His non-mysteries? Ehh. I just read The Tempest Tales after spotting it in the new books section of the library, and despite the five very positive reviews on Amazon I have to say that I thought it was weak: a very talky book that tried to make the point that situational ethics might justify the conventional notion of sin if your skin is brown.
The story involves an African American man, Tempest by name, who is accidentally shot by the police. When he gets to Saint Peter at the Pearly Gates and is told he has to go to Hell, he refuses. Apparently you can only be sent to Heaven or Hell if you agree that your life on earth warrants it, and Tempest is the first person to ever argue that his sins don't deserve an eternity in Hell. This throws Heaven into a tizzy.
Tempest and an angel are sent to earth in human form, and the angel spends years attempting to convince Tempest that he must go to Hell. Tempest continually disagrees, eventually meeting the devil (and besting him, as well as Heaven).
I won't give away the ending, but you'll see it coming a mile away. It involves an apple. (I bet you have a pretty good idea about the ending already.)
I wish Mosely, a gifted writer, would stick with Easy Rawlins, Fearless Jones and his other great, great mystery story characters. Of course, he has more than earned the right to write what he wants. I think he could have passed on writing this one.
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