A Washington lawyer who wrote at night until his first thriller sold, then built a shelf of series heroes, from the Camel Club to Amos Decker and Travis Devine.
The fourth Travis Devine novel, published by Grand Central on November 10, 2026, sends the former Army Ranger to Australia after a journalist is shot in Manhattan and an intelligence analyst disappears.8
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David Baldacci was born on August 5, 1960, in Richmond, Virginia, where he grew up and attended Henrico High School.2 He describes himself as a lifelong Virginian and says he began writing as a child, after his mother gave him a lined notebook for his stories.1 He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science at Virginia Commonwealth University and a law degree at the University of Virginia School of Law.2
Baldacci practiced law in Washington, D.C., for nine years, as a trial and corporate lawyer.23 He had started writing seriously in law school, first short stories and screenplays, and for about five years finished nothing he could sell.3 Turning to novels, he wrote the opening chapter of a thriller and approached several agents, most of whom offered to represent him.3 Contemporary Authors reports that he spent about two years on the book, writing from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. after his legal work, and that the manuscript sold in a single day.3
That book, Absolute Power, was published in 1996.1 Reviewers compared it with John Grisham’s legal thrillers; Publishers Weekly called it “a sizzler of a first novel,” while Kirkus Reviews found it tedious.3 A film followed in 1997, written by William Goldman and directed by and starring Clint Eastwood.31
After a run of standalone novels, Baldacci began the Sean King and Michelle Maxwell books with Split Second in 2003 and the Camel Club, a group of Washington outsiders, in 2005.4 Further series followed: John Puller, an Army criminal investigator; Will Robie, a government assassin; Amos Decker, a detective who can forget nothing, introduced in Memory Man (2015); FBI agent Atlee Pine; Aloysius Archer, a World War II veteran turned private investigator; and Travis Devine, an ex-Army Ranger, whose first book, The 6:20 Man, appeared in 2022.411 His Walter Nash novels began with Nash Falls in 2025 and continued with Hope Rises in April 2026.49
He has also written for young readers: the comic Freddy and the French Fries books, beginning in 2005, a volume of Scholastic’s multi-author The 39 Clues, and the four-book Vega Jane fantasy series.62 By his own count he has written 55 novels for adults and seven for young readers, published in more than 45 languages.1
Several of his books have been adapted for film and television, and he wrote the screenplay for the 2013 film of Wish You Well.12 In 2024 he told the Canton Repository that he had sold the rights to five series to streaming services or networks over the previous 18 months.7 With his wife he co-founded the Wish You Well Foundation, which supports literacy programs in the United States, and he helped establish the Baldacci Institute for Civil Discourse and Collaboration with the Library of Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth University.1
In order of first publication. Each series is kept together, in reading order, starting where its first book appeared. Titles, series and first publication years from FictionDB's dated list, checked against Wikipedia's bibliography and Pan Macmillan's series guide.425
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His first book for young readers.6
The final book of a multi-author series for young readers.2
Fantasy for young readers; the UK editions use the titles Vega Jane and the Secrets of Sorcery, the Maze of Monsters, the Rebels' Revolt and the End of Time.52
A Castle Rock film written by William Goldman, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, with Gene Hackman and Ed Harris.32
A film starring Mackenzie Foy, Josh Lucas and Ellen Burstyn, from Baldacci's own screenplay.2
A TNT series starring Jon Tenney and Rebecca Romijn as Sean King and Michelle Maxwell, with Baldacci as consulting producer.2
A Hallmark Hall of Fame film with Dermot Mulroney, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Danny Glover and Joan Cusack.2
A Hallmark Movies & Mysteries film starring Sam Page, Sarah Drew and Amanda Schull.2
Born in Richmond, Virginia.2
Publishes his first novel, Absolute Power, while still working as a lawyer.13
Absolute Power is released as a film directed by and starring Clint Eastwood.12
Publishes his first book for young readers, Freddy and the French Fries: Fries Alive!, and starts the Camel Club series.64
TNT airs King & Maxwell, and the film of Wish You Well, from his own screenplay, is released.2
Introduces Amos Decker, the detective who can forget nothing, in Memory Man.11
Begins the Travis Devine series with The 6:20 Man.4
Publishes All In, the fourth Travis Devine novel.8
Boom Town, a new Aloysius Archer novel, is scheduled by Grand Central for April 13, 2027.10