Bryce Courtenay 
Smoky Joe’s Cafe 

A Vietnam vet returns to an Australia that regards him as a mercenary guilty of war crimes. Thommo begins to develop all kinds of physical and mental problems, and thinks it must only be him until he finds that he is not alone. Ten mates, all who remain of his platoon, are affected in 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. Wendy’s infant daughter is dying and needs a transplant. She sets out to mould this bunch of ex-jungle fighters into a unit that will fight for justice, by fair means or foul. Hell hath no fury … ’Courtenay’s yarn about a whacky bunch of Vietnam vets keeps moving … it’s dead centre in Courtenay’s oeuvre, an easy read with a social conscience.’ Weekend Australian brycecourtenay.com facebook.com/Bryce Courtenay