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1. How is the setting of Joppy’s Bar described in the opening of Chapter 1? What are the clientele like here?

Joppy's Bar is a black Los Angeles watering hole in the Watts neighborhood. The bar is located in the same building as a butcher shop and most of the patrons are butchers, whose smell keeps other patrons out. Easy is a regular here and knows Joppy, the owner.

2. From what narrative point of view is the story related? What is notable about this style?

The novel is told in the first person. Easy Rawlins narrates the story in a compelling manner, mixing his tale of the story's action with personal musings about big ideas. Throughout the novel, Mosley enables his narrator's history to be told while moving the plot forward.

3. What is the primary setting of Devil in a Blue Dress? How does the author depict this setting?

The primary setting for the novel is Los Angeles, in 1948. Much of the novel takes place in Watts, a black section of the city. Mosley depicts the neighborhood as a lively one that is frequented by colorful criminals, notable jazz musicians, and honest working class people who are mostly down on their luck.

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