★Baldacci, David. A Calamity of Souls. Hachette Audio. Apr. 2024. 14:28 hrs. ISBN 9781668637098. $31.99. THRILLER

Best-selling Baldacci’s (The Edge) latest is an electrifying courtroom drama set against the tense racial backdrop of 1960s Virginia. Jerome Washington, a Black man, has been accused of the brutal murder of an affluent older white couple. Jerome’s wife, Pearl, is also taken into custody as his accomplice. The odds of exoneration are almost nil, and the electric chair awaits ominously. Jack Lee, a local white criminal defense lawyer, takes the case, teaming up with Desiree DuBose, a Black lawyer from Chicago, when he realizes he’s out of his depth. Jerome is severely beaten by the deputies who arrest him, and Jack and Desiree face increasingly violent threats from a virulently racist community determined to see their clients convicted. Sisi Aisha Johnson, MacLeod Andrews, Kiiri Sandy, and Cary Hite offer a multifaceted reading of the book, skillfully capturing the dialects, pitches, and tones of the varied cast of characters. VERDICT This gripping racially charged murder mystery delves deeply into the harsh realities and societal attitudes of the South in the ’60s. Baldacci’s fans will be clamoring for it and can rest assured that they’re in for a satisfying ride.—Ilka Gordon

★Winslow, Don. City in Ruins. HarperAudio. (The Danny Ryan Trilogy, Bk. 3). Apr. 2024. 8:56 hrs. ISBN 9780063079526. $27.99. THRILLER

Winslow (The Border; The Force) offers a tour de force ending to “The Danny Ryan Trilogy”; Winslow has announced that this will be his final novel. Once the head of a Rhode Island criminal empire, Danny Ryan is hoping to leave his shady past behind. He’s moved to Las Vegas, where he seems to have it all—lucrative investments in the casino business and a fledgling family. When he bids on a strategically placed property, however, powerful enemies, including an FBI agent seeking retribution for her lover’s death 10 years earlier and a rival power broker, seek to take him down. Organized crime, gambling, and high finance come together, creating an explosive listen with an unexpected but wholly satisfying ending. Award-winning narrator Ari Fliakos’s performance is not to be missed. He skillfully navigates between Winslow’s time-honored but still relevant themes as he delivers compelling and well-developed character portraits. He blends accents and emotions into a splendid performance, tapping into the complexity and richness of Winslow’s prose. VERDICT A thrilling ending to a spectacular crime fiction series. Dramatic, outrageous, yet nuanced, this goes to the top of the list.—Scott DiMarco