3.5 stars rounded up for book 17 in the Easy Rawlins series. I have previously read books 1 thru 7, so I am familiar with many of the recurring characters. While this book can be read as a stand alone, it would help if you read at least the first 2 or 3 books in the series to better understand the characters.
This book has two plots. The first is when a man comes to Easy's office and asks him to find his auntie, Lutisha James. Santangelo Burris tells Easy that his grand mama called him and asked him to get Lutisha to call her. But he cannot find her.
The second plot involves Easy's adopted son, Jesus, who is involved in smuggling drugs. Easy learns that two corrupt BNDD(Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs) are targeting him. Easy does manage to solve both issues, with help from a variety of friends, some legal and some not.
Pros: The plots both move along quite well, and kept my interest throughout the book. The characters are believable.
Cons: There were so many characters that I had trouble remembering how each of them fit into the plot and who they were in relation to the rest of the book.
One quote by a woman responding to Easy's statement that her pronunciation was perfect and educated.
"We get paid less than men for the jobs they lets us have. Our husbands leave us and then forget to pay for their kids. Is that the education you were referring to?"
There are references to the racism that Easy encounters during the book, which is set in 1970 or 71 Los Angeles, since BNDD was replaced by the DEA in 1972.
There are some surprises in this book.
Thank You Little, Brown for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley and Walter Mosley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

This is the 17th installment in the Easy Rawlins series, and admittedly I have only read the first, Devil in a Blue Dress. Alot has happened to Easy in the intervening 15 books, including picking up a boat load of recurring characters that help him along the way.

Easy is still living and detecting in LA, now in the early 70's. His lifestyle has also changed alot since "Devil" in that he now runs his own Detective Agency and lives, not in Watts, but in a gorgeous mountainside retreat/guarded compound owned by a grateful Client who lets him pay an annual lease of one cent for a home worth hundreds of thousands of 70's dollars.

The plot begins with Easy having not actively handling a case for two years when a large angry man enters his Offices and wants Easy to find his mother, since his grandmother cant locate her. Besides being big and mean, there is something off about Santangelo Burris, but still when he can pay Easy's Fee he accepts the case.

Nothing is as it seems, as the more investigating he does, the further down a rabbit hole he goes before Easy realizes his has been sold a bill of goods by Santangelo and there is a lot more to this case than just a missing person.

While he is working this missing persons case, his young receptionist, whom Easy is training to be a detective, takes on a young Client allegedly searching for an ex-boyfriend who ran off with her college fund, as well as trying to get his adopted son out of trouble with the law.

Bodies start piling up whenever Easy follows another clue, and then 2 women from his past show up to complicated Easy's life even more.

This is really more a commentary on life as a Black Man in the early 70's than a hard boiled detective novel. The final solution to the missing person case and even his sons legal problems came a little too easy for Easy thanks to all of the help he received from the recurring cast of characters he must have picked up along the way.

Although thought provoking, I found the story lacking somewhat, and for that reason give this 3.5 stars.

Walter Mosley’s seventeenth Easy Rawlins novel, Gray Dawn, drops us right back into the gritty, restless heart of 1970s Los Angeles—a city where secrets simmer just beneath the surface and peace never lasts for long. Easy Rawlins, the battle-worn private investigator, is finally getting a taste of calm when his past comes knocking in the form of Lutisha James. Her sudden reappearance drags Easy into a spiral of old wounds and fresh danger, as criminal kingpins plead for his help and her hidden truths threaten to topple not just his case, but his whole sense of stability.

Mosley’s gift for character still sets him apart. Easy is complicated—tough, proud, and vulnerable, always wrestling with the unjust world around him and the ghosts inside his own head. The folks who orbit him—Jackson Blue, Mouse Alexander, Fearless Jones, Christmas Black—bring their own baggage and bite, giving the book a lived-in, unpredictable energy.

At its core, Gray Dawn is about loyalty, identity, and the blurry lines between right and wrong. Lutisha’s secret is dangerous enough to shake up the underworld, but it’s Easy’s own choices that give the story its edge. Mosley paints 1970s L.A. with sharp detail, capturing not just its neon glare and back-alley threats, but the tense social currents and racial divides that define the era.

The writing is razor-sharp: dialogue that snaps, descriptions that pull you right into the smog and sunlight, and a pace that never lets up. There’s violence, desire, and plenty of peril, but Mosley never loses sight of what makes his characters human.

If there’s a stumbling block, it’s the dense web of characters and motives, which might leave newcomers reaching for a scorecard. But for anyone already hooked on Easy Rawlins, this is another strong, thoughtful ride, full of suspense and hard-won wisdom.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Easy Rawlins is back. Mosley's preface is not to be missed as it sets the stage (and tone), for what is to come. Now in his fifties, Rawlins inhabits our modern world weary and disappointed that so little has changed for so many, and that white people really have no understanding of the black experience. But Amethystine is back in his life, along with his first true love and a son he didn't know he had. Maybe life isn't so bad after all. Against this emotional backdrop is a twisty mystery to solve and a familiar cast of characters. I was disappointed at the ending of Monkey's last Rawlins adventure, but he more than makes up for it here. Highly recommended.

I haven't read all the Easy Rawlins novels, but I have read many, and I loved them all except for #16, "Farewell, Amethystine", which I dnf'd, and consequently did not review. Thus, I was a bit wary of requesting GRAY DAWN (#17) from NetGalley. But initially I was pleased that I had received it, as the first few chapters were classic "Easy Rawlins"—great dialogue, great reflections, and an interesting start to a mystery. And then Amethystine returns to Easy's life, and the plot seems to wander.

In the beginning, Easy is approached by a rough man named Santangelo Burris who wants to find his "aunt", a woman named Lutisha James. Easy doesn't believe everything that Santangelo tells him but he is intrigued enough to take the case. He feels that it is his job to reveal lies as well as the truth.

So the search begins, and the plot is moving along as Easy searches for the mysterious Lutisha, when Amethystine returns, and it turns into a soppy romance, the pacing slows, and there are several different plot threads leading in different directions. Instead of one complex mystery, Easy has several separate dilemmas to solve. It ends satisfactorily, but while reading it, I felt that Easy was a bystander, watching it unfold, but not participating in the unfolding. There is no climax, just ruminations about events and about being in love.

<b>The Positives</b>

1) Walter Mosley is a great wordsmith, a great dialogue writer, and demonstrates it in GREY DAWN.

2) Mosley makes you <i>feel</i> the bitterness that comes from being a Black man living in a world where many white people feel disdain for Blacks. As a white woman I could empathize with him.

3) Mosley shows how race limited the Black woman's career choices. He doesn't explore this topic in much depth; I would have liked him to expound on it more. He does note that by 1972, when this novel takes place, changes are taking place, but then he drops the issue when Ida Lorris disappears from the novel.

<b>The Negatives</b>

1) The story loses much of its focus and impetus once Amethystine enters the scene and Ida disappears from it.

2) There are many too characters who drift through the story providing help to Easy because he is their friend, characters who seem outlandish at times in terms of their power to acquire information. It is almost as if instead of writing a noir-mystery, Mosley is now penning a fantasy. Furthermore, although I have read many Easy Rawlins stories, I sometimes lost track of exactly who did what.

3) There were many completely different investigations, and yet the pace seemed sluggish. Everything happens in the few last chapters, yet we don't experience a definitive climax.

<b>Conclusion</b>

I never wanted to dnf while reading, but I also didn't feel like rushing through to the end either. Thus I think it was an average read, maybe a bit better than average, but not as impressive as most of the Easy Rawlins books have been.

Thanks to Little, Brown and Company for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.

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My reviews for earlier books in this series:
<a href = https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4080065693 > Blonde Faith (Easy Rawlins #11) </a>
<a href = https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3932913243 > Blood Grove (Easy Rawlins #15) </a>
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Easy Rawlins now resides in a gated community atop a California mountain and runs a detective
agency with partners. When a man walks into his agency seeking help in locating his aunt, Easy
begins looking for the woman. He becomes involved in her world of danger and mystery. With the
help of friends and associates, he discovers he has a past history with the woman . In addition, he
seeks to free his son from being coerced to continue smuggling drugs.
Clear picture of 1970s life in the LA ghettos and what the people who lived there had to deal with. As
far as Easy's come, the racism he faces is ever present.
#GrayDawn #LittleBrownandConpamy #MulhollandBooks #NetGalley

Out September 16th, 2025
Gray Dawn is a contemplative, slow-burning novel that asks more questions than it answers—and that’s part of its power. Mosley’s prose is deliberate and introspective, weaving a narrative that explores identity, memory, and the quiet unraveling of a man caught between past and present. It’s not a thriller, nor is it a traditional mystery; instead, it’s a philosophical meditation wrapped in fiction. The story challenges readers to sit with discomfort, to examine the gray areas of morality and selfhood, and to resist the urge for tidy resolutions.

That said, the pacing can feel sluggish, and some plot threads drift without anchoring. It’s a book that rewards patience but may frustrate those looking for momentum or clarity. Still, Mosley’s voice remains compelling, and his ability to provoke thought through character and atmosphere is undeniable. Gray Dawn isn’t for everyone—but for readers willing to linger in ambiguity, it offers a rich, if uneven, experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mulholland Books for this ARC!

Mosley has always been one of the great mystery writers of the time, because his plots are clever, but his characters reign supreme, and it’s always a pleasure to catch up with Easy Rawlins and the gang. The streets sizzle and the prose is efficient and poetic as always. Another winning installment indeed.

Easy's latest case would lead him down a road towards reminiscing about his past. That would play a role in leading him back to the present and a great surprise. It was an "easy" and enjoyable read; with the additions of several of Mosley's book subjects and a couple new faces. My only wish is that the story had been a little longer, as I enjoyed the story that much.

Author: Walter Mosely

Genres: Fiction/Mystery/Suspense/Thriller/AA Fiction /Historical Fiction

Rating: ⭐️

Summary: Easy Rawlins is running a detective agency in Los Angeles. He faces danger from his past when he is approached by Santangelo Burris about finding his mother, Lutisha James. Not only is she in trouble and on the run, but so is his son.

Tropes & Themes: identity and hidden secrets; race and power; legal corruption.

Character: I didn't have a favorite character in the book. However, I do love how Easy was very street smart. He seemed to have a high deference with those from his past and I love the relationships that he established with others over the years.

Thoughts: First, I wanted to read this book because I had heard so many great things about his novels. This was my first Walter Mosely book, and I was truly excited. The book started off great as I felt as if I had an understanding of the plot. I felt as if I would be led into a climax with continuing the story but that did not happen. It seemed to be multiple stories, plots and storylines for each character and chapter of the book. After reading about 51%, the author still not had found the person he was supposed to be looking for but instead, he continued to find that his family and Lutisha's family were in trouble. In the same way, it felt a bit rushed, and the details of the story just didn't align with how the book started off. Moreover, I found it hard to connect with any character as there were just too many in the storyline. I really felt that all these characters were a bit unnecessary, which made their roles irrelevant. Furthermore, details of the book were rushed, and relationships were also being established that had no background context.

On the other hand, I did love how Easy had a great relationship with those in the community. He seemed to be well respected in the community, which was demonstrated throughout the book. With that being noted, the author's writing structure was great. The storyline and plot were great as well, but the execution of a page turner was not there for me. I really wanted to DNF at 51% but I wanted to give this book a chance to climax, but it never did. The book was extremely boring, but I am willing to try another Walter Mosely novel.

Interesting characters, mystery, suspense, action, plot twists--it's all here in an another enjoyable Easy Rawlins title by Walter Mosley. The gang's all here-including Mouse and Fearless Jones--and a few new characters I think we haven't seen the last of. I loved how the story reflected the historical times and the urban strife of Los Angeles in the 70's. Mosley's urban-tinged prose never disappoints. Great book, one of Mosley's best Easy Rawlins novels. Will surely buy the physical copy upon its release and read it again as well as post my review on various outlets.

Five stars! Highly recommended!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a sneak peek.

Walter Mosley’s “Gray Dawn” was an eye opener for me! I’ve rarely read crime or detective fiction but I am so thankful that there are more than a dozen more books out there to keep Ezekiel ‘Easy’ Rawlins alive. To see Los Angeles through the eyes of a Black detective and his extensive catalogue of friends, relatives, and potential adversaries is to also gain a new perspective - - on life in a big city, on life for a Black man who is also a war veteran, on people unlike those I have ever met. Though a good deal of the narrative is through dialogue, using spoken street language, cop talk, and the like, Mosley’s descriptive language is evocative and beautiful. It is easy for readers to picture both squalor and opulence equally well. If all of Walter Mosley’s books are as thrilling and thoughtful, I am indeed to be treated to some satisfying reading ahead!

Gray Dawn is classic Ezekiel “Easy” Rawlins by Walter Mosley. Easy takes a case from a rough looking man who pays with greasy cash. The job is to find the man’s mother. The case brings surprises and lost loves. The story moves slowly, but it is so satisfying. The writing is beautiful. Enjoy!

Well written, attention-grabbing and intricately plotted. I hadn’t read an Easy Rawlings novel for a long, long time, so I found the multitude of characters a little hard to follow at times (many recurring characters and relationships from earlier novels interwoven into the complex web of the story). I may have to go back and read some of the earlier works to fully appreciate this one.

This is the 17th book in the Easy Rawlins series and from where I stand it was simply the best of all of them. This series started back in 2010 with Devil in a Blue Dress that takes place at the close of WWII. Gray Dawn is set in the 70s and LA was hopping.
Easy is getting on in years and now owns a successful detective agency, a gated mountaintop home with assorted pets and family members.
Easy is approached by a young man that says he needs to get his aunt Lutisha James to call his grandmother. Before it is all over, characters from most of the Easy Rawlins series make an appearance. Old hand Fearless Jones is onboard during this deadly hunt for Lutisha Jones who as it turns out, is well known to all by a different name.
Things get dicey and very complicated and before you know it, bullets are flying and bodies are dropping at an alarming rate.