Week of: October 29, 2026
The latest from tsdmemphis.com
With early voting underway, Black men challenge one another to do more than talk politics — starting with a plan to vote. — Page 6 NEWS
NEWS
LOWERY PRESENTS ACTION PLAN; COUNTY FINANCES TOPS LIST OF PRIORITIES
MISSISSIPPI RELEASES KOHEN WILEY SHOOTING VIDEO; FAMILY CHALLENGES ‘JUSTIFIED’ RULING
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Volume 75, Issue 43
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TRI-STATE DEFENDER
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Week of: October 29, 2026
Museum, Democracy in Action to host Trick or Vote on Halloween and Election Day Hub Guests are invited to dress as civil rights heroes TSD Newswire With early voting under way and Election Day less than two weeks off, the National Civil Rights Museum and its Democracy In Action partners, Votes for All/Memphis for All, MICAH (Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope), Shelby County Voter Alliance, and Stand for Children-Tennessee, will host two free community events at the museum: Trick or Vote and a full-day Election Day Hub. Both events are nonpartisan and designed to help local citizens create a voting plan, know their rights at the polls, and find answers before and on Election Day. Trick or Vote — Saturday, Oct. 31, from 5-7 p.m., Families can trick-ortreat at the Museum and leave with a voting plan for Election Day. Every guest receives candy, voter resources, and other giveaways. The event will feature children’s activities, a DJ, and an on-site food truck. Guests are invited to dress as a civil rights hero or someone who fought for the right to vote and share the story behind their costume. Partner volunteers will help adults confirm their registration status and polling place and walk families through what to know and expect. The theme is “Vote like your life depends on it!” Register to attend on the museum’s website. Election Day Hub — Tuesday, Nov. 3, 8 a.m. to 6. p.m., is a free help center for voters. Trained volunteers will answer questions about voting access in local precincts, direct people to their polling places, connect voters with election authorities, and support anyone who has issues exercising their voting rights at the polls. The Hub also features a photo/video wall where voters share why they vote, recall their
first time voting, or encourage others, without naming candidates or parties. Walk-ins are welcome at the Election Day Hub.
Key voting dates for Nov. 3 general election • Early voting: Underway now through Oct. 29, at any available early voting site in Shelby County. Locations and hours are at shelbyvote.com. • Absentee by mail: Requests for an absentee ballot are due Oct. 24 for voters who qualify. Voted ballots must reach the Election Commission by the close of polls on Election Day. • Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls in Shelby County close at 7 p.m. Voters in line by closing time may vote.
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Lowery presents action plan; county finances tops list of priorities By James Coleman
TSD Contributing Writer
A roadmap for the near-term future of Shelby County has been laid out, after Mayor Mickell Lowery unveiled his first term strategic plan. Following the Aug. 3 election, Lowery’s transition team broke into nine working groups to brainstorm solutions to issues pertaining to public safety, education, economic growth, housing, public health, workforce training and the environment. The 92-page “One Shelby” report, released Thursday, Oct. 22, details the recommendations on the buffet of public policy priorities. Unsurprisingly, the first term executive has zeroed-in on the county’s finances as the logical starting point. Last November, the county had to borrow $43 million to meet payroll expenses. The county’s budget buckled under the crunch of increasing operational costs and revenue shortfalls. Much of the increase was a result of the Memphis Safe Task Force. With nearly 14,000 arrests tallied, the Shelby County Jail is currently bursting at the seams. Naturally, staffing needs increased alongside additional inmate population, with the cost covered by overtime. The financial strain continued to worsen. In July, the county was forced to borrow an additional $125 million from its debt service fund to cover expenses — for payroll, again. The bridge loan allowed the county to stay afloat until the bulk of the property tax revenues began arriving in December. “We are not in terrible shape. We have a cash flow issue. Our property taxes come in at a certain time. We still have a payroll we have to make. However, borrowing large sums of money Week of: October 29, 2026
“We are not in terrible shape. We have a cash flow issue. Our property taxes come in at a certain time. We still have a payroll we have to make. However, borrowing large sums of money cannot become our culture going forward.” — Mayor Mickell Lowery cannot become our culture going forward,” said Lowery. The loan could affect the county’s credit rating, which would make it more expensive to borrow money. Moreover, the cost will recur. On Oct. 16, attorney general Todd Blanche announced during a one-year anniversary visit to Shelby Farms that the task force would continue indefinitely. Last month, Lowery had already held discussions with State Comptroller Jason Mumpower on the cash flow crunch and the various issues that led it. “We know we are going to get large sums of revenue at a certain point in time, so can we also defer expenses until that certain point in time. That may call for renegotiations with some of our vendors,” said Lowery. “We want to do good business with everyone, but also, we may need to hold off on some of those payments. Again, that’s what comes with any cash flow issue.” Corrections facilities were a part of the conversation. Built in 1981, the 45year old Shelby County Jail hasn’t met the county’s needs in decades. Chronic overcrowding and wear-and-tear lead to annual multi-million dollar funding requests for repairs.
Shelby County Mayor Mickell Lowery outlines priorities for his administration, including stabilizing county finances, addressing jail overcrowding and expanding access to pre-K education. Lowery’s first-term strategic plan, “One Shelby,” was released Oct. 22. (Gary S. Whitlow/Tri-State Defender)
Once the county is on a better financial footing, the action plan calls for funding to shore up the current facility, while fleshing out details on a new, modern facility. During Lowery’s second term on the Shelby County Commission, the body was routinely called on to pass last minute resolutions to pay for critical repairs at the lockup. Tens of millions were spent on elevator repairs, plumbing, new refrigerators, jail doors and more. Of course, that’s nothing compared to the price tag on a new facility. Estimates on a replacement run over $1 billion and rising. According to the document, Lowery intends on seeking funding from state sources. Still, the most controversial aspect of new jail will likely be the location. Last year, commissioners rejected a proposal for a new jail in North Memphis. Lowery was the decisive vote. Other possibilities mentioned at the
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time were Shelby Farms, or to expand the current footprint in Downtown Memphis. Either choice would likely have its detractors too. Early education also remains a top priority. During Lowery’s election night speech, he placed pre-k as his highest priority. It also topped the list when his campaign was announced. The goal of universal pre-k is within reach. Last year, the county fell a few percentage points short of perfection. During the FY2026 budget season, the pre-k funding level remained flat. The county was locked into the rate after the Memphis City Council refused to budge on additional funding agreement with the county. Moreover, if the payment agreement was altered, the ordinance that established it would be nullified. During the “One Shelby” plan runup, Lowery held collaborative discussions with Memphis Mayor Paul Young on the matter. TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
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Mississippi releases Kohen Wiley shooting video; family challenges ‘justified’ ruling Senatobia officer reportedly resigns as family vows to continue fight amid grief, shock By Lee Eric Smith
TSD Contributing Writer
The State of Mississippi on Thursday, Oct. 22, released video of the police shooting that killed 1-year-old Kohen Kartier Wiley, including body camera footage from the officer who fired into a vehicle carrying the toddler, his mother and another woman outside a Senatobia Walmart. The release came three days after Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch’s office ruled the June 14 shooting justified, declining to prosecute the officer. It also followed the leaking of portions of the footage to news outlets before Kohen’s family had an opportunity to view it privately. For relatives who had spent four months demanding answers, the sequence of events added another layer of pain to an already devastating loss. “The word ‘justified’ has haunted me since Monday,” said Veronica Roberson, Kohen’s maternal grandmother, during an emotional news conference Thursday. “I went to work, and I had to find out through news sources,” she said. “No one reached out to the family, no courtesy, not a single call, a heads-up, anything to prepare us for what we was about to face.” Then came what Roberson described as another indignity. “The second slap in the face for me was leaked videos,” she said. “You tell us that we’re gonna watch the videos first, the family. You know, that’s a courtesy of the family, but I seen all videos from multiple outlets.” Standing alongside civil rights attorney Ben Crump, Memphis attorney Van Turner and community activists at Senatobia Church of Christ, Roberson and Week of: October 29, 2026
Kohen’s paternal grandmother Lassandra Williams struggled to reconcile what they had seen with the state’s conclusion. “After what I’ve seen today, I’m having a difficult time understanding the word ‘justified,’” Williams said.
What the video shows The footage offers multiple perspectives on the chaotic encounter that unfolded June 14, when Senatobia officers responded to an alleged shoplifting incident involving diapers at Walmart. Video shows Kohen’s mother, Vellesiya Wiley, carrying him as she and another woman hurry toward a sedan in the parking lot. Officers rush toward the vehicle, several with guns drawn, shouting commands for the occupants to stop. The driver backs up, striking a parked vehicle. As officers converge, the sedan accelerates forward and turns left, passing close to officers positioned near its front. Body camera footage from Sgt. Hunter Foster shows the officer near the moving vehicle as he fires into it, including from the passenger side where Kohen was sitting in his mother’s lap. The encounter unfolds in seconds. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation initially reported that the vehicle drove toward officers, nearly striking one. The footage illustrates the danger posed by the moving car, while also raising questions about the officers’ tactics and the timing of the gunfire. In a brief statement Monday, Fitch’s office said its review found the officer’s use of force justified. A separate communication to state public safety officials indicated there was insufficient evidence of criminal conduct to pursue prosecution. The City of Senatobia acknowledged the ruling and extended sympathy to
Kohen’s family. Foster’s attorney, Martin Zummach, has defended his client’s actions, arguing that he faced an immediate threat from the approaching vehicle. Use-of-force experts interviewed by The Associated Press offered differing assessments of whether Foster’s response was justified. But Crump and Turner argue that the confrontation should never have escalated to gunfire — and that the final shot was fired after the immediate danger had passed.
‘Shot from the side … was not justified’ Crump said the family’s legal team viewed the complete footage Thursday morning, shortly before addressing reporters. “This was excessive from the very start,” Crump said. “I mean, they came out with guns drawn for a shoplifting misdemeanor.” He argued that officers could have recorded the vehicle’s license plate and investigated the alleged theft later rather than confronting the occupants with weapons drawn. “Firing into a car in a busy Walmart parking lot is reckless,” Crump said. But the attorneys focused much of their criticism on the final shot. In July, Crump released preliminary findings from an independent forensic review concluding that the bullet that killed Kohen entered the right side of his chest and exited the left. Crump said Thursday that the footage supports those findings. According to Crump, investigators told the legal team three shots were fired. The attorneys were still examining the precise timing of the shots, but Crump repeatedly argued that the final one — which he identified as fatal —
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Veronica Roberson, Kohen Wiley’s maternal grandmother, speaks during an emotional news conference Thursday, Oct. 22, following the release of videos of the 1 year old’s shooting by a Senatobia police officer.
was unjustified. “What we know based on our observation of the video, the third bullet from the side, the bullet that killed one-year-old Baby Kohen Wiley, was not justified,” Crump said. The attorneys’ identification of the final shot as fatal remains their interpretation of the evidence. The video’s timing and the circumstances surrounding each shot are central to their disagreement with the state. Turner urged viewers to examine the footage carefully. “Was the car an incoming threat or was the car attempting to flee?” Turner asked. “The car was attempting to flee when that last shot was fired.” He argued that even if officers faced danger moments earlier, the threat had passed when Foster fired from the side. “There was no reason at all to fire that last shot when the driver was attempting not to hit the officers, but to get away from the officers,” Turner said.
‘Somebody got to help us’ For Kohen’s grandmothers, the arguments about trajectories and police procedures did little to ease their grief. Roberson described watching officers TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
■■ NEWS Kohen Kartier Wiley (Courtesy of Carlos Haynes and Veronica Roberson via Mississippi Today)
rush toward the car with weapons drawn. “He ran out there. You put yourself in that way,” she said of Foster. “You shot my grandbaby from the side of the car. How are you in danger if you on the passenger side of the car, the car is going to the left?” Then she appealed for help. “Somebody got to help us with this,” she said. “And I won’t stop until we get justice for my grandbaby.” Kohen’s paternal grandmother expressed similar disbelief.
Week of: October 29, 2026
“When anybody come up with how to explain that to me, let me know,” she said. “But until then, I’m gonna keep fighting. I’m gonna do whatever I have to do to make sure that the right thing is done, because I don’t understand ‘justified’ right now.” The family has questioned both the state’s determination and how officials communicated it. Roberson said the announcement came without warning, and the leaked footage compounded the hurt. The source of those leaks remains unknown. Crump acknowledged that the legal team did not know who was responsible.
The fight moves beyond Mississippi Although Fitch’s decision ended the state’s criminal review, Kohen’s legal team said its efforts to seek accountability will continue. Turner announced plans to seek federal involvement, including a review by the U.S. Department of Justice and FBI. “Since the city, the county, and the state has not done anything to hold Foster accountable, we have to go to the federal government,” Turner said. Multiple media outlets are report-
ing that Foster has resigned from the Senatobia Police Department. During Thursday’s news conference, Turner said he had just learned of the resignation and immediately called for another step — revocation of Foster’s law enforcement certification. “What we need is for him to be decertified so that he’s not able to go to another police department and do the same thing,” Turner said. The department has already undergone significant changes. Former Police Chief Harold “Hal” Vanderford was fired in September amid controversy over the use of racist language in private text messages. Angelica Maze was subsequently appointed interim chief. Local activists said those changes have not resolved the concerns surrounding Kohen’s death. Patrick Lumumba of the Senatobia Committee for Accountability and Transparency became emotional as he described the months of demonstrations and demands for answers. “It’s been a long road. It’s been a long fight,” Lumumba said, pausing to compose himself. “But I think the tears come from the fact that we got an even longer road to go down.” Marquell Bridges of the Building Bridges Coalition called for continued
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community organizing and a boycott of Walmart.
A birthday that will never come Kohen’s death sparked weeks of protests and calls for transparency before his June 27 funeral at Hosanna Family Worship Center in Pope, Miss. There, relatives remembered a toddler who loved the cartoon character Bluey, playing with his toys and pushing a toy lawnmower. After the service, his small casket was carried away in a white horse-drawn carriage, with his parents riding along toward the burial site. Now the family faces another painful milestone. Kohen would have turned 2 on Nov. 1. Crump acknowledged the approaching birthday Thursday, urging the community to continue supporting the family. But for his grandmothers, the immediate struggle remains finding meaning in a decision they learned about through the news — and reconciling that decision with the images they finally watched. “I don’t understand how it’s okay for someone to take a sweet, I’m talking about a sweet, innocent soul,” Kohen’s paternal grandmother said. “Lord knows I miss him so much.”
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No masks, no filters: Inside Abyssinian’s ‘locker room’ for Black men With early voting underway, Black men challenge one another to do more than talk politics — starting with a plan to vote. By Lee Eric Smith
TSD Contributing Writer
For anyone wondering who was welcome inside the sanctuary at Abyssinian Missionary Baptist Church in Memphis for its community forum, “The Locker Room: The Bible, the Ballot and Black Men,” clear signs emerged early one Saturday in October. First, a longtime female church member came to show her support and participate. She was politely denied entry, despite her objections. And when the conversation for those inside strayed to debating the actions of white voters, a lone voice cut through the chatter. “Don’t come up in here talking white nothing!” said the Rev. Dr. Earle Fisher, senior pastor of the self-proclaimed “Blackest Church in Memphis and Shelby County.” “When we’re in here,” Fisher continued, “we’re talking about Black men.” For the next couple of hours, the group of about 25-30 men remained focused on the assignment. With Election Day looming, politics dominated the discussion for this edition of the fellowship and civic engagement series for Black men only, created by Fisher as part of #UpTheVote901, a nearly 10-year-old nonpartisan voter turnout initiative. Wages, homeownerWeek of: October 29, 2026
ship, faith, leadership and the particular pressures of moving through the world as a Black man were also central themes. Men interrupted and challenged one another. They joked. Cussed. Admitted when they didn’t know something. And sometimes, brothers had to confess when they were wrong. Fisher started by guiding the men through three proposed amendments to the Tennessee Constitution. After dissecting the first ballot measure, he moved on to the second one about state property taxes. “This amendment adds text to Article 2, Section 28 of the Tennessee Constitution that prohibits the legislature from imposing a state property tax on real, personal or mixed property,” Fisher recited. Another man also volunteered to read the passage. A third attempted to interpret the ballot language. Someone else challenged that interpretation. The conversation bounced between what the amendment said, what they thought it said, and its impact if approved. Then one participant interrupted. “I’m looking at it, and it seems to be that the amendment is seeking to ... stop the state from ever imposing a state property tax,” he said. “That’s what it seems to read.”
“If you played any type of sports, in locker rooms is where you got the hard truth, whether it was from your teammates, coaches or just yourself,” said Rev. Dr. Earle Fisher, right. (Photos: Lee Eric Smith/Tri-State Defender) ON THE COVER: Rev. Fisher, left, chats with Enoch Jones, center, and Dr. Sam Bachelor following a “locker room” session at Abyssinian Baptist Church.
The men in the room reviewed the text again. And slowly, what had seemed obvious a few minutes earlier was less so now. Fisher later pointed to himself. “I thought I was right about something,” he said. “Information was presented, and I realized I was not right. What did I do?” In response, the men talked about remaining teachable, humble and willing to acknowledge when they were unsure. “If somebody asks me a question (and) I don’t know the answer, I’m going to say, ‘I don’t know,’” Fisher said.
A locker room in a sanctuary The church’s locker room series is an outgrowth of conversations over coffee between Fisher and church member David Stovall, who said the casual meetings helped him work through some of life’s issues. He soon realized similar experiences could help others like him.
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Fisher agreed. “I think it’s been hard for a lot of Black men to find what they would consider to be safe spaces, especially collectively speaking,” Fisher said. “Some of them, maybe in their homes, amongst their family. But you start talking about the broader kind of structure, there’s not much.” Fisher said he wanted the church he leads to become one of those safe spaces. Stovall said that using the “locker room” metaphor to name the men-only forum was intentional. “If you played any type of sports, in locker rooms is where you got the hard truth, whether it was from your teammates, coaches or just yourself,” he said. “You could be yourself.” But speaking freely carries with it an added responsibility, he said. “Everybody is always talking. You get together and everybody’s got all the solutions to save all the problems in the world,” Stovall said. “But I feel with this space, you get the right people TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
■■ NEWS involved. It’s a big thing with accountability.”
Holy language A special language is spoken in a locker room. And the church’s version of this revered, male-dominated space is no exception. During the forum, the N-word punctuated some comments. And no one blinked when four-letter words popped out of another man’s mouth — including Fisher’s. Yes, he is a pastor and, after all, this is still the church’s sanctuary. But if getting Black men to open up in an authentic way means accepting some colorful language, Fisher sees it as a small price. He had even allowed an F-bomb to fly at the event. What counts as vulgar is largely cultural, Fisher argued, and judging vocabulary is low on God’s list of religious priorities. “I believe God has bigger fish to fry than policing people’s language,” Fisher said. “I think ‘rape’ is a much worse word than ‘damn’ and ‘hell.’” For Fisher, Christianity has been reduced to rules of personal piety while larger questions of justice are rarely contemplated and often go unanswered. Faith, he said, should get to the “meat and potatoes” of “love, truth, mercy and justice.” “So you want to spend time telling people not to use cuss words,” Fisher said, “but you continuously allow an unjust and corrupt criminal justice system to damn them.” Taking off the mask For first-time participant James Macon, the event’s significance went beyond what language the men were allowed to use. It was about how they could show up. Out in the world, Macon said, Black men often find themselves adjusting how they speak, behave and present themselves in response to how others perceive them. Inside, “we control the narrative,” he said. “Our story is our story in this building, because we understand each other. We understand our own lived experience.” Outside, he “in some cases, we wear Week of: October 29, 2026
masks. Here, we don’t have to do that.” Macon said the exchange of information between men of different ages, life stages, career paths and experiences is an additional benefit. Even an educated person, he said, can read something and realize, “Oh, I misinterpreted that or I didn’t have that added context.” That’s one reason the election has become the main focus of recent gatherings, Fisher said. The space wasn’t created solely as a political forum and isn’t intended to remain one after November. Instead, men may eventually gather at the church to discuss a variety of topics, including finances, family, careers, health and even prostate problems, he said. But for now, Fisher reminded the men that they have one job. “What day are you going to vote?” Fisher asked as he walked around the room. “I think early-vote,” one man answered. “Uh-uh,” Fisher shot back. He wanted a date. Then a location. Then something more. “Who are you going with?” Fisher asked. In that moment, voting ceased to be an abstract consideration for some future, yet undetermined, date. The men began checking their calendars and talking about polling locations. But Fisher kept pressing. “Before I go trying to get other people — and I’m not saying don’t do that — I’m saying have a voting plan,” he said. “What I’m walking you through right now, you’re supposed to walk through with everybody in your army.” Then he stepped up his intensity. “Before you leave, I’m stopping you at the door,” Fisher warned. “And I will square up.” The men laughed, though Fisher barely smiled. “That’s how serious I am about this,” he said. “You’re not leaving here today until we know when you are early-voting, where and who’s going with you.” Early voting is underway in Tennessee. Find your polling location at https:// www.electionsshelbytn.gov.
Vote postponed on county’s data center ordinances, study committee proposed
By James Coleman
TSD Contributing Writer
The Shelby County Board of Commissioners passed on votes for a proposed data center ordinance and a 12-month moratorium on new data center construction in unincorporated areas at the board’s Monday, Oct. 26, meeting. A first-reading of the proposals was moved to the Nov. 18 meeting. A community meeting will be scheduled before the next commission meeting to help build momentum. At this time, no data centers operate in unincorporated parts of the county. “I move that we defer this resolution to Nov. 18 so that we can allow for a community meeting with relevant experts to strengthen this resolution,” said Commissioner Karen Streeter, District 9. Sponsors of the county’s proposed data center rules are awaiting further development of an oversight and compliance framework by Memphis City Council for the supercomputing facilities that looks to combine three separate ordinance proposals into a comprehensive set of regulations. A nearly identical proposal sponsored by Commissioner Amber Huett-Garcia, District 13, which appears to have the inside track, has picked up steam since being introduced during Oct. 19 committee meetings. Commissioners Charlie Caswell, District 6, Henri Brooks, District 7, Will Richardson, District 8, and Miska Clay Bibbs, District 11, are cosponsors. Foremost in the county’s proposal, which contains language from Councilman Jeff Warren’s draft for the city, is a progressive push for the use of renewable energy, including phasing out carbon-based electricity. Closed-
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loop water and nonevaporative cooling systems would also be required. Both proposals aim to address the serious burden of data centers — such as SpaceXAI’s Colossus I in Southwest Memphis — on utility usage and costs and the Memphis Sand Aquifer, the underground water reservoir that provides the entire county’s drinking water. Last week, city council members approved a 135-day data center moratorium, a scaled-down version of the failed 12-month pause sought by JB Smiley that would have prohibited new developments. Still, a yearlong moratorium that would apply to unincorporated sections of the county is being considered by the commission. At the Nov. 18 meeting, however, an amendment pausing the expansion of existing data centers will likely be added to the ordinance proposal. A study group was also considered. “That’s not something that’s covered in the existing resolution or the city resolution,” said Brooks. “In addition to that, it also creates a study committee with residents, health department experts and so forth.” Opposition to data centers has exploded locally and across the nation this campaign season. Councilwoman Jerri Greene, the Democratic Party’s nominee for governor, has seized on the divisive political issue. Greene, who is gaining ground on Republican nominee Sen. Marsha Blackburn in the Nov. 3 contest, also supported Smiley’s proposed 12-month moratorium. On Oct. 12, Millington’s mayor and aldermen passed a six-month pause that is set to expire in April on any data center developments. Home to the U.S. Navy’s Naval Support Activity MidSouth, the municipality is the only one in the county to enact a moratorium on data centers. TRI-STATE DEFENDER | tsdmemphis.com
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‘Hanging & Burning’ delivers a thrilling crime mystery with oldschool mobster intrigue Book review By Terri Schlichenmeyer In the new novel “Hanging & Burning,” prolific crime mystery writer Walter Mosley, best known for 1990’s “Devil in a Blue Dress,” has delivered yet another thrilling story about colorful criminals. Former New York City cop, Joe “King” Oliver, would have never given the ailing and elderly Arman Babylon the time of day, if not for Joe’s Grandma Brenda. It was Grandma Brenda who had vouched for Arman, a neighbor in a nearby room at the pricey private Los Angeles hospital where she was being treated for cancer. Arman had confided in her that he had been looking for his granddaughter, Twyla Mann. Grandma Brenda told him that her grandson would find the girl. But Twyla did not want to be found. She used a couple of aliases and had moved around New York City. This intrigued Joe, as did the fact that Arman gave him only small clues, claiming that Twyla’s mother was not really her mother but Arman was still Twyla’s kin. The old man was hiding something, but he also had hinted that he was involved with organized crime on both coasts. An internet search led Joe to more information, but none of it was good. Arman wasn’t exactly who he said he was, and neither was Twyla or her presumed mother.
Week of: October 29, 2026
“Hanging & Burning: A King Oliver Novel” by Walter Mosley c.2026, Little, Brown $30.00 320 pages
Walter Mosley (Photo: Marcia Wilson)
Finding Twyla before her grandfather died should have been an easy case, Joe thought. And it definitely should not have plunged his life into danger. Although “Hanging & Burning” is set in modern times, its criminal characters carry a 1940s mobster aura. This mix of old and new gives an appealing weightiness to the tale, with two cities full of witnesses and hideouts, a ruthless pair of mercenaries and moody dark alleys. Readers will fall for Joe for his smarts. And his march through this quest to find Twyla is bound to bring a few chuckles. But stay alert. Soon enough, this novel grabs you, throws you in the trunk of a fancy car and races, screaming, to a stunning conclusion.
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