Published independently in November 2024, Wes Davis’s Vendetta is a character-driven thriller that asks a deceptively simple question: is revenge ever truly worth it? The novel follows Barrett Coleson, a wealthy and celebrated actor living in Malibu, as he reflects on the events that shaped him and the dangerous consequences of a decision he made years ago to help law enforcement. I reviewed Wes Davis’ other book, A House to Die For, quite recently which you can find here, so was excited to dig into this one.
The story begins and ends with an interview between Barrett and journalist Sandy Cahill at Barrett’s Malibu home. It’s a fun format to read, and the book quickly pivots backward to explore the formative experiences that made Barrett who he is. Growing up in working-class Pocatello, Idaho in the 1970s, Barrett came from a loving but struggling family, trying to come to terms with his identity as a gay person.
Everything changes on a summer day in 1982 when a Pocatello police officer arrives at the Coleson home and arrests Barrett’s already-ill father, Charles, for an outstanding traffic ticket. The arrest is routine from the officer’s perspective, but for Charles, recovering from a heart attack and fragile, the stress and humiliation prove catastrophic. He dies days later. His older brother tells young Barrett the blame is his: “This is your fault… If you did not do that, Dad would be alive.” That accusation lodges itself into Barrett’s psyche.
Years later, when Barrett testified against a criminal, he realises he has made a deadly enemy. Someone connected to that case has spent years planning revenge, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Suddenly, Barrett and everyone he loves are targeted in a carefully orchestrated assassination plot by someone intelligent, and absolutely committed to making Barrett understand that his good deed came with a catastrophic price.
The characterization of Barrett is one of the novel’s highlights, and seeing him grow and mature in the novel is a joy to read. His relationship with his partner Jackson is portrayed with mature restraint, and the LGBT representation avoids sensationalism. Barrett’s sexuality is just one part of his identity, not the entire story. This feels realistic and grounded in a way that’s rare in contemporary thrillers. I really enjoyed the flashback scene of Barrett and Jackson flirting in New York, which feels like something from a romance novel.
The book has a couple of limitations that prevent it from reaching its full potential. Much like in the previous book I reviewed, the most immediately frustrating issue is the lack of clear formatting. Scene breaks aren’t marked with chapter numbers or bolded transitions like that is standard. For a novel that’s already juggling multiple timelines and locations, clearer structural markers would significantly improve readability and prevent the disorienting moments that occasionally interrupt the narrative flow.
Additionally, not to be overcritical but the cover is slightly misleading. It looks like a James Bond-style action thriller. But the actual book does not have that much action. Also, just as a friendly note to the author there’s also a typo in the blurb (venetta instead of vendetta!). I just wanted to notify him.
The book is a good length at approximately 262 pages, substantial enough to develop its themes without feeling bloated. And Vendetta is genuinely ambitious in scope. It functions simultaneously as a character study, a thriller, a family drama, a coming-of-age story, and a gay novel. Sometimes these elements work together seamlessly. Other times, they feel like separate novels competing for attention.
The book weaves together Barrett’s psychological journey with Smithson’s obsessive vendetta, adds in the unexpected complication of Everett (Barrett’s biological son, born when he was engaged to Cindy and didn’t yet understand his sexuality), and layers on the investigation with the NYPD and FBI. The Everett subplot, in particular, is delightfully soap opera-ish in its complexity. It’s over-the-top in a way that could feel ridiculous, and the drama is sometimes unbelievable, but that’s part of what makes it entertaining. There’s an excess to some of the plot twists that suggests Davis is having fun with the material, and that enjoyment is contagious to readers.
One of the novel’s smartest choices is how it cuts back and forth between different perspectives to keep the pacing from slowing. Rather than delivering all backstory in one dense section, Davis weaves past and present together, allowing readers to experience Barrett’s reflections as an actual person recalling their life. This approach also reinforces one of the novel’s central themes: the past is never truly past. It actively shapes our present. The only downside is that certain aspects feel rushed, such as Barrett and Jackson’s relationship.
Despite a few minor spelling or grammar errors, the writing itself is solid. Davis knows how to tell a story. He trusts readers to understand subtext and find emotion in restraint rather than explicit description. The characters feel real, and most importantly are likeable, especially the main character (who canonically has an EGOT, by the way!). The dialogue mostly sounds natural and is enjoyable to read, even if sometimes characters’ speech can be a bit wooden.
All in all, Vendetta is a solid thriller built around a genuinely compelling story, even if its presentation occasionally lets it down. At its core, the novel succeeds because of its strong, entertaining plot. The strength of the characters, the grounded relationships, and the central idea of “no good deed goes unpunished” and message about the futility of vendettas make it an engaging and worthwhile read.
Final verdict: For fans of Freida McFadden, Harlan Coben and Michael Connelly, this is an easily recommendable thriller with a very memorable plot and genuinely great characters, as long as you don’t mind some rough edges.
You can get your copy of Vendetta here!
