Violent Ward (11)

Violent Ward
Len Deighton

This books follows lawyer Mickey Murphy.. he works in a bad neighborhood in LA.. his partners are Asian, one dead, and another dealing with forged papers, passports etc.. which also involves a "Rev" who runs the local homeless shelter (and provides the bodies, Drs etc for the paperwork). But none of this has much to do with the story.. Murphy is divorced although his ex-wife is always around.. but seldom causing too much trouble... His son is in college.. maybe.. he seems to sit around his apt all day with his girlfriend. None of this has much to do with the story Murphy's clients are a mix of old show biz people with odd personalities... and his secretary is a stern German woman who can not type. This has little to do with the story.
His law firm is being bought out by a zillionaire.. who happens to be married to a girl Murphy when to High School with and was in love with... The new boss has a questionable deal in the works with one of Murphy's other clients.. and his wife thinks she is trying to kill him...
Meanwhile Murphy gets involved in a murder.. well sort of.. But most of all he is very fond of his 1959 gold Cadillac.
At the end of the book.. the Rodney King trial ends.. and the riot ensue in LA...
The point of the story is hard to find.. you are never sure what the point is.. but never really care... as with so many of Deightons books you are happy to tag along with the character and see what happens next :)