Walter Mosley

Walter Mosley is an American author best known for his Easy Rawlins mystery series, set in Los Angeles's African American communities in the post-World War II era. Born in Los Angeles in 1952, Mosley studied political science at Johnson State College and received an MFA from City College of New York. His debut novel Devil in a Blue Dress (1990) introduced Easy Rawlins, a Black war veteran and reluctant private detective navigating a racially divided Los Angeles—and immediately established Mosley as a major new voice in American crime fiction. Mosley has published more than fifty books across multiple genres, including the Fearless Jones series, the Socrates Fortlow series, science fiction, political essays, and literary fiction. His work is celebrated for its vivid evocation of Black Los Angeles, its sharp dialogue, and its unflinching exploration of race, class, and justice in America. President Bill Clinton publicly named Devil in a Blue Dress as one of his favorite books, dramatically boosting Mosley's readership. Mosley received the National Book Foundation's Distinguished Contribution to American Letters in 2020, the Edgar Award, the Grammy Award (for album liner notes), and many other honours. He lives in New York City and is a prominent voice on racial justice, politics, and the publishing industry.