The Fifth Petal

A Novel

By: Brunonia Barry

Narrated by: Ann Marie Lee

Could a witch hunt happen again in Salem?

New York Times best-selling 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 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?

©2017 Brunonia Barry (P)2017 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Barry fans will welcome the return of beloved characters and the introduction of new ones into a contemporary Salem appropriately fraught with remnants and reminders of its dark and twisted history. This spooky, multilayered medley of mysteries is sure to be a bestseller." ( Booklist)

"Banshees, lost memories, and secret pasts each play a significant role in this novel; enthusiasts of the author's earlier work and readers interested in the history of witchcraft and the occult will enjoy this return visit to Salem." ( Library Journal)

"[An] entertaining occult murder mystery." ( Kirkus Reviews)

"I was thrilled to listen to Ann Marie Lee’s reading of The Fifth Petal. As author of the book, I can be a tough audience, but her performance added multiple dimensions to the story, enhancing elements of narrative and creating distinct voices that reveal Lee’s deep understanding of character. It’s difficult to capture the spirit of Salem and its people, but she managed to do it beautifully. Kudos to Ann Marie Lee. Thank you for bringing my book to life!" (Brunonia Barry)

I loved it.

Could not put it down. I think I need to read again. I am from Salem and I love the story . Salem is the main character.

Bad narration

I've enjoyed Brunonia Barry's other work a great deal and this story had some fascinating background information on Salem and modern day Wiccans. Unfortunately, the narration sounded like an inexperienced kindergarten teacher reading a story with unmodulated over emphasis on every word and though I finished the book I couldn't handle another book with the same narrator. Just yesterday I was in a friend's car and asked what she was listening to. She said, "Woman in the Window" but she hated the narrator. Turns out, it's the same woman.

Wonderful

I was thrilled to see a sequel to the Lace Reader but a bit put off by negative reviews. Nonsense, the book was wonderful, the story mesmerizing, the characters fascinating and the narrator perfect! And like Brunonia Barry's other books, it left me feeling shaken by the interplay of intuition and madness. I also very much enjoyed seeing characters from the previous novels again even though they were not the main focus of this one. As with The Lace Reader, the insights and intuitions, mysteries, and resonances of the book really stay with you for a long time.

Okay

This book was okay but I liked listening to The Lace Reader better. I preferred that performance and was more intrigued by that plot. It was good enough that I would try another by this author.

Good writing, bad reading

Where does The Fifth Petal rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The Fifth Petal ranks in the top 5 for the high quality writing, but the narrator's poor delivery was so distracting it diminished the overall quality of the audiobook.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The plot was intricate, sometimes lagging with the depth of detail thrown in.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Her voice ranged from plodding (e.g., emphasis on the word "said" that broke up the pacing), to hysterical or frenetic, e.g. "Rafferty [voice rises in hysterical tone] PUT THE COFEE CUP [voice shakes] on the TABLE [emphasis on this word as if "table" is something evil or threatening] with a CLICK [voice cracks]." That's just an example of the reading style, not a real quote from the book. She seemed not to understand the pacing of this kind of story, and her style was distracting at best, outright annoying at worst.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Moved me? not really. But it was a good story.

Any additional comments?

Please use the narrator for previous Barry books, Alyssa Bresnahan.

Hint: Increase the Speed

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

While I quite enjoyed Alyssa Bresnahan's narration of The Lace Reader, I found that Ann Marie Lee's measured pace on The Fifth Petal was much too slow for me. While I understand that the perspective was that of a different character, Bresnahan's pace and animation added an element to the first book which I found to be missing in the second. I considered returning the book, but I decided to increase the speed to 1.5x. It made for for odd intonation every so often, but definitely reduced the aggravation factor for me!

Would you be willing to try another one of Ann Marie Lee’s performances?

It would need to be more appropriate selection of material. Lee's style did not enhance my enjoyment of this particular work, but she was clear and pleasant.

Mysterious

This is a spellbinding thriller that will captivate readers who crave a rich blend of mystery, fantasy, and historical intrigue, particularly those who enjoy atmospheric and suspenseful tales that weave together the threads of magic, murder, and the darker side of human nature.

Awful

As a murder mystery, it was way too long and boring. There was a lot of superfluous subplot that did not contribute to the story.

Could not finish

What would have made The Fifth Petal better?

While I enjoyed the Lace Reader and looked forward to the sequel - I was disappointed from the start. I made it through the first hour before I unplugged and am returning the book. The narrator is different from her other two books and droned on - I have no idea if the story was any good because I was comatosed by the performance.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Jodi Picoult - Leaving Time.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Absolutley