Penance for Jerry Kennedy — George V. Higgins

A fast-paced, witty and authentic novel that transports the reader into the exhilarating world of crime and chicanery that defines the life of Boston lawyer, Jerry Kennedy.
 
Heretofore successful lawyer Jerry Kennedy, our classy yet sleazy protagonist, finds himself grasping at straws when his world begins to crumble around him. His accountant jailed, his wife giving him the silent treatment, his mentor and friend, Frank McDonald, curiously unresponsive, Jerry grapples with public slander dealt him by an unjust judge as well as the prospect of being investigated by the IRS. Cut off from his usual sources of support, Jerry finds himself in the grasp of tough, opaque, and demanding attorney, Bertram Magazu. At a loss for what to expect, Jerry Kennedy senses it's definitely trouble time.
 
With crackling dialogue and biting humor, Penance for Jerry Kennedy paints a picture of the Boston underworld in which risk is the name of the game.