The Commissions (Emit Hopper Mysteries, 3)

Paul Madonna writes such complex interesting mysteries. Difficult to put one of his books down. The wonderful drawings only add to the pleasure of reading one of his books.

What a masterful mystery! I was deliciously blindsided by all the unexpected plot twists swirling around the complex characters who kept me spellbound page after page after page.  How Madonna is able to create Emit Hopper’s labyrinthine world and expertly manipulate him and the supporting cast is a mystery to me as enticing as The Commissions was to read. If there’s a waiting list to order the next book in this superb mystery series I want to be first in line!

Paul Madonna's latest Emit Hopper mystery is a marvelous dive into the seamier side of San Francisco seen through the lens of an artist, working by commission, who captures the detail and spirit of place in this hilly waterside city. Hopper--a reflective, honest, and immensely likable workingman who lives over a laundromat that he happens to own-- is pulled from his plein air painterly pursuits in the Legion of Honor's courtyard into police custody on a trumped up charge. He soon finds himself at the center of a sprawling mess of corruption, human trafficking, fire, murder, and possible paternity as tangled as an Haight Street hippie's hair.Madonna handles the complexities of this page turning delight with effortless ease. Protagonist Hopper's marvelously readable narrative voice carries the tale splendidly across a decisively shaped, beautifully tuned narrative structure. Opening with Emit Hopper living in present day Amsterdam at a twenty-year remove from the events that lie at the mystery's core, we are plunged into the action with a surprise arrival and the discovery, in a canal, of a violent end. The hook tastily baited, Madonna takes us into the action a generation earlier that led Hopper to this place. Hopper's retrospective journey, in the context of a present day mystery we are itching to have resolved, establishes and sustains a tantalizing tension that pulled me me eagerly through the novel's twists and turns.One of the Commissions' great joys is its potent presentation of place. Madonna who has worked, painted, and lived in San Francisco for thirty years guides us through the city's neighborhoods, outlying regions, watering holes, and social and political controversies with a sure and knowing hand. Madonna, with a bit of literary license, has gotten the San Francisco in which Hopper's story unfolds truly right. This effect is simultaneously amplified and verified by the artwork that populates its pages. A particularly nice touch is the set of captions describing the fictitious characters who commissioned each piece. Not only do these connect me visually to the city, they bring back wonderful associations to the old illustrated chapter books I read when I first learned to love reading.The Commissions is a rare and savory treat. I say with pleasure that I have not enjoyed a mystery this much since I read the first few volumes of Walter Mosely's Easy Rawlins series back in the '90s. Do pick up a copy, drive to Stinson Beach, put a steak on the grill, pull a cork, sit back and enjoy!

Absolutely loved Paul’s latest book. It’s his best Emit adventure yet. I loved the intricate plots and the multi-dimensional adventures Emit is on. I particularly loved the detailed scenes of San Francisco illustrated both in Paul’s texts and beautiful drawings. The book is particularly meaningful because we were able to play a tiny part in it. A perfect vacation read.

Slow build as all the complex details weave together and then BAM, the book takes off on a gripping story arc with many unexpected turns. Best of the Hopper series yet! I highly recommend it.