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The Watcher
Janet Stapleton – widowed, confined to a wheelchair, living in a remote Connecticut farmhouse - didn’t believe in out-of-body experiences until she had one and witnessed a brutal murder. The second and third ones were no less horrific. Her investigation into why she was chosen to see these murders, soon has the demonic killer pursuing her.
Janet lives in a tranquil little town in Connecticut, and her involvement in the killings quickly leads to the police -- in the person of Lieutenant Eric Siuda -- to investigate her role in the slayings. Her claim to seeing these crimes in the occult manner she has brings her under suspicion. Complicating the Lieutenant's investigation is the fact that he falls in love with his prime suspect, and doesn't know whether to fear or protect her.
Janet lives in a tranquil little town in Connecticut, and her involvement in the killings quickly leads to the police -- in the person of Lieutenant Eric Siuda -- to investigate her role in the slayings. Her claim to seeing these crimes in the occult manner she has brings her under suspicion. Complicating the Lieutenant's investigation is the fact that he falls in love with his prime suspect, and doesn't know whether to fear or protect her.
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First published July 29, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 19, 2017
This was a very twisty interesting novel. I wasn't sure where it was going up until the end.
March 4, 2011
I'm not particularly well-versed in the psychological thriller genre, especially when it pertains to detectives as the protagonists. So, when John Brinling contacted me about reviewing one of his books, I chose The Watcher because it seemed like an interesting premise and I wanted to challenge myself with the genre again.
The book in one sense is very familiar. There's a serial killer on the loose that has to be stopped with a police lieutenant hellbent on his capture. The not-so-familiar part comes by way of the characters who are not detectives. The protagonist this time around is a paraplegic widow named Janet, who is suffering from horrific out of body experiences in which she witnesses the murderous actions of a serial killer--and he has become aware of her presence through these astral encounters. The detective investigating the murders, Eric, is skeptical of the whole paranormal element to her claims, but he wants to stop the killer at all costs. Plus, he's kind of taken a liking to her.
On the other side of the coin is the killer. Well, killers might be the more accurate way to go, since there are three men at play: Jim Dawson and his two sons, Bruce and Arlo. Any thriller story worth its salt has intriguing villains, and Brinling provides a unique unholy trinity with these guys. Jim is dying of AIDS and is maniacal in his pursuit of preserving his own life and taking the lives of those he blames for his disease. He accomplishes this through his two sons. Bruce, a doctor, is the one who discovers Janet's presence and seeks her out, while obeying his ailing father, and caring for him at the same time. While Arlo, mentally impaired and locked in the basement, is used by them as a kind of avatar through mind control to perform the murders. But, Arlo is also regaining his own mental faculties as a result of Bruce's manipulation, which complicates things down the road.
Honestly, I found the book hard to get into and even harder to finish. Characters like Bruce, Jim, and Arlo were certainly intriguing in their own right, but the story had a slow build in my view and needed something more immediate. I never really got hooked, and my own biases towards the genre didn't help. The last time I tried reading a thriller like this was a novel by Lisa Jackson, and I only made it fifty pages before I quit that one. At least The Watcher does offer a climactic ending that is satisfying on its own, but the road getting there felt too drawn out for my tastes. I guess the main problem for me was the hero end of the story. I never really got behind Janet or Eric, never really rooted for them, so didn't have an invested interest in them winning the day.
For fans of the thriller genre, I'd still recommend giving it a chance. I think the paranormal edge to it may even appeal to some horror fans. Just not this one.
The book in one sense is very familiar. There's a serial killer on the loose that has to be stopped with a police lieutenant hellbent on his capture. The not-so-familiar part comes by way of the characters who are not detectives. The protagonist this time around is a paraplegic widow named Janet, who is suffering from horrific out of body experiences in which she witnesses the murderous actions of a serial killer--and he has become aware of her presence through these astral encounters. The detective investigating the murders, Eric, is skeptical of the whole paranormal element to her claims, but he wants to stop the killer at all costs. Plus, he's kind of taken a liking to her.
On the other side of the coin is the killer. Well, killers might be the more accurate way to go, since there are three men at play: Jim Dawson and his two sons, Bruce and Arlo. Any thriller story worth its salt has intriguing villains, and Brinling provides a unique unholy trinity with these guys. Jim is dying of AIDS and is maniacal in his pursuit of preserving his own life and taking the lives of those he blames for his disease. He accomplishes this through his two sons. Bruce, a doctor, is the one who discovers Janet's presence and seeks her out, while obeying his ailing father, and caring for him at the same time. While Arlo, mentally impaired and locked in the basement, is used by them as a kind of avatar through mind control to perform the murders. But, Arlo is also regaining his own mental faculties as a result of Bruce's manipulation, which complicates things down the road.
Honestly, I found the book hard to get into and even harder to finish. Characters like Bruce, Jim, and Arlo were certainly intriguing in their own right, but the story had a slow build in my view and needed something more immediate. I never really got hooked, and my own biases towards the genre didn't help. The last time I tried reading a thriller like this was a novel by Lisa Jackson, and I only made it fifty pages before I quit that one. At least The Watcher does offer a climactic ending that is satisfying on its own, but the road getting there felt too drawn out for my tastes. I guess the main problem for me was the hero end of the story. I never really got behind Janet or Eric, never really rooted for them, so didn't have an invested interest in them winning the day.
For fans of the thriller genre, I'd still recommend giving it a chance. I think the paranormal edge to it may even appeal to some horror fans. Just not this one.
September 29, 2010
An exceptionally well written occult horror tale. Edge of the seat suspense, clever plotting, complex characterization, familiar but unique locations. Part mystery thriller, part moral tale.
Jim Dawson is hunting again, and this time his target is Janet Stapleton, a woman recently widowed in a car accident that placed her in a wheelchair. This novel is a voyage into the deepest, darkest recesses of the human mind. You will feel Janet's pain, her hopelessness, and her desperation as she struggles to defeat this man who is more devil than human. This book is filled with moments both tender and terrifying, and it will keep you on the edge of your chair. It won't let you put it down until you find out how - if? - Janet manages to survive.
Thsi book is available on Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, Sony, Apple, etc.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0043GX1C6
Jim Dawson is hunting again, and this time his target is Janet Stapleton, a woman recently widowed in a car accident that placed her in a wheelchair. This novel is a voyage into the deepest, darkest recesses of the human mind. You will feel Janet's pain, her hopelessness, and her desperation as she struggles to defeat this man who is more devil than human. This book is filled with moments both tender and terrifying, and it will keep you on the edge of your chair. It won't let you put it down until you find out how - if? - Janet manages to survive.
Thsi book is available on Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, Sony, Apple, etc.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0043GX1C6
July 10, 2011
Frightful + Suspenseful = A Great Read!!
The horror was starting again....You know when a book starts with that sentence you are in for a spine-tingling thrill ride! "The Watcher" did not disappoint, it was that plus much more! From the first page to the last page, you are treated to alot of pulse pounding chills and thrills with a little romance thrown into the mix. Once I started reading, I didn't want to stop. If you enjoy murder mysteries,serial killers, paranormal, and story-lines where the anticipation keeps building with each turn of the page, then you will love "The Watcher"!
The horror was starting again....You know when a book starts with that sentence you are in for a spine-tingling thrill ride! "The Watcher" did not disappoint, it was that plus much more! From the first page to the last page, you are treated to alot of pulse pounding chills and thrills with a little romance thrown into the mix. Once I started reading, I didn't want to stop. If you enjoy murder mysteries,serial killers, paranormal, and story-lines where the anticipation keeps building with each turn of the page, then you will love "The Watcher"!
July 28, 2011
I liked the story of this download to my Kindle. However, the many typos and wrong use of words was distracting. There was a lot of blood and gore, but when dealing with a maniacal serial killer, I suppose the author felt the need to be specific about what he was portraying. However, I wish he had considered using the same care with his use of words.
November 13, 2013
This book was overwritten to the point of tedium. Even the action scenes were robbed of impact and just dragged on unnecessarily. The novel reads like a poor copy of Dean Koontz's style, almost like the literary equivalent of a paint by numbers canvas.
Lastly, the Kindle edition was inexcusably rife with errors that should have been corrected by a copy editor.
Lastly, the Kindle edition was inexcusably rife with errors that should have been corrected by a copy editor.
August 5, 2011
Couldn't finish this one. Very odd, kind of occultish in some areas but then felt like the Goonies in other areas. I felt dirty after reading some of the book and it just didn't sit well with me. I love suspense/murder mysteries but this one was a bit to strange for me.
August 30, 2011
A little long. It had alot of typo's to the point of being annoying. I'm glad it was a free book on the Kindle.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews