The Golden Orange

O.M.G. Wambaugh is such a nutter!! Damn near every chapter I’m cracking up at on character or another, sometimes all at once. Crazy drunks, horny little fops, Hot Mamas and good ole boys abound in the richest little backyard of California. This makes for a laugh out loud, enjoyable and crazy read that only Wambaugh could deliver.

I almost didn't keep reading this after the first 20 pages- all the characters seemed caricatures and the jokes seemed bad 50's noir cop jokes. But I eventually decided it was kinda fun, and the ending wasn't as bad as I feared it would be. basically just a mediocre genre novel, a light beach read.

Joseph Wambaugh has written a lot of fiction around police work, something he knows well from his experience as a police officer prior to becoming a writer. I have read his first four books but not any of his work for at least 25 years. The Golden Orange is a work that stands well with the early work in which he made his reputation. The storyline develops gradually and works itself out in a most surprising way. I enjoyed this book.

Nicely-paced. Wambaugh has a knack for the humorous metaphor, making the reading that much more interesting. Two-thirds into the story, the reader can begin to see how it will end; however, there are just enough twists and turns in the end-phase to make the end satisfying.

Newport Beach, yachts, drunkenness, dissolution, retired cops, murder. Anything can be rectified by someone who is drunk enough to try anything once.

Calif. drunk ex-cop - Winnie gets tied in a scheme w/ beautiful girl to get $ - he's tricked - good

California's Gold Coast is the home of boat parades, middle-aged women in bikinis, and Winnie Farlowe, a 40-year-old ex-cop with a strong interest in drinking. But when a beautiful and spirited three-time divorce e introduces him to her world of clubs and mansions--and the mystery of her father's death--he soon finds himself running for his life.

This was disappointing. I used to really like Wambaugh and this just didn't meet my expectation - although - I DID like the ending.