Walter Mosley has created an iconic character in the form of Easy Rawlins. In 14 novels, Easy has taken us through his life as a Black man in the US and shown us some of the prejudices that he faces.
The beauty of it is that Rawlins is becoming a better man by the tribulations he has faced but life is pretty hard for him, he seems to be very unlucky in long lasting relationships with women.
In the latest book, we are in the decade of free love - the 1960's - and Easy is certainly getting his fair share. In the meantime, he is asked to try and prove the innocence of a young man found standing over the bodies of two dead men. The case leads Easy into myriad forms of danger.
I will be honest, I am fairly blinked when it comes to Walter Mosley, I regard him very highly as a writer. This book was not terrible by any means and I enjoyed it but it wasn't his best work. It flowed as normal with Mosley but just didn't grab me as some of his books have, it just felt like there were too many characters and it was all a little convoluted for my taste.
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Charcoal Joe: 14 Paperback – 2 May 2017
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Walter Mosley
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Walter Mosley
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Product details
- Publisher : Vintage Crime/Black Lizard; Reprint edition (2 May 2017)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 320 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0804172102
- ISBN-13 : 978-0804172103
- Dimensions : 13.08 x 1.73 x 20.24 cm
-
Best Sellers Rank:
775,579 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 6,385 in Urban Life Fiction
- 13,220 in Black & African American Literature (Books)
- 115,550 in Mysteries (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
Product description
Review
"You don't hop in the car with Easy Rawlins for the destination. You ride shotgun for the trip." --The Washington Post "I'd know that voice [in Charcoal Joe] anywhere. It's the seductive drawl and lowdown dirty laugh of Walter Mosley's mellow private eye, Easy Rawlins."
--Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review "Incomparable. . . . Easy quickly finds himself in a mess. . . . But as ever, [he] finds a way to rise above such circumstances"
-- Chicago Tribune
"These memorable characters are strong, shrewd, purposeful and humorous." --Los Angeles Sentinel "Much like Raymond Chandler did in his portrait of Southern California for his fictional private eye Philip Marlowe, or Dashiell Hammett did with Sam Spade, Mr. Mosley takes readers into the worlds of everyone from psychopathic criminals to business magnates, along with the minor players such as con men, tipsters, career criminals and cops." --Pittsburgh Post Gazette
--Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review "Incomparable. . . . Easy quickly finds himself in a mess. . . . But as ever, [he] finds a way to rise above such circumstances"
-- Chicago Tribune
"These memorable characters are strong, shrewd, purposeful and humorous." --Los Angeles Sentinel "Much like Raymond Chandler did in his portrait of Southern California for his fictional private eye Philip Marlowe, or Dashiell Hammett did with Sam Spade, Mr. Mosley takes readers into the worlds of everyone from psychopathic criminals to business magnates, along with the minor players such as con men, tipsters, career criminals and cops." --Pittsburgh Post Gazette
About the Author
Walter Mosley is the author of fifty books, most notably fourteen Easy Rawlins mysteries, the first of which, Devil in a Blue Dress, was made into an acclaimed film starring Denzel Washington. Always Outnumbered, adapted from his first Socrates Fortlow novel, was an HBO film starring Laurence Fishburne. Mosley is the winner of numerous awards, including an O. Henry Award, a Grammy Award, and PEN America's Lifetime Achievement Award. He has just been named the 2016 Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America. A Los Angeles native and a graduate of Goddard College, he holds an MFA from the City College of New York and now lives in Brooklyn.
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Customer reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
712 global ratings
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Top reviews from other countries

Anne bonny book reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
As always from the author a complex, deeply layered mystery 5*
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 September 2018Verified Purchase
I am a huge fan of Walter Mosley, I find his writing brilliant and his interviews very inspiring. I was so excited to finally catch up with the latest instalment in the Easy Rawlins series.
‘A professional detective with a bright future and a dark past’
The year is 1968, but there years never get any easier for Easy Rawlins. They usually bring news cases and more racial politics. Yet with this title, we the readers are also dealt an emotional blow in Easy’s love life. One that actually made me physically wince. Nothing is ever easy for Easy!
‘I been an outlaw since I was five’ – Mouse
I was glad to see the return of Mouse into a more central role in the case. There is also the added addition of Fearless Jones (a series I have yet to get too). Walter Mosley always introduces his characters with little backstories and they are sheer brilliance. This is one of my favourite dynamics of his writing style.
This particular revolves around Seymour Braithwaite a talented young physicist, who is found standing over the body of a murdered young man. When Charcoal Joe (one of the deadliest men in the USA) asks Easy to clear his name. Easy knows this will be a complex case to solve.
‘Knowledge is the only real wealth any man can have; knowledge and the will to power’ – Charcoal Joe
Seymour is no easy mark to wrangle in, he believes the justice system in 1968, is just. He is young, impressionable and separated from the life Easy has known.
‘You think that PHD you got makes you immune from your skin’ – Easy to Seymour
As always from the author a complex, deeply layered mystery. With characters just as sharp and quick witted, they make me insanely jealous of the writer’s talent. 5*
‘A professional detective with a bright future and a dark past’
The year is 1968, but there years never get any easier for Easy Rawlins. They usually bring news cases and more racial politics. Yet with this title, we the readers are also dealt an emotional blow in Easy’s love life. One that actually made me physically wince. Nothing is ever easy for Easy!
‘I been an outlaw since I was five’ – Mouse
I was glad to see the return of Mouse into a more central role in the case. There is also the added addition of Fearless Jones (a series I have yet to get too). Walter Mosley always introduces his characters with little backstories and they are sheer brilliance. This is one of my favourite dynamics of his writing style.
This particular revolves around Seymour Braithwaite a talented young physicist, who is found standing over the body of a murdered young man. When Charcoal Joe (one of the deadliest men in the USA) asks Easy to clear his name. Easy knows this will be a complex case to solve.
‘Knowledge is the only real wealth any man can have; knowledge and the will to power’ – Charcoal Joe
Seymour is no easy mark to wrangle in, he believes the justice system in 1968, is just. He is young, impressionable and separated from the life Easy has known.
‘You think that PHD you got makes you immune from your skin’ – Easy to Seymour
As always from the author a complex, deeply layered mystery. With characters just as sharp and quick witted, they make me insanely jealous of the writer’s talent. 5*

5.0 out of 5 stars
As always from the author a complex, deeply layered mystery 5*
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 September 2018
I am a huge fan of Walter Mosley, I find his writing brilliant and his interviews very inspiring. I was so excited to finally catch up with the latest instalment in the Easy Rawlins series.Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 September 2018
‘A professional detective with a bright future and a dark past’
The year is 1968, but there years never get any easier for Easy Rawlins. They usually bring news cases and more racial politics. Yet with this title, we the readers are also dealt an emotional blow in Easy’s love life. One that actually made me physically wince. Nothing is ever easy for Easy!
‘I been an outlaw since I was five’ – Mouse
I was glad to see the return of Mouse into a more central role in the case. There is also the added addition of Fearless Jones (a series I have yet to get too). Walter Mosley always introduces his characters with little backstories and they are sheer brilliance. This is one of my favourite dynamics of his writing style.
This particular revolves around Seymour Braithwaite a talented young physicist, who is found standing over the body of a murdered young man. When Charcoal Joe (one of the deadliest men in the USA) asks Easy to clear his name. Easy knows this will be a complex case to solve.
‘Knowledge is the only real wealth any man can have; knowledge and the will to power’ – Charcoal Joe
Seymour is no easy mark to wrangle in, he believes the justice system in 1968, is just. He is young, impressionable and separated from the life Easy has known.
‘You think that PHD you got makes you immune from your skin’ – Easy to Seymour
As always from the author a complex, deeply layered mystery. With characters just as sharp and quick witted, they make me insanely jealous of the writer’s talent. 5*
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Where is the next one?
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 October 2018Verified Purchase
The Easy Rawlins books are so good and always leave me waiting for the next one. My advice would be not to read them for ten more years, start with book one and by then they may have reached a conclusion! No, seriously, read them in order, but you don't need to wait for ten years!

Buddy
2.0 out of 5 stars
Diminishing returns
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 April 2019Verified Purchase
The early Easy Rawlings novels are great. Little Yellow Dog is probably my favourite. The latest ones don’t match up. Shame

sharon kennedy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Worth the read.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 December 2017Verified Purchase
Excellent. I haven't read one of Mosely's books for years. I read this one on the bus and train to and from work. I had a stupid grin on my face at times as he has a wonderful way of describing people, places and atmosphere. Going back to get some more.

Michael Joseph
5.0 out of 5 stars
Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 August 2017Verified Purchase
Love love love Walter Mosley' Easy Rawlins character!