“Liberty is very strong in her own right, but she also has that fragility. “Back then, becoming an actress in Hollywood was an incredible gauntlet you had to run,” Baldacci adds. “I wanted someone bold, but also fragile and scared.” “I wanted to pair Archer on this odyssey with someone who was also going on their own odyssey,” Baldacci says. Not surprising, though, Archer and Liberty prove more than capable of navigating those twists and turns. Together, they head west in a sweet ride-a Delahaye 135 Baldacci pegged as Archer’s car while at an auction with his father-in-law-to fulfill their dreams.īut this is a thriller, which means their journey-and subsequent time in California-is fraught with danger. He stops at a casino in Reno where he hooks up with aspiring actress Liberty Callahan. The year is 1949, and Archer is on his way to Bay Town to start a new job with a well-known gumshoe. People will be talking again with the release of A GAMBLING MAN. In short, One Good Deed was one of the most talked about thrillers of the year. Archer made an explosive debut in One Good Deed, earning Baldacci an ITW Best Hardcover award nomination, and garnered well-earned praise from critics and fans.

But every once in a while you need something to give you a jolt. “I’m only human,” Baldacci says, “and I still love writing. Aloysius Archer provided a spark more akin to gasoline and set that passion ablaze. Promise.īut after 50 or so published books, many of them bestsellers, Baldacci needed something fresh to stoke those writing embers once again. Readers shouldn’t panic-a dip is not a crash. The character came at a time when Baldacci, a renowned poster child for “truly loving what you do,” was experiencing a bit of a dip in his writing enthusiasm. Before he knew it, another series was born. But, as is often the case for Baldacci, the writing didn’t stop…and Aloysius Archer refused to leave his mind.

The story wasn’t meant to be a book-more like a novella, and probably a standalone.

Pre-pandemic, back when book tours were the norm, New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci sat at a desk in his hotel one night and started writing about a character-a straight-talking former World War II soldier fresh out of prison for a crime he didn’t commit.

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