Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley

10 reviews

henrismum's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

First in series / First by author
Audiobook (All of my entries on The Story Graph are audiobooks.)
Why I added this book to my TBR pile: I'm not sure where I found this, but I think it came up as a diversity choice.
Will I read more of the series / author?     Probably Not     Maybe    Highly Likely
This was a very powerful book with a good story, but it had disturbing elements. I am curious about what happens in the series, but I don't think I'll follow it. The series is only available for purchase through Audible.
The narrator was Michael Boatman. Good narration.
Source: Audible

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Murder

Moderate: Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, and Grief

Minor: Sexual violence and War

waytoomanybooks's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

An interesting look into racial politics in the years just after WWII. Lots of violence interspersed with emotional introspection and reflection. Definitely heed trigger warnings.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

abookandaspotoftea's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Incest, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Trafficking, Murder, and Alcohol

melissamenefee's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Cursing, Misogyny, Pregnancy, and War

rae_bookmarkchronicles's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

This was an interesting read. I liked the story but didn't really like the main characters. This is an old book so in my opinion it doesn't age well. Not a huge fan of some of the things that were talked about or the way they were talking about. While I won't be continuing the series, I will be watching the film adaptation.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Police brutality, and Murder

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

 Devil in a Blue Dress is a bit of a departure from my usual literary diet. It is hard boiled detective noir, set in Los Angeles in 1948. Ezekiel “Easy” Rawlings, a returned Black serviceman, is fired from his job and is worried about making the next payment on his prized possession - his house. So when he is a offered a gig trying to locate the wonderfully named Daphne Monet he accepts. Things get very complicated very quickly.

I thought the overall atmosphere of this was well done. I enjoyed the characterisation of Easy and way his experiences showcased some of the challenges faced by Black ex-servicemen. Race was integral to the plot and virtually every interaction between Black and white characters was rife with tension. Daphne was an interesting character. There was certainly more to her than we were led to believe at first. Her back story is shocking - definitely check for trigger warnings - and added another layer to the plot.

Overall this was an entertaining and enjoyable read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Murder

Moderate: Incest, Racial slurs, and Racism

fourfootedbeasts's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, Murder, and War

knitterscasket's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Racism

menomica's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

This book was bad. It was not good. It was not enjoyable. I wish to god I could’ve dnf’d it but I had to read it for class (Miller, you’re never seeing the gates of heaven).

I really don’t know where to start with the atrocities of this book but here are some highlights:

• The writing itself was amateurish at best. It was so stilted and boring. Mosley does not know how to set a scene. Also why are you ending sentences in an action scene with exclamation marks, are you five? On a similar note: I know he’s black, but Mosley trying to transliterate AAVE dialogue was so cringey and horrible it gave off white person trying to sound hip vibes.
• A lot of the «adult» themes in this book felt like they were put in just to get a reaction from the reader. Like why do we need all the detail about how Albright and Mouse kill people??
  Why did Teran have to have a pedophile? WHY did he have a child sex slave????
  What purpose did it serve for Daphne to be a victim of SA from her father? I get real life trauma doesn’t have a purpose, but here it felt like Mosley lazily trying to paint her as tainted and dangerous. 
• In that same vain: the title of the book, and a line from the book
  Daphne Monet was death herself.
  would have you believe that Daphne was some kind of wicked temptress when she literally is just the victim of rape and domestic abuse. The hell and chaos in this book was not caused by her but by the litany of gross men who use her as a tool to flex their power and ego.
• Speaking of men: my god this book has too many fucking characters. Why the fuck do I need to know the backstory of the fucking polish deli guy who’s literally there for like four fucking pages? Why the hell does he get a whole page of backstory? Shut the fuck up oh my god.

There are more gripes I have with this garbage fire of a book but this review is long enough and I’m tired. I genuinely hope I never have to read a book this stupid and worthless again for school. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Racial slurs and Sexual content

Minor: Incest, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, and War

chaoticmissadventures's review against another edition

4.0

This is my first Mosley, and I am excited to read more. 
Easy is just trying to stay out of trouble and pay his mortgage. Fast paced with a wild cast of characters, this is a quick read with a lot of action, and mystery but not really one Mosley sets you up to solve on your own.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Pedophilia, Blood, and Murder

Minor: Rape and Sexual assault