From reading thrillers in downtown Richmond to becoming one of the biggest names in the genre, author David Baldacci makes Virginia proud. It all started with a confident letter to an agent pitching his debut book: “I’m David Baldacci, an attorney in Washington, D.C. This is about the President, a murder, a burglar, and a cover-up. I guarantee if you read the first page, you won’t stop until the last.”
Baldacci is a Virginian through and through. A Henrico High School grad, with family roots in Dickenson County, an undergraduate degree from VCU, and a law degree from UVA—and with more than 50 books now published—he’s amassed millions of fans around the world, who still don’t stop until the last page.
My first-ever thriller read was Baldacci’s Hour Game, and his latest, Nash Falls, has me counting down to the sequel that launched in April. I recently had the pleasure of speaking with the author at his Reston office.
Gabriela Gonçalves: Who were your biggest literary inspirations growing up?
David Baldacci: I loved mysteries, nonfiction, and literary fiction. In college, my favorite author was John Irving—his sweeping generational stories mixed humor and serious issues. Mark Twain did that, too, which is hard to pull off.
I also loved British mysteries—Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle. I remember reading my first Sherlock Holmes story, “The Blue Carbuncle,” in a Reader’s Digest anthology. I was hooked.
G.G.: Were your parents readers?
D.B.: They were, though neither went to college. They knew reading mattered. The librarians let me check out 20 books at a time because they knew I’d read them all.
G.G.: It was recently reported that nationwide there’s been a 40 percent drop in the number of people reading for pleasure. What do you make of that?
D.B.: If we don’t reverse it, we’re in trouble. Social media started out positive—reconnecting with people—but it’s become weaponized. It’s destroying empathy. That’s why my Wish You Well Foundation funds literacy programs. We also run Feeding Body and Mind, which sends donated books to food banks.
G.G.: I could hear you talk about books for hours. But let’s talk about your latest book, Nash Falls.
D.B.: Ah, yes—Walter Nash. When I wrote it, I wanted to strip everything from this man: career, family, reputation—and see if he could rebuild. It’s about resilience, about what’s left when everything’s gone.
G.G.: I loved it so much. I noticed how accurate your social media references were—Snapchat, AI, influencer culture.
D.B.: That’s part of staying curious. Any day I don’t learn something new feels wasted. I enjoy writing younger characters now—it forces me to keep up with the world.
G.G.: You did it so well. There’s also a strong theme of fathers and children—Walter and his daughter Maggie, Barton and Rhett. Was that intentional?
D.B.: Very. Family is the most dramatic, complicated thing
we have. I raised two kids—now grown—and those relationships inevitably influence what I write. Fiction lets me explore questions I still ask myself: Did I do the right things? Was I there enough?
Walter and his father Ty’s story is about missed chances. Barton and Rhett’s is about the lure of power and money. In the sequel, Hope Rises, I dig even deeper into those dynamics.
G.G.: How do you keep readers hooked without giving too much away?
D.B.: Writing mysteries means wearing many hats—writer, magician, psychologist. I plant assumptions that feel safe, then pull the rug out.
Readers think two bodies in a house means one killer. Not necessarily. I misdirect and layer red herrings until the truth hits hard at the end. It’s a delicate game, but I love it.
I tell other writers—Remember, we get paid to make things up. That’s a gift.
Photo courtesy of Matt McClain, The Washington Post, 2025. This article originally appeared in the June 2026 issue.
