At first I was somewhat disappointed that Walter Mosley's new novel, WALKIN' THE DOG, didn't feature Easy Rawlins, the smooth operating post WWII detective in L.A., and the most engaging private eye this side of Matt Scudder.

There's not a sign of easy in WALKIN' THE DOG, but rather Mosley serves up Socrates Fortlow, a 60-year-old ex-con, settled in L.A. after doing a lot of time in Indiana.

Socrates faces a multitude of obstacles, none of which is unfamiliar to anyone who has done a chunk of time and then re-enters a fast moving, seemingly indifferent world.

With a two-legged dog called Killer and a teen named Darryl, who idolizes him, Socrates Fortlow quietly endures society's racism, and the fear and ignorance of men who have been in the slammer. He also confronts the ubiquitous and infamously brutal LAPD.

It is Mosley's sharp and don't-rush-me style that brings Socrates to life and elevates this novel beyond the traditional mystery genre. Socrates also earns your admiration and respect as he tenaciously meets every barrier.

Each chapter contains a piece of Socrates' life puzzle, the most vivid and eloquent being when a group of men and women, in a weekly rap session, debate the ordeal of survival with limited resources and being placed in the midst of a crazy world. It is Mosley at his very best.

If you have never enjoyed one of Mosley's Easy Rawlins books, check him out at any respectable library or bookstore. One of them, "Devil in a Blue Dress," was an unappreciated, beautifully presented movie with Denzel Washington as Easy. I recommend that for those of you who resort to the video shop for entertainment.

And let me add that you become acqainted with this Socrates fellow. He is an imposing character.

WALKIN' THE DOG is one more reason to regard Walter Mosley as one of the best of America's writers.