Author: Jeffrey K Schmoll
Genre: Thriller
Year Published: 2026
Nerdection Rating:
“Nerdection Must Read”
The Colonel’s Revenge by Jeffrey K. Schmoll is a fast, muscular thriller filled with war scars, old betrayals, buried treasure, family loyalty, and one very satisfying revenge plot. This is the kind of book that does not sit still for long. It moves from the battlefields of Angola to an illegal South African mine, then into a modern casino-heist storyline with a team of brilliant misfits trying to pull off the impossible.
Spoiler-Free Plot
The story follows Colonel Juan Mateus de Silva, a Cuban officer whose life is shattered after a disastrous battle in Angola. Betrayed, blamed, and hunted, de Silva survives through grit, violence, and sheer force of will. But one betrayal leads to another, and he disappears into a brutal underground world where survival becomes its own kind of war.
Decades later, his grandson Mateus discovers that the colonel may still be alive. With the help of Tay, Muni, and Hugh, Mateus sets out on a dangerous rescue mission that quickly becomes something bigger: a battle against the men who stole the colonel’s life, his fortune, and his future.
My Take on The Colonel’s Revenge
I really enjoyed how ambitious this book is. It does not settle into just one type of thriller. At first, it feels like a gritty military revenge story. Then it turns into a survival story, then a rescue mission, then a casino-heist adventure. That could have easily felt messy, but the book keeps a strong emotional thread through de Silva and Mateus.
De Silva is the heart of the novel. He is violent, damaged, stubborn, and sometimes frightening, but he is also deeply human. His grief, guilt, Catholic faith, longing for family, and need for justice make him more than just an action figure. Mateus is also compelling because he brings a very different kind of strength: intelligence, awkwardness, loyalty, and the painful need to belong.
The action scenes are detailed and cinematic, especially the Angola opening and the Bekebeke rescue. I also liked the team dynamic. Tay, Muni, and Hugh bring humor and energy that help balance the darker parts of the story.
The violence in this book is very graphic, so this is not a light adventure, but for readers who enjoy layered revenge stories with high-stakes planning and big set pieces, those details will likely be part of the appeal.
Overall, The Colonel’s Revenge is bold, intense, and entertaining. It is a thriller with brains, blood, and heart, and it leaves the door wide open for more.
About The Author Of The Colonel’s Revenge
Jeffrey K Schmoll is the award-winning author of The Treasure of Tundavala Gap. He grew up among the tumbleweeds of Bakersfield, California, then spent years living and working on four continents and in seventeen homes with his wife and two children. From the rugged landscapes of Scotland to the vibrant cultures of Australia, Texas, and Louisiana, each place shaped him. None more than Angola, where his love for its people and landscape was born. Today he balances a deep faith, community service, competitive tennis, jewelry making, and epic adventure hikes that include summiting Mount Whitney and Half Dome each in a single day.
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