Sleeping Dog

Los Angeles Times columnist Lochte deserves raves for his debut. This thriller outclasses, in many ways, the tales of Raymond Chandler, Ross MacDonald and other renowned California mystery writers. Raffishly funny incidents, grave dangers and touching moments are described alternately by Serendipity Dahlquist, 14, and Leo G. Bloodworth, a middle-aged private eye. Their search for Serendipity's stolen dog takes the two up and down the coast, into clashes with operators of cruel dog fights, inept hit men for Mexican gangsters and other menaces. Linked to the plot also are a pushy TV comic, Serendipity's hippie mother with her current companion, Leo's partner (who is one of several victims of a faceless killer) and the unsolved robbery of a Los Angeles bank. The novel's critical point occurs at a huge, mind-blowing punk-rock center where Serendipity lands in a trap set by the villain. Lochte astonishingly builds a host of disparate elements into a corker entertainment, uncontrived and satisfying. November 21