“A sudden banging on the front door sent a chill down my neck and into my chest…”
In this second outing in the Fearless Jones series, quiet African-American bookstore owner Paris Minton once again finds himself pulled into violent events beyond his control in 1950s Watts by his best friend, “Fearless” Jones. This time, Fearless needs assistance tracking down “The Watermelon Man”–his erstwhile employer and the husband of an attractive woman who requests Fearless’ help.
It’s not long before corpses start piling up and Paris and Fearless must rely on their native street smarts to keep them out of trouble. Along the way they become entangled with vintage Mosley characters like Milo Sweet, the bonds bailman who is always out for a quick buck and his beautiful and–well, inscrutable– Japanese-American assistant, Loretta Kakura. There are also new characters like Winifred Fine, the wealthiest woman in Los Angeles and an eccentric; Charlotta, a sensuous young woman who is Paris’s neighbor for a time; and Brown, an ace chess player and possible suspect.
Mosley has a unique voice:
“Hampton was a nearly perfect specimen of manhood…His lips were generous and sculpted. And his oiled hair was combed back in perfect waves in the way that Hindu Indians draw hair on their deities.”
Events careen out of control as Paris finds a priceless relic that he is loathe to give up. The pair use their complementary talents (Paris is the brains, Fearless is the brawn) to find their quarry and stay out of danger.
Definitely recommended reading.