Author Readings and Lectures

Author: Walter Mosely, Hanging and Burning

Co-presented with Litquake
Friday, 10/23/2026
6:30 - 8:00
Suitable for:
  • Adults
Koret Auditorium
Main Library
Address

100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
United States

Contact Telephone

In the latest addition to the inimitable Walter Mosley’s Joe King Oliver series, Hanging and Burning, 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?  Walter Mosely will be joined in conversation with Carvell Wallace. 

Doors at 6:00 p.m. 

Book sales and signing follow the event, courtesy of Borderlands Books.

Pre-registration is required for this after-hours Library event.


Engage with your favorite writers and discover your next read.


This program is sponsored by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library.


Attending Programs

All programs are drop-in (no registration necessary) unless otherwise noted. All SFPL locations are wheelchair accessible. For accommodations (such as ASL), call (415) 557-4557 or contact accessibility@sfpl.org. Requesting at least 3 business days in advance will help ensure availability.

This program will be conducted in English unless otherwise noted.

Notice: This event may be filmed or photographed. By participating in this event, you consent to have your likeness used for the Library’s archival purposes and promotional materials. If you do not want to be photographed, please inform a staff person or the photographer. A sticker will be provided to help identify you so that we can avoid capturing your image.


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The views and opinions expressed in programs presented by groups unaffiliated with SFPL do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SFPL or the City.