The 5th Witch (Mass Market Paperback)

by Graham Masterton (Author)
Key Phrases: witch compass, breaching ram, fourth witch, Chief O'Malley, Orestes Vasquez, Lida Siado (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Black magic, mobsters and evil witches hold La La Land hostage, making Masterton's latest batch of chills and chuckles (Prey) scarier than a writers' strike. Along with most of the city, Det. Dan Fisher, West Hollywood Homicide Division, is horrified as international crime czars take over law enforcement in a bloody coup with the spooky aid of the Quintex of 350-year-old witch Rebecca Greensmith, who's able to be in five places (and bodies) at one time. She's backed up by a Haitian witch, Michelange DuPriz, who works for the zombie Jean-Christophe Artisson; by Miska Vedma, a Russian witch helping White Ghost Vasili Krylov; and by others. Haunted by the death of his wife, Gayle, three years earlier, Dan lives next to good witch Annie Conjure, who pitches in. Rebecca's malevolent forces kill some of L.A.'s A-list, and Dan will stop at nothing to save his fair city and put an old ghost to rest. Masterton, a veteran horror author notable for his dark humor and snazzy plotting, pulls off yet another clever thriller. (Apr.)
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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 325 pages
• Publisher: Leisure Books (April 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0843957905
• ISBN-13: 978-0843957907
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 3.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #560,755 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good for a plane ride, April 29, 2008

By	K. D. Payne "Ravenskya the Princess of Horror" (Chattanooga) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

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.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Of crime and covens, May 25, 2008

By	mrliteral - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

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.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fast read, May 22, 2008

By	G. Harris "sweetheart278" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.