Mosley is deeply concerned about exposing the evils of racism through his fiction, and his writings should thus provoke stimulating discussion.

At the same time, Mosley has constructed his character Easy Rawlins to reflect social concerns beyond the experience of African Americans alone.

White Butterfly has particular relevance to questions of erosion of morals at all levels from rich to poor. Lines of discussion that may be pursued include the kinds of motivations and social pressures that could turn a white coed of affluent background to a life on Hollywood Row, and a man like her father into a killer.

Groups might benefit from comparing this novel to others in the series, in order to determine whether Mosley depicts a society in the process of overall improvement or deterioration. Although Mosley places his characters in a historical context, his fiction readily relates to the present day...