A review by ufteacher
Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

4.0

After reading Between Shades of Gray, I was skeptical that this work could measure up. I am happy to admit my wrongs. Ruta Sepetys creates a strong female lead character in Josie Moraine, daughter of a swindling prostitute in 1950s New Orleans. While Josie is the central figure, she is surrounded by a cast of lovable characters, Charlie, the writer gone mad, his son, Patrick, who harbors a secret that is so great, it forces him to leave town, Willie, the tough-as-nails madame, and Cokie, Willie's driver/jack-of-all trades. And therein lies my one criticism of this work (and depraved it of a fifth star), the loose ends with the secondary characters, particularly Louise and Cincinnati, remain untied. Perhaps when the final copy has gone to press, Sepetys will have knotted them up nicely.