Book Review: One Good Punch by Rich Wallace

One Good Punch is a novella by Rich Wallace that is a perfect, easy read. Written in 2007, One Good Punch follows Mike Kerrigan, a fictional high school track star from Scranton, PA. Mike is known as a good kid, and no one would suspect anything of him. That was until his childhood best friend, Joey, puts marijuana in Mike’s locker over the weekend on which a drug sweep takes place. After talking to administration, Mike is given two choices. Confess who placed it there or be expelled. And as the reality sets in, Mike needs to decide whether he is going to save his senior track season and future or protect Joey. Throughout the novel, Mike discovers the good reasons and horrible consequences of each decision.

I, personally, really enjoyed this book. Even though it was fairly short, it still contained an attention-drawing story that really packed a “punch.” While I was reading this book, I felt suspense and cared for the characters throughout. This was the first book by Rich Wallace that I’ve read, and beforehand, I had no idea who this author was. When I picked this book, I was in a rush and grabbed the first relatively short book I saw. And after reading the book, I’m very glad that I dedicated the time to finish this book, because this author is truly underrated. The writing style is very articulate and relatable to how a modern teen may think. Additionally, as someone who’s never participated in track and field or XC, I can say that this novel made the sport very easy to understand when it was mentioned. Mike’s stress throughout the book was very skillfully expressed, and it left me thinking about what I would do in his situation when I wasn’t actively reading the book. The only reason I knocked off ½ a star is because I was personally slightly unsatisfied with the ending. I’m not saying that the ending is of bad quality, but I’m saying that I just wouldn’t have made the same decision as Mike, and it left me disappointed in him. Overall, this book is a masterpiece and really deserves more recognition than it gets. I strongly recommend this book to everyone who’s looking for a short, but gripping, novel.