Walter Mosley has published 50 novels, 2 novellas, 4 short story collections, 3 non-fiction books, 1 children's book and 3 other books, beginning with Devil in a Blue Dress (1990). The series is Easy Rawlins (17 books, starting with Devil in a Blue Dress). 6 feature Leonid McGill, 3 feature Socrates Fortlow and 3 feature Fearless Jones. The latest is Ghalen (2026).
Updated September 2026
Easy Rawlins books in order (17)Series page
Reading order: 1 Devil in a Blue Dress (1990) · 2 A Red Death (1991) · 3 White Butterfly (1992) · 4 Black Betty (Easy Rowlins Mysteries) (1994) · 5 A Little Yellow Dog (Easy Rowlins Mysteries) (1996) · 6 Bad Boy Brawly Brown (Easy Rawlins Mysteries) (2001) · 7 Little Scarlet (Easy Rawlins Mysteries) (2004) · 8 Cinnamon Kiss (2005) · 9 Blonde Faith (2007) · 10 Little Green (2013) · … all 17 below
- 1.
Devil in a Blue Dress (1990)
- 2.
A Red Death (1991)
- 3.
White Butterfly (1992)
- 4.
Black Betty (Easy Rowlins Mysteries) (1994)
- 5.
A Little Yellow Dog (Easy Rowlins Mysteries) (1996)
- 6.
Bad Boy Brawly Brown (Easy Rawlins Mysteries) (2001)
- 7.
Little Scarlet (Easy Rawlins Mysteries) (2004)
- 8.
Cinnamon Kiss (2005)
- 9.
Blonde Faith (2007)
- 10.
Little Green (2013)
- 11.
Rose Gold (2014)
- 12.
Charcoal Joe (2016)
- 13.
Blood Grove (2021)
- 14.
Farewell, Amethystine (2024)
- 15.
Gray Dawn (2025)
WHITE BUTTERFLY (Easy Rawlins Mysteries (1992)
Gone Fishin' (Easy Rawlins Mysteries) (1997)
Books featuring Leonid McGill (6)
The Long Fall (2009)
Known to Evil (2010)
When the Thrill Is Gone (2011)
All I Did Was Shoot My Man (2012)
And Sometimes I Wonder About You (2015)
Trouble Is What I Do (2020)
Books featuring Socrates Fortlow (3)
"Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned" (Oct 1997)
Walkin' the Dog (1999)
The Right Mistake: The Further Philosophical Investigations of Socrates Fortlow (2008)
Where to start with Walter Mosley
Start here
Devil in a Blue Dress
Walter Mosley's most-read book and the first of the 17 Easy Rawlins books.
Newest
Ghalen
Published 2026.
Standalone novels in order
RL's Dream (1995)
Blue Light (1998)
The Greatest (2000)
Whispers in the Dark (2000)
The Man in My Basement (2004)
The Wave (2005)
Fortunate Son (2006)
Killing Johnny Fry (2006)
Diablerie (2007)
The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (2010)
Conversations with Walter Mosley (2011)
Merge--Disciple (2012)
Parishioner (2012)
Stepping Stone The Love Machine Crosstown To Oblivion (2013)
Debbie Doesn't Do It Anymore (2014)
Jack Strong (2014)
Inside a Silver Box (2015)
Down the River Unto the Sea (2018)
John Woman (2018)
Touched (2023)
Been Wrong So Long It Feels Like Right (2025)
Novellas in order
This Year You Write Your Novel (2007)
Elements Of Fiction (2019)
Short story collections in order
Futureland (2001)
Six Easy Pieces (2003)
The Tempest Tales (2008)
Awkward Black Man (2020)
Non-fiction in order
Life Out of Context (2005)
Twelve Steps Toward Political Revelation (2011)
Ghalen (2026)
Children's books in order
47 (2005)
Other books in order
Workin' on the Chain Gang (2000)
Thing (2022)
Every Man a King (2023)
Film and TV adaptations
- Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)Film · from Devil in a Blue Dress
- Always Outnumbered (1998)TV · from "Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned"
About Walter Mosley
Walter Ellis Mosley is an American novelist, most widely recognized for his crime fiction. He has written a series of best-selling historical mysteries featuring the hardboiled detective Easy Rawlins, a private investigator living in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. In 2020, Mosley received the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, making him the first Black man to receive the honor.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Walter Mosley FAQ
- How many books has Walter Mosley written?
- Walter Mosley has published 50 novels, 2 novellas, 4 short story collections, 3 non-fiction books, 1 children's book and 3 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Walter Mosley's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start Easy Rawlins with Devil in a Blue Dress. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is Walter Mosley's latest book?
- Ghalen (2026).
- What is Walter Mosley's most famous book?
- Devil in a Blue Dress (1990) is Walter Mosley's most widely read book.
- Are Walter Mosley's books connected?
- 17 books belong to 1 series (Easy Rawlins); the other 46 books stand alone.
- Which Walter Mosley books have been adapted?
- 2 books have been adapted for film or TV, including Devil in a Blue Dress (film, 1995) and "Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned" (as Always Outnumbered, TV, 1998).
Authors like Walter Mosley
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.