Warning: Reading Donald Westlake may lead to shortness of breath, prolonged chortles, outbreaks of hysterical laughter, and sudden, drop-dead surpr...
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reviews
Jul 21, 2009
James
rated it: 
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 be More...
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 be More...
Mar 13, 2009
Mary Sue
rated it: 
Perhaps I needed a break from tough guy detectives, flawed from a hard life (Harry Bosch, Dave Robecheaux, Thorn, etc.)Our antihero in Smoke is flawed too. He is a thief (with a loyal and smart girfriend) who inadvertantly becomes invisible. I hope he moves to a warm climate for the next book, as going around naked all the time may be a real problem in New York when its not summer. I liked the book, and I am surprised.
Jan 20, 2009
Eric
rated it: 
Donald Westlake just died on New Years, so I thought I would commemorate him by reading one of his books. I wish my local library had another one of his books. This one disappointed me. I just couldn't get behind the basic premise....
Sep 13, 2009
AKA: Alan Marshall, Alan Marsh, James Blue, Ben Christopher, Edwin West, John B. Allan, Curt Clark, Tucker Coe, P.N. Castor, Timothy J. Culver, J. Morgan Cunningham, Samuel Holt, Judson Jack Carmichael, Richard Stark, Donald E. Westlake
Feb 18, 2010
Andrew
rated it: 
This one's just fine. It's fluffy and fun, about a burglar who becomes an invisible man after being experimented upon by tobacco company scientists.
Dec 30, 2011
Jeffrey
rated it:
Westlake is one of my favorite authors. Have read much of what he has written. This was good, but not as good as the Dortmunder Series.
Mar 27, 2009
Jz
rated it:
1995 non-series
Anyone who doesn't love this book just doesn't get me. I love it!
Anyone who doesn't love this book just doesn't get me. I love it!
Mar 31, 2011
Helen
rated it:
engaging characters & situations but invisibility poorly justified, 1 bad style lapse
Jul 22, 2009
Heidi
rated it: 
After a couple of tries, we've decided not to read Westlake books that aren't part of the Dortmunder series. This was disappointing, and we haven't been able to make ourselves finish it.
Mar 14, 2011
Started but didn't finish. I read it as a more modern take on invisible men stories, but it turned into a crime novel, and I find it hard to enjoy such a novel. The writing was great, but the way the story was going didn't grip me.
Feb 11, 2012
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