Smoky Joe's Cafe cover art

Smoky Joe's Cafe

 Preview

Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Smoky Joe's Cafe

By: Bryce Courtenay
Narrated by: Humphrey Bower
Try Premium Plus free

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $21.99

Buy Now for $21.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.
Cancel

About this listen

Thommo returns from Vietnam to an Australia that regards him as a mercenary guilty of war crimes. He begins to develop all kinds of physical and mental problems, and thinks it must only be him until he finds he is not alone. Ten mates, all who remain of his platoon who fought and died in the Battle of Long Tan, are affected the same way.

Now Thommo and his mates are eleven angry men out for revenge. They rope in an ex-Viet Cong with 'special skills' and his own secret agenda. They're the 'Dirty Dozen', just like the movie. Only it's real life, and they're so screwed up they couldn't fight their way out of a wet paper bag. That is, until a woman of character steps in.

©2013 Bryce Courtenay. By arrangement with Penguin Books Australia Ltd. Christine Courtenay (P)2014 Bolinda Publishing Pyt Ltd Fiction Literary Fiction

Critic Reviews

"Humphrey Bower is Thommo, stressed-out Aussie Vietnam vet. His pace is frantic, his language raw, his accent spot-on. Thommo and his fellow vets grow marijuana to benefit Thommo's leukemia-stricken daughter and other children damaged by Agent Orange. The project is a huge success. All the characters are memorable, especially Thommo's wife, owner of the titular café, and the brains behind these operations. The final chapter is read in the voice of Thommo's daughter. Not all the jargon will be familiar to Statesiders, but that shouldn't matter." (AudioFile Magazine)

What listeners say about Smoky Joe's Cafe

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    43
  • 4 Stars
    12
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    46
  • 4 Stars
    8
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    41
  • 4 Stars
    11
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.com.au reviews

Amazon Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anonymous User

Mary-Anne

Absolutely LOVED .this story. Would now be one of my favorite Bryce Courtney stories

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anonymous User

smokie joes

awesome story, would make a great movie
written with the help of veterans and wives

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Jaidee

Short, but powerful story

Really good story, far from the author’s best, though still engaging and quite emotional at the end. Wonderful narration as always from Humphrey Bower.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anonymous User

Not my sort of book.

The narrator did an amazing job telling this story but I can't say I loved the story as I didn't. I can say that the story most likely portrayed happenings that occurred after the Vietnam war.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.