Based on the murder of nineteen children and two teachers in the Robb Elementary School shooting, The Mural explores themes of violent radicalism, generational trauma, cancel culture, and the healing power of art through the experiences of a muralist and his lover.
Available February 17, 2026
He shot Granny in the face then murdered nineteen children and two teachers at Grape Valley Elementary School in far West Texas. So begins The Mural, Pulitzer-nominated war correspondent and author Sid Balman’s fictional account of the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that shook the US to its core.
“A gut punch. A beautiful, essential work. There is healing in grief, and art in tragedy, but ultimately this vital and visceral novel is a meditation on the impact of a radical extremism that—as Balman warns—has already gained a foothold in America. Balman's experience as a war correspondent bleeds into his stark, often explosive prose. His descriptions are painful and true. There are times you will want to look away. Don’t!”
-James Wade, two-time Spur Award–winning author of Narrow The Road
The Mural is told from the perspective of Jasper Losoya, an artist from the fictional West Texas town of Grape Valley who is commissioned, along with others, to paint commemorative murals of the victims of a recent mass shooting in the town square. When he initially receives news of the tragedy, Losoya is at work restoring an ancient mural in Pompeii with his assistant, Coraline Larkin, a young Irish woman who lost her hearing and her father in a Belfast bombing when they receive news of the mass murder. Once he sets to work on the mural, Losoya’s art sparks a controversy over censorship and cancel culture that lands in the US Supreme Court, dividing a “half-mast nation” as it lurches from one trauma to another.
Penned by the author of the award-winning Seventh Flag trilogy, The Mural is an unforgettable journey through the modern American West—and a cautionary tale for the entire nation.
Available February 17, 2026
Features & Advanced Praise
“The variety and complexity of Balman’s characters are testament to the many facets of the people who make up the state of Texas and America as a whole. . . . The Mural celebrates freedom of speech, artistic expression, and the power of love . . .”
—Jill Gibson, The Journal Of The American Association Of Texas Studies
“Boldly tackles sensitive subject matter. Deeply impactful, yet complex and nuanced.”
—Writers League of Texas
“A wakeup call that demands new thinking on how to deal with violent extremism.”
—Rob D’Amico, The Big Bend Sentinel
The Artist: Miguel Valverde
Miguel Valverde was born in Cuauhtemoc, Chihuahua, Mexico and began painting at a very young age. He obtained an art degree from the Autonomous University of Chihuahua (UACh). His paintings reflect the diversity of his hometown, where he lived among Mennonites, Indigenous people of the Sierra Tarahumara, Mestizos and Spanish-born families. Following in the footsteps of traditional Mexican muralists, Valverde has created more than 50 intricate murals, several of which have become widely renowned. Valverde's art and talent have given him the opportunity to exhibit his art in Mexico, the USA, Belgium, Austria and Germany. His works are on display in museums and private collections.
-Miguel Valverde Castillo, Artista Plástico