I would have rated it higher but honestly by the end of the book I could care less about Easy's sex life. The mystery was good but the sex scenes really got in the way of the story for me, I like well written sex as much as the next person but when you start noticing how often it is in the story--problem. ( )

Excellent mystery and great historical fiction. Even though the book is grittier than I usually care for, it didn't bother me in this one the way it so often does. Maybe it is because though Easy isn't exactly a law-abiding citizen all the time, he does have a conscience and doesn't go out of his way to look for trouble, the way so many of the criminal 'protagonists' in noir novels seem to do.

I found the parts about Craxton looking for dirt on Jewish labor organizer (and concentration camp survivor) Chaim Wenzler particularly fascinating. Though Hoover's name is never mentioned, I could sense his shadow behind Craxton. ( )

I always started sweeping on the top floor of the Magnolia Street apartments. It was a three-story pink stucco building between Ninety-first Street and Ninety-first Place, just about a mile outside of Watts proper. Twelve units. All occupied for that month. I had just gathered the dirt into a neat pile when I heard Mofass drive up in his new '53 Pontiac. I knew it was him because there was something wrong with the transmission, you could hear it singing from a block away. I heard his door slam and his loud hello to Mrs. Trajillo, who always sat at her window on the first floor - best burglar alarm you could have.

I didn't like this as much as the first one, but it was still a good read. It was a bit complicated, especially for an audiobook, but not bad.

What I like most about both so far is that it takes me to a world that is very different; a different time, different place, and a different culture. It's still very accessible and understandable, though. ( )

It's been five years since Ezekiel (Easy) Rawlins began his informal detective business, and he has amassed two apartments in addition to his small home. He now works as the cleaner/maintenance man and pays Mofass to collect the rent.
Easy "had a reputation for fairness and the strength of (his) convictions among the poor." Unfortunately, his reputation is not held by the IRS who are demanding an accounting for his wealth which, since it was all garnered under the table, will pose a difficulty, or, as Mofass says, "They got you by the nuts, Mr. Rawlins,"
Easy's life is made more difficult when Etta, wife of Raymond (Mouse) Alexander, Easy's violent, murderous friend moves with her son LeMarque uninvited into Easy's home. He finds an apartment for Etta and LeMarqe to avoid being killed by Mouse. Then he meets with IRS Agent Lawrence to face his tax difficulties. He goes to the meet armed and prepared to murder the IRS agent but is met there by FBI agent Craxton who offers to solve his tax problems if he gets close to Caim Wenzler, a union organizer, and inform on him. Wenzler's current associate, Lavender, has gone missing, and Craxton also wishes Rawlins to find Lavender so he can be questioned. Easy does not like nor trust Craxton, but he sees no alternative and agrees.
What ensues is tangled, usually violent, and always surprising. It ends with Easy without friends and a woman but with a step-son, who, though mute, loves him.