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Redemption #1
Revenge
Jake Bryant's best friend was murdered . . .His family will be next.
Jake won't let them die too!
Jake Bryant, a former Chicago PD detective, rushes home after his best friend is killed. Determined to find the murderer, he starts his own investigation into Tom's death. However, the case is complicated by a motorcycle gang, drugs, and Jake's feelings for Tom's widow.
But Jake has bigger problems when the police set the killer free - who then decides to silence Tom's family as well. Now Jake is faced with the ultimate dilemma. Does he trust a broken system to protect Tom's family? Or does he seek his own brand of justice?
Jake won't let them die too!
Jake Bryant, a former Chicago PD detective, rushes home after his best friend is killed. Determined to find the murderer, he starts his own investigation into Tom's death. However, the case is complicated by a motorcycle gang, drugs, and Jake's feelings for Tom's widow.
But Jake has bigger problems when the police set the killer free - who then decides to silence Tom's family as well. Now Jake is faced with the ultimate dilemma. Does he trust a broken system to protect Tom's family? Or does he seek his own brand of justice?
219 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
November 5, 2021
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
When someone murders Tom Morgan, his friend, former Chicago police detective Jake Bryant is eager to join the investigation. But Detective Noles, who has the case, doesn’t want Jake’s help. There are few clues; the crime looks like road rage that escalated to murder. Despite the odds, Jake does manage to identify the shooter, but Noles doesn’t have enough evidence to arrest him. Will Jake be able to find the evidence he needs, or will he become judge, jury, and executioner?
Revenge is a book with many characters and a lot of moving parts. It’s an engrossing tale, although there’s a bit more blood and guts than some people may care for. Jake must deal with some dodgy people on his quest for justice, and Jake himself reveals more flaws than your typical hero. Regardless, the story is solid enough to hold the reader’s interest. It’s not a mystery; the killer is revealed early on and even Jake soon learns who he is. Instead, the main storyline revolves around Jake trying to determine what justice for Tom will look like. There are a few subplots thrown in as well.
My main difficulty with the book is that it leaves several loose ends hanging. For instance, as Tom Morgan is dying, one of his last thoughts is the hope Jake will discover and investigate some video evidence he’s hidden. We never hear about that evidence—or its significance—again. Similarly, after an initial dustup with Noles, Jake appears to reach an understanding with the detective. But then Noles disappears from the book. Other characters are introduced only to vanish into limbo as well. All this makes a bit more sense when you consider that Revenge is the first book in a five-book series and, hopefully, the subsequent books may tie the loose ends together.
Still, Revenge is a decent read. It’s not necessarily for those who like their murders neat and clean, yet it isn’t a complete gorefest either. If you like thrillers, you should like Revenge. But you may need to read four more books for everything to totally make sense.
When someone murders Tom Morgan, his friend, former Chicago police detective Jake Bryant is eager to join the investigation. But Detective Noles, who has the case, doesn’t want Jake’s help. There are few clues; the crime looks like road rage that escalated to murder. Despite the odds, Jake does manage to identify the shooter, but Noles doesn’t have enough evidence to arrest him. Will Jake be able to find the evidence he needs, or will he become judge, jury, and executioner?
Revenge is a book with many characters and a lot of moving parts. It’s an engrossing tale, although there’s a bit more blood and guts than some people may care for. Jake must deal with some dodgy people on his quest for justice, and Jake himself reveals more flaws than your typical hero. Regardless, the story is solid enough to hold the reader’s interest. It’s not a mystery; the killer is revealed early on and even Jake soon learns who he is. Instead, the main storyline revolves around Jake trying to determine what justice for Tom will look like. There are a few subplots thrown in as well.
My main difficulty with the book is that it leaves several loose ends hanging. For instance, as Tom Morgan is dying, one of his last thoughts is the hope Jake will discover and investigate some video evidence he’s hidden. We never hear about that evidence—or its significance—again. Similarly, after an initial dustup with Noles, Jake appears to reach an understanding with the detective. But then Noles disappears from the book. Other characters are introduced only to vanish into limbo as well. All this makes a bit more sense when you consider that Revenge is the first book in a five-book series and, hopefully, the subsequent books may tie the loose ends together.
Still, Revenge is a decent read. It’s not necessarily for those who like their murders neat and clean, yet it isn’t a complete gorefest either. If you like thrillers, you should like Revenge. But you may need to read four more books for everything to totally make sense.
April 18, 2022
Revenge
Here is another person who is willing to profane that which many worship by using their names as vulgar exclamations. In addition, this person has no better grasp of language than to flip out f-bombs as common terms. There are better authors available elsewhere.
Here is another person who is willing to profane that which many worship by using their names as vulgar exclamations. In addition, this person has no better grasp of language than to flip out f-bombs as common terms. There are better authors available elsewhere.
May 15, 2022
“Revenge” introduces Jake Bryant, an ex-detective who returns to Michigan after his best friend is found murdered. Unimpressed by the detective assigned to the case and determined to find who killed Tom, Jake begins his own investigation.
Overall, I found this to be a fast-paced and straight-forward read. The start of the book starts out with a bang and drew me in to keep going. The lead character of Jake is broken and well-developed but not exactly likeable. I understood his motives clearly, but wanted something more relatable or endearing to connect to. The same could be said for the best friends of Bobby and Rick. Find the full blog review at heatherlbarksdale.com
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
Overall, I found this to be a fast-paced and straight-forward read. The start of the book starts out with a bang and drew me in to keep going. The lead character of Jake is broken and well-developed but not exactly likeable. I understood his motives clearly, but wanted something more relatable or endearing to connect to. The same could be said for the best friends of Bobby and Rick. Find the full blog review at heatherlbarksdale.com
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
July 23, 2025
gritty and fast paced
A solid revenge thriller with plenty of action and punchy dialogue, no fluff. Good enough to make me check out the 2nd book in the series.
A solid revenge thriller with plenty of action and punchy dialogue, no fluff. Good enough to make me check out the 2nd book in the series.
December 14, 2025
I started this book and it was pretty much just profanity laced garbage. I stuck with it as long as I could and just put it on my DNF Trash Shelf.
May 30, 2022
To be fair, I didn't finish this. Got to 14% on my Kindle and had to stop. Reads like a first draft without the typos. I normally do not leave bad reviews as writing a book is hard work and I give kudos to anyone who manages to write an entire book. Why do so now? Maybe because the dialogue is so bad, perhaps because I'm terribly disappointed as I love revenge-type books and this one had "revenge" in the title. Another reason: this book has good reviews and I want to warn others not to waste their time. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.
September 21, 2026
This year I’ve been telling myself to read more books on my Kindle, namely the hundreds of archived items that I’ve accumulated over the years. I mean going back to 2011 when I first got my Kindle and was snagging all the free books that I could find on Amazon. Bookbub has helped me find quite a few new free reads as of late. Despite wanting to venture back in my library to books that I acquired fifteen years ago, Revenge by Henry Scott, the first book in the Redemption series, caught my eye instead. Published in 2021, I got it free off Amazon back in 2024 (thanks Bookbub!). This was a really well written story and I loved how the preview for book two at the end picked up right where it left off in this book. Not that there was a cliffhanger, but it’s the perfect segue into another story with the main character.
Before we meet Jake Bryant, a former Chicago PD detective, we’re in the POV of a man named Tom Morgan for the prologue. The first thing he does is hide something in his home that would implicate someone. He’s got it all worked out. Copies are stored elsewhere. He’s going to tell his wife later in the day and they’ll turn in what they have to the cops, and then flee. He unfortunately bites the dust, taken out by a hitman moments later that morning while on the way to get one more piece of damning evidence.
We then jump to being in the POV of Jake, standing in front of his best friends grave. A friendship forged way back when they were kids is now gone forever. Jack vows to track down Tom’s killer, not just for Tom’s wife, Mary, and his three kids but for himself and Bobby and Rick, the two other men making up their friend group. Thankfully, having the detective experience helps out a ton, particularly when it comes to attempting to question those who worked with and knew Tom.
The pacing and flow for this story was really well developed and crafted. No chapter felt too short or too long, and each one served its purpose by either introducing someone new or throwing in another connection to the giant web of deceit and planned backstabbing. There’s Jake and his friends wanting revenge. Then there’s a motorcycle group called the Devil’s Hand led by a man named Sonny who has a brother named Caleb who is looking to attempt a coup. There’s also the Outsiders group, who are looking to butt in on the Devil’s Hand’s turf. The way all these different elements in the story managed to come together in a great moment of action in act three was super well done.
The dialogue felt believable, even being downright humorous and witty at times, which had me thinking about J.A. Konrath and his writing with his Jack Daniels series, but it certainly felt like Henry Scott had his own unique voice coming through with the characters. The other action scenes that popped up were also written in great detail to the point that it was super easy seeing the hand-to-hand combat and even the firefights playing out in my head. This story is fairly straightforward but like with any good mystery/thriller novel, it had its bombshell moments that helped raise the stakes even further. Some novels may have the characters just going from point A to point B, sleuthing and figuring out what they need to in order to find the bad guy(s). Here there were the nice surprises that had me wondering what was going to happen next!
I did peek at the descriptions of the next five books in this series, the last book even being a prequel which oughta be interesting! Based on what I read for the other installments it seems that some things left unanswered here will come back to bite in due time. Revenge was a quick read (a little over two hundred pages) and satisfying, and I’m sure the others will be just the same!!
Before we meet Jake Bryant, a former Chicago PD detective, we’re in the POV of a man named Tom Morgan for the prologue. The first thing he does is hide something in his home that would implicate someone. He’s got it all worked out. Copies are stored elsewhere. He’s going to tell his wife later in the day and they’ll turn in what they have to the cops, and then flee. He unfortunately bites the dust, taken out by a hitman moments later that morning while on the way to get one more piece of damning evidence.
We then jump to being in the POV of Jake, standing in front of his best friends grave. A friendship forged way back when they were kids is now gone forever. Jack vows to track down Tom’s killer, not just for Tom’s wife, Mary, and his three kids but for himself and Bobby and Rick, the two other men making up their friend group. Thankfully, having the detective experience helps out a ton, particularly when it comes to attempting to question those who worked with and knew Tom.
The pacing and flow for this story was really well developed and crafted. No chapter felt too short or too long, and each one served its purpose by either introducing someone new or throwing in another connection to the giant web of deceit and planned backstabbing. There’s Jake and his friends wanting revenge. Then there’s a motorcycle group called the Devil’s Hand led by a man named Sonny who has a brother named Caleb who is looking to attempt a coup. There’s also the Outsiders group, who are looking to butt in on the Devil’s Hand’s turf. The way all these different elements in the story managed to come together in a great moment of action in act three was super well done.
The dialogue felt believable, even being downright humorous and witty at times, which had me thinking about J.A. Konrath and his writing with his Jack Daniels series, but it certainly felt like Henry Scott had his own unique voice coming through with the characters. The other action scenes that popped up were also written in great detail to the point that it was super easy seeing the hand-to-hand combat and even the firefights playing out in my head. This story is fairly straightforward but like with any good mystery/thriller novel, it had its bombshell moments that helped raise the stakes even further. Some novels may have the characters just going from point A to point B, sleuthing and figuring out what they need to in order to find the bad guy(s). Here there were the nice surprises that had me wondering what was going to happen next!
I did peek at the descriptions of the next five books in this series, the last book even being a prequel which oughta be interesting! Based on what I read for the other installments it seems that some things left unanswered here will come back to bite in due time. Revenge was a quick read (a little over two hundred pages) and satisfying, and I’m sure the others will be just the same!!
March 22, 2026
Fast-Paced Mafia Thriller That Surprised Me (3.5/5 Stars)
I picked this up not realizing it was a mafia revenge story with warring gangs. It's definitely not my usual thing. Still, it held my interest more than I expected.
What Works:
The pacing absolutely flies. Scott keeps things moving with political maneuvering and mind games between characters that genuinely intrigue. You constantly question whether Jake's friends are actually trustworthy, and watching those dynamics play out keeps you engaged. Jake himself works well as a lead despite occasionally frustrating me with his impulsiveness and quick resort to violence. His relationships with Mary and Emma ground the story in something human amid all the chaos. I wasn't sure about the separate Caleb POV at first, but looking back it adds decent depth and gives the conflict necessary perspective.
What Falls Short:
The canvas gets crowded. Between rival gangs, Jake's crew, and Caleb's storyline, there are just too many names to track. Characters like Jodi and Hysko felt unnecessary as they were present without purpose, taking up space that could have tightened the focus. With so many moving parts, some emotional beats get lost in the shuffle.
Verdict:
Revenge works better than expected for someone outside the genre. The political scheming and unreliable alliances create genuine tension, and Jake's personal stakes keep you invested despite the body count. While the overcrowding and some disposable characters hold it back, this is a solid series opener that delivers exactly what action thriller fans want. I might even check out book two.
Perfect for:
Mafia thriller readers, fans of fast-paced crime sagas, and those who enjoy morally gray loyalty tests.
I picked this up not realizing it was a mafia revenge story with warring gangs. It's definitely not my usual thing. Still, it held my interest more than I expected.
What Works:
The pacing absolutely flies. Scott keeps things moving with political maneuvering and mind games between characters that genuinely intrigue. You constantly question whether Jake's friends are actually trustworthy, and watching those dynamics play out keeps you engaged. Jake himself works well as a lead despite occasionally frustrating me with his impulsiveness and quick resort to violence. His relationships with Mary and Emma ground the story in something human amid all the chaos. I wasn't sure about the separate Caleb POV at first, but looking back it adds decent depth and gives the conflict necessary perspective.
What Falls Short:
The canvas gets crowded. Between rival gangs, Jake's crew, and Caleb's storyline, there are just too many names to track. Characters like Jodi and Hysko felt unnecessary as they were present without purpose, taking up space that could have tightened the focus. With so many moving parts, some emotional beats get lost in the shuffle.
Verdict:
Revenge works better than expected for someone outside the genre. The political scheming and unreliable alliances create genuine tension, and Jake's personal stakes keep you invested despite the body count. While the overcrowding and some disposable characters hold it back, this is a solid series opener that delivers exactly what action thriller fans want. I might even check out book two.
Perfect for:
Mafia thriller readers, fans of fast-paced crime sagas, and those who enjoy morally gray loyalty tests.
April 23, 2023
This had potential but it fell flat. This would be entertaining for people who like a fast paced plot and easy dialogue, but it seemed very first drafty.
There is no character development because a lot of them are in it for very brief periods then kind of just disappear? The main character Jake is extremely unlikable and makes stupid impulsive decisions every few pages that are just frustrating.
The writing itself is very basic and unpolished and reads like a high school English story.
Though I finished the book and there are a million loose ends that I assume will be touched in in the rest of the series, I wasn't enthralled enough to read on to find out.
I will say one satisfying feature of this book is that the really awful characters actually get what's coming to them, because it seems nobody in this book has a moral compass, but in this case even I hated them enough to want them to get their just desserts. So there is that.
There is no character development because a lot of them are in it for very brief periods then kind of just disappear? The main character Jake is extremely unlikable and makes stupid impulsive decisions every few pages that are just frustrating.
The writing itself is very basic and unpolished and reads like a high school English story.
Though I finished the book and there are a million loose ends that I assume will be touched in in the rest of the series, I wasn't enthralled enough to read on to find out.
I will say one satisfying feature of this book is that the really awful characters actually get what's coming to them, because it seems nobody in this book has a moral compass, but in this case even I hated them enough to want them to get their just desserts. So there is that.
August 5, 2025
“Revenge” explores the themes of justice, morality, and the psychological complexities of seeking vengeance. The narrative typically follows a protagonist who experiences betrayal or loss, leading them down a dark path of retribution.
The protagonist’s transformation is compelling, showcasing the emotional toll of revenge.The story maintains suspense, drawing readers into the unfolding drama. It raises thought-provoking questions about the nature of revenge and its consequences.
Overall, “Revenge” is a gripping read that effectively captures the darker aspects of human emotion, though it may not break new ground in its storytelling. If you enjoy psychological thrillers with moral dilemmas, it’s worth checking out!
January 31, 2025
An okay book that has some interesting parts. The hero's friend is killed in a road rage but there's more to the story. While the book has its moments, it doesn't always keep you on the edge of your seat. The characters are clear but can feel a bit predictable.
In short, it's an average read that might entertain you for a while but doesn’t stand out in the thriller genre. If you want a simple, easy read, this book could be for you.
In short, it's an average read that might entertain you for a while but doesn’t stand out in the thriller genre. If you want a simple, easy read, this book could be for you.
January 18, 2024
Excellent read!
Loved this book and can’t wait to read the next one in this series. I couldn’t put this book down and finished it in a little over a day. Lots of twists and turns. Who are the real good guys and who are not? Friends being friends and friends turning on friends. Keeps you on edge until the very end. You HAVE to read this!
Loved this book and can’t wait to read the next one in this series. I couldn’t put this book down and finished it in a little over a day. Lots of twists and turns. Who are the real good guys and who are not? Friends being friends and friends turning on friends. Keeps you on edge until the very end. You HAVE to read this!
September 10, 2026
I liked the premise of this story, but I really got frustrated with the MC. He is impetuous and slow witted, even though he is loyal to a fault and not afraid of much. The writing style is far from literary prose but suits the content of the story. Rough men cuss. Get over it. Fast moving plot with well choreographed action scenes.
January 8, 2022
Not my usual genre, glad I read it! This was an action packed, perfectly paced read. It was a compelling page-turner, with the main character a disgraced detective, it had just the right amount of grit.
April 16, 2023
A great read
Henry Scott has written a thrilling book in The Redemption series. Full of interesting characters and intrigues between gangs in the midst of gang wars.
I would recommend this for people who enjoy action and revenge .
Henry Scott has written a thrilling book in The Redemption series. Full of interesting characters and intrigues between gangs in the midst of gang wars.
I would recommend this for people who enjoy action and revenge .
April 23, 2023
Language
The story line was the thing that kept me reading. I understand the language goes with the characters but cutting back a bit have been better. I probably will not read the next book.
The story line was the thing that kept me reading. I understand the language goes with the characters but cutting back a bit have been better. I probably will not read the next book.
May 4, 2024
This book was a thriller with loose ends. Jake's friend Tomis killed in wat is seen as road rage. The plot is good and revolves around revenge but leaves some loose ends. I recommend this book for thriller readers.
September 6, 2024
It was interesting.
What I liked:
-I will remember the poor turtle being killed in the first chapter.
-The old watch.
What I didn't like:
-Maybe it's just me, but there was too much chit-chat and things that did not move the story along.
What I liked:
-I will remember the poor turtle being killed in the first chapter.
-The old watch.
What I didn't like:
-Maybe it's just me, but there was too much chit-chat and things that did not move the story along.
January 8, 2025
Sorry! 😢
No words🙄! I found the storyline to be less than believable. Just didn’t hold my interest in the least. Almost didn’t finish it. I’m sure others found it to be a good read - just wasn’t for me.
No words🙄! I found the storyline to be less than believable. Just didn’t hold my interest in the least. Almost didn’t finish it. I’m sure others found it to be a good read - just wasn’t for me.
January 20, 2022
Misguided?
A suspenseful story. The characters were very believable. Looking forward to book two to see how this story ends finally.
A suspenseful story. The characters were very believable. Looking forward to book two to see how this story ends finally.
April 25, 2022
good book
Wasn’t interesting at first but got really good about half way. Wanting to get the second book. I would recommend this book to family members and friends.
Wasn’t interesting at first but got really good about half way. Wanting to get the second book. I would recommend this book to family members and friends.
May 30, 2022
First time reading Henry Scott and came away really impressed. The story was top notch, the characters were great and the book just flowed real nicely. Was hard to put down. Recommend.
May 31, 2022
An entertaining series, a good summer read.
June 10, 2022
Book was just OK. It took me longer to read than it should have.... plot was simple, characters were dumb, ending was not surprising. But I DID finish reading it.
July 24, 2022
Was okay
Was really interesting and entertaining. I found the characters were interesting and very riveting. The struggles were well defined and very easy to follow.
Was really interesting and entertaining. I found the characters were interesting and very riveting. The struggles were well defined and very easy to follow.
October 4, 2022
Revenge Can Be Deadly
The revenge in this book takes a man farther than he wants to go and stays with him longer than he wants it to stay. Good read. Big D
The revenge in this book takes a man farther than he wants to go and stays with him longer than he wants it to stay. Good read. Big D
November 2, 2022
First in a series and first time author for me. I think there is a loose end of Toms death. Did they find the Zip drive? Guess it will be covered in the next book. I plan to finish the series.
May 1, 2023
Brilliant story line
Seat gripping twisty turned thriller just read it download the next book now so that is me finished for the weekend
Seat gripping twisty turned thriller just read it download the next book now so that is me finished for the weekend
September 21, 2023
Revenge
Henry Scott did a remarkable job writing this story. I didn't want to put it down.I can't wait to read the next one.
Henry Scott did a remarkable job writing this story. I didn't want to put it down.I can't wait to read the next one.
Did Not Finish
October 11, 2023DNF…Read 32% but I was bored
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews