One good deed

by David Baldacci

Paper Book, 2019

Publication

New York : Grand Central Publishing, 2019.

Collection

Eiland Center

Call number

Fiction B

Physical description

422 p.; 24 cm

Status

Checked out

Due 2024-04-13

Call number

Fiction B

Description

It's 1949. When war veteran Aloysius Archer is released from Carderock Prison, he is sent to Poca City on parole with a short list of do's and a much longer list of don'ts: do report regularly to his parole officer, don't go to bars, certainly don't drink alcohol, do get a job -- and don't ever associate with loose women. The small town quickly proves more complicated and dangerous than Archer's years serving in the war or his time in jail. Within a single night, his search for gainful employment -- and a stiff drink -- leads him to a local bar, where he is hired for what seems like a simple job: to collect a debt owed to a powerful local businessman, Hank Pittleman. Soon Archer discovers that recovering the debt won't be so easy. The indebted man has a furious grudge against Hank and refuses to pay; Hank's clever mistress has her own designs on Archer; and both Hank and Archer's stern parole officer, Miss Crabtree, are keeping a sharp eye on him. When a murder takes place right under Archer's nose, police suspicions rise against the ex-convict, and Archer realizes that the crime could send him right back to prison... if he doesn't use every skill in his arsenal to track down the real killer.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member Susan.Macura

Author David Baldacci introduces a new character in this novel - a man named Archer who recently was released from prison after a wrongful conviction and who fought valiantly in WW II. In this tale he finds himself mixed up in a complex series of murders that he solves with the aid of a local cop.

It was an interesting tale with many references to the time period. I was not sure I would enjoy this tale as much as his other books, but once I got into the story, I could not put it down.

Show Less

23 more

LibraryThing member MikeBruscellSr

Aloysius Archer, a WWII veteran (just Archer, thank you), finishes his prison sentence for a crime he didn't commit after the war, and gets on a bus. It takes him to Poca City, located in somewhere USA, that might be Oklahoma, where he immediately gets involved in the intrigues of various

characters there, ranging from the rich, their victims, good and bad police officers, abused women, murderers, and assorted ex-cons. The story is well-written, with lots of plot devices to keep the reader interested, as Archer, being an ex-con seems to be the fall guy for whatever body turns up in Poca City, mainly because he's a combat veteran, trained to kill and admittedly a killer of many of the enemy during the war. Archer turns out to be a street-wise observer of human behavior who is usually well ahead of everyone else in unwinding the various crimes and murders, some of which he is charged for, arrested and jailed. He becomes his own best defense, and does the right thing by the good people he encounters along the way. Another excellent tale by David Baldacci.

Show Less

LibraryThing member alanteder

Old-School Hardboiled
Review of the Audible Audio edition (2019) narrated by Edoardo Ballerini

This is probably a 4, but it is such a redemption from the absurd conspiracies of the recent Long Road to Mercy (2018) that it seemed like it deserved an extra notch or two.

Aloyius Archer is a WWII veteran

who is on parole in the late 1940's after having served a prison sentence. While looking for work he takes on a task of 'one good deed' to mediate a debt collection between two rivals. He then stumbles into several murders in which he himself becomes a suspect and has to work to clear himself. There are all sorts of standard hardboiled characters: the ex-cons, the femme fatates, the hard-as-nails cop, the corrupt or at least dodgy authorities etc. If you are a fan of Raymond Chandler and such, then this should be catnip for you.

The narration by veteran Edoardo Ballerini was excellent throughout.

Show Less

LibraryThing member atticusfinch1048

One Good Dead – Classic Baldacci

One Good Deed is the latest book from one of the world’s best thriller writers. David Baldacci. At the moment this is a standalone thriller, but it would be interesting to see how some of the characters developer.

Aloysius Archer has just been released from prison

and has been given bus money to report to the southern town of Poca City. A place where a lot of parolees are sent to begin their new life before being able to move on. Archer having served time for a crime he didn’t commit after fighting in the War. All Archer wants is the quiet life.

On his first night he meets local bigwig Hank Pittleman who gives him a job of collecting a debt from Lucas Tuttle, little does he know what he is being dragged in to. He has just placed himself in the middle of a slug fest between Pittleman and Tuttle, and neither care if anyone else is hurt in the process.

When Pittleman is murdered in his rooms at the local hotel, Archer becomes the prime suspect. Fortunately for him Detective Shaw believes him and co-opts him to investigate what happened and find the guilty. Even when Tuttle is found murdered, Shaw believes in Archer’s innocent, not many others do. When Shaw is found behind where Archer is living, he is arrested once again. His champion now in a coma and it does not look good for his future.

What Archer cannot compete with is the complex relationships within Poca City and the people who have decided he is a guilty man. Even his lawyer tells him to plead guilty. Archer knows the only person he can rely on is himself and goes about learning the law. Otherwise he knows he will be sentenced to death.

One Good Deed is classic Baldacci, and will have you gripped from beginning to end.

Show Less

LibraryThing member gaillamontagne

One Good Deed was a terrific read. It takes place in 1949 and reads like a film noir movie script. The main character, Aloysius Archer, has just been released on parole into the small dusty town of Poka City with only the clothes on his back and a few bucks in his pocket. Archer says he was

innocent of his crime and the reader tends to believe him. Adding to his likability, he is also a decorated army scout who earned medals in the European theater during the second world war. Archer gets himself mixed up with the wealthiest man in town, Hank Piddleman, who has a mistress, Jacki Tuddle, that is less than half his age. She has the steamy looks of a Veronica Lake sporting the famous "peek a boo" hair cut. Jacki Tuddle's daddy has a personal vendetta against Hank Piddleman including the repayment of a personal loan plus Piddleman's acquisition of his "kept" daughter, Jacki. Archer gets caught in the middle by taking a job to retrieve the collateral on the loan. Jackie, however, does not want anything to do with her father which only complicates the plot. The narrator has a fabulous rich tone, soothing to listen to which adds ambiance to the black and white movie scenes you may be playing in your imagination. The story's characters smoke Lucky Strikes, twirl their fedoras, say, "hey kid", and pay 5 cents for a phone call. The story also has good guys, bad guys, and smart sophisticated women with hidden backgrounds that are underestimated by the men in the story. Enjoyable story and narration. The ending is not completely typical.

Show Less

LibraryThing member lewilliams

A taught, fast paced story set in 1949 filed with believe able, well developed characters.Archer is a man I'd like to read more about. One Good Deed does not disappoint.

LibraryThing member Carol420

David Baldacci kicks off a new series with a new protagonist… Aloysius Archer…but just call him Archer. It’s also a theme that this author has worked well with before… historical crime fiction. The series is set in 1949 in the small Southern burg of Poca City. Archer arrives after having

been released from prison with very little money and list of do’s and don’ts with the don’s far out numbering the do’s. Needing to quickly gain employment…one of the do’s. He agrees to work as, what we today would call, a “repo-man”. .A murder soon takes place and Archer finds himself under suspicion and he realizes that this could easily take him back to prison. With his freedom at risk he forms a learning relationship with Detective Irving Shaw to solve the crime that threatens to send him back into prison. The book is very slow paced and I found that I was becoming impatient for something to happen. David Baldacci is one of my favorite authors so I should have known that all would be revealed and resolved in due time. I believe this series will be as intriguing as all Mr. Baldacci's others.

Show Less

LibraryThing member infjsarah

Sadly I didn't enjoy this book much. It was a struggle to get through and took me far longer than normal. There is too much description of clothes etc. It is as if Baldacci had done a ton of research and was getting it in regardless of boring his readers. The characters all blurred together as well

much of the time. Very average.

Show Less

LibraryThing member lamb521

Title: One Good Deed
Author: David Baldacci
Pages: 432
Year: 2019
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars.
The main character is a war veteran and ex-con named Aloysius Archer who comes into a small town that is run down and has big problems. The character mainly goes by the name

Archer throughout the novel. He is accused of a crime and is working to exonerate himself. The story follows Archer as he reports to an interesting parole officer, breaks at least a couple of the rules he is supposed to follow religiously and gets entangled in a web of family trouble!
Archer shows a certain aptitude for being a “gumshoe”, which he credits to having been a scout in the Army. One thing about this man though, he doesn’t learn from mistakes he has made when dealing with women. Archer is a hard-working man. He uses his intelligence more than anything, though what he learns about fighting in the Army just might come in handy when running against men aiming to take him out…permanently.
Ms. Crabtree is an intriguing and mysterious woman whose addiction to books and reading was interesting, especially when I figured out why. From the PIttleman couple, who are hard to figure out, to Jackie and her relationship or non-relationship with her father, makes this a page turner and fun read! I hope the author writes more with this new character who adds unique qualities and perspective to a bygone era.
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.

Show Less

LibraryThing member Judiex

With the introduction of Aloysius Archer, David Baldacci takes us back to 1949. A World War II veteran, Archer is sent to prison for a crime which he didn’t commit. Following his release, he is placed on parole with severe restrictions in a small town. He is expected to live there and find a job

to support himself. Unfortunately for him, the job pickings are small. In addition, he is not allowed to go to a bar or drink liquor. There is not much else to do there. There are also a lot of ex-cons living there with whom he is not supposed to associate.
He breaks the rules almost immediately by going into a bar. A powerful businessman offers him a job: collect a debt he is owed or take the car that was given for collateral. . Several others have tried doing so, unsuccessfully. Archer succeeds in talking to the man, which most others didn’t do, and learns why the man refuses to pay the debt or turn over the car. It seems the man’s daughter has moved out and is in a relationship with the man who hired Archer.
Soon thereafter, a key person is killed and Archer is targeted as the killer. He realizes that in order to stay out of prison, he must find the killer.
Archer is different from Baldacci’s previous heroes. He is much more laid back and, to a degree, more naive. The story also reads more like one written in the forties than in more recent times.
The ending is unexpected.
I’m looking forward to seeing what Baldacci does with Archer in future books.

Show Less

LibraryThing member witchyrichy

It is 1949, and Aloysius Archer has just been released after a wrongful prison sentence and bussed to Poca City where he is determined to get a clean start. Despite those plans, he quickly gets pulled into a murder mystery. Baldacci’s novel has all the elements of a classic crime novel, with

gritty realism and snappy dialog. Archer is a compelling character who discovers his army scout training can come in handy when you are the prime suspect in a murder. I am hoping it might be the beginning of a series but for now, it is listed as a stand alone novel on Baldacci's website.

Show Less

LibraryThing member jfe16

Paroled to Poca City in 1949, war veteran Aloysius Archer has a list of things he must do and a longer list of things he must not do. He finds the little town and its people a bit complicated, but he hadn’t expected more danger than he’d faced in the war or in Carderock Prison. He takes a job

collecting a debt owed to a local businessman, but it turns out to be a far more complicated task than he’d expected. Ensnared in a situation that’s quickly spiraling out of control, Archer soon finds himself facing a return to prison unless he can identify a murderer and clear his own name.

Well-developed, realistic characters, an intriguing plot, and a strong, authentic sense of time and place make this a book that’s almost impossible to set aside. Unexpected events and surprising plot twists keep the suspense building and spin the story in unanticipated directions. Flawed and, at the same time, empathetic, Archer is mesmeric; readers are sure to find themselves rooting for him. Don’t miss this one.

Highly recommended.

Show Less

LibraryThing member norinrad10

David Baldacci is one of those writers that often get lumped in with James Paterson or Stuart Woods, writers that are good at turning out easily read mysteries that lack substance. The difference between Baldacci and those others is that when he want to, he can flat out write.

Unfortunately over the

last decade David has been churning out a series of easily read character driven mysteries, successful but vapid books. As a result my reading of his books dwindled off and up until recently I hadn't read any of his work for several years, until in a pinch I picked up an entry in his Amos Decker series. The book was good - if ultimately disappointing - and served as a reminder of the skill Baldacci possessed.

The book whetted my appetite for more. Imagine my surprise when I recently tumbled over One Good Deed. It appeared to be a stand alone set in 1949 in, what I'm assuming, is a small town in Louisiana. The author never gives the actual location a way but that's what it feels like.

The protagonist is Aloysius Archer, a young man in his late 20's who after serving in WWII landed a five year stint in prison for a crime he didn't commit. Freshly released from prison, Archer arrives in Poca City to begin serving his probation and promptly walks into a hornets nest.

The reader is led on a series of plot twists as Archer tries to free himself from a series of events that could send him back to prison if they don't put him at the end of a hangman's knot. Along the way he encounters several characters that will either help him find his way or speed up his demise, roles that are never clarified until the end.

This is enjoyable read and I was pleased to make my reacquaintance with Mr.Baldcci.

Show Less

LibraryThing member waldhaus1

A clever detective story based on rural America in a different era. More intrigue and unexpected events than initially expected. Perhaps the start of a new detective series.

LibraryThing member thewanderingjew

One Good Deed, David Baldacci, author, Edoardo Ballerini, narrator
This is the first book in a new series being written by the author. Aloysius Archer is introduced to the reader as a two sided individual. One side is that of an ex-con and the other is as a heroic infantry veteran of WWII. So which

description is more apt? The reader will decide.
After the war, although he had experienced combat, death and destruction, Archer was a young man essentially naïve to the wiles of women, essentially trusting them completely. He became involved with a young female who lied about her age. In an attempt to help her run away from a life she complained about, he borrowed her family car with her permission. However, when they were caught, he discovered she lied about her age, was not 20, but just a teen around 16; he was charged with crimes and sent to prison.
In 1949, not quite 30, when released early on parole, because of good behavior, he was sent to a place called Poca City. He was handed a list of rules, basically amounting to no carousing of any kind. His very attractive parole officer, Ernestine Crabtree, was strict, although she seemed to have two sides of her personality, one hard and one soft. She told him she would give him some employment opportunities when next they met.
Against the rules, he went to a local watering hole where he struck up a conversation with Hank Pittleman, who happened to be the richest man in town. With him is Jackie Tuttle, his very close “friend”. Instead of waiting for his parole officer’s job opportunities, he takes a job offered to him by Pittleman, to collect on an unpaid debt. A car had been put up as collateral, and he wanted Archer to get the car. The debtor was, coincidentally, Jackie’s father, Lucas Tuttle. Archer took an advance of money for some expenses since all he owned were the clothes on his back. Pittleman warned him that he would have to repay him if he failed to get the automobile, and he intended to collect on that debt as well, aggressively, if it came to pass. He seemed like a man who drove a hard bargain. Archer did not want to cross him.
On that night a mystery began that will embroil Archer in the midst of its twists and turns, alternating him between suspect and hero. The reader’s interest and attention are held by this “throwback” male, from a different era, seven decades ago, as he muddles through his life. As the murders in this town begin to pile up, Archer becomes involved with Irving Shaw, a State Police Homicide Investigator, first as a suspect, then as a criminal investigator, and then as his own legal counsel in a fight for his life.
Who is behind the murders that begin to pile up? Who stole the money and bank notes missing from the vault of a dead man? Because the book is taking place decades ago, in a simpler time when women were considered homemakers, Archer is portrayed as the outlier, an innocent, naïve young man who takes most things at face value and doesn’t realize, although he is warned, that he can easily be taken in by clever, designing women. He refuses to take advantage of the “weaker sex”. The women he meets are “me too” stereotypes of today who believe that the stronger stereotype of the “toxic” male will and does abuse them in many ways, taking advantage of their strength and financial position. They view themselves as victims whose role as homemaker is subservient to their capabilities, especially when coupled with their limited ability to defend themselves. Each is scarred emotionally by the events in their lives.
Aloysius Archer is the polar opposite of the description of the 21st century’s toxic male. He is respectful of women, protective of women and thinks of them as equally capable of performing most of the functions of which men are capable, except perhaps, for those depending on brute strength. Although, because it was a different time, a simpler time, the book was kind of hokey, it was also nostalgic, and I look forward to watching Archer grow and interact with the people he will meet in future books in the series. I look forward to watching the changes, as time moves on and the culture evolves. On a philosophical, social level, there is a suggestion of a secret relationship between two women, of a sexual nature, which in addition to equal rights, is a progressive issue introduced bringing the book into the present time. Each of the characters seems really authentic for the time period, although many are stereotypes, especially the law enforcement officers. Each character is also many sided.
The narrator of this audio is excellent. He always uses the right amount of expression in his tone to convey the moment in each scene and delineates each character so each is identifiable, apart and aside from the other.

Show Less

LibraryThing member Baochuan

Very interesting read. I have read other series from the same author and the story line is full of twist and turn . I enjoyed the book and the setting is right for the time period.

LibraryThing member JRlibrary

I’ve read several Baldacci books and just picked this one up while waiting for Daylight (Atlee Pine #3) to become available from my local library. This one has a new character, Archer, who I think will make an appearance in other books. He is recently released from prison and in order to earn

some money, agrees to repossess an automobile from a man who owes 5000 dollars to Hank P. That’s the beginning of the book and things get progressively more complicated from there. Soon people are murdered, Archer is accused of murder and other people are missing. Definitely enjoyed it.

Show Less

LibraryThing member acargile

Archer has fought in WWII and returned with his honor, honesty, and smarts. The novel begins with him being released from prison and being placed on parole in a town a seven hour bus ride from the prison. Despite being innocent, Archer doesn't harbor anger or violence toward others--he had enough

of that in the war. He hesitates to trust anyone after being wrong accused.

Arriving in Poca City, he meets his very attractive and capable parole officer Ernestine Crabree. The parole rules stifle the parolees fun: no drinking or carousing and get a job. Archer certainly doesn't mind working, but it seems the main job involves killing hogs at the meat plant: dirty, gross, smelly, and mediocre pay. He's rents a hotel room at the Derby Hotel. Needing a quick celebration, he heads to the local bar where he meets the richest man in town, Hank. Hank and his mistress, Jackie, often come to the bar. Hank likes Archer's quick intelligence and offers him a job no one else has been able to accomplish: get the collateral on a loan that was never paid back. You see Mr. Lucas Tuttle happens to be Jackie's father. He doesn't like his daughter degrading herself with Hank. Tuttle meets all collectors at the door with a shotgun. Hank offers Archer money up front and more when the Cadillac (collateral) is delivered.

Archer prefers to learn on his own instead of take people completely at their word. He knocks on Mr. Tuttle's door instead of trying to sneak the Cadillac off the property. He makes a deal with Tuttle--if his daughter returns, he will pay the loan off via the Cadillac with Hank. Jackie absolutely refuses. She has nothing positive to say about her father and refers to herself as chattel with Hank. She has a car, a place to stay, and money. Hank has a wife and his own house. Jackie feels everything is fine. The problems arise when Hank is murdered. The novel becomes a murder mystery. Archer, of course, becomes the prime suspect. The detective, however, believes Archer probably didn't commit the crime and enlists his help in working the crime, teaching him how to investigate.

An enjoyable novel, I found myself surprised how much I enjoyed such a different novel from Baldacci's usual political thriller. The tone and vibe were different. By the end, you learn all the back stories and won't be too surprised by the murderer although I did fall for the bait and guess incorrectly.

Show Less

LibraryThing member rmarcin

This is the first book in the Archer story, an honest man who happens to be fresh out of prison. He arrives in Poca City and needs a job. Archer is hired by Hank Pittleman to collect the collateral used for an unpaid loan from Lucas Tuttle. When Lucas counters with an offer of his own, Archer is

faced with a dilemma. Becoming involved with Lucas’s daughter complicates masters. When people start being murdered, Lucas fears he will be a suspect. He joins forces with Detective Shaw to solve the murder.
The novel has a satisfying conclusion with some good twists.
This will be a fun series to follow.

Show Less

LibraryThing member henrog

This book is a real page turner. It was hard to put down.

LibraryThing member ZachMontana

Archer learns the hard way the skills of being a Detective to keep himself from returning to jail. As usual with Baldacci, the story line is great and keeps the reader engaged and wondering where the mystery will end.

LibraryThing member Daftboy1

Its 1949 ex soldier from World War II Aloysius Archer is just out of jail for a crime he didn't commit. He ends up in a small Southern town called Poca city. (Its not a city its a small town) He needs to behave himself if not he will be back in jail.
He meets Jackie he falls in love with her but

she is with the local Mr. Money bags Hank Pittleman. Pittleman hires Archer to collect a debt from another rich man Lucas Tuttle who is Jackie's Father, he then wants Archer to do him a favour and bring Jackie back to him.
Lots of back and forth, Archer also has to report to his parole officer a young lady called Ernestine she has some baggage of her own.
In between trying to collect the money Archer gets a job at the local Slaughter house.

Pittleman is found dead, Police blame Archer as he was in the same Hotel.
Shaw the Policeman investigating uses Archer as a kind of assistant, Private eye.
Jackie gets attacked, her Father Tuttle is killed. Looks like a set up. Archer is arrested for Murder. Shaw is also found wounded.
Ernestine and Jackie run away, its not looking good for Archer he does find the contents of Tuttle's safe.
He hides the loot. Goes to court where he manages to defend himself.

It was all a bit of back stabbing going on Tuttle arranged the murder of Pittleman, then Pittleman shot Tuttle as he tricked her out of money. Archer is released.

Ernestine and Jackie run away to Brazil. Archer goes and sees them gives them the money from Tuttles safe.

OK book I have a feeling Archer might turn out to be a bit like Jack Reacher wandering from town to town saving the day.

Show Less

LibraryThing member JudyGibson

While I admire Baldacci's initiative in attempting to stretch to a new genre, I have to say that this try at a 40s noir detective story is a miss. The dialogue is unrealistic, and the attitude of the law--in the form of the main cop and the judge in the climactic courtroom scene--is ludicrously

lenient to our ex-con and obvious suspect hero. Said hero seems a bit too dumb to be solving murders, though he seems to think he's qualified by reason of his combat experience and reading detective novels. And accustomed as I am to the author's many other thriller series, having read more than twenty of them, I found this one...well, slow. Sorry, David! I love you, really!

Show Less

LibraryThing member lbswiener

One Good Deed is unlike any of the Baldacci books. This book is different. It takes place after WWII. The characters are believable. The settings are believable. The storyline is not violent or brutal. Four stars were awarded to this book.

Fewer