Last Acts

October 30, 2023
Sammartino’s acerbic debut revolves around a troubled father and son in a desolate part of Phoenix, Ariz. David Rizzo’s 30-year-old son, Nick, who’s on the rebound from a heroin overdose, agrees to help his father turn around his latest failing business, a gun shop in an industrial wasteland. They devise a marketing scheme involving a pledge to donate a percentage of the store’s proceeds to a drug rehab center, with Nick acting as the campaign’s poster boy. It works, until a school shooting dampens interest in gun sales. Sammartino spices up the shaggy dog narrative with a transcript of the Rizzos’ various failed attempts to make a TV commercial (“NICK remains in front of wall, but his smile fades, replaced by a glazed stare. He fidgets”) and social media posts Nick writes for a hospice in an effort to raise more cash (“Dying is hard. We make it easy”; “never die alone again #unity”). Sammartino takes aim at some broad and predictable targets as he traces the Rizzos’ downward slide through a collapsing America. Still, his characters’ mutual affection feels genuine. This satisfies on multiple levels. Agent: Michael Mungiello, InkWell Management.

April 1, 2024

Gun shop owner David Rizzo and his 30-year-old son Nick are a truly dysfunctional duo. Clumsily leaning on each other through drug overdoses, debt, and bad business decisions, they strive to better their relationship, scheme to improve their lives, and generally fail at both. At the heart of their plans and plots is the American dream of family and fortune. Over several years, they come to realize that maybe all they really need is each other. Sammartino makes a funny, fast-paced debut with this satirical literary novel about a flawed father and son and their big-fish, small-pond struggles. The narrative is both touching and topical, including gun violence and school shootings, drug addiction, and capitalism. Narrator Pete Simonelli captures the heartwarming and humorous relationships that fill this complex, character-driven story. His expressive performance enhances the listening experience of this thought-provoking tale. VERDICT This audio will appeal to listeners seeking compelling contemporary fiction about family businesses and father/son relationships. Recommended for fans of classic satire authors like Joseph Heller and contemporaries like Frank Bill.--Lauren Hackert

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