So I finally read the first book in this long running Easy Rawlins mystery series. Easy just got laid off from his auto factory job in the late 1940s and took some "easy money" to try and find a white girl for someone. Of course, things are what they seem and pretty soon he is enmeshed in all kinds of double and triple crosses, as well as in the crosshairs of the LA police.

Of course, the big hook is that Easy Rawlins is a black man, trying to make it in the virulently racist America of his day. And Mosley doesn't sugarcoat it. In fact, it got a little overwhelming for me a few times. Of course, as a middle aged white guy, there is no way I could even imagine the troubles a black in the 40s would run into, but it also means it can get a little (no, a lot) discouraging.

But I persevered and it was pretty solid. I have to admit to not being able to keep all the names completely straight. So I wasn't exactly sure who was backstabbing who. And his sort of sidekick Mouse's violent explosions were a little scary!

Still, I am anxious to move on to the next one, [b:A Red Death|84548|A Red Death (Easy Rawlins #2)|Walter Mosley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1171055721l/84548.SY75.jpg|986123].