Review: A Place of Vengeance by David Lafferty

Gypsy curses, gym class crushes and ghostly visions haunt the pages of A Place of Vengeance: Tales from Windward Cove by David Lafferty, a clever piece of supernatural teen drama.

An aspiring young psychic trying to find his way in life by getting in touch with the afterlife, Ben Wolf is the humbly cool protagonist of this wild tale, boasting the perfect blend of self-deprecation and untapped potential. High school is hard as a new kid in town, and while Ben’s noble nature and crew of summertime friends make things a bit easier, something paranormal is going on at Silver Creek High. People are being hurt in bizarre ways, dances are getting ruined, and the vibes Ben is picking up aren’t just bad, they’re downright malicious.

Ben may have the prettiest girl in town on his arm, but if he wants to keep his friends safe and his school sane, he’ll have to put his otherworldly skills to use. Though he’s always eager to unwrap a mystery with his paranormal-loving friends at his side, unraveling this accursed case pushes Ben’s psychic abilities to the limit.

The camaraderie and relationship-building of the core characters are detailed and intimate, giving readers a real sense of the strong bonds of friendship and shared values between Les, Ab, and Ben. The supporting cast, particularly Gina, Darren, Kelly, and Alan add depth and believability to every scene. The secondary characters range from archetypal high school villains to enigmatic gems, each with a peculiar dash of originality.

Thematically, Lafferty excels in capturing both contemporary issues and the timeless struggles of teenagers, and these valuable moments of reflection and revelation develop naturally in the prose. Whether it’s a classic scene of the new kid standing up to the jock and stealing his girl, or a spider-sense moment of empathy regarding the trauma of others, the narrative moves freely between plot movement and thoughtful commentary. The paranormal elements of the story make the premise more flashy and engaging up front, but they don’t overwhelm the book’s well-told realities of growing up.

That said, the scene-setting can drag on in some places, especially in the first third of the book, which doesn’t move as quickly as the tone set in the opening chapters. While some of the lunchroom gossip, bully-busting moments, and romantic homecoming scenes move the action forward, the larger arc can get lost in Lafferty’s blow-by-blow storytelling.

On a technical level, the writing is clean and professionally edited, though there are some formatting issues that can feel confusing, such as the use of italics for internal monologues, emphasized lines of dialogue, and in-narration asides all on the same page. There are also scattered typos, missing commas, and spots of dialogue that feel a bit too clever to be believed, even for the wittiest echelons of high school banter. The main issues are excess narration, redundant scenic descriptions, and dialogic exchanges that slow the pace without progressing the story.

Despite these issues, the vivid realm of Windward Cove and its instantly intriguing denizens make for a satisfying mixture of coming of age novel and paranormal mystery, resulting in a macabre and memorable escape.