Customer Reviews

The 5th Witch

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Short Summary:
The three main mafia/gang lords of Los Angeles have suddenly found new girlfriends, and they aren't afraid to use them. They have apparently shipped in witches from across the globe who are willing to act as their personal magical bodyguards. Much to the dismay of the police, innocent bystanders and restaurant guests who now find themselves in extremely dangerous situations... like spontaneously combusting. It's up to one down and out cop and his "white witch" neighbor to figure out how to stop them.

This was a very fast read, I started and finished it in the Emergency Room waiting area before we even got to go back to the second holding tank. I read the back of the book to my husband and he laughed "Witches and gangsters, I can't imagine why THAT hasn't been done before." But ignoring his scoffing I plunged ahead anyway and from the start, this book was promising.

Crazy deaths right from the beginning, police baffled, powerful witches on the arms of gang lords... it sounds a bit off when said outloud, but it was going very well. I was drawn in, curious and eager to continue. The beginning is by far the very best part of this book, it's down hill from there but thankfully the slope is gradual. It isn't until you get to the last 50 pages that you realize that Masterton is running out of room to wrap this tale up, and unfortunately the ending feels like a real rush job. Still, the ending was okay, not great, but tolerable.

My biggest issue (which also seems to be a recurring theme in Masterton books... the few I have read at least) is the lack of time passing. Everything occurs in a flash, no one seems overly concerned other than the main characters and the resolution is disturbingly easy. I never found myself worried over our main characters because nothing they did seemed overly hard or stressful. There really weren't any nail biting moments or pages where you find yourself checking your armpits to see if the sweat has soaked through your shirt. I guess that's it... it doesn't evoke any emotion. If you're on a plane or have a long car ride this book will do nicely, but it won't change your world or turn you into a raving Masterton fan.

Dan Fisher, a Los Angeles detective is about to have his world turned upside down. The city of angles is being taken over by the three most dangerous drug lords around, and they have new girlfriends that can make you do anything from puke toads and worms to having hundreds of S.W.A.T men ripped to pieces by monsters. Now Dan must find a way to beat them before they take over the whole city. This is where his neighbor Annie comes in. She a a low level witch and that may be what Dan needs to get the job done. But Annie might now be all that she seems to be either.


I have always loved reading Graham Masterton, he is a great writer and storyteller. The only down side is, i whip through his book within a day and am left wanting more. I give the 5th Witch 7 sculls on the shiver scale. A very fast read.

I have a love/hate thing going on with Graham Masterson--when he's good, he takes you to another place, a new plateau where time ceases to exist, example--for me, EDGEWISE, a great little book!! But when he misses the mark, it's bad.

Friends, THE 5TH WITCH is awesome!! The crime lords of Los Angeles have discovered a new and exciting way to avoid the annoying trials and tribulations of local law enforcement from enfringing upon their turf--witchery!! There are four wickly seductive witches and each crime boss lays claim to one of them. The four witches are part of an intensely powerful coven that is governed by a fifth witch that dates back to the 1700's.

The hero Detective Dan Fisher is wonderfully flawed. Three years earlier, he was driving home from a wedding with his fiancee,they crashed and she died. He has never fully recovered from this, continuing to blame himself for her death, to the point that her ghost has started visiting him at night, seducing him and leaving bizarre messages. Or is it really her?

Add to the mix, Dan's next door neighbor Annie who just happens to be a pretty darn good witch herself. And Annie seems to want to help put a stop to the reign of terror that is spreading like wild fire. Or is she?

That is the fun of THE 5TH WITCH!! Nothing is quite like it seems. Masterson has put a lot of time and research in the details and it makes the meat of the story feel authenic. Also, I loved the way that each of the witches were from a different ethnic backgrounds and their magick spells and practices reflected that.

All in all, I loved this book. I had a hard time putting it down. I just wanted to keep on going and isn't that a sign that the writer has down their job well? So, I would really recommend THE 5TH WITCH!! Just walk very soft after doing so. You never know who or what may be lurking about and you don't want to tick them off:)

I had trouble deciding between three stars or four stars for this one.

On the one hand, the book has an awesome plot, with some great, evil witches doing some really nasty stuff in creative ways, and you can try to predict what will happen, but the author may fool you (at least he fooled me).

However, for some reason, Masterton rushed the ending. It almost felt like he was anxious to get to the ending.

And it seems like a lot of readers are baffled by the last few lines. And when you have to skip around the book to figure out what the last few lines mean, it can kind of spoil your enjoyment.

********* SPOILER ALERT **************

Sorry, Graham, but I didn't spend the whole book remembering what color Annie's cat was.

This book had the potential of 5 star quality but the ending left me at a loss for words. The story plot flowed very well until the last few pages of the book where I felt confused and had to re-read pages to make sure I didn't miss anything. It would have been nice to have a second part to this book so it could be complete.

This story is about gangsters and their "MOLLS", the witches for hire. Reminds me of the movie "The Serpent and the Rainbow" and the television series "The Dresden Files". Black magic and extortion is the name of the game. Law Enforcement is on the run and trying to take back their city. One detective and a witch in training fighting back. And a surprise ending. This story is a bit slow towards the middle, but the characters are interesting.

After getting disappointed with "the House that Jack built", I thought about giving Masterton another chance. While this was better than the House, can't say i was that impressed. I needed more details, maybe more explanations, and most important - i don't really like endings of this type.
i won't spoil it for those who are going to read it, i will say it goes fast (took me a day to read it), sometimes maybe too fast and doesn't give u a good chance to get to know the main characters, or like them or even care for them.
If u r interested in Voodoo or some other types of magic, don't miss this one.

i give it 3 stars of 5.

The Craft is once again foremost in a great supernatural tale spun by the Master of Horror and Suspense.True Horror in my view, since the element of the Supernatural is so very evident as the story events become weaved with the world of the Detective whose life was changed by a car accident.
Masterton once again crafts extreme violence, sensual and maybe malevolent sex and sensuality, with Supernatural themes that intertwine with the world of politics. Each step is so carefully crafted to give the best scare, and yet also tell a great story. Masterton is in fine form in this work. This story would make the coolest Horror film, and its practically script ready.If you loved MANITOU BLOOD, or NIGHT WARS, then the Masterton fan will be more than happy with this work.

I picked "The 5th witch" up seeing something new from Masterton always
perks my interest. I know when I read one of his books its always going
to be well researched and usually has some kind of spirit involved most of
the time and Masterton isn't afraid to scare you with details. I haven't read a book this quickly in
quite a while. I love the way Graham gets into the menace and this does
have some interesting scenes from the witches but I wish it hadn't been
so predictable, but it was a fun read and I would recommend it for those
that like the Twillight style of horror, it has enough bite to hold
interest for all fans of a good spooky late night read.

If you read as much horror as I do, you can get a been-there-done-that sort of feel for the genre. Even if a book is good, it often feels a lot like others you've read. That's why it's always nice to experience a book that is a bit different. Graham Masterton's The 5th Witch is a little different from the typical novel, and that goes a long way to making up for any shortcomings the book may have.

Essentially, this novel is a blend of horror and gangster story, with a trio of vicious Los Angeles crime bosses working with witches to take over the city. How powerful these witches are can be seen even in the first chapter, where one of them makes three cops spontaneously combust and makes an informant drop dead of a heart attack.

Detective Dan Fisher becomes a quick believer when that same witch makes him vomit up a bunch of quarters. Unfortunately, he has a hard time convincing others, which will lead to the deaths of many policemen. The crime bosses and the witches are essentially invulnerable to any police tactics. Dan, however, is spared for some reason.

While a fun read, this book is not without its weaknesses, starting with Dan himself, a rather routine hero. He is a widower, having lost his wife in an accident and now he drinks a lot (although any alcoholism traits seem to be ditched early on in the novel). Fortunately, he has a neighbor who not only is young, beautiful and attracted to him, but also happens to have a keen understanding of the supernatural that will offer an opportunity to stop the three witches and the shadowy fourth witch that is a focus for their power. (As for the fifth witch, you'll need to read the book to understand.)

Also, it's never quite clear why the witches work with the mobsters, or for that matter, why the mobsters concern themselves with acquiring money when they don't need it; whatever they want, they can take. Masterton is a seasoned writer, however (he's published over 70 novels), so he can still make a rather original novel even with a few cliches and plot holes. Despite its problems, The 5th Witch is good enough to merit a solid four star rating: it's not the best of horror novels, but it is a good book.