---
product_id: 46163383
title: "The Smack: A Novel Hardcover – Big Book, July 18, 2017"
brand: "richard lange"
price: "€ 64.48"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 9
url: https://www.desertcart.hr/products/46163383-the-smack-a-novel-hardcover-big-book-july-18-2017
store_origin: HR
region: Croatia
---

# The Smack: A Novel Hardcover – Big Book, July 18, 2017

**Brand:** richard lange
**Price:** € 64.48
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** The Smack: A Novel Hardcover – Big Book, July 18, 2017 by richard lange
- **How much does it cost?** € 64.48 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.hr](https://www.desertcart.hr/products/46163383-the-smack-a-novel-hardcover-big-book-july-18-2017)

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- richard lange enthusiasts

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## Description

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## Images

![The Smack: A Novel Hardcover – Big Book, July 18, 2017 - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41ReRai-TmL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Great book!
  

*by K***N on Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2023*

Having read and enjoyed other books by Richard, I decided to take a chance on this one, and I'm glad I did. It was an engaging read with characters I cared about. 4.5 stars!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Great neo-noir whose emotional stakes are just as high - if not higher - than those of its con games
  

*by J***E on Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2018*

I've never read anything of Richard Lange's before reading his astonishing piece of neo-noir The Smack; indeed, I honestly don't even remember why I picked the book up in the first place. Sure, the plot sounds intriguing, but it's pure noir: a washed up con artist gets the chance for one big score that could let him get out of the game forever. That's an idea we've heard...oh, too many times to count. But trust me, that familiarity doesn't do anything to detract from the greatness of The Smack, which is riveting, engaging, and will break your heart even as it crafts a fantastic piece of LA noir.Rowan Petty, when we meet him, is not having what one could call a lucky streak. Indeed, while he's sourly commenting on the washed-up family friend who wants to meet with him, it's not hard to see that Petty resents him for fear that he'll become this man: a laughing-stock, a bad-luck totem who's constantly begging for scraps. So his first instinct, of course, is to laugh off this supposed dream job - a bunch of money smuggled back by Army soldiers defrauding the government over in the Middle East. But the more he sniffs around, the better the deal sounds, and the more his old conman instincts want to kick in. And all that is before a pair of women enter into his life - one new, one old - that give him a reason and a motivation to get out of the game.All of this could be old-hat, easily. But in Lange's hands, The Smack comes to live, turning Petty from an archetype (or a cliche, if you're feeling less generous) and into something richer - someone we really care about. There's no reason that we should get invested in a relationship between a con man and a prostitute who's named herself after Tina Fey, but somehow, it works, giving us a bond between two people who've given up on ever finding a connection to someone that's not about money. It's fraught stuff, one that treads on complicated emotional dynamics, but it comes together beautifully, making me genuinely concerned as to whether these two people can make this unlikely connection work.That's more important than the story itself, in terms of making The Smack work, but that story is no slouch either. With corrupt soldiers, a slew of cons ranging from small to large, and a lived-in sense of what the underworld looks like, The Smack's story is a gripping tale of double-crosses, theft, deception, and some very dangerous men willing to do anything for that money - pure noir tropes, sure, but done with style and grace, and a sense of stakes that's hard to match. Writing a complicated set of heists and cons is one thing; making me genuinely concerned not just that the cons will work, but that these people will come out emotionally okay on the other end - that's far more impressive, and the thing that really made The Smack so great for me.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    very good book
  

*by T***S on Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2017*

Richard Lange is a very talented writer. He pretty much hit all the marks, realistic dialogue, good plot, good overall story, etc. It’s not groundbreaking writing, but this type of story wouldn’t really fit into that category. There’s not much to criticize about this book. I’d say it’s very good, not great in my opinion, but satisfying. The main character in this book isn’t that likeable. He’s gritty. He’s a used up con man, and I think most readers would have difficulty relating to him, or seeing him in a favorable light. The author has the ability to make the reader see the main character’s good side, and that’s no small feat. The story also has a hooker with a heart of gold, kind of. I liked her. This is the kind of story that I admire and enjoy, typically, but I wouldn’t classify it as a page turner, per se. I read it piecemeal over the course of a month. I could definitely put it down, but did come back to it regularly.  I have an eye for finding errors. I find typos in most books, even Stephen King books. The Smack was flawless in this regard – a completely professional product. Overall, I’d say if you enjoy reading Dennis Lehane, Elmore, etc., then this book would be to your liking.

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*Product available on Desertcart Croatia*
*Store origin: HR*
*Last updated: 2026-03-14*