Book Review: Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley

Devil in a Blue Dress,

by Walter Mosley (Mosley)

When the library’s Just Desserts mystery fiction discussion group chose the Easy Rawlins series by Walter Mosley for their October 2021, it gave me the opportunity to try a series I had previously not appreciated. I had read the 4th Easy Rawlins mystery, Black Betty, over a dozen years ago, and not enjoyed it. But this time, I started with the very first entry in the series, Devil in a Blue Dress, and I was astonished at how much I enjoyed it.

Devil in a Blue Dress introduces us to Ezekiel “Easy” Rawlins, a black laborer in 1948 Los Angeles, originally from Texas. Easy served in WWII but as this novel begins, he’s had a financial setback and is in danger of losing the mortgage on his house — a house that, though simple, is still his life’s dream. Because of this, he finds himself hard pressed to turn down the offer to help a mysterious white man, who wants to hire him to find a missing white woman. Ultimately, he agrees, which sets him on a dangerous path that is ultimately to lead to multiple deaths, deceit, seductions, betrayals and sacrifices. Racial and class distinctions form a big part of the stories featuring Easy, and that’s especially true in this first volume — but there’s heroism and villainy amongst the members of all groups that are encountered here. This is part noir, part amateur detective, and part historical fiction.

 

Easy is a fascinating character, and one I found easy to grow to like. He is surrounded by a colorful collection of supporting characters, both friends and enemies, the most distinctive of which is his brutal little friend “Mouse”, who will come to play an integral part in later volumes in this series. This was supremely well-written, with an incredible sense of place and plotting. Highly recommended!

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the rest of the Easy Rawlins series, as well as the many other series that Walter Mosley writes.)

 

( Wikipedia page for Devil in a Blue Dress ) | ( official Walter Mosley web site )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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