Hanging and Burning

King Oliver #4

by Walter Mosley

A dying gangster's plea sends Joe King Oliver on a quest for a missing woman across America's coasts―unraveling a dark and violent family history along the way―in this engrossing new novel from one of the most celebrated and acclaimed crime writers at work today.Joe King Oliver is the big man you call to solve the most delicate and dangerous of problems. Fresh off unraveling the mystery of his own parents’ fates, King finds himself accepting (again at his grandmother’s request) a case from Arman Babylon, a powerful Los Angeles gangster now dying from cancer.Babylon’s granddaughter, Twyla Mann, has been missing for years, and he’s desperate to find her before he passes. The search pulls King into the Babylons’ stained past and the cold case of Dalia Shorts, a torch singer who vanished without a trace and whom Arman was once suspected of killing.As King follows her trail from L.A. to New York and back, he’ll realize nothing is what it seems as he uncovers a pattern of violence that has targeted the women around Babylon for decades. How much will King be willing to risk to finally set things right?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, New York, Audiobook

414 pages, Paperback

Published October 20, 2026

About the author

Walter Mosley (b. 1952) is the author of the bestselling mystery series featuring Easy Rawlins, as well as numerous other works, from literary fiction and science fiction to a young adult novel and political monographs. His short fiction has been widely published, and his nonfiction has appeared in the New York Times Magazine and the Nation, among other publications. Mosley is the winner of numerous awards, including an O. Henry Award, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, a Grammy, and PEN America’s Lifetime Achievement Award. He lives in New York City.

Reviews

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for a well crafted thriller. This is book 4 in the King Oliver series, and the only book that I have read in the series. It worked as a stand alone. Joe King Oliver is a Black man who is asked by his grandmother for a favor. She is dying from cancer and he agrees to help her friend, Arman, also near death. He was a gangster. He wants Joe to find his granddaughter Twlya, and tell her that he would like to speak to her. Also, Joe is to tell her that her mother is not her actual mother. Joe agrees to look for her. Arman does not give Joe very much information, just a photograph.
As Joe starts to investigate, he finds buried secrets and lies. Arman did not tell him the whole truth. This puts Joe in danger, as there are people who want Twlya and anyone connected with her dead.
How he manages to survive and protect Twlya and others makes for a tense thriller.
One quote: "Her gaze was a frown, a Black woman's frown. In that countenance was a whole history of desire and betrayal, hope and disappointment, of bright beginnings, all of which were destined for ignominious ends."
Thank You Little, Brown for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.

Pub Date Oct 20 2026

[Tracy P. · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

4.5-stars.

There is a particular kind of electricity that always hits the air when I begin a Walter Mosley novel—a sudden shift in the room where the background noise drops away and I'm immediately surrounded by the low hum of a jazz bass and the smell of stale rain on the pavement. Returning to the world of Joe "King" Oliver for Hanging & Burning (King Oliver, #4), felt less like starting a new book and more like sliding back into a corner booth at a neighborhood diner where everybody knows your name — and half are hiding a secret...

Mosley uses that unforgettable, bitter-edged Yiddish curse—the idea of a chandelier, hanging and burning—as the invisible heartbeat of the entire narrative. It captures the terrifying brilliant space where a life is caught suspended between destruction and illumination.

Dropping Oliver into a tangled web of disappearance and deception that pulls at the seams of both coasts, Mosley refuses to write a simple point-A-to-point-B mystery. Instead, he uses the mechanics of an investigation to peel back the layers of American life, looking closely at how history, loyalty, and survival collide in the dark.

King Oliver is such a magnetic anchor because he doesn't pretend to be bulletproof, he wears his exhaustion and his ethical code like a heavy coat, navigating through dangerous waters with a quiet, stubborn dignity that had me rooting for him on every single page.

Does the plot occasionally wander off into deep, existential alleys while characters chew on the heavy realities of life and aging? Sure. There are moments where the central investigation takes a breather so Mosley can explore the philosophical weight of what seems to keep your heart intact. But that digression is precisely where the treasure lies. You don't ride with Mosley just to check boxes on a whodunit checklist; you're there for the deep psychological cuts, the stinging wit, and the unflinching look at human nature.

In summary, Hanging & Burning is a gorgeous, gritty, fiercely alive piece of storytelling. It's smart, it's moody, and it will linger in my chest long after posting this review.

My highest of recommendations. Please don't make us wait so long for book five, Mr. Mosley. Thank you.

[Shannon Moeser · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

HANGING AND BURNING is #4 in Walter Mosley's "King Oliver" series. I have one previous novel in this series but Hanging and Burning can easily be read without knowledge of any of the prior instalments. Although there are several recurring characters in the series, information about how and why they assist Joe King Oliver in his quest is clearly described.

And this is essentially the tale of a quest. It begins in Los Angeles. Joe is a Private Detective who works in the New York area. He is visiting California because his 96-year-old grandmother (Grandma B) is being treated for cancer at Pilgrim's, one of the best cancer treatment centers in America. She has struck up a friendship with another patient, Arman Babylon, and she has asked Joe to help him. Arman wants Joe to find his 38-year-old granddaughter, Twyla Macintosh ("who mostly calls herself Twyla Mann nowadays"). Before he dies, Arman wants Twyla to know that her mother, Mara Mackintosh, isn't her real mom, but that Twyla is Arman's "real blood". The rest of the story that Arman tells Joe about Twyla's background is a bit muddled, and Joe feels that Arman is holding something back, but Twyla has disappeared and Joe feels that there was nothing wrong in what Arman is asking him to do, so he takes on the job—even after, by asking diligent questions, he uncovers the fact that Arman was a minor gangster years ago in New York.

Joe starts his investigation in Los Angeles, and soon discovers an old newspaper article that suggests that Arman may have been involved in an old New York crime—the disappearance and possible murder of a singer named Dalia Shorts, a crime that took place in 1989. While in Los Angeles, Joe encounters (1) a man who enjoys raping unconscious women; (2) the tortured body of a man who associated with Twyla, and (3) an attempted attack on himself. Then Joe flies back to New York and follows a twisted trail to locate Twyla.

Weaved through the tale of the search for Twyla are Joe's encounters with family and an old lover. The family consists of Grandma B, his cousin Rags, his daughter Aja, and his father Chief Odin Oliver. The old lover, who he reconnects to, is named Leaf. These are continuing characters in Joe King Oliver's life story, but only minor characters in the plot that connects Arman, Twyla, and her kin to a group of gangsters, killers, and a serial rapist. There were many other characters in this novel, some of whom play recurring roles in Joe's quest for truth and justice, and some of whom were specific to this Arman/Twyla tale, but I never confused them. I can see, however, that a reader who reads quickly might get confused. This tale must be delved into, not skimmed.

The Arman/Twyla tale has a good but not an unforgettable plot in the world of crime fiction. What lifts HANGING AND BURNING above most crime novels is Walter Mosley's incredible grasp of language, especially dialogue, and the philosophical insights scattered throughout the book. I have many beautiful phrases highlighted throughout the book. Poetic descriptions. Plus, philosophical observations about truth and justice. The author is expressing his view of the world "in the form of a crime novel".

There were only two things that disturbed me as I perused the book:

1) The clothes of everyone Joe Oliver encountered were described in extensive detail. Sometimes it was important to describe a character's clothing choices, as they help establish personality, but when done too often, for every character on every occasion, it becomes monotonous.

2) There was an explicit sex scene, described in detail, that takes place in a "religious" cult. It was not needed. It added nothing to the plot and would be a turnoff for readers who dislike porn.

My overall rating is 4.5 stars. This is a novel for readers who want to explore the human condition. It is not a quick, easy read.

Thanks to Little, Brown and Company for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.

[Shereadbookblog · Rating 3 out of 5]

At his grandmother’s request, private investigator Joe King Oliver embarks on a quest to find the granddaughter of one of her fellow cancer patients.This journey takes him from LA to New York and back again, revealing a dark history of gangsters and violence.

It has been quite a while since I last read a Walter Mosley book, and although this is the fourth installment in the King Oliver series, it is the first I have read.

There are many characters who seem to drift in and out of the narrative. While I appreciated the vivid descriptions of the characters’ clothing choices, particularly Oliver’s, the story itself failed to resonate with me. Mosley fans will undoubtedly enjoy this addition to his extensive body of work, but it simply wasn’t for me.

Thanks to @NetGalley and @LittleBrown for the DRC.

[Marcie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for allowing me to read this early copy in exchange for my honest review. 🥰

Hanging and Burning is everything I need in a detective story. Walter Mosley’s fourth entry into his King Oliver series is blazing hot. And a throwback to old detective movies filmed inside of cigarette smoke filled rooms with husky voiced sirens. Oh, and the names- Van Arc, Armond Babylon, Dalia Shorts, and Malta Lamming remind me of names from the long gone 1930’s and 1940’s black and white noir classics. The storytelling is so descriptive and characters so flushed out; I can see the scenes play out in my mind. This is actually my first King Oliver novel; I’m a loyal Easy Rowlins fan. That changes with this book. 😮

Joe King Oliver is a former police officer turned private detective working out of NYC. Following a visit to LA to see his favorite grandmother, Grandma B, Oliver accepts a dying gangster’s request to find his missing granddaughter, Twyla. Right from the start King is in over his head and nothing the aging and sick gangster, Armond Babylon, said can be trusted. The action is immediate as King works his detective skills to get a line on Twyla’s location. There are numerous background characters, all contributing something vital to the mystery. The suspects and possibilities of what happened to Twyla are plentiful. The two terrifyingly efficient mercenaries, Oliya Ruez and Melquarth Frost, are a couple of my favorite players in the book. The large cast of characters keep the novel intriguing and fast paced.

Mosley manages to work in a love interest for King through all the chaos. He was not lacking in options. King and his Daddy have women throwing their panties, um I mean, business cards at them throughout the book. 🤣 King isn’t working with a strict moral code to get the job done either. I plan to go back in the series for a better understanding of King’s backstory. Despite starting on the fourth book in the series, I don’t feel it kept me from engaging with the characters or becoming engrossed in the story. Looking forward to what comes next for Mr. King.

[Martin Baggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Walter Mosley returns with the latest Joe King Oliver novel, and once again he's raised the bar on a series I keep insisting has peaked—only to be proven wrong. This is old-school LA noir done right: a PI with his own tangled code, bent cops circling the edges, and a client whose lies burn hotter than his sins.

The case starts simple enough. His grandmother, still in LA, still fighting cancer, still the moral center pulling King into other people's messes, urges King to take on a job. The case is for Arman Babylon, a dying gangster desperate to find his long-missing granddaughter, Twyla Mann, before he passes. What looks like a straightforward missing-persons search quickly curdles into something far uglier: a cold case involving a vanished jazz singer, decades of violence against the women in Babylon's orbit, and a client who's been lying to King from the start. The trail runs from LA to New York and back, and by the time it's done, King's had to call in his old frenemy Mel—the serial killer squatting in a deconsecrated church—just to keep his footing.

What makes this one sing is how Mosley refuses to let King's moral code sit still. He's not Reacher with better tailoring; he's a man who keeps discovering that righteousness and violence live closer together than he'd like. Mosley's prose has the same cold clarity it's always had—there's a line about the lights of Los Angeles as ignorant and hopeless that stuck with me long after I put the book down, and a piece of advice King's handed early on, that a person "should be like a chandelier, hanging and burning," which ends up haunting the whole book.

Fourth in the series, and somehow still the best one yet. Five stars, no hesitation.

A big thank you to Little Brown and Company and NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

#LittleBrown&Company #NetGalley

[Jon Doe · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read more than 30 novels by Walter Mosley -- Easy Rawlins, Leonid McGill, King Oliver -- and this is by far the worst. Maybe it's me: maybe I'm jaded because his PI protagonists are minor variations of each other and maybe I'm just tired of them. All of them are thoughtful to a fault, finding in mundane occurrences philosophical truths -- and expounding on them to no end. Walking across a street can reveal to them the meaning of life. We get it: Mr. Mosley is a really smart guy, and he wants us to know it.

Really smart, but his feel for language is sometimes off, as if he has a tin ear:

-- A woman "greeted, sneering confusion";
-- People don't "say," they "aver";
-- They don't agree, they "endorse";
-- He doesn't describe a doorman, but an "ostiary";
-- Grimaces "invade" people's faces;
-- "I imagined that I was a one-armed veterinary dentist trying to pull a sour tooth out of an angry predator's jaw";
-- "She'd put away her smile for the nonce" (the nonce? Seriously? Why not just now, or the present?)
-- "agreeing with my estimation of his violent aptitude upon what would have been a snakelike smile";
-- "like an unexpected wave butting up against a peacefully napping waterfowl";
-- "and yet also handsome in the way a veteran of some faraway war would be" (what makes these veterans so handsome?);
-- "the sound of knocking took on a preternatural quality, as if some otherworldly harbinger was announcing the crime that I had tried so hard to wash away";
-- "His presence was the alchemical spice that might help in the execution of my inquiry"; (Huh?)
-- "'Is this seat taken?' he asked of the stool that Emma had tenanted earlier" (tenanted?).

How writes like this?

Everything doesn't have to be explained with a metaphor or a twisted language. I get it: Mosley wants to show us that Oliver is a really bright guy, cerebral, a Renaissance man who reads Russian authors, but the effort reveals Oliver (and Mosley) as pretentious, trying a little too hard to impress.

As an added annoyance, Mosley includes passages that add nothing to the story. No spoiler here, but there's a "church" scene that, to be kind, is bizarre. Towards the end, he describes the origin of a gun, a description that is unnecessary and slows the narrative. Why is this wonky gun even necessary, when an off-the-shelf variety would do? He never explains. Maybe he just likes to read his own writing. Maybe he's jealous of Ian Fleming's Q from the James Bond series.

There was nothing special about the plot. I don't have many complaints, but it didn't grab me. Too many inscrutable dreams. An obsession with describing clothes -- always in loud colors -- in excruciating detail.

(And is it my imagination, or does Mosley get his characters mixed up -- two women were both coincidentally part of collectives in Alaska, one part of a women's collective (Kindle page 254), the other part of a hunter's collective (p. 264).)

I've been following Mr. Mosley for a long time -- since Devil in a Blue Dress (5 stars) -- and I really wanted to like this book. But it just doesn't work for me.

[Ann · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

It gets complicated as Joe Oliver investigates a serial killer and cold case murder after accepting a missing person case to locate a dying man’s granddaughter. He must travel back and forth from New York to Los Angeles and manages to put himself in the cross-hairs of gangsters and sadistic murderers.

[Kelvonbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Hanging and Burning is a the 4th novel in the Walter Mosley “King Oliver” saga.

King Oliver was a NYC detective that was set up by an acquaintance in the force, and subsequently released after spending 10 long years in Rikers. He lost his wife in the process, but maintains a strong relationship with his daughter, Aja. He now makes a living as a private detective, and Aja is his assistant.
His strongest parental figure is his Grandma Bea, whose beau is a billionaire named Roger.

All of the previous novels have been in NYC and its outskirts, and “Hanging and Burning” puts our protagonist on the west coast. Grandma Bea was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, and is now undergoing top of the line treatment in Los Angeles. I found it nice to see a character in a different environment, especially knowing how well Mosley paints Los Angeles in his novels. A fellow resident of the hospital has a problem, and Bea enlists her grandson to help.

From there we are spun into a web of paternity, gangsters, nightclubs, murder, erotic churches, as well as new and old friends and enemies alike. Mr Mosley does a great job of keeping the storylines cohesive and not muddled up. There is an investigation, dealing with family health, a love story and they are complex yet easy to follow. King Oliver is amazing character as he is gruff, determined, intelligent, while also showing softness, and vulnerability, and holding himself accountable for his actions and missteps.

Although this is the forth book in the series, if you read it standalone you will be able to follow along as the author gives you enough context on previous characters and events that it makes sense. the context is weaved in as if a friend is telling you a little secret, and not just big sign post to feed you data. Another great edition by Walter Mosley.

[Charlene Roberson · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Joe "King" Oliver is a private detective with a large, complicated family and a huge circle of friends. He lives in New York City, but when his grandmother recommends him to a new-found friend in her cancer treatment center, Joe travels to Los Angeles to get the details from his grandmother and meet this potential client. His grandmother only knows the man is troubled and wants to settle some business before his death, but she doesn't know the client, Arman Babylon, is an old-time New York gangster. The case takes Joe back and forth from New York to Los Angeles, mixing in some private business, such as reconnecting with the woman he is sure is his forever soulmate.

Babylon wants to locate his granddaughter, to get a chance to reconnect with her before he dies, but she has been missing for some time now and the people who MIGHT know where she is aren't talking, especially to Arman Babylon, And Joe, as his hired help, doesn't get much further, until he contacts his contacts, who contact THEIR contacts.

Along the way, we also encounter Joe's daughter, who works with him, and his father, from whom he was long estranged. They have made a tenuous friendship and his father knows some of the players that Joe needs to cultivate in order to solve this case.

His colleagues in New York have enough juice and contacts in California to be able to supply him with whatever he needs, including, sometimes, muscle. His friendship with a NY police detective also gets him an introduction to an LA police detective, and both of them are able to solve long-unsolved cases with Joe's discoveries.

SPOILER ALERT (not that anyone who reads this author's works needs one): The bad guys get what they deserve in the end!!

[Richard Jaffe · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this advance ARC in return for an honest review.

Hanging and Burning is the fourth installment in the King Oliver series by Walter Mosley. Admittedly I have not read the first 3.

Joe "King" Oliver is visiting his Grandma B in a very exclusive hospital in LA getting an experimental treatment for cancer when she requests her grandson, who is a former NYPD Detective turned PI, to meet with another patient and help him find his estranged granddaughter, Twyla. After speaking with Arman Babylon, Oliver agrees to take on the "missing persons" case, even though he doesn't believe his new Client has been completely honest with him. Not only is he trying to find Twyla, but he also begins "investigating" Babylon, to figure out what he has been withholding.

With the assistance of a cast of characters, whom I assume were introduced in previous installments, Oliver begins turning over rocks and getting deeper and deeper into a 30 year old mystery, not to mention deeper into trouble. When he finds out that Babylon was a gangster/fixer back in NY, in the day, and was covering up for some rather bad actors, Oliver is abducted, hounded, and threatened, not necessarily in that order.

Although he finds the "missing" Twyla, Oliver has gotten too involved in unravelling the previously buried crimes of 30 years ago, that he cant get out of this mess without taking down Babylon's former partners. I think this is where Mosley lost me.

For fans of Mosley this story may work, but for someone coming into Joe Oliver's world without reading the preceding books it kinda fell flat, and dragged a bit.

#NetGalley #HangingandBurning

[Jesse · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Library book.

Not bad, with a decently interesting PI plot, numerous blues aperçus, and yet more weird Mosley verbs. He's in love with "uttered" for the first half of the novel or so, and yep, yet more sneering in places nobody sneers, topped off with this combo platter of weird verb for "said" and out-of-place sneering on p.303: "'Hi,' she greeted, sneering confusion."

So there's that. And of course those weird "'x,' the part-time assassin remarked" constructions. Really would love to know if anyone edits these any more, or if name writers just send their stuff in and it gets printed as is. Even so, the moral /ethical considerations here are at times engaging, and the plot is decently involving, with some decades-old bits of NY lore woven in and Mosley's trademark lyrical musings. Also, fun note: one character lives in, for some reason, Mount Kisco. It's not described at any point, aside from the protagonist getting on the Saw Mill, but since my family moved there the summer before I turned 9 and my parents still live in the same house, always fun to see the village-town (its official designation) shouted out. Especially due to its almost complete absence from the world of fiction.

[Sue Goldberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Walter Mosley's PI protagonists all have a few things in common: they are charming, have valuable and often dangerous contacts, live a lush lifestyle, and have a strong moral compass (even as they contemplate extreme measures). "Hanging and Burning" moves along at a quick pace with so many central and peripheral characters that you are forced to stay alert, making the plot at times confusing but always gripping. While I was quietly rooting for the conclusion Mosley provided, it did seem to come a bit abruptly and left me waiting for a little more. Perhaps that will be coming in a subsequent title!

[Meryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's good to be the King!

This is the fourth book in the Joe King Oliver series and quite entertaining. The story bounces from LA to Brooklyn and back again with colorful characters and interesting vignettes full of catchy dialogue. Mosley's prose is like urban poetry and so enjoyable to read, right up to the suspenseful ending .When I finished reading, I wanted more. Hope Mosley continues to write stories in this universe. It would be a crime if he didn't. A great companion to the Easy Rawlins series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a sneak peek.

Five stars! Highly recommended!

[Mike Lyons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Walter Mosley provides us a twisty mystery involving old murders and new crimes. Joe (King) Oliver is a great protagonist and Mosley allows us to see his foibles and fears and well as his loyalty and love. King might be the second best of Mosley's fictional detectives (after Easy Rawlins) and this is the fourth (and perhaps best) book in his series. Oliver's confused, fractured and evolving family is very interesting. FYI, while his NYC based assassin friend makes a brief appearance, the action mainly takes place in LA on the West Coast. Another great read from Mr. Mosley.

[Mary C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joe King Oliver is in Los Angeles visiting his grandmother who is undergoing treatment for cancer. She requests that King help fellow patient Arman Babylon locate his granddaughter. Arman's past complicates the search along with the fact Babylon keeps facts hidden. As King's investigation continues, the full picture emerges, placing King's life in danger. King Oliver is a fascinating character and the book is filled with interesting characters. Fast paced read - fourth book in the series.
#HangingabdBurning #LittleBrownandCompany #NetGalley

[Shawn Hawk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great new Joe Oliver installment

Walter Mosley had once again worked his magic bringing up life an intriguing story on the life of one of his detective characters. This one is a bit more somber at times, thoughtful as always and very enjoyable. It engages the reader, leaving you intelligent to put it down. I enjoyed this further glimpse into the life and mind of Joe Oliver and look forward to my next great read from my favorite author.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Walter Mosley. I love his characters, I love his writing, dialogue, plots - you name it. It's always a delight to slip into his world and disappear for a while. Even if you haven't ready any of the other King Olver novels, you'll still love this one. And if you're current on King Olover, this will feel as comfprtable as slipping on your favorite old sweater. Just enjoy.

[Peejay(Pamela) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I feel I would have liked this more had I read the earlier ones in the series. As it was, I got a little lost with the numerous characters whose back stories were unknown to me. Interesting plot and compelling main character.

[Tehila · Rating 5 out of 5]

First time I read anything by Mr Mosley. Won’t be the last.

[Marla J Wigon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Great Book

One of my favorite authors. He never disappoints. Fast paced and great characters. I am looking forward to his next book which is going to be a new PI.

[Keith Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ever changing world of John King

This story has several interesting arcs. I'm enjoying the growth of the character Joe Oliver and his every expanding family & friends!

[Jo Dervan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hanging and Burning
Joe King Oliver is back in this 4th book in the series. His grandmother was in a cancer ward in an exclusive hospital In Los Angeles. When he came from NYC to visit her, she introduced him to another patient who was dying. This man, Arman, offered a job to Joe. Joe was asked to locate Arman’s granddaughter Twyla who he hadn’t seen in a long time. He was anxious to see Twyla before he died.
Joe started investigating and became entangled with several gangsters. When he found Twyla’s mother, he discovered that the Twyla was in fact the older man’s daughter. Joe also discovered a cold case involving a women who was assumed dead. Then there was a sexual predator who had been preying on women for decades. This case pivots between locations in NYC and Los Angeles. Several of Joe’s underworld contacts helped him to close the cases.
Oliver is a former NYPD officer who is now working as a private detective. The author portrays Joe as a street smart man with many connections. I enjoyed this book and was surprised by several of the events. I received this ARC from the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.