Review: The Fifth Watcher

By M.J. Moores on January 17, 2015 • ( 0 )

The Fifth Watcher

Author: Melissa Barker-Simpson

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

Highly Recommended Reading.

Genre: Science Fiction/ Fantasy / Speculative Fiction.

Dealing with life’s inexplicable moments is a daily reality for Audrey. But her past has finally come back to haunt her and the unknown people she’s been running from her whole life are at her door step. With only a video recording from her deceased father to bring things into perspective and a foster mother who has answers Audrey fears to question the race for her life takes on a whole new meaning. When it seems that life, love and destiny are pulling her in multiple directions at once, she is forced to learn more about her situation and the universes than she ever dreamed imaginable… and she is a pawn all sides want to keep.

The Fifth Watcher is an adrenaline raising game of cat and mouse where the stakes are high right from the start and the action just keeps you turning the page. Melissa Barker-Simpson take the alternate realities theory and turns it on its head while keeping the focus clear and the suspense insatiable.

Barker-Simpson’s ability to transition new information and events without confusion shows just how palpable the trust between author and reader can become. The intrigue and mysterious nature of the events unfolds at a rapid but teasing pace where only what you need to know at the time is revealed – it’s just enough to get the heart beating to a different drum.

While there were a few moments where it was necessary to re-read certain scenes to double check information I somehow missed, overall the flow and pacing of The Fifth Watcher was remarkable. My only other personal hiccup would be how Audrey and Keith’s relationship develops. During the first half of the book Barker-Simpson hooked me with the missed opportunities and the personal denial these characters faced. However, that tension fizzled out for me once a pivotal understanding was reached – suddenly these dynamic and conflicting characters worked a little too seamlessly for me.

Overall, I must admit that Melissa Barker-Simpson makes a fascinating scientific idea truly remarkable. I devoured one chapter after another with wanton abandon.

By M.J. Moores, OCT. Author. Editor.

READ AN EXCERPT

Melissa Barker-Simpson has been writing since, well…since she was knee-high to a grasshopper. She often looks back on those earlier stories, and apart from laughing at the heavy-handed drama, or cringing at her inexperience, she is reminded that she has always lived in other worlds.

Melissa’s first novel was published in 2008, and she loves nothing more than working on a new project. The voices inside her head invariably pull her in different directions, so although she try to work on one thing at a time, those who know her would tell you it doesn’t always work!

Melissa has a full-time job which, though it does not involve writing per se, incorporates her love of language. As a British Sign Language Interpreter, she gets to translate information between two languages which is (mostly) fun.

She has two beautiful daughters who bring her great joy. They also keep her grounded, because otherwise she would have her head in the clouds permanently!

Author Links

http://www.mbarkersimpson.wordpress.com

http://www.mbarkersimpson.co.uk

http://www.facebook.com/melissabarkersimpson

http://twitter.com/mbarkersimpson

http://www.goodreads.com/mbarkersimpson