Read Smoke (1996)

Online Book

Author

Donald E. Westlake

Genre

Mystery & Thriller

Rating

3.7 of 5 Votes: 5

Your rating

ISBN

044640344X (ISBN13: 9780446403443)

Language

English

Publisher

mysterious press

Shops

Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble

Free Online

Smoke (1996) - Plot & Excerpts

A big tobacco firm, eager to find a suitable distraction in non-smoking-related cancers, has been quietly funding some melanoma research. It has developed some potions that have been vaguely plausible with mice, albeit turning them rather translucent, but they're not quite sure how to find human subjects… until Freddy Noon, a low-level petty thief, in Dortmunder-esque mould, happens to break into their lab. Some hi-jinks and mix-ups later, Noon finds himself not merely translucent, but entirely invisible. This certainly widens the field of opportunity for a thief, but Noon isn't thinking quite so big as the tobacco company guys, who very much like the idea of him helping them out by listening in on competitor strategy sessions, jury deliberations, closed congressional hearings, etc… if only they can find him again. Cue a classic caper, with Noon on the run from multiple parties at the same time, whilst also trying to work out how to regain his visibility as the fun wears off and the problems set in. It's not up with Westlake's best work, but it's certainly a pleasant enough way to while away a few hours. ★★★☆

What do You think about Smoke (1996)?

I noticed something really very interesting this time around, that maybe I noticed last time, but forgot.When you open the book and start to read, you get a very nice succinct profile of your main protagonist in just a few pages--it's one of Westlake's specialties. But then, when you finish the novel, hundreds of eventful, funny, suspenseful, riveting, incredible pages later, there's a wonderful little echo.Do this immediately upon finishing: flip the book back to the beginning and start it again. IMMEDIATELY. Get to the last page, read the last sentence, flip the book back to the front, open to the first page, and read it again. It's absolutely, positively, utterly amazing, extraordinary, and I dare say even magical.You're welcome.(And now, I miss him more than I did before.)
—James