 November 2002
Bad Boy Brawly Brown
by Walter Mosley
Mystery fiction readers already hip to Walter Mosley's penchant for capturing the uniqueness of time and place, will readily recognize variations of a familar theme in his latest Easy Rawlins adventure, Bad Boy Brawly Brown.
Despite a meandering and involved plot, it gains style points by once again allowing the protagonist to exert himself in a way that black men would want to emulate....and that is living a dignified life, where chivalry is not allowed to die, and where helping others who have limited resources get a chance to have problems solved and still have change left over for acceptance in the community! In this case, we find Easy lamenting over the possible demise of his friend and sidekick, Mouse (Raymond Alexander) while waiting for the next drama to unfold. It comes in the form of the all of his cases are determined: Helping a friend with a problem, reluctantly acquiescing, and finally giving in to the need to make things happen. I'm more than biased as I've long been a fan relative to the opening statement of this book review.
What keeps me turning pages is a realistic, believable, and compelling detective who's not adverse to using guile, wit, good and bad luck to take advantage of happenstance. To really understand Easy Rawlins, and see why the books are such Easy reads consider the modus operandi that has become a staple for Mosley: establishing rationale for the heroic while deftly manipulating and exposing a black community through the favors, fears, and friendships Easy trades on. Int this depiction it allows our hero to stand out as an icon underscoring the relevance of a proud, resourceful gumshoe used to getting results.
Bad Boy Brawly Brown uses the backdrop of the civil rights era, circa 1963 taking readers back to Compton, CA during the months leading to the Watts riots. With racial tension at an all time high, Easy seemed to have solved all of life's complexities despite the strife around him..until he's pulled out of respectability by a call for help from his friend, John. John asks to be helped in tracking down Brawly Brown, son of his girlfriend, Alva Torres. It doesn't help matters none when rumor has it that Brawly may have fallen into bad company, either with seasoned thugs who may be holding him for ransom, or with a group of radicals whose strident ideals and angry politics are pointing toward vociferous protest.
In typical Easy fashion, the author introduces subplots and adjunct characters to set the tone and pace for an engaging story. There's an underlining, if not intriguing query attributing to Mouse's true whereabouts that make you think something is missing due to the role of the latter in all the books of this series. Is he still alive? Will it affect Easy's job of locating Brawly? Tune in and read this book, it doesn't disappoint. The Mosely fans will readily see that the Mosley think tank is intact and full of color...the natural cadence of speech and behavioral patterns of a community ring true -- with Easy right in the middle!
Purchase Book
|
