There are 17 books in the Easy Rawlins series. The newest book is Gray Dawn which came out in 2025.

Devil in a Blue Dress honors the tradition of the classic American detective novel by bestowing on it a vivid social canvas and the freshest new voice in crime writing in years, mixing the hard-boiled poetry of Raymond Chandler with the racial realism of Richard Wright to explosive effect.
When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).
Easy is out of " the hurting business" and into the housing (and the favor) business when a racist IRS agent nails him for tax evasion. FBI Special Agent Darryl T. Craxton offers to bail him out if he agrees to infiltrate the First African Baptist Church and spy on…

3
White Butterfly

Book cover of White Butterfly
Andrew Vachss called Devil in a Blue Dress, Walter Mosley's debut mystery featuring Easy Rawlins, a tough black private detective in L.A.'s Watts section, "the most self-assured, uniquely-voiced first novel I've ever read." The Wall Street Journal said of its sequel, A Red Death: "Remarkable...proves Mr. Mosley's debut was no…

4
Black Betty

Book cover of Black Betty
Detective Easy Rawlins returns in a mystery set in 1961 Los Angeles as Easy accepts a job searching for a beautiful woman nicknamed "Black Betty," who works as a housekeeper in Beverly Hills. 75,000 first printing. Major ad/promo. Tour.
With each succeeding mystery featuring his reluctant detective (and natural-born existentialist) Easy Rawlins, Walter Mosley gains new fans and builds on what is now recognized as a permanent addition to American crime writing. His current book is A Little Yellow Dog--another instant classic of suspense, style, and shrewd social observation.…

6
Gone Fishin'

Gone Fishin'
A prequel to the Easy Rawlins mystery series finds a nineteen-year-old Ezekiel "Easy" Rawlins and his companion, Raymond "Mouse" Alexander, on a perilous 1939 odyssey that takes them from Houston to a mysterious bayou world of voodoo, sex, revenge, and death. 150,000 first printing. $150,000 ad/promo. Tour. IP.

7
Bad Boy Brawly Brown

Book cover of Bad Boy Brawly Brown

An Easy Rawlins Mystery - from Bill Clinton's favourite novelist.

The year is 1964, and though Easy seems settled into honest work as a Los Angeles custodian, he's having other problems - notably, his adopted son's wish to quit school, and lingering remorse over the death (in A LITTLE YELLOW…

8
Six Easy Pieces

Book cover of Six Easy Pieces
A collection of six interconnected Easy Rawlins short mysteries includes "Smoke," "Crimson Stain," "Silver Lining," "Lavender," "Gator Green," and "Untitled.".

9
Little Scarlet

Book cover of Little Scarlet

Just after devastating riots tear through Los Angeles in 1965, the police turn up on Easy Rawlins's doorstep. Easy expects the worst - but they've come for his to ask for his help.

A man was wrenched from his car by a mob at the riots' peak and escaped into…

11
Blonde Faith

Book cover of Blonde Faith

Easy Rawlins is back in an electric new story and facing his greatest set of challenges to date

Easy Rawlins comes home one day to find Easter, the daughter of his friend Christmas Black, left on his doorstep. Easy knows that this could only mean that the ex-marine Black is…

12
Little Green

Book cover of Little Green

We thought we'd seen the last of Easy Rawlins at the end of BLONDE FAITH. But it takes more than an oncoming car to stop LA's finest PI.

As Easy wakes from his coma, the last thing he needs is an investigation. But a friend's son is in trouble and…

13
Rose Gold

Book cover of Rose Gold

When four armed policemen turn up at Easy Rawlins's door, he thinks he's in trouble. He is.

They want him to find Rosemary Goldsmith, the daughter of a millionaire arms dealer. And Easy can't afford to say no.

The LAPD think she's with Bob Mantle, a black boxer turned radical.…

14
Charcoal Joe

Book cover of Charcoal Joe

Seymour Brathwaite, a young physicist, was found standing over the body of a murdered man.

Charcoal Joe, one of the deadliest men in America, wants Brathwaite cleared.

Easy Rawlins, a renowned Los Angeles PI, cannot refuse Charcoal Joe.

But what links the king of the LA underworld to Seymour Brathwaite?…

16
Farewell, Amethystine

Book cover of Farewell, Amethystine

IN THE LATEST INSTALLMENT OF THE ACCLAIMED EASY RAWLINS SERIES, EASY IS SENT DOWN MEMORY LANE... BLINDING HIM TO REASON AND RISK, MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE ANYTHING BUT BLACK AND WHITE.

****
January 1970. Ezekiel "Easy" Rawlins, LA's premier Black detective, at 50 years of age despite all expectations. A…

17
Gray Dawn

Book cover of Gray Dawn
Detective Easy Rawlins has settled into the happy rhythm of his new life when a dark siren from his past returns and threatens to destroy the peace he's fought for, in the latest installment from "master of craft and narrative" Walter Mosley in a legendary series (National Book Foundation). 

The…