Throughout 2025, Problem Library is partnering with Western Neighborhoods Project (WNP), Sean Connelly (SFSU Humanities lecturer emeritus), Bazaar Cafe, and Green Apple Books to present WNP Book Club.

Join us for a book discussion on The Commissions by Paul Madonna, WNP Book Clubs featured title for October 2025.

Part of the Emit Hopper Mystery series, The Commissions takes us on an illustrated tour of San Francisco with many stops in the western neighborhoods as we solve a who-done-it together.

Picture it: Amsterdam, 2019. 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.

Then, we’re transported back to San Francisco, 1999, to 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.

And yes, author Paul Madonna will join us for the evening!

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The discussion will be led by Sean Connelly, Humanities lecturer emeritus at San Francisco State University, and WNP’s Executive Director Nicole Meldahl, supported by historic photographs from the OpenSFHistory archive, related activities and listening experiences, and more.

Even if you didn’t read the book (although we strongly encourage that you do), we bet you’ll enjoy an evening communing with neighborhood bibliophiles.

Light refreshments themed around the book will be served.