summary

Summary

The novel "Inherent Vice" is set in Los Angeles at the end of the 1960s. The main character, private detective Larry "Doc" Sportello, is tasked by his ex-girlfriend Shasta Fay Hepworth to help find her current lover, a wealthy real estate developer named Mickey Wolfmann, who has disappeared under mysterious circumstances. During his investigation, Doc encounters a host of strange and dangerous characters, including corrupt cops, drug dealers, and counterculture figures. Gradually, he uncovers a complex conspiracy involving real estate, drugs, and politics that touches various layers of society.