Little Scarlet: An Easy Rawlins Novel by Walter Mosley Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Little Scarlet: An Easy Rawlins Novel
Book Review: Black and Blue and White All Over!
Summary: 5 Stars
Since the Easy Rawlins series began, I have been anxious for Mr. Mosley to take Easy through to the 1965 Watts riots. That event marked the equivalent of the Grand Canyon in changing race relations in the Los Angeles area, and I was sure that Mr. Mosley would have many wonderful observations to make about the events and their effects on those who lived through them.
As high as my expectations were, Mr. Mosley happily exceeded them. Even among bit characters, you will recognize the attitudes of people you have met or known -- including the hard core racist whose feelings are based on personal insecurity, the person who sees a dark face and is afraid, scavengers who take advantage of anyone who is vulnerable, timid people who are put into fear by any changes, cowards who look the other way if the person who is hurt is a powerless individual, professionals who feel responsible to do the right thing, those who reach out to those in need regardless of who they are, and those who feel bitter because of past wrongs and cannot release that bitterness . . . even if it chokes them literally to death. The book represents a symphony of racial and human attitudes and instincts that accurately represents the world of Los Angeles in 1965.
Little Scarlet is really two stories in one novel. The more important story is about what it means to be a good person. The less important one concerns a murder mystery about a woman who is found dead during the riots. What is most remarkable about the book is that Mr. Mosley is able to subsume the second story into the theme of the first story.
The most delicate aspect of the book though is to capture how everyone was changed by the riots. Mr. Mosley does that in many different and subtle ways that will delight anyone who enjoys a great storyteller telling an important tale with great skill. By the end of the story, you have hope that we can all be better to one another . . . because even the most cynical and calculating are beginning to address one another differently.
For long-time fans of the series, you will be delighted that Mr. Mosley has worked in some many of his primary characters in roles that build your understanding and enjoyment of each character.
Mr. Mosley long ago became much more than a detective novelist. Seeing him apply his remarkable talents in this genre again provides a great context for appreciating his continually improving work.
For those who just want a straightforward mystery, go elsewhere. You will wonder why Mr. Mosley spends so much time away from the mystery.
Reach out and understand!
Book Review: Walter Mosely-Philosopher Novelist
Summary: 5 Stars
I have read all of the Easy Rawlins mysteries and have enjoyed them all. However, I must admit to some trepidation as I read the first few chapters of the book. There were elements of the story that seemed to be very familiar. Once again, Easy Rawlins was being coerced by the police to search for someone in South Central Los Angeles. In tone and substance, it looked like Walter Moseley was going to go down a well worn path. I feared that he was beginning to rely too much on "formulas".
Having finished the book, I still think that Mosely is relying on forumlas and that he goes back to too many of the same characters and stock situations. Nevertheless, Mosely is such a strong writer and Easy Rawlins such a great character that Walter Mosely is able to pull it off.
Mosely's strength is not in his plots. It is the character of Easy Rawlins that makes me purchase each new book as soon as they come out. Through Easy Rawlins, we are able to enter the mind of an African American man living in Los Angeles in the post war years. Rawlins lives and operates in a pressure cooker. He has to deal not only with the racism and pressure of the white world but also the dysfunction and violence of his own people. It is simply fascinating to see how Easy Rawlins survives and even prospers in such an unremittingly harsh environment. It is Easy Rawlins the thinker and philosopher that sets him apart from so many other characters.
As an outsider, Walter Mosely has given me entree into a different world. His descriptions of 1960's Los Angeles gives me new insights into the current experience of African Americans. There are not a lot of mystery writers who can offer so much.
Book Review: Great Read
Summary: 5 Stars
I've always been a fan of the Easy Rawlins series, but this is by far the best. A side of Easy is revealed that wasn't evident in the earlier novels. This novel also gives the reader a feel for the tension felt during this turbulent time (Watt Riots). I felt it was also an easier read than his previous novels, but that could be because I found it so interesting. I definitely recommend this book.
Also, to the reader that made the comment about how Mouse was brought back in this novel..... actually Mouse was brought back in a previous novel, I think it was 5 Easy Pieces.
Book Review: Chocolatesleuth.com pick of the month!
Summary: 4 Stars
Set during the 1965Watts riots---the acrid smell of charred ruins, the property destruction, the tension in the air---the reader is quickly drawn in to the ninth installment of The Easy Rawlins Series.
The L.A. Police department taps "Research and Delivery" expert Easy Rawlins to help them solve the murder of a black woman last seen with a white male suspect. Detective Suggs reason for making this request of Easy is thin...to keep fresh riots from erupting. But once Suggs tosses out a few scenarios where the cops would have grounds to take Easy into custody if he refuses, he reluctantly begins the investigation.
With more than thirty characters, this tale flies as quickly as rounds from a sniper's rifle. After the disappointment of Bad Boy Brawley Brown I was glad to see Mouse's return, though his resurrection was not explained. I also liked that the list of players included Paris Minton and Fearless Jones, but the meandering way these two characters where pulled in added nothing to the storyline.
Mosley captures the feeling of the time, the fear that had everyone on edge and the loss and the promise of the riots aftermath. Easy is older and feeling his age at every turn, refusing young sex and losing against young fists. This book continues the noir that we fell in love with in Mosley's Devil In A Blue Dress and brings us back to the subject of passing and self-loathing, which unfortunately, still exists in our culture today. Little Scarlet is a must read for fans of the series.
Book Review: Best of the Best
Summary: 5 Stars
This is fantastic reading with a mixed of history. The plot with Easy Rawlins being hired to investigate the death of the woman nicknamed Little Scarlet. Despite the obstacles put in Easy Rawlins way he stays on top. Also to added to the plot a woman who may give Easy's woman a run for her money. With a book like this it is easy to see why he's my favorite author.