Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Published by: Koehler Books
Publication date: 31st July 2026
Content warnings: death, blood, slavery, gambling

Other books by Jeffrey K Schmoll:
The Treasure of Tundavala Gap (Book 1)

“The colonel was out there. His only family. Whatever it took, he was going to bring him home.”

After reading and loving Jeff’s debut a couple of years ago, I was super excited to dive into this one, the second in the series! It was fantastic, an action-packed thriller that had me racing to the end. I love this author’s writing as well as his brilliant characters, and I’m already looking forward to a third book. I’m so happy to be sharing my review for The Colonel’s Revenge by Jeffrey K Schmoll!

About the book

The prison is sealed. The vault is wired. But history always collects.

On the scorched battlefields of 1980s Angola, Colonel Juan Mateus de Silva survives a brutal ambush that costs him everything. His men. His command. His closest friend. When his general abandons them to die, de Silva answers in blood. Marked for execution, he flees across the border into Namibia. He is not running from justice. He is hunting it.

With a South African deserter at his side, he disappears into the shadows of Cape Town. But betrayal follows.

Decades later in California, his grandson uncovers an impossible truth. The colonel is still alive, buried deep inside an illegal gold mine in South Africa. Getting him out will take a crew, a flawless plan, and absolute precision under fire. The trail leads back to Cape Town, where a fortified casino holds the key to finishing what was started years ago.

The Colonel’s Revenge is a high-stakes thriller of war, betrayal, and a heist built on debts that refuse to die.

The beginning

The atmosphere in that very first chapter was off-the-scale good! I remember the previous book in this series – The Treasure of Tundavala Gap – starting in a similar way. The Angolan civil war. Epic action, a bloody battlefield and such uncertain outcomes. It’s a gruesome start, but it sure does grab you! Schmoll’s writing is absolutely stellar, with vivid description and characters you quite literally don’t want to part with. Of course, I’m referencing Colonel Juan Mateus de Silva for one! De Silva somehow survives such a horrific ordeal, an ambush that wiped out his men, including his closest friend. I wasn’t expecting the emotion so early on, but it hit me. Upon being unfairly blamed for what happened, he deals with it, and aims to seek justice in true de Silva style. In the present day, we’re reunited with another character I loved from book one, de Silva’s grandson, Mateus, now a first year professor at a California college. I couldn’t wait to see how the lives of Mateus and his grandfather would interlink this time around… and if the synposis was anything to go by, I knew we were in for a treat!

“De Silva’s stomach churned with anxiety amid the heat and the noise. This wasn’t just a mine. It was a death sentence.”

Of course, the smuggled diamonds recovered by Mateus and his friend, Tay, in book one wouldn’t have just been left gathering dust somewhere. No no no. He now owns a multi-million dollar non-profit, an organisation helping those in Africa gain access to clean water. He’s a CEO, with a good heart. This couldn’t have been further from the cocaine addict we met right at the start! And speaking of riches, de Silva has his own plans and a bag full of gems after escaping death. I was completely engrossed in this stage of his life, but it was one which unfortunately resulted in him trusting the wrong man. Something felt off about this new ‘friend’, yet I was still shocked at what happened here! Forced to work in the mines after this betrayal, I wasn’t convinced de Silva would get out of this unscathed, especially when told there was no way out for him. But this is de Silva we’re talking about here. He is clever, cunning. He’d have a plan eventually, I was confident about it! I flew through these chapters and loved such vivid, brilliant description of people and locations. It was so easy to place myself there!

The middle

Mateus discovers that his grandfather, the Colonel Juan Mateus de Silva we know and love, is still alive. And that he is in trouble. A map showing the mine he’d been held captive in is all Mateus and his friends need to kick them into gear. They were going to find this place. They were going to find the colonel and free him from years of slavery. But I also knew the colonel would be hungry for revenge. The alternate timelines worked flawlessly, and I loved the back and forth between de Silva’s chapters as well as those from Mateus’s POV. Despite de Silva’s predicament, the fact that he would unlikely get out of this mine alive, he doesn’t half put up a fight. He is courageous and he’s not afraid to take a risk if it’s worth a shot for freedom. I was completely captivated by each and every scene in this mine. It was pure gold (pun unintended!) The brutal working conditions, oppressive leaders, lives hanging in the balance. I loved the plans Mateus and the crew conjure up in an attempt to save his life and free him from this prison. Things were about to get intense.

“His face was craggy and chiseled, carved by time and sun, like weathered stone. Deep lines ran from the corners of his eyes, and a vertical scar split one eyebrow. Formidable. The resemblance hit like a wave. It was like staring into his own future.”

I found it unexpectedly emotional as Mateus moved closer and closer in proximity to his grandfather. The meticulous planning and preparation was so brilliantly done, and I was so hopeful that their operation would be a success. Of course, nothing good comes easy, and this was such a dangerous path. I seemed to hold my breath in parts, the tension all-consuming. The author always kept me on my toes, the stress and anxiety I felt for both de Silva and Mateus kept me up at night! There are some fantastic action-packed scenes, guns, grenades and smoke bombs, absolute chaos ensues making this such an epic battle to save de Silva. So gripping and with such uncertain outcomes for everyone. But in that one moment when Mateus comes face to face with his grandfather, time stood still for me. What a surreal moment! I became concerned about injuries obtained and the fate of characters I’d grown to love over the two books in the series so far. But there was one man de Silva needed to meet again, if it was the last thing he did. The one who took everything from him. It was time for revenge.

The end

If all this wasn’t epic and exciting enough, it’s revealed that Mateus has been screwed over in a similar way by someone he and his company trusted. I was even more frustrated for these characters, even more desperate to see some more action, some revenge! And boy do we get it. Clever plans are put into motion. It seems there would be double the revenge happening, and I was here for it! Part of their plans involved getting to grips with the comings and goings of a casino, learning how to cheat the system, how to bankrupt someone who sure as hell deserved it. The detail in all this was mind-blowing, and I came to the conclusion that the author has either done an insane level of research, or is writing from experience in rigging and taking down a casino. I mean, I’m fine with either 😆 It was brilliantly executed! Throughout the book, I’d felt the tension, I’d felt dread and fear and uncertainty, but this all felt amplified by those ending chapters. Their hard work had to be worth it. It had to work flawlessly. And there was only one way to find out.

“Tati has four hundred million of our money. I can’t let that stand. I’m going after him. No matter what it takes.”

I could really feel the atmosphere as the next part of their plan was put into motion. There was a buzz of excitement from Mateus, de Silva and their crew, combined with unease, frustration and anger from the casino big dogs. This heist was planned to perfection, the satisfaction that came afterwards radiated from the pages, and I felt it too. Sooo good! But as the men get what they wanted, righted some wrongs, got some of that delicious revenge that was so desperately craved, it’s clear this wasn’t over. And that ending was one I will be thinking about daily until I get the next book into my hands! There are some unanswered questions, so much more to learn and uncover, and more importantly, more revenge to come. I could feel it. I have completely loved my time with this book, and it seems Jeff never fails to deliver on the action and suspense. If you love your thrillers with plenty of fast-paced action, with war and betrayal, with solid characters to love and to loathe, this series will be right up your street. Make sure you start with book one though, The Treasure of Tundavala Gap before jumping into this book!

Overall thoughts

The Colonel’s Revenge is an immersive, action-packed adventure thriller with war, betrayal and revenge at its heart. I loved my time with it! Revenge thrillers are one of my favourite sub genres, and this one felt so different to those I’ve read previously. There was something so captivating and eye opening about the way this author explores the horrors and devastation of war, how it changes a person. The brutality of slavery, and a yearning for justice. There was an intensity about it all that grabbed me from the start. It’s dangerous, unpredictable and so incredibly thrilling. During the Angolan War, Colonel Juan Mateus de Silva survives a brutal ambush that costs him everything. he’s forced to flee, but he’s not finished. He’s out for revenge. Miles away in California, his grandson uncovers an impossible truth. That his grandfather – the colonel – is still alive, sold as a slave in an illegal South African gold mine. A plan to save him is soon underway, but getting him out will be their biggest test yet. And what comes after… well you are in for a treat!

There is so much to love in this book. Adventure spanning across South Africa and California, powerful friendships and gutting betrayals, a meticulously planned casino heist (yeah, like that epic Ocean’s Thirteen scene, just better!), characters with powerful connections and bonds, justice and hope and friendship. And if all this wasn’t enough, this author is a fantastic writer too, and I was always completely engrossed in every sentence. He writes epic battles and action just as well as he writes emotion; this book really captures his depth and ability as a writer. An intense, high-stakes thriller that will stick with you. I’m so looking forward to book three 👏

You can grab your own copy of The Colonel’s Revenge right now on Amazon* or wherever you buy your books. Make sure you’re following the author over on Instagram for more updates!

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