Editing David Baldacci

{{Short description|American novelist (born 1960)}}

{{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox writer/doc]] -->
| name = David Baldacci
| image = David Baldacci - 2015 National Book Festival (6).jpg
| caption = Baldacci at the 2015 [[National Book Festival]]
| pseudonym = 
| birth_name = 
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1960|8|5}}
| birth_place = [[Richmond, Virginia]], U.S.
| occupation = Novelist
| education = [[Virginia Commonwealth University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[University of Virginia]] ([[Juris Doctor|JD]])
| period = 1996–present
| genre = [[Thriller (genre)|Thriller]]s, [[children's literature]]
| movement =
| notableworks = ''[[Absolute Power (novel)|Absolute Power]]''
| spouse = {{marriage|Michelle Collin|May 5, 1990}}
| children = 2
| awards =   
| signature = David Baldacci signature.svg
| website = {{URL|www.davidbaldacci.com}}
| influenced =
}}

'''David Baldacci''' (born August 5, 1960) is an American [[novelist]]. An attorney by education, Baldacci writes mainly suspense novels and [[legal thriller]]s.<ref name="NPR09">{{Cite web |title=A Conspiracy Around Every Corner In Baldacci's D.C. |url=https://www.npr.org/2009/07/27/106921382/a-conspiracy-around-every-corner-in-baldaccis-d-c |first=Ari |last=Shapiro |date=27 July 2009 |access-date=28 May 2022 |website=www.npr.org |quote=Anyone who's been to an airport bookstore in the last 10 years has seen Baldacci. }}</ref> His novels are published in over 45 languages and published in over 80 countries, having sold over 130 million copies worldwide.

==Early life and education==
David Baldacci was born and raised in [[Richmond, Virginia]].  He is of Italian descent. He graduated from [[Henrico High School]] and earned a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] in [[political science]] from [[Virginia Commonwealth University]] and a [[Juris Doctor]] from the [[University of Virginia School of Law]], after which he practiced law for nine years in [[Washington, D.C.]]

==Career==
[[File:City of Richmond Business District.jpg|thumb|[[Richmond, Virginia]], hometown of Baldacci]]

Baldacci began writing stories as a child, when his mother gave him a notebook in which to record them.<ref>{{cite news |title=Backstage: David Baldacci and Jodi Picoult |url=https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2011/10/21/backstage-david-baldacci-and-jodi-picoult/ |publisher=Yale Daily News |date=October 21, 2011}}</ref> He wrote for more than two decades, penning short stories and later screenplays without much success.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gresham |first1=Tom |title=David Baldacci once wrote stories in secret at VCU. Now he has millions of around the world. |url=https://news.vcu.edu/article/DavidBaldacci_once_wrote_stories_in_secret_at_VCU_Now_he_has |publisher=Virginia Commonwealth University |date=December 11, 2019}}</ref>

While practicing law, he turned to novel writing, taking three years to write ''[[Absolute Power (novel)|Absolute Power]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lavin |first1=Cheryl |title=Diary of a Best Seller |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1996-02-06-9602060114-story.html |publisher=Chicago Tribune |date=February 6, 1996}}</ref> Published in 1996, it was an international best-seller. To date, Baldacci has published 50 novels for adults as well as seven novels for younger readers.

==Personal life and philanthropy==
Baldacci lives in [[Fairfax County, Virginia]], with his family. He has a daughter and a son.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.washingtonian.com/2007/08/01/mystery-man-david-baldacci/ | title=Mystery Man: David Baldacci - Washingtonian | date=August 2007 }}</ref>

Baldacci and his wife, Michelle, founded the Wish You Well Foundation,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wishyouwellfoundation.org|title=Home|website=Wish You Well Foundation}}</ref> which works to combat illiteracy in the United States by funding adult literacy programs.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.virginialiving.com/arts-events/david-baldacci/ |title=David Baldacci |last=Alison Bonaguru |website=[[Virginia Living]] |year=2013 |access-date=May 17, 2013}}</ref> Baldacci became involved with the [[National Multiple Sclerosis Society]] after his sister, author Sharon Baldacci, was diagnosed with MS.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalmssociety.org/online-community/personal-stories/david-baldacci/index.aspx |title=David Baldacci |website=National MS Society |year=2013 |quote=author Sharon Baldacci was diagnosed with MS. |access-date=May 17, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120517055211/http://www.nationalmssociety.org/online-community/personal-stories/david-baldacci/index.aspx |archive-date=May 17, 2012 }}</ref> In 2008 the Foundation partnered with Feeding America to launch Feeding Body & Mind.

Baldacci has served for more than a decade on the board of trustees of the [[Mark Twain House|Mark Twain House & Museum]] in Hartford, Connecticut. In 2019, he donated $1 million to the home.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/novelist-david-baldacci-gifts-1m-mark-twain-home-64290550 |title=Novelist David Baldacci gifts $1M to Mark Twain home |website=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |date=12 July 2019 |access-date=28 May 2022}}</ref>

==Works==
Baldacci's first novel, ''[[Absolute Power (novel)|Absolute Power]]'', tells the story of a fictional American president and his [[United States Secret Service|Secret Service]] agents who are willing to commit murder in order to cover up the accidental death of a woman with whom the President was having an affair. It was adapted as a film, ''[[Absolute Power (film)|Absolute Power]]'' (1997), starring [[Clint Eastwood]] and [[Gene Hackman]].

Baldacci wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation of his novel ''[[Wish You Well (novel)|Wish You Well]]''; the movie was shot on location in southwest Virginia with Academy Award winner [[Ellen Burstyn]], [[Josh Lucas]], and [[Mackenzie Foy]] in the lead roles.

Baldacci was a consulting producer on ''[[King & Maxwell]]'', a TNT television series based on his characters Sean King and Michelle Maxwell. [[Jon Tenney]] and [[Rebecca Romijn]] starred.

''[[The Christmas Train]]'', Baldacci's eighth novel, was [[The Christmas Train (film)|adapted]] in 2017 by Hallmark Channel as a [[Hallmark Hall of Fame]] feature presentation. The TV movie starred [[Dermot Mulroney]], [[Kimberly Williams-Paisley]], [[Danny Glover]] and [[Joan Cusack]] and was directed by [[Ron Oliver]].

Baldacci's novel ''One Summer'' was adapted in 2021 for [[Hallmark Movies & Mysteries]] and starred [[Samuel Page|Sam Page]], [[Sarah Drew]] and [[Amanda Schull]].

Baldacci's novels have been published in over 45 languages and in more than 80 countries, with over 130 million worldwide sales as of 2018.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2013/02/27/david-baldacci-39-clues-smithsonian/1920513/ |title=David Baldacci clues kids in to Smithsonian's treasures |work=[[USA Today]] |date= February 27, 2013|publisher=[[Gannett Company|Gannett]] |location=[[McLean, VA]] |issn=0734-7456 |access-date=17 May 2013 |first1=Carol |last1=Memmott}}</ref>

==Bibliography==
=== Sean King and Michelle Maxwell series ===
{{main|King and Maxwell (book series)}}
# ''[[Split Second (novel)|Split Second]]'' (2003)
# ''[[Hour Game]]'' (2004)
# ''[[Simple Genius]]'' (2007)
# ''[[First Family (novel)|First Family]]'' (2009)
# ''[[The Sixth Man (novel)|The Sixth Man]]'' (2011)
# ''[[King and Maxwell (novel)|King and Maxwell]]'' (2013)

=== The Camel Club series ===
{{main|Camel Club}}
# ''[[The Camel Club (novel)|The Camel Club]]'' (2005)
# ''[[The Collectors (novel)|The Collectors]]'' (2006)
# ''[[Stone Cold (Baldacci novel)|Stone Cold]]'' (2007)
# ''[[Divine Justice (novel)|Divine Justice]]'' (2008)
# ''[[Hell's Corner]]'' (2010)

=== A. Shaw series ===
Shaw is an enigmatic intelligence operative.

# ''[[The Whole Truth (novel)|The Whole Truth]]'' (2008)
# ''[[Deliver Us From Evil (novel)|Deliver Us From Evil]]'' (2010)

=== John Puller series ===
Puller is a US Army veteran and CID military investigator.
# ''[[Zero Day (David Baldacci novel)|Zero Day]]'' (2011)
# ''[[The Forgotten (Baldacci novel)|The Forgotten]]'' (2012)
# ''[[The Escape (Baldacci novel)|The Escape]]'' (2014)
# ''[[No Man's Land (Baldacci novel)|No Man's Land]]'' (2016)
# ''Daylight'' (2020, Atlee Pine crossover)

=== Will Robie series ===
Robie is a seasoned and highly skilled hitman.
# ''[[The Innocent (Baldacci novel)|The Innocent]]'' (2012)
# ''[[The Hit (Baldacci Novel)|The Hit]]'' (2013)
# ''[[The Target (Baldacci novel)|The Target]]'' (2014)
# ''[[The Guilty (Baldacci novel)|The Guilty]]'' (2015)
# ''End Game'' (2017)

=== Amos Decker series ===
Decker is a veteran police detective turned FBI consultant. He has hyperthymesia which has left him with perfect recall.
# ''[[Memory Man (novel)|Memory Man]]'' (2015)
# ''The Last Mile'' (2016)
# ''The Fix'' (2017)
# ''The Fallen'' (2018)
# ''Redemption'' (2019)
# ''Walk The Wire'' (2020)
# ''[[Long Shadows (Baldacci novel)|Long Shadows]]'' (2022)<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/david-baldacci/long-shadows/9781538719794/ |title=Long Shadows |date=2022-02-07 |isbn=978-1-5387-1979-4 |language=en-US|last1=Baldacci |first1=David |publisher=Grand Central }}</ref>

=== Atlee Pine series ===
An FBI agent searching for her abducted sister.
# ''Long Road to Mercy'' (2018)
# ''A Minute to Midnight'' (2019)
# ''Daylight'' (2020, John Puller crossover)
# ''Mercy'' (2021)<ref>{{Cite book|last=Baldacci|first=David|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MhgiEAAAQBAJ|title=Mercy|date=2021-11-16|publisher=Grand Central Publishing|isbn=978-1-5387-1969-5|language=en}}</ref>

=== Aloysius Archer series ===
# ''One Good Deed'' (2019)
# ''A Gambling Man'' (2021)
# ''Dream Town'' (2022)<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/david-baldacci/dream-town/9781538719749/|title=Dream Town|date=2021-08-03|isbn=978-1-5387-1974-9|language=en-US|last1=Baldacci |first1=David |publisher=Grand Central }}</ref>

=== Travis Devine series ===
# ''The 6:20 Man'' (2022)<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/david-baldacci/the-620-man/9781538719879/ |title=The 6:20 Man |date=2021-11-08 |isbn=978-1-5387-1987-9 |language=en-US|last1=Baldacci |first1=David |publisher=Grand Central }}</ref>
# ''The Edge'' (2023)<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/david-baldacci/the-edge/9781538719916/?lens=grand-central-publishing |title=The Edge |date=2023-02-06 |isbn=978-1-5387-1991-6 |language=en-US |last1=Baldacci |first1=David |publisher=Grand Central }}</ref>
# ''To Die For'' (2024)<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/david-baldacci/to-die-for/9781538757901/?lens=grand-central-publishing |title=To Die For |date=2024-03-04 |isbn=978-1-5387-5790-1 |language=en-US |last1=Baldacci |first1=David |publisher=Grand Central }}</ref>

=== Mickey Gibson series ===
# ''Simply Lies'' (2023)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Simply Lies by David Baldacci - 9781529062014 |url=https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/david-baldacci/simply-lies/9781529062014 |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=www.panmacmillan.com |language=en}}</ref>

=== Stand-alone novels ===
* ''[[Absolute Power (novel)|Absolute Power]]'' (1996)
* ''[[Total Control (novel)|Total Control]]'' (1997)
* ''[[The Winner (novel)|The Winner]]'' (1998)
* ''[[The Simple Truth]]'' (1998)
* ''Saving Faith'' (1999)
* ''[[Wish You Well (novel)|Wish You Well]]'' (2001)
* ''[[Last Man Standing (novel)|Last Man Standing]]'' (2001)
* ''[[The Christmas Train]]'' (2003)
* ''[[True Blue (novel)|True Blue]]'' (2009)
* ''One Summer'' (2011)
* ''A Calamity of Souls'' (2024)<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/david-baldacci/a-calamity-of-souls/9781538765050/?lens=grand-central-publishing |title=A Calamity of Souls |date=2023-09-04 |isbn=978-1-5387-6505-0 |language=en-US |last1=Baldacci |first1=David |publisher=Grand Central }}</ref> 
* Strangers in Time (2025) <ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/david-baldacci/strangers-in-time/9781538742051/?lens=grand-central-publishing |title=Strangers in Time |date=2024-08-05 |isbn=978-1-5387-4205-1 |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Short stories and novellas ===
* ''Waiting for Santa'' (short story) (2002)
* ''No Time Left'' (short story) (2012)
* ''Bullseye'' (short story) Will Robie / Camel Club (2014)
* ''The Mighty Johns'' also known as ''The Final Play'' (novella) (2021)<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Final Play - Pan Macmillan AU|url=https://www.panmacmillan.com.au/9781760985714|access-date=2021-07-23|website=Pan Macmillan Australia|language=en-AU}}</ref>

=== For young readers ===

====[[Freddy and the French Fries]] series ====

# ''Freddy and the French Fries: Fries Alive!'' ([[Little, Brown and Company]], 2005), Baldacci's [[debut novel]] for young readers
# ''Freddy and the French Fries: The Mystery of Silas Finklebean'' (Little, Brown and Company, 2006)

====[[The 39 Clues]] series ====

* ''[[The 39 Clues#Book 6: Day of Doom|Day of Doom]]'' ([[Scholastic Publishing]], 2013), Book 6 in the "[[The 39 Clues#Series Two: Cahills vs. Vespers|Cahills vs. Vespers]]" series of ''The 39 Clues'' books

==== Vega Jane series ====
{{Main|Vega Jane}}
# ''The Finisher'' ([[Scholastic Press]], 2014), published in the U.K. as ''The Secrets of Sorcery''
# ''The Keeper'' ([[Scholastic Press]], 2015), published in the U.K. as ''The Maze of Monsters''
# ''The Width of the World'' ([[Scholastic Press]], 2017), published in the U.K. as ''The Rebels' Revolt''
# ''The Stars Below'' ([[Scholastic Press]], 2019), published in the U.K. as ''The End of Time''

==Adaptations==
* [[Absolute Power (film)|''Absolute Power'' (1997 film)]], starring [[Clint Eastwood]], [[Gene Hackman]], and [[Ed Harris]]
* [[King & Maxwell|''King & Maxwell'' (2013 TV series)]], starring [[Jon Tenney]] and [[Rebecca Romijn]]
* [[Wish You Well (film)|''Wish You Well'' (2013 film)]], starring [[Mackenzie Foy]], [[Josh Lucas]], and [[Ellen Burstyn]]
* [[The Christmas Train (film)|''The Christmas Train'' (2017 film)]], starring [[Dermot Mulroney]], [[Kimberly Williams-Paisley]], [[Danny Glover]] and [[Joan Cusack]]
* ''One Summer'' (2021 film), starring [[Samuel Page|Sam Page]], [[Sarah Drew]] and [[Amanda Schull]]

==Literary Awards==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Work  !! Year & Award!!  Category !! Result !! Ref.
|-
| rowspan="1" |''[[The Winner (novel)|The Winner]]''
|1999 [[Kurd Laßwitz Award]]
|Foreign Work
|{{Nominated}}
|<ref> https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ay.cgi?64+1999 </ref>
|-
| rowspan="1" |''[[Hour Game]]''
|2005 [[Library of Virginia]]
|Virginia Literary Awards (Fiction)
|{{Won}}
|<ref> https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/litawards/winners.htm </ref>
|-
| rowspan="1" |''[[The Sixth Man (novel)|The Sixth Man]]''
|2012 [[Library of Virginia]]
|Virginia Literary Awards (Fiction)
|{{Won}}
|<ref> https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/litawards/winners.htm </ref>
|-
| rowspan="1" |''[[King and Maxwell (novel)|King and Maxwell]]''
|2014 [[Library of Virginia]]
|Virginia Literary Awards (Fiction)
|{{Won}}
|<ref> https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/litawards/winners.htm </ref>
|-
| rowspan="1" |''[[The Hit (novel)|The Hit]]''
|2014 [[Audie Awards]]
|Thriller or Suspense
|{{Won}}
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |''One Good Deed''
|2020 [[Nero Award]]
|
|{{Won}}
|
|-
|2020 International Thriller Writers Awards
|Hardcover Novel
|{{Nominated}}
|<ref> https://thrillerwriters.org/past-nominees-and-winners/#top </ref>
|-
| rowspan="1" |
|2008 [[International Thriller Writers Awards]]
|Silver Bullet Award
|{{Won}}
|
|-
| rowspan="1" |
|2011 [[Crime Thriller Awards]]
|The People's Bestseller Dagger
|{{Won}}
|
|-
| rowspan="1" |
|2017 [[Library of Virginia]]
|Virginia Literary Awards (Lifetime Achievement)
|{{Won}}
|<ref> https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/litawards/winners.htm </ref>
|-
| rowspan="1" |
|2024 [[PEN/Faulkner Foundation]]
|PEN/Faulkner Literary Champion
|{{Won}}
|<ref> https://web.archive.org/web/20240229191105/https://www.penfaulkner.org/our-awards/the-pen-faulkner-literary-champion/ </ref>
|-
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{Library resources box|by=yes|about=no}}
* [http://davidbaldacci.com/ Official website]
* {{IMDb name|id=0049641|name=David Baldacci}}
* {{C-SPAN|55335}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050810010850/http://freddyandthefrenchfries.com/ Freddy and the French Fries] website
* [http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9291.David_Baldacci David Baldacci at site Goodreads.com]

===Interviews===
* [http://www.newsweek.com/id/190339 Profile] in ''[[Newsweek]]'', March 2009
* [http://www.blogtalkradio.com/modernsignedbooks/2016/10/21/msb--david-baldacci-remarks-on-his-latest-novel-no-mans-land Modern Signed Books BlogTalkRadio Interview with Rodger Nichols about No Man's Land October 2016]
* [http://www.blogtalkradio.com/modernsignedbooks/2018/04/25/modern-signed-books--david-baldacci-the-fallen Modern Signed Books] interviews David Baldacci, May 2018

{{David Baldacci}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baldacci, David}}
[[Category:1960 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century American novelists]]
[[Category:20th-century American male writers]]
[[Category:21st-century American novelists]]
[[Category:American crime fiction writers]]
[[Category:American male novelists]]
[[Category:American male screenwriters]]
[[Category:American thriller writers]]
[[Category:Henrico High School alumni]]
[[Category:Writers from Richmond, Virginia]]
[[Category:People from Vienna, Virginia]]
[[Category:University of Virginia School of Law alumni]]
[[Category:Virginia Commonwealth University alumni]]
[[Category:Virginia lawyers]]
[[Category:Lawyers from Richmond, Virginia]]
[[Category:21st-century American male writers]]
[[Category:Novelists from Virginia]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from Virginia]]
[[Category:American people of Italian descent]]