RLT Reads! Pretty Betty by Walter Mosley A Review

Well, it seems that RLT Reads Book Club has gone straight to hell in a hand basket. I know some of it was my fought. Over the last two years my health has been a handful and I have been off my reading game and not able to keep up. Trying to balance my health and all of RLT Brands is two full time jobs wrapped  up into one. But I made an executive decision over this past holiday; to take some time for me. Life is to short to not do some of what you enjoy. So I'm back to my favorite pass time on the planet, other than shopping, drinking tea, and knitting, it is reading! I can easily read a book or two a week.

Until we get RLT Reads book club rolling again, I thought that I would at least give you some weekly reviews on the books that I'm currently reading. Over time, if you show some interest, we can see if the on-line book club can get back on its feet. Shoot me an email if you are interested in getting the book club back on it's feet RLTReads@raelewisthornton.com

My first weekly review! Here goes! I'm too excited about sharing my reads with you. I am an absolute fan of crime mystery books. My adopted God Mother, Judy down in Nashville is also an avid reader. You should hear our conversations about books that we have both read. We talk about characters like they are for real... Shoot, we think Alex Cross, the leading man in James Patterson Cross series is our future husband.

She and I both love mystery and she has been trying her best to get me to read Walter Mosley Easy Rawlins series. Because she kept pushing, I purchased a few and they just sat on my book shelf.

Then recently I started to slowly read them. Then over the holiday, I picked one up and now I can't seem to stop. To date I've read, six of the ten in this series, in no particular order. I have even read the last one he wrote in 2009, which killed off the series, Blonde Faith.

I've also read the most famous, of course, the Denzel Washington movie, Devil in a Blue Dress. I have also read, Little Scarlet, White Butterfly and Cinnamon Kiss. So far so good. They were all page turners that I didn't want to put down. I read 3 over the holiday alone. I was on a roll.

But the one I want to review for you today is Black Betty. I just finished reading it and OMG! This was one complex story line that captured the period. The thing I love most about Mosley's Easy Rawlins series is that he does an awesome job of situating his story line in the period and plays it through like a fine violin.

Black Betty is one of the most complex of all the Rawlins series so far. All of the books are situated in Southern California between the 40-60's. It's an interesting period and Rawlins gives us insight on segregation, racism and migration during this time span.

Many African-Americans escaped the degradation of the south. We often read about those from Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. Rawlins characters are all from parts of Louisiana and Texas. Which had it's own particular culture and Black folks bring it to Los Angles during it's time of growth.

Rawlins is a private investigator operating in Los Angles who begins his career by default. Well liked and well connected in the Black community Rawlins is asked to help locate people. The police use him from time to time on complex cases in the black community because it's easier for Rawlins to move among black folks then it is for white police officers. Over time, Rawlins is eventuality given his license to practice. Rawlins loves, sex, woman and alcohol, but alcohol doesn't love him. He's a man's man, with a good heart that shines bright in all of the Easy Rawlins books. Oh yeah, his side kick Mouse is a hoot, but mostly a cold-blooded killer.

Now on to Pretty Betty. This story takes place in 1961 at the height of overt segregation in the South and covert segregation and open racism in swanky L.A. Betty is a woman from Rawlins home town, who's sensuality shines bright with every step she takes. She captivates Rawlins as a young boy and years later they meet again in the midst of a complex trail of murder and mayhem.

There are clear and not so clear villains. Betty is a live-in maid for a wealthy Southern California Plantation owner. Yes, I said planation. Mosley gives us a brief insight into migrant slave labor in Pretty Betty. That's the thing about Mosley, all of his Rawlins books give us a history lesson in race relations and what it's like to be mostly black and poor during this period.

I can't tell you the story or you won't have a need to pick it up. Lets just say, there is sexual coercion power relationships and children born of mixed race at it's best. When the patriarch of the family dies, who is also Betty boss, she disappears and the hunt begins.

Murder follows Betty's trail right along with Rawlins. This complex story line of who done it and why and yes who inherits the 50 million dollars will keep you turing pages until the very end.  It is worth the read!

Each Tuesday I will be reviewing two of my favorite things, tea and books #SmallPleasures  Stay tuned for next week and in the meantime don't forget to read my tea Review, Passion in a Cup... Click Here! For more on Walter Mosley, go to his website, Click Here!