** Advance sales and reservations end at 3pm, but we'll likely have room for walk-ins at the door. **

Booksmith is delighted to welcome back our friend and yours, Paul Madonna, to celebrate the publication of The Commissions, the third in his Emit Hopper series. Paul will be in conversation with Zyzzyva editor Oscar Villalon. Join us!

About the book

Amsterdam, 2019—following the conclusion of Come to Light. Former rock star-turned-artist Emit Hopper’s life has taken yet another strange turn. His old friend, the legendary San Francisco private detective Ronnie Gilbert, is dead, and his killer has just been acquitted. But when a disheveled acquaintance from Ronnie’s past walks into Emit’s shop, a puzzling mystery resurfaces, twenty years cold.

We’re transported back to San Francisco, 1999, when Emit and Ronnie first met. Emit has returned to taking commissions drawing people’s houses, only to be strong-armed by a shady police lieutenant into acting as her off-the-books spy. On top of that, a strange young woman claiming to be his daughter refuses to leave him alone. From there unfolds an intricate tale of corruption and murder that leads to an explosive scandal, with consequences that, two decades hence, are finally revealed.

From the world of the Emit Hopper Mystery series, The Commissions kicks off the origin story of what promises to be an unforgettable new eccentric detective, Ronnie Gilbert. In a mystery filled with suspense and surprises around every corner, Paul Madonna brings to life the last days of San Francisco before the turn of the millennium with dozens of his signature pen-and-ink drawings.

About The Emit Hopper Mystery Series

The Commissions is the third installment of the Emit Hopper Mystery Series. Each book is a stand-alone mystery featuring former rock star turned artist Emit Hopper. The Commissions introduces a new, hard-boiled-like detective, Ronnie Gilbert. 

Unique to this series is the inclusion of drawings. Known for his lush pen and ink drawings, Paul Madonna applies his hand to the fictional world by making Emit Hopper the man behind the drawings. Each book includes a subplot of images, making their presence within the story an integral part of the plot. In The Commissions, Emit is mistaken for a spy when he unknowingly finds himself standing on the street, drawing the house next door to a secret criminal enterprise, leading him into a world of corruption and murder. And the images we see throughout the book follow his ongoing work taking commissions to draw. 

Previous Emit Hopper titles include Close Enough for the Angels, introducing Emit and following him across Asia after he meets Julia, who goes missing on a California trail shortly after their marriage, and Come to Light, a beautiful three-volume box set which follows Emit on a wild ride across Europe as he searches for the man he believes is responsible for Julia’s death. 

Praise for The Emit Hopper Mystery Series

“The most gloriously insane mystery I've ever read.” – Peter Orner, Maggie Brown & Other Stories

“Deeply satisfying… Madonna’s prose is magnificent.” – Foreword Reviews

“Paul Madonna has created a gripping and deeply mysterious novel about the nature of artistic creation and the wayward, confounding path of inspiration. It's a gorgeous book, with its words and pictures striking up a dialogue that's sharp, funny, strange, and the fuel for a page turner. I want everyone I know to read it so we can talk about how cool it is.” – Glen David Gold, Carter Beats the Devil

About the authors

Paul Madonna is an award-winning artist and writer whose unique blend of drawing and storytelling has been heralded as an “all new art form.” He is the creator of the series All Over Coffee, which ran in the San Francisco Chronicle for twelve years, and the author of seven books, including Everything is its own reward, which won the 2011 NCBA Award for best book, and the Emit Hopper Mystery Series. Paul’s work ranges from novels to cartoons to large-scale public murals and can be found internationally in print as well as in galleries and museums, including the Oakland Museum of California, the William Blake Association in France, and the San Francisco International Airport. Paul was a founding editor for therumpus.net, has taught drawing at the University of San Francisco, and frequently lectures on creative practice. He holds a BFA from Carnegie Mellon University and was the first (ever!) Art Intern at MAD magazine. His current release, The Commissions, a riveting mystery set between San Francisco and Amsterdam, is available in hardback on September 5th.

Oscar Villalon is the editor at the literary journal ZYZZYVA. His writing has appeared in Stranger's Guide, Freeman’s, the Virginia Quarterly Review, The Believer, Literary Hub, and other publications, and in the anthology There’s a Revolution Outside, My Love: Letters from a Crisis (Vintage). A former board member of the National Book Critics Circle, and a former book editor at the San Francisco Chronicle, he lives in San Francisco.

Please note:

• Masks will not be required for this event, but we are limiting capacity somewhat. For that reason, we can't guarantee we'll have space for walk-ins. The best way to ensure you’ll get a seat is to order the Book + Seat ticket through this link; you can also RSVP for a free seat right here while they last.
• We are happy to offer *signed copies* of The Commissions: order a Book + Seat ticket bundle if you'd like to pick up a signed copy at the event, or order here if you just want a signed copy and no admission. Order Paul's other books here.
• Safety protocols are subject to change. If we feel it is not safe to gather, as the event gets closer, we will pivot to a virtual event and your registration will remain valid.
• Questions? Write [email protected].