Rose Gold: An Easy Rawlins Mystery

Over the past year I have listened to three Easy Rawlins Mysteries.  Rose Gold is my favorite, but I also really enjoyed Charcoal Joe and Blonde Faith.  I like this series because I am drawn to the characters, especially the protagonist, and the setting.

Ezekiel “Easy” Rawlins is an African American private detective, who is a native of Houston, Texas and a World War II veteran.  All the books that I have listened to so far in this series are set in Los Angeles, California circa 1960s.  Throughout the novels, Rawlins must not only piece together clues to solve mysteries, he also has to navigate the racial tensions and injustices that were ever-present during that era.

From an African American perspective, I feel that there’s a lot of situational humor in this series. The novels are witty and filled with colorful characters, yet they also provide insight into some of the complexities of the African American experience.