Could a witch hunt happen again in Salem?New York Times bestselling author of The Lace Reader Brunonia Barry returns to Salem with this spellbinding new thriller, a complex brew of suspense, seduction and murder.When a teenage boy dies suspiciously on Halloween night, Salem’s chief of police, John Rafferty, wonders if there is a connection between his death and Salem’s most notorious cold case, a … and Salem’s most notorious cold case, a triple homicide dubbed “The Goddess Murders,” in which three young women, all descended from accused Salem witches, were slashed on Halloween night in 1989. He finds unexpected help in Callie Cahill, the daughter of one of the victims newly returned to town. Neither believes that the main suspect, Rose Whelan, respected local historian, is guilty of murder or witchcraft.
But exonerating Rose might mean crossing paths with a dangerous force. Were the women victims of an all-too-human vengeance, or was the devil raised in Salem that night? And if they cannot discover what truly happened, will evil rise again?
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There is true magic in The Fifth Petal, where Salem’s dark history of murder threatens to destroy yet one more young woman, a descendant of one of the accused witches. As in The Lace Reader, Brunonia Barry weaves together ancient myths, modern mysteries and the power and wisdom of a cabal of fearless women who’ve been touched by the invisible world.
Love this series
“You know who you are. You have always been other.” Rose’s Book of Trees
Those who have always known they are other will find a home away from home in The Fifth Petal by Brunonia Barry. Set in modern Salem, Massachusetts, The Fifth Petal not only obscures the boundary between the past and the present, but it also comingles the real with the not quite real.
The Fifth Petal opens with a confrontation between Rose, a mentally challenged homeless woman, and three young punks. The one who threatens to attack Rose dies as he makes his move. Rose believes she killed him with Banshee magic. This bizarre encounter triggers a police investigation that harkens back to a singular cold-case.
In 1989 three women suspected of witchcraft are murdered in Salem. There are two survivors; however, neither appears to know the identity of the person who slaughtered the beautiful victims later to become known as the Goddesses. The bodies disappear. One witness, Rose, goes mad, and the other, a very young girl, is mysteriously whisked away. All the townspeople remember of the child is that she spent the night of horrors hiding in the underbrush, screaming like a banshee.
Twenty-five years later, Callie Cahill, the child who survived the slaughter of the goddesses, catches a glimpse of Rose on the local news program and heads back to Salem to search for answers, to illuminate the shadows that enshroud her past.
Barry creates a palpable sense of place. Salem, Mecca for witches, is real, mysterious, and strangely inviting. The descriptions are highly visual and complete without any wasted words or tedious redundancies. Readers will feel at home in every location and may believe if they ever visit Salem they will know their way around.
The plot is a unique, complex and haunted by Salem’s past and its dark, evil nature which is not due to the activities of witches, but to the machinations of nefarious Puritans. Barry melds the past with the present, comparing the behavior of persons who other those they do not understand in the past and the present. Mysterious aspects of the original witch executions are laced together with the murders of the three goddesses. The repeating focus on trees creates unity between generations and between the crimes. The inclusion of aspects of astronomy and astrology adds interest. The pacing will keep readers interested throughout the novel. The backstory guarantees that readers who did not read the precursor to this novel will enjoy The Fifth Petal as a standalone.
The characters are drawn by the hand of an artist. They are complex, diverse, flawed, and complete and enhanced by intertwined backstories that make them interesting, human, approachable. Callie is a professional practitioner of sound healing, a craft that might have sent her to the gallows during the Puritan era. Police Chief Rafferty, troubled by a past indiscretion, struggles to keep peace in Salem while he endeavors to solve the mystery of the three goddesses. His wife, Towner, dedicates her efforts to helping abused women. She also protects Callie and Rose who continues to believe she is a banshee.
Barry’s writing is immaculate, smooth, flawless and privileges show over tell. Her prodigious literary skill adds value to the tale and guarantees a pleasant reading experience. The ideal fan for this novel will most likely be female, especially those who are interested in the occult. No, there is no overt casting of spells, no spooky ceremonies, no devils. However, a perceptive reader will begin to wonder if true witchcraft is simply the inborn power of the feminine that only needs a triggering event to produce a revelation.
The Fifth Petal is a satisfying read.
Rougeski
A great read, rich in history, life, love, …loss….
A multiple murder from the past that remains unsolved and a current death that may or may not be murder in a town whose very name is synonymous with witches. Add to that a growing suspect list and a boatload of secrets. Brunonia Barry is quite talented and that shows in The Fifth Petal. The writing is descriptive, the characters are interesting, and the suspense builds as the story progresses. The supernatural element does add something to the mystery, and most of the solving process is done through visions and memories rather than actual investigation. Nevertheless, Chief Rafferty is an engaging character in spite of having little to go on with these cases. I did have trouble warming up to Callie, but she did grow on me as her story unfolds and the author does a good job of eliciting sympathy for her situation. The story does tend to ramble at times with unnecessary information and some chapters end rather abruptly, both of which become a distraction from an otherwise good story. On a positive note, I did enjoy the bits of history from the witch trials sprinkled throughout the book, and the twists and secrets revealed kept me turning pages to find the answers.
I was searching for more seasonal/ witchy reads for October and came across this new paperback release. One of the most appealing things was the fact that Ms. Barry lives in Salem herself. Who better to write about Salem than a woman who lives in Salem and is familiar with its history? I was hoping for a good murder mystery/ detective type story with a magical undertone. I wasn’t disappointed!
My understanding is that this is one in a series of novels set in Salem, Massachusetts. But this book can be read as a stand-alone novel.
There is a little bit of everything in this book – history, mystery, love, suspense, and magic. Ms. Barry has obviously done her research on not only Salem and the witch trials but on various religions and beliefs of the world. Never at any point did I feel like the book was dragging or getting boring or reading like a text book. She kept the story flowing and smoothly inserted her knowledge of things like religious symbolism where appropriate and useful to move the story forward.
I would recommend this thoroughly researched and beautifully written book to anyone in the mood for something magical and mysterious whether for Halloween or any other time.
Read full review at: KaitsBookshelf.com
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.
The Fifth Petal
**WARNING: SPOILERS**
This book had so much promise – an engaging storyline and mystery, interesting historical elements woven throughout, a fascinating setting. The first two-thirds of the book delivered and I was drawn completely in. Unfortunately, the final third of the book fell flat. As is often the case with mysteries, in my opinion, the ending felt rushed, which was especially bothersome here because the rest of the book unfolded somewhat slowly. Add in the unnecessary foray to Italy, which didn’t add much to the story, and it went off the rails.
The other big problem I had with The Fifth Petal was the heroine, Callie. I had a difficult time empathizing with her as she didn’t seem to “feel” much, except for anger and awkwardness. I also didn’t understand many of the choices she made – [up and leaving her job and apartment with no notice, and never going back? Moving in with first a guy and then a family, neither of which she seemed particularly comfortable with, and with no defined end point to this arrangement? Having a relationship with a man who she knew was hooking up someone else too? And then marrying him, even after it became clear he had a drinking problem? Good grief, this girl needs to get her crap together.
Overall it was an interesting story and it held my attention, but the ending and the main character sort of ruined it for me.
In current-day Salem premonitions and visions are far more accepted than they were during the witch trials … but 25 years ago someone murdered three women descended from Salem witches. The case has gone unsolved, with a local historian as the main suspect (to the townspeople, anyways). When the daughter of one of the victims returns to Salem, you never know what secrets might turn up.
“The Fifth Petal” is second in the series, but I found it easy to pick up and jump in without having read the first book – although now I will be reading the first! “The Fifth Petal” is listed as a thriller, but wasn’t too scary at all – even for a lightweight like me who scares easily.
There were the usual concerns about too many pages being left but the story being almost resolved, however Barry crafted the perfect ending. I tore through this book and cannot wait to read anything else Barry has to offer.
Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.