Another Review at MyShelf.Com

Publisher: Time Warner Audio Books
Release Date: July 2003
ISBN: 1586215086
Awards: Grammy Nominations for
Best Spoken Word Album: FEAR ITSELF by Walter Mosley
Format Reviewed: Audio Cassette - Unabridged edition
Buy it at Amazon
Hear an Excerpt
Genre: Mystery / African American Sleuth
Reviewed: 2003
Reviewer: Brenda Weeaks

Reviewer Notes: Explicit Content

Review 2

Fear Itself (Review One)
A Fearless Jones Novel

By Walter Mosley 

Don Cheadle (Reader)

     The Fearless Jones series takes place in L.A. during the 50's, and it's a gritty, R-rated series written with the hardcore mystery reader in mind.

     Paris Minton owns a new bookstore in Watts. Paris is the intelligent, educated one of this crime duo. Fearless contributes his street smarts to the partnership.

     In Fear Itself, Fearless and Paris are looking for the Watermelon Man. By the time they realize that it's for all the wrong resons, it's too late and they are knee-deep in danger. In quest of the answers to the confusing scheme they've been thrust into, Paris interacts with the poorest and the richest of L.A.'s black citizens. Games are played on both sides and Paris turns to Fearless whenever things get impossible. Eventually, Paris does come across a rare book and a valuable necklace, but has no idea what they have to do with the missing Watermelon man or his family. Here is where readers will experience the best twists and turns.

     Although I found the various twists impressive, the number of characters was downright confusing. What added to my confusion was Mosley identifying and referring to his characters by their colors instead of their name or job description. There was the typical "Whitey" or white man description as well as various shades of black (high yellow, light, dark, chocolate, etc). If the constant reference to color was supposed to help the reader distinguish the good from the bad, I totally missed it.

     Actor Don Cheadle, known for work in Oceans Eleven and Devil In a Blue Dress, is an excellent reader. He is able to bring out the best of all the characters as he switches from them to narrating the story.

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