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wampusreynolds's review against another edition
4.0
Walter Mosley can write a crime book better than most everybody. And Easy Rawlins is an all time great character. The only drawback is the territory covered in this book has been covered by other great crime writers before and after.
kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review against another edition
4.0
I haven't read this series before, and I figured after reading an interview with Mosley, why not? Clarke Peters plays Easy in this audio version. While the mystery is somewhat easy to figure out, huge points for not making it a fairy tale race story. Harsh, and good because of that.
weirdnoirmaster's review against another edition
4.0
The crazy thing is that not only do the books keep getting better, they retroactively improve all the others.
colinlusk's review against another edition
4.0
I have a hard time with noir thrillers: they're always populated by tough guys and women who are usually either sexy classy or sexy jailbait. This one isn't an exception but it's written really well: the characters seem real, the setting (early sixties America) is authentic, and the evocation of the tough guy/sexy woman milieu is well executed and I actually understood the plot, which is pretty unusual for a noir thriller too. I found myself riveted in spite of myself.
april_does_feral_sometimes's review against another edition
4.0
'Black Betty' by Walter Mosley, number 4 in the Easy Rawlins mystery series, is very complex and very good. However, it is also very very dark. Innocence cannot be preserved on any level. Easy Rawlins is so smart but he is full of uncontrolled demons. Only his children save him from his worst impulses. He seems to pursue justice to spite the universe rather than to help, especially since for him victory against bad guys is temporary and the saved are rarely deserving except for perhaps in possessing charm, beauty or bruised trustfulness.
pbac's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
smccauley422's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars. Not quite as fun for me as the first two, but a big step back up from the third, which I had liked markedly less. Happy to continue with series from here.
carleenshaw's review against another edition
4.0
Easy is hired to find a missing woman, Elizabeth Eady aka Black Betty and once again we're taken on the hunt along with Easy. Thus far, this is my favorite novel in the Easy Rawlings series. I was pretty sure I figured out the who and the why...NOPE! I like non-predictable reads and this book just had a different feel for me than the other Easy Rawlins stories....and that last paragraph had me shaking my head and nodding at the same time.