W
Walter Mosley
Easy Rawlins Mysteries
Follow Easy Rawlins, a Black private investigator, as he navigates the racial tensions and criminal underworld of post-WWII Los Angeles. This series explores themes of identity, justice, and survival in a city undergoing significant change.
The books in the Easy Rawlins series are best read in publication order to follow Easy's personal development and the evolving social landscape of Los Angeles. While each book presents a self-contained mystery, the overarching narrative of Easy's life benefits from sequential reading.
The first book in the series, "Devil in a Blue Dress," was adapted into a feature film starring Denzel Washington as Easy Rawlins. The film captures the atmosphere and character dynamics of the novel.
As the series progresses, Easy Rawlins ages and his circumstances change, reflecting the shifting decades from the 1940s into the 1960s and beyond. This allows for an exploration of different historical periods and their impact on the Black community in Los Angeles through Easy's eyes.