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| Plot Summary of Little Scarlet |
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"
Little, Brown, Jul 2004, 24.95, 320 pp.
ISBN: 0316073032
In 1965, the riots have devastated Los Angeles, but Ezekiel “Easy” Rawlins knows that atrocities will follow as some of the mom and pop storeowners will lose more than their livelihood in the aftermath. As he tries to keep a friend Theodore Steinman safe, LAPD Detective Suggs demands that Easy come with him or face arrest for practicing private sleuthing without a license, not that a Negro will be granted such a permit. Though he insists that he is just a custodian at Sojourner Truth JHS who also does Research and Delivery, Easy knows he has no choice but to accompany the cop.
Suggs, Captain Fleck, and Deputy Chief Jordan show Easy the corpse of scarlet haired Nola Payne, whom they claim is victim #34 of a killer. The cops also say that the suspected culprit was seen entering the apartment building where the murder of Little Scarlet occurred. Because of the riots, the brass wants white cops to keep their presence to a minimum to avoid inciting further disturbances. Thus, Jordan drafts Easy to find the culprit before others are killed.
LITTLE SCARLET is a terrific private investigator tale that is enhanced by the insightful look at the 1965-Watts riots. The story line moves fast along two interconnecting plots as the audience follows Easy with Mouse's assistance search for the vanished prime suspect to a backdrop of a raging populace that come to life as only Walter Mosley can achieve. It is the historical perspective that makes for a gripping tale that readers will appreciate and have to come expect from one of the best authors of any genre over the five or so.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Little Scarlet |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%
Tone of story
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain?
- Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
Time/era of story:
- present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 70%
Kind of investigator
- skilled citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- minority/women/homosexual issues
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- private investigator
Age:
- 40's-50's
How much violence does he/she use?
- just the right amount
Ethnicity/Race
- Black
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- killer
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- insanity
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- California
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 8 or more
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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