WESTERLY — Best-selling novelist David Baldacci will be heading to the United Theater next week to talk about his latest book, ‘The 6:20 Man,’ as part of a program organized by Savoy Bookshop and Café.
The book centers on Travis Devine, who every day flawlessly dons a cheap suit, grabs his leatherette briefcase, and boards the 6:20 a.m. commuter train to Manhattan, where he works as a rookie analyst at the company. most prestigious investment in town.
In the morning, Devine stares out the train window at the lavish homes of the super-rich, dreaming of joining their ranks. In the evening, he listens to the tax news on his phone, already preparing for the next grueling day in the ruthless field of finance. Then, one morning, Devine’s tedious routine is shattered by an anonymous email: “She’s dead.”
Sara Ewes, co-worker and former girlfriend of Devine, was found hanged in a storage room of her office building — presumably a suicide, at least for now — prompting the NYPD to come and call her.
If that wasn’t enough, before the day is out, Devine receives another disturbing visit, a confrontation that threatens to unearth grim secrets from his military past unless he participates in a clandestine investigation into his business. . This treacherous role will take him from the impossibly scintillating lives he once saw only through a train window, to the darkest corners of the country’s corridors of economic power…where something rotten lurks. And outside of this high-stakes conspiracy, there’s a killer out there with his own agenda, and Devine is right on target.
Baldacci will talk about the book and collect responses from the public.
Baldacci, who has been writing since childhood when his mother gave him a lined notebook in which to write his stories, published his first novel, “Absolute Power,” in 1996. A feature film adaptation followed, starring Clint Eastwood as director and star.
In total, Baldacci published 45 novels for adults; all have been national and international bestsellers, and several have been adapted for film and television. His novels are published in over 45 languages and in over 80 countries, with 150 million copies sold worldwide. He has also published seven novels for young readers.
A lifelong Virginian, Baldacci earned his bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, after which he practiced law in Washington, DC.
Besides being a prolific writer, Baldacci is a devoted philanthropist, and his greatest efforts are devoted to his family’s “Wish You Well Foundation”.
Founded by Baldacci and his wife, Michelle, the foundation supports family and adult literacy programs in the United States. In 2008, the foundation partnered with Feeding America to launch Feeding Body & Mind, a program to address the link between literacy, poverty, and hunger. Through Feeding Body & Mind, over one million new and gently used books have been collected and distributed through food banks to families in need.
—Nancy Burns-Fusaro
