while introducing twists and turns to avoid boredom.

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Kyler F

2 years ago

When your first novel is picked to be adapted to a movie directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, that’s a pretty good sign. I picked up the book after seeing the movie and it was much better, with a tauter plot and more pointed direction to the story. I picked up Baldacci’s next few books and they were just as much fun as the first one. His King & Maxwell series however was where I thought his writing really came together, and along with his Camel Club series was a reading highlight for years. He has continued to introduce new series lately and through I haven’t read a lot of them the ones I have are quite up to Baldacci’s usual standards.

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Edgar A.

2 years ago

Baldacci is just one of those authors that just screams great thrill and adventure.
He is an around great writer and I have always enjoyed his books and the movies when they come out.
Of all his novels the Memory Man and the Amos Decker series are my favorites.
Still, I find that the novels rather than the movies have been what I always enjoy the most. His dialogue and narrative style are more often than not top notch regardless of the characters he brings into his stories.
Amos Decker the lead of the Amos Decker series is just that character that you love from the get go given how much he has gone through, while still retaining his character and determination.
Combined with a bunch of interesting secondary characters, Baldacci crafts likeable and well developed heroes and villains that you are unlikely to forget any time soon.

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Austin D.

2 years ago

David is a writer that I was hesitant to start reading at first, just because there are so many novels and series to read at this point. But I checked out Absolute Power after having seen the movie Clint Eastwood made, and it made me slowly get into other novels of his, mainly the stand alone reads. That said, I did start the Amos Decker books.

One of the in that series, called Walk the Wire, is the best of the books with a twist that you just don’t see coming. And it helps that the book is just so compelling it’s tough to set down for too long.

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Teddy B.

2 years ago

David Baldacci is renowned as a richly-talented author of legal thrillers and suspense novels. His Came Club series is a personal favorite. A distinguished feat achieved by David is having Barack Obama officially listed as his fan.

Being an attorney by profession, he feels bound to write legal thrillers. Several adaptations of his works include the movies Absolute Power, Wish You Well, and The Christmas Train.

A TV series called King & Maxwell is based on David’s novel series, Sean King and Michelle Maxwell series.

The actors who have acted in the adaptations of his works include Clint Eastwood, Ed Harris, Josh Lucas, Joan Cusack, Gene Hackman, Dermot Mulroney, Mackenzie Foy, etc.

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Michael K.

2 years ago

I re-read Absolute Power recently. After consuming so many David Baldacci novels, jumping back to the first few years of Baldacci’s career was refreshing. I enjoyed noting all the changes his style had undergone and all the improvements he had made since those early days.

That isn’t to say that Absolute Power was poorly written. It doesn’t live up to the quality of his later works because it came out so long ago. The ideas in the novel have been done to death. But if you put yourself in the shoes of a reader in the 1990s, you will probably understand why it was so appealing when it was first published.

I remember enjoying the Clint Eastwood adaptation. I watched it so long ago that I think I have to see it again to determine how it compares to the book.

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Deb

7 months ago

Baldacci is one of my go-to authors. He never disappoints

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Cindy M

6 months ago

I just can’t stay interested in any of David’s books. The covers would appeal to me, but after a chapter or two it simply never kept my attention to want to keep reading. Anyone recommend one that I might try him again?

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Graeme

Admin

Reply to  Cindy M

6 months ago

The Winner was one that I loved. His early standalone novels are my favourite.

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Sugarplum33

Reply to  Cindy M

3 months ago

Try the 6:20 Man. It’s a bit different. I loved it.

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SURDEN7

Reply to  Cindy M

1 month ago

Baldacci is one of my favorites. He changes things up enough that you don’t ever get bored of a character or series. Each series is different, while still staying in the mystery/thriller genre. I think I started with The Camel Club series many years ago. If he releases a new book, I will order it from the library by virtue it is a David Baldacci book.

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azangie

6 months ago

The King and Maxwell books are excellent. All of his books are well written and easy to read. I’m reading Trye Blue right now. Written about 2 sisters fighting crime in D. C.

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Sue Jakaitis

4 months ago

I love all of David Baldacci’s characters, especially King and Maxwell, the Camel Club, Amos Decker and most recently I started the Memory Man. Great books.

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stalsma

2 months ago

The Edge – excellent and the last sentence looks like more.

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Denis M

2 months ago

I picked up The Camel Club from a neighborhood library to read on the beach this winter. I really enjoyed the story and the characters, enough to keep dabbling in the Camel Club series.

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msdelisle

1 month ago

It took me a while to pick up a Baldacci book. Once I did, I was hooked!

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stalsma

9 days ago

The Edge – A few twists and turns which makes for a good read.

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