FICTION

Charcoal Joe: An Easy Rawlins Mystery

by Walter Mosley
Doubleday. Jun. 2016. 320p. ISBN 9780385539203. $26.95; ebk. ISBN 9780385539210. M
COPY ISBN
In his 14th Easy Rawlins mystery (after Rose Gold), Mosley returns to L.A. in the late 1960s, with its racial unrest and discrimination. Easy has opened a detective agency with partners Saul Lynx and Tinsford "Whisper" Natly. A case with lots of racially charged motives lands in Easy's lap when he befriends Rufus Tyler, aka "Charcoal Joe," who knows a top-notch student from Stanford who's been arrested and charged with murdering a white man from Redondo Beach. Joe will pay Easy a generous sum to use his police connections and get the kid exonerated. However, the police found the student beside the victim's body. The story continues with more deception, murders, and violence. Like peeling an onion, Easy uncovers the truth one layer at a time.
VERDICT Mosley's exciting and profound mysteries with their poetic prose and historical clarity fascinate readers because Easy moves so smoothly among different worlds. His latest will please his many fans. [See Prepub Alert, 12/14/15.]
Reviewed by Jerry P. Miller, Cambridge, MA , May 15, 2016
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

FICTION

The Emperor
by Orcel, Makenzy
FICTION

Real Americans
by Khong, Rachel
FICTION

The 7-10 Split: A Romantic Comedy
by Lee, Karmen
FICTION

Swan Song
by Hilderbrand, Elin
FICTION

The Sword Unbound
by Hanrahan, Gareth
FICTION

Out of Office
by Cunningham, A.H.
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?