What do you think?
Rate this book
Tony Marcella Mystery #2
Eye of the Witch
Pride, paranoia and paranormal forces all conspire to derail Detective Marcellar's investigation into a series of suspicious suicides in New Castle, Massachusetts. In this sequel to The Witch's Ladder, Marcella learns that because of the ties that bind their pasts, every potential victim is also a possible suspect.
469 pages, Nook
First published January 1, 2006
186 people are currently reading
1070 people want to read
About the author
Dana E. Donovan
26 books30 followersDana Donovan grew up in New England where folklore and superstitions can mold a town’s history as much as its people. He exploits that phenomenon in all his books, perpetuating the enigma of small town life and the belief in all that dies is not dead.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
January 7, 2022
This was book 2 in a series and is told from the viewpoint of Tony Marcella, a retired police detective in his sixties, called back to help out his old partner Carlos and a 26 year old sidekick who is now Carlos' partner. The 'case' is the unexplained suicides of three women in three weeks, the latest of whom was Karen Webber, a police woman at the precinct. Carlos doubts that they were suicides and Marcella soon assists him in turning up evidence that points to a supernatural element and the possibility of murder by proxy.
There are lots of red herrings and lots of references back to Marcella's last case before he retired, which must have been covered in book 1 - which he solved but could not do so officially as it involved out-of-body projection of one person's spirit into another's body. During this previous case, he got to know a witch called Lilith and a running subplot is that Lilith wants him to return an item of property to her which he pretends until late on that he doesn't have. It is this earlier case which connects all three dead women and some other people.
For me, the police work lacked credibility in places. The police woman, Webber, had supposedly killed herself yet her table was laid for two which was not looked into by the original investigating team. She was investigating the deaths of the first two women and also carrying out surveillance on a couple of men who come up as possible murder suspects in the investigations of Marcella and co, which surely makes her death suspicious, so it is stretching credibility that the police department labelled it as suicide. In fact, the investigations carried out by the department into the three women's deaths seem slack to the point of incompetence.
Even the investigative threesome come to some odd conclusions at times. For example, after reviewing a video tape which the coroner had apparently taken as evidence of suicide on the part of one of the other women (she reacted to someone off camera, pointed a gun and then went out into the hall where a shot was fired), they say 'oh, looks like it was suicide after all' when I, and I would think any other reader, had taken it as evidence of a second person being present and therefore clear indication of murder.
There is a rather 'soppy' relationship between Marcella and a young woman who he fears will become another victim and this was a bit cringe making at times. I'm also aware that there is a sensitivity, especially in the USA where this was set and possibly written, about describing skin tones in terms of food, which were applied to this character, e.g. cappuchino.
A supernatural element runs through the book, fairly understated to begin with, but it becomes more dominant by the end and the actual ending crosses the line between a police procedural and out and out fantasy. It also begs a lot of questions about how Marcella can live a normal life going forward, which I won't say anything more about as it would be a spoiler.
Altogether it was a pleasant read but, for me, had too many niggles to raise it above a 3 star rating.
There are lots of red herrings and lots of references back to Marcella's last case before he retired, which must have been covered in book 1 - which he solved but could not do so officially as it involved out-of-body projection of one person's spirit into another's body. During this previous case, he got to know a witch called Lilith and a running subplot is that Lilith wants him to return an item of property to her which he pretends until late on that he doesn't have. It is this earlier case which connects all three dead women and some other people.
For me, the police work lacked credibility in places. The police woman, Webber, had supposedly killed herself yet her table was laid for two which was not looked into by the original investigating team. She was investigating the deaths of the first two women and also carrying out surveillance on a couple of men who come up as possible murder suspects in the investigations of Marcella and co, which surely makes her death suspicious, so it is stretching credibility that the police department labelled it as suicide. In fact, the investigations carried out by the department into the three women's deaths seem slack to the point of incompetence.
Even the investigative threesome come to some odd conclusions at times. For example, after reviewing a video tape which the coroner had apparently taken as evidence of suicide on the part of one of the other women (she reacted to someone off camera, pointed a gun and then went out into the hall where a shot was fired), they say 'oh, looks like it was suicide after all' when I, and I would think any other reader, had taken it as evidence of a second person being present and therefore clear indication of murder.
There is a rather 'soppy' relationship between Marcella and a young woman who he fears will become another victim and this was a bit cringe making at times. I'm also aware that there is a sensitivity, especially in the USA where this was set and possibly written, about describing skin tones in terms of food, which were applied to this character, e.g. cappuchino.
A supernatural element runs through the book, fairly understated to begin with, but it becomes more dominant by the end and the actual ending crosses the line between a police procedural and out and out fantasy. It also begs a lot of questions about how Marcella can live a normal life going forward, which I won't say anything more about as it would be a spoiler.
Altogether it was a pleasant read but, for me, had too many niggles to raise it above a 3 star rating.
May 23, 2010
A phone rings in the middle of the night, and former police detective Tony Marcella knows who will be on the other end. His friend and partner for thirty years on the force, Carlos Rodriguez, is calling Tony because of a case, which isn't really a case and he needs his former partner's help. The women of New Castle are commiting suicide at an alarming rate. Three women in three weeks, and detective Rodriguez doesn't believe the women, who seemingly have everything to live for, killed themselves, but in the case of the most recent suicide, eyewitnesses attest to the fact and the locked door provides the only exit. Tony is inclined to tell Carlos that things may just be as they seem until he finds out the identity of the third victim; someone he knows, one of their own, a cop.
Donovan sets up Eye of the Witch as a locked room murder mystery, where the question of how the murders were committed, especially when it appears they were self inflicted, becomes of equal importance with trying to figure out who committed them. In addition, there is the question of how the victims are linked together. At first glance it doesn't seem likely. Bridget Dean, a lawyer on the rise who just accepted a lucrative partnership with a prestigious law firm. Anna Davalos, a Cuban born waitress who worked in a coffee shop. And Karen Webber, a bright, vivacious cop who had recently transferred to New Castle.
At first the victims seem unrelated, but a little detective work brought to light that Anna Davalos worked in the same building as Bridget Dean and Karen Webber was secretly investigating their deaths. More digging unearthed the fact that all of the women were linked because they attended a parnormal workshop several years prior. And the workshop was through the same paranormal research facility which figured prominently in Tony Marcella's last case before retiring. Bridget and Anna also shared the attentions of lawyer Ricardo Rivera, and the women who at first sight had little in common become entwined with one another by the end of the book, with motives, suspects, and red herrings abounding.
The character I enjoyed the most in the book, was Lilith, the witch of the piece. Lilith is irreverent, sarcastic, and has a single purposed focus. Detective Marcella attempted to nail her for murder during his last case, and in the process became the possessor of the witch's ladder, an object he denied having. Lilith needs the witch's ladder back so she can perform a ceremony and her aim throughout the book it to get Tony to admit that he has it and to coerce him into returning it. Here's a sample of her snarkiness while she goes after what she wants:
“Yes. Nobody in your stinking precinct would tell me where you went or what happened to you.”
“Really? Lilith, I’m touched. I didn’t know you cared so much.”
She made a face as if a sour nut had just come up her throat. “Hardly. You have something I want.”
I straightened up in my seat and pulled the kink from my tie. “Do I? Frankly, I didn’t think I was your type.”
“P—leeease, Detective. I’d sooner sleep with Fidel, over here.” She jabbed her thumb into Carlos’ side, hitting his holstered gun. They turned and looked at each other, equally surprised. “Yeah, you,” she said. “You can just forget about it, my little Copacabana boy. You are already about as close to me as you are ever going to get. So, take a deep breath and savor it.”
As detective Marcella gets further into the heart of the mystery, more ties keep cropping up with his last case, including a tie to Leona Diaz. Leona had been kidnapped the previous year by the Surgeon Stalker and during this time, Tony Marcella learned of her gift of bilocation or out of body experience. The more things tie to his last case, the more Marcella questions his ability to help his ex-partner solve the mystery surrounding the deaths.
Eye of the Witch is a fast paced read, with lots of twists to keep you guessing right up until the end. While there was much about the book I liked, there were also parts I felt could have been done better or cleaned up a bit. Donovan has some structural issues with the text due to changing tenses and some loose ends at the conclusion, meant as red herrings, but I wanted them integrated a little more instead of left hanging. Another issue I had was with the depiction of Marcella's former partner, Carlos Rodriguez. Tony tells us how respected Carlos is, but there are portions of the book where Carlos is characterized as a buffoon who can not think beyond what to next fill his stomach with. Suspension of disbelief was also difficult in some areas of the book, but not in the arena of the supernatural, as one might expect. At the beginning of the book there is a reference to Marcella not having talked to his ex-partner Rodriguez for six or seven months, since he retired after the last big case, but then later the time reference from the last case is referred to as being a year ago. In light of the time frame, whether 6-7 months or just at one year, the changes Donovan depicts as occurring to make Tony feel uncomfortable with a return to police work seem not quite believable.
I saw one of the biggest, brightest, shiniest glass covered buildings New Castle had ever constructed. It wasn’t just a police station; it was an ultra-modern criminal justice center, complete with jails, courtrooms, administration offices and state-of-the-art crime lab. It had everything a small town cop could want. Hell, it had everything a big town cop could want, too. I told Carlos if he threw in a couple of suites, a swimming pool and valet parking, he’d have a five-star resort for law enforcement and could charge for it on weekends. To this, he laughed, and when he took me past the workout center, complete with pool and sauna, I understood why.
“It’s really different here, Tony,” he said. “This facility serves the entire county. We all share resources now."
I felt that it stretched the bounds to believe that such a state-of-the-art building could be constructed from the ground up within that time frame as well as integrating all of the different law enforcement agencies under one roof. But aside from those issues, Eye of the Witch takes you on a wild ride to a thrilling conclusion.
September 27, 2024
I didn't like this one and regretted having purchased the first three ebooks of this series. I had hoped the storytelling would improve, but I still didn't like the characters, and the story was pointless. Despite the purchase, I removed this from my library.
January 10, 2012
Eye of the witch by Dana E. Donovan
The book seemed like a typical murder mystery, however the smidgen of the occult that was added provided enough spice to lift it above the average murder mystery.
I particularly enjoyed the main protagonist being an articulate, dynamic retired person. It's always nice to see that retired people can still be seen as a viable and able to impact events.
This is the second book in a series. It was a good read as a stand alone but I suspect it would've been a better read if I have read the first book in the series.
The mystery plot was solid and enjoyable. There were enough twists and turns to maintain your interest. The characters were intricate and well portrayed. The touch of the occult was lightly done but it did spice up the story.
I enjoyed the book and I recommend it.
The book seemed like a typical murder mystery, however the smidgen of the occult that was added provided enough spice to lift it above the average murder mystery.
I particularly enjoyed the main protagonist being an articulate, dynamic retired person. It's always nice to see that retired people can still be seen as a viable and able to impact events.
This is the second book in a series. It was a good read as a stand alone but I suspect it would've been a better read if I have read the first book in the series.
The mystery plot was solid and enjoyable. There were enough twists and turns to maintain your interest. The characters were intricate and well portrayed. The touch of the occult was lightly done but it did spice up the story.
I enjoyed the book and I recommend it.
September 1, 2017
"Great fun"
What fascinated me was the lack of real-time action, yet the tension was maintained throughout. Three females die within days of one another. They appeared to have no immediate connection, and initially the deaths are thought to be suicides. A former detective is called in to assist, on a hunch. Everything is then played out through a detailed police procedural. Immensely detailed; but the humour of the squad room keeps it from getting boring. Layer upon layer of the onion is peeled away until the true motive is revealed, and the suspect list whittled down from a dozen, to one. All the occult elements finally reveal themselves, and the action picks up pace towards a frantic climax.
What fascinated me was the lack of real-time action, yet the tension was maintained throughout. Three females die within days of one another. They appeared to have no immediate connection, and initially the deaths are thought to be suicides. A former detective is called in to assist, on a hunch. Everything is then played out through a detailed police procedural. Immensely detailed; but the humour of the squad room keeps it from getting boring. Layer upon layer of the onion is peeled away until the true motive is revealed, and the suspect list whittled down from a dozen, to one. All the occult elements finally reveal themselves, and the action picks up pace towards a frantic climax.
May 9, 2013
I really enjoyed this 2nd book in the Witchy series..it was just as good as the first-(The Witches Ladder) I have become fond of Detective Marcella and Lillith. The story contains humour and kept me guessing more or less until the end, with many twists and turns along the way...will be making sure I read the next in the saga..:)
February 4, 2012
It's a good mystery, but got a little strange at the end with the paranormal twist.
August 11, 2016
Save your time and money.
September 7, 2012
Dreadful
July 26, 2015
I found this story very boring. I did manage to finish it though with no real issues, so I'm not sure what made it easier than other boring books I've suffered through?!
What year was this story suppose to be taking place in? Some clues we're given and are as follows:
-"the last suicide in New Castle was back in '52." But then, at one point Lilith thinks Tony is accusing her of having something to do with Gordon's suicide. The 'last suicide'.
-Tony had been going to the Percolater to get coffee when it cost only a nickel.
-"A faint chalk line in the approximate shape of a human body..." (Which I'm pretty sure they don't do anymore.)
-There is internet use. Although Tony has only been retired for a year, he seems to have no clue as to all the internet can provide or how to use it?!
- The use of the word 'retarded.' When it's not politically correct to use.
How old was Carlos? I ask because there's a part where he tells Tony that he needs his help because "he's old school..." giving the impression that Carlos hasn't been 'at it' that long. Yet, Carlos and Tony had worked together for 30 years prior to Tony's retirement. Leaving the prior statement void. I can assume that Carlos is at least 50 right? But why did the author make him seem like such a moron and almost immature like? IDK if he had ADD or something along those lines because there were times throughout where he didn't see to follow what was going on around him, conversation wise.
Given the fact that Karen Webber was dead, why would the police not have looked at her phone records sooner? Isn't that a standard thing to do? There's the place setting for 2 people, how would that not have raised a flag? Especially given the fact that she didn't seem like the type to take her own life? And when they're wondering whether the door was busted in or not? Wouldn't that normally be on the police report? Yet, it wasn't.
Karen Webber. "Maybe the medical examiner took the wording too literally. If it said...'We broke in...'" Why would that have effected the medical examiner or their ruling? I didn't get that.
What was with Tony and his stomach issues, I guess they were? Not being hungry? One time he orders just a piece of toast and coffee. Then he's heading to the hotel he's staying at and thinks that maybe he'll get something to eat. "The thought of it still made me queasy." Also the grapefruit and guava thing. What was that about?
The 'Research Center' is brought up so many times. Given what I read
in this book (skipped over the first one, no reason there as to why, just got the 'free' second story on amazon), there had been some
supernatural type testing on a group of people. They talk about all the
weird stuff they saw during the first book too. Yet, in this one there
wasn't really much of anything supernatural related. Besides the very
end with Lilith (or the fact that she was a witch, although she didn't really do anything supernatural per se) and Tony, it was all talk. IDK, I guess I saw the word 'witch' in the title and thought there would have been more supernatural related stuff in the story. My mistake.
I never understood what the big deal with Tony holding onto the Lilith's witch's ladder was? He obviously had a thing for her, which personally seemed kinda gross. He's 64 and she LOOKS like a teenager? Ew!
Bridget Dean. "They may have videotape of the incident." (That being her death.) But again, why would they have not tried to get the video sooner? Oh they did apply for it already, at least the medical examiner did. But WHY exactly is the question? And why wouldn't Carlos or Dominic aka 'the know it all', have already known this?
How did the video of Bridget dying "...appear cut-and-dry..." She walks out of her office, you can kind of see her reflection, you hear the gun go off and she's dead. If she was going to kill herself, why would she have done it in the hall and not in her office?
What was the point of Courtney lying to Carlos and Tony about Anna? Saying that she moved back home to Alabama but then changing it to Alaska? It's not like no one knew she was dead. Stupid character I guess?
How did they ever really consider Piakowski as a killer? At least with the 3 'suicides'? I didn't get that. The few times Piakowski opens his mouth, only stupidity comes out. They really thought he was smart enough to kill 3 people and get away with it? Leaving no clues? I don't think so.
Benny. "If I know his type, we'll have a confession out of him in the first hour." Huh? Why would Carlos think that? And what 'type' does Benny fit under? Also, I'm pretty sure given the fact that he was autistic, counsel would have been a major requirement, whether he wanted it or not.
So they find out about the crawl spaces or whatever. Common sense would have told me that Tony, Carlos or Dominic would have had the forensic people go up there first, BEFORE one of them crawled up there.
When Tony is talking to Carlos on the phone, first bringing up the crawl space question. Tony asks Carlos if there's a hole anywhere on the ceiling. There is. We're told that Carlos uses a broom to move/lift the cover hatch/door, and somehow he's able to see all the space available while still standing on the floor. Yet, he has to find a bunch of stuff to actually get up there? Was Carlos wearing stilts for a little bit there, but then maybe one broke?
Karen had the hard drive or whatever it was, full of important information. She had it encrypted too. So again with the common sense, why didn't see use a harder password? Considering she was onto something big?
Tony returning to a 20'something year old. How in the world would he have been able to explain that? Yeah, Carlos and Dominic seem to know that Lilith is a witch, but it's not a 'whole town' piece of knowledge. The fact the author uses the name Lilith, was also very unoriginal.
What year was this story suppose to be taking place in? Some clues we're given and are as follows:
-"the last suicide in New Castle was back in '52." But then, at one point Lilith thinks Tony is accusing her of having something to do with Gordon's suicide. The 'last suicide'.
-Tony had been going to the Percolater to get coffee when it cost only a nickel.
-"A faint chalk line in the approximate shape of a human body..." (Which I'm pretty sure they don't do anymore.)
-There is internet use. Although Tony has only been retired for a year, he seems to have no clue as to all the internet can provide or how to use it?!
- The use of the word 'retarded.' When it's not politically correct to use.
How old was Carlos? I ask because there's a part where he tells Tony that he needs his help because "he's old school..." giving the impression that Carlos hasn't been 'at it' that long. Yet, Carlos and Tony had worked together for 30 years prior to Tony's retirement. Leaving the prior statement void. I can assume that Carlos is at least 50 right? But why did the author make him seem like such a moron and almost immature like? IDK if he had ADD or something along those lines because there were times throughout where he didn't see to follow what was going on around him, conversation wise.
Given the fact that Karen Webber was dead, why would the police not have looked at her phone records sooner? Isn't that a standard thing to do? There's the place setting for 2 people, how would that not have raised a flag? Especially given the fact that she didn't seem like the type to take her own life? And when they're wondering whether the door was busted in or not? Wouldn't that normally be on the police report? Yet, it wasn't.
Karen Webber. "Maybe the medical examiner took the wording too literally. If it said...'We broke in...'" Why would that have effected the medical examiner or their ruling? I didn't get that.
What was with Tony and his stomach issues, I guess they were? Not being hungry? One time he orders just a piece of toast and coffee. Then he's heading to the hotel he's staying at and thinks that maybe he'll get something to eat. "The thought of it still made me queasy." Also the grapefruit and guava thing. What was that about?
The 'Research Center' is brought up so many times. Given what I read
in this book (skipped over the first one, no reason there as to why, just got the 'free' second story on amazon), there had been some
supernatural type testing on a group of people. They talk about all the
weird stuff they saw during the first book too. Yet, in this one there
wasn't really much of anything supernatural related. Besides the very
end with Lilith (or the fact that she was a witch, although she didn't really do anything supernatural per se) and Tony, it was all talk. IDK, I guess I saw the word 'witch' in the title and thought there would have been more supernatural related stuff in the story. My mistake.
I never understood what the big deal with Tony holding onto the Lilith's witch's ladder was? He obviously had a thing for her, which personally seemed kinda gross. He's 64 and she LOOKS like a teenager? Ew!
Bridget Dean. "They may have videotape of the incident." (That being her death.) But again, why would they have not tried to get the video sooner? Oh they did apply for it already, at least the medical examiner did. But WHY exactly is the question? And why wouldn't Carlos or Dominic aka 'the know it all', have already known this?
How did the video of Bridget dying "...appear cut-and-dry..." She walks out of her office, you can kind of see her reflection, you hear the gun go off and she's dead. If she was going to kill herself, why would she have done it in the hall and not in her office?
What was the point of Courtney lying to Carlos and Tony about Anna? Saying that she moved back home to Alabama but then changing it to Alaska? It's not like no one knew she was dead. Stupid character I guess?
How did they ever really consider Piakowski as a killer? At least with the 3 'suicides'? I didn't get that. The few times Piakowski opens his mouth, only stupidity comes out. They really thought he was smart enough to kill 3 people and get away with it? Leaving no clues? I don't think so.
Benny. "If I know his type, we'll have a confession out of him in the first hour." Huh? Why would Carlos think that? And what 'type' does Benny fit under? Also, I'm pretty sure given the fact that he was autistic, counsel would have been a major requirement, whether he wanted it or not.
So they find out about the crawl spaces or whatever. Common sense would have told me that Tony, Carlos or Dominic would have had the forensic people go up there first, BEFORE one of them crawled up there.
When Tony is talking to Carlos on the phone, first bringing up the crawl space question. Tony asks Carlos if there's a hole anywhere on the ceiling. There is. We're told that Carlos uses a broom to move/lift the cover hatch/door, and somehow he's able to see all the space available while still standing on the floor. Yet, he has to find a bunch of stuff to actually get up there? Was Carlos wearing stilts for a little bit there, but then maybe one broke?
Karen had the hard drive or whatever it was, full of important information. She had it encrypted too. So again with the common sense, why didn't see use a harder password? Considering she was onto something big?
Tony returning to a 20'something year old. How in the world would he have been able to explain that? Yeah, Carlos and Dominic seem to know that Lilith is a witch, but it's not a 'whole town' piece of knowledge. The fact the author uses the name Lilith, was also very unoriginal.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2018
This was an interesting book. I think it is similar to Jim Butcher's Dresden File series, with it's paranormal activity. This is the second book in the series. This was not a problem for me, even though I did not read the first book. There are references to events from the first book, but I still got the gist of things. This has a somewhat dark overtone to the book, evil, suicide, etc. I wasn't sure who was a good guy and who wasn't. In fact, I was taken by surprise when the murderer was revealed.
I gave this a 3 star rating only because, this is not the type of book I normally read. I thought it was well written, the characters were interesting, and the mystery was very twisted. If you are a fan of the genre, I would recommend this book.
I gave this a 3 star rating only because, this is not the type of book I normally read. I thought it was well written, the characters were interesting, and the mystery was very twisted. If you are a fan of the genre, I would recommend this book.
August 13, 2017
Eye of the witch by Donovan. I purchased this in 2012 and have no record of reviewing it. There were parts I remembered but in the most part I didn't so it was an enjoyable romp with Tony Marcella. He's a retired detective whose last unsuccessful case impinges on this one, with forays with Lilith the witch and women suiciding. The case isn't really resolved but there's a twist near the end.
June 14, 2018
Fascinating
Reading book one meant that getting into the theme straightforward. The book takes hold of you, challenging forethought twists and turns keeping you under it's own spell..
Reading book one meant that getting into the theme straightforward. The book takes hold of you, challenging forethought twists and turns keeping you under it's own spell..
November 18, 2021
Eye of the Witch
Great story and keeps you wanting to get to the next page to see what happens. The plot twists and turns with irregular paths and the reader has a total surprise when you reach the conclusion of the book. I will be reading the next in the series.
Great story and keeps you wanting to get to the next page to see what happens. The plot twists and turns with irregular paths and the reader has a total surprise when you reach the conclusion of the book. I will be reading the next in the series.
October 3, 2017
Wow. Not at all what I was expecting. Not your typical supernatural book. The twists and turns made my dizzy! Would like to read the whole series. I didn't read the first one yet.
October 11, 2017
wierd book.
July 28, 2021
Fun read
Fun read can’t wait for the next one . . . . . . . . / . . .
Fun read can’t wait for the next one . . . . . . . . / . . .
January 26, 2024
Not bad
I really enjoyed this book. It was police like. This book had me guessing in this and I would recommend this book if they like weird.
I really enjoyed this book. It was police like. This book had me guessing in this and I would recommend this book if they like weird.
October 19, 2018
Bravo! A good fast read! now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative book. i was hooked after the first page.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
August 18, 2012
Hard boiled delight!
The voice of the late middle-aged hard boiled detective in this novel was one of the best I've read in a very long time. I was sucked into this story and couldn't escape until I'd read it from cover to cover. I felt as though I was living and breathing alongside the c...Read More
The voice of the late middle-aged hard boiled detective in this novel was one of the best I've read in a very long time. I was sucked into this story and couldn't escape until I'd read it from cover to cover. I felt as though I was living and breathing alongside the chief protagonist.
Why two lost stars? One was the strange plot twist regarding the villain at the end. It wasn't a case of not noticing the breadcrumbs and going 'yes ... of course.' The villain came out of the blue with no warning. I hate that. When a villain suddenly steps out of the shadows from amongst the red herrings, I want to be able to slap myself on the head and say 'but of course!' This book was otherwise too well-written to get away with such a misstep. And then there was a magical line (literally) throughout the novel where the supernatural was an integral part of the story, but it was always handled with a sense of disbelief. Kind of like the X-files where a few people knew, but most people ignored its existence. The ending caused the story to cross too far over that line into magical fairy land (which would have been okay if this had been a fantasy story, not a detective novel with a paranormal element).
The second lost star [*spoiler alert*] was the sudden transformation at the end. If I wanted to read a YA novel, I'd have BOUGHT a YA novel. It would have been better to transform the younger detective into a prodigy and launched a separate series with HIM as the protagonist, with his own voice.
The voice of the late middle-aged hard boiled detective in this novel was one of the best I've read in a very long time. I was sucked into this story and couldn't escape until I'd read it from cover to cover. I felt as though I was living and breathing alongside the c...Read More
The voice of the late middle-aged hard boiled detective in this novel was one of the best I've read in a very long time. I was sucked into this story and couldn't escape until I'd read it from cover to cover. I felt as though I was living and breathing alongside the chief protagonist.
Why two lost stars? One was the strange plot twist regarding the villain at the end. It wasn't a case of not noticing the breadcrumbs and going 'yes ... of course.' The villain came out of the blue with no warning. I hate that. When a villain suddenly steps out of the shadows from amongst the red herrings, I want to be able to slap myself on the head and say 'but of course!' This book was otherwise too well-written to get away with such a misstep. And then there was a magical line (literally) throughout the novel where the supernatural was an integral part of the story, but it was always handled with a sense of disbelief. Kind of like the X-files where a few people knew, but most people ignored its existence. The ending caused the story to cross too far over that line into magical fairy land (which would have been okay if this had been a fantasy story, not a detective novel with a paranormal element).
The second lost star [*spoiler alert*] was the sudden transformation at the end. If I wanted to read a YA novel, I'd have BOUGHT a YA novel. It would have been better to transform the younger detective into a prodigy and launched a separate series with HIM as the protagonist, with his own voice.
December 27, 2013
Retired New Castle Police Detective, Tony Marcella, is asked by his former partner Carlos to help investigate three suicides that Carlos believes are murders. Tony has mixed feelings about this. His last case shook him up enough to retire to Florida. Although the thought of returning makes him uneasy, Tony also realizes that the personal demons destroying his peace of mind need to be put to rest. It isn’t long before Tony and Carlos realize that this increasingly bizarre case could involve supernatural elements. A visit to local witch, Lilith Adams, verifies that she’s partly to blame for Tony’s bad memories. The question is whether Lilith is involved in these suicides. Is she intending to help or thwart attempts to find the truth?
Eye of the Witch is the second installment in a series that incorporates mystery, the supernatural, witchcraft, and even romance. The book is a police procedural mystery first, but one that incorporates suspects and victims with unique abilities. Those abilities will stretch credibility with some readers while others will appreciate the creative means used to commit a crime.
The book’s strengths are its interesting premise and characters. Tony is complex and the author portrays his inner turmoil well. Carlos and his new partner Spinelli are also believable and likeable. Frequent references are made to events in the first book which have left an impact on characters in this installment, however, not enough backstory was provided to understand the complexity of the relationship between Tony and Lilith. Over all Eye of the Witch is a good mystery, although given the ending, I’m not sure where it will go from there.
Eye of the Witch is the second installment in a series that incorporates mystery, the supernatural, witchcraft, and even romance. The book is a police procedural mystery first, but one that incorporates suspects and victims with unique abilities. Those abilities will stretch credibility with some readers while others will appreciate the creative means used to commit a crime.
The book’s strengths are its interesting premise and characters. Tony is complex and the author portrays his inner turmoil well. Carlos and his new partner Spinelli are also believable and likeable. Frequent references are made to events in the first book which have left an impact on characters in this installment, however, not enough backstory was provided to understand the complexity of the relationship between Tony and Lilith. Over all Eye of the Witch is a good mystery, although given the ending, I’m not sure where it will go from there.
February 9, 2014
I got this book as a free download on my Nook. It is the second in the series, and I have not read the first.
Reading the first book in the series is not an absolute requirement, as the author does a good enough job of explaining the characters so that the reader is able to follow the story. I would not say the same about the explanation of previous events. The characters keep referring back to what has happened in the past and it got to be a bit annoying after a while because I didn’t know what they are talking about. Also, the “witch’s ladder” featured in the previous book seems to be very important to one of the characters and I was never able to figure out exactly why. I would recommend reading the previous book for these reasons.
This book is mostly a traditional cop mystery with a small amount of the paranormal thrown in. A very small amount. As I am very interested in the paranormal and not so interested in cop mysteries, I found this book to be a bit boring and the title “Eye of the Witch” to be pretty misleading. The witch herself is a somewhat unimportant side character, and the eye of the witch is a thing that only gets mentioned in the last pages of the book.
Speaking of the last pages of the book, I found the events at the very end of the book to be pretty confusing and out of nowhere. I’m not talking about how the mystery is solved, just what happens after that. And there are a few big strings that never get tied up (especially about Benny), but since there are more books in the series I’m going to guess that they might be explained later.
Reading the first book in the series is not an absolute requirement, as the author does a good enough job of explaining the characters so that the reader is able to follow the story. I would not say the same about the explanation of previous events. The characters keep referring back to what has happened in the past and it got to be a bit annoying after a while because I didn’t know what they are talking about. Also, the “witch’s ladder” featured in the previous book seems to be very important to one of the characters and I was never able to figure out exactly why. I would recommend reading the previous book for these reasons.
This book is mostly a traditional cop mystery with a small amount of the paranormal thrown in. A very small amount. As I am very interested in the paranormal and not so interested in cop mysteries, I found this book to be a bit boring and the title “Eye of the Witch” to be pretty misleading. The witch herself is a somewhat unimportant side character, and the eye of the witch is a thing that only gets mentioned in the last pages of the book.
Speaking of the last pages of the book, I found the events at the very end of the book to be pretty confusing and out of nowhere. I’m not talking about how the mystery is solved, just what happens after that. And there are a few big strings that never get tied up (especially about Benny), but since there are more books in the series I’m going to guess that they might be explained later.
January 16, 2013
For a quick read, this book was alright. I read several reviews before undertaking this one. It was only then that I found out the book was part of a series as such. Many people remarked that because they also did not read the first one, it was difficult if not annoying that there was little to no character introduction. Of course, if we had read the first book, this wouldn't have been an issue. I, for one, didn't find it to be too much of an issue. There were some points where I felt a little behind in the information because of this but in all, it didn't really affect the story much itself.
The good stuff: As I said before, it was a quick read. There was nothing too in depth about the story or the details. It was perfect to read on my 15 minute breaks at work.
The bad stuff: Some of the prominent characteristics about the main character seemed to detract from the story. I found his semi-violent outbursts where he snapped at other characters, slammed his hand down and the like, seemed irrational. There wasn't really enough "drama" going on to warrant that kind of reaction even from a short fuse.
Would I recommend this to someone? Well, maybe. If you're looking for something that doesn't make you think too hard and that you can pick up and read pretty much everywhere, then this is isn't a complete waste of time. On the flip side, if you're looking for an action packed thriller with enough going on to get that brain some action, then this is NOT that book.
The good stuff: As I said before, it was a quick read. There was nothing too in depth about the story or the details. It was perfect to read on my 15 minute breaks at work.
The bad stuff: Some of the prominent characteristics about the main character seemed to detract from the story. I found his semi-violent outbursts where he snapped at other characters, slammed his hand down and the like, seemed irrational. There wasn't really enough "drama" going on to warrant that kind of reaction even from a short fuse.
Would I recommend this to someone? Well, maybe. If you're looking for something that doesn't make you think too hard and that you can pick up and read pretty much everywhere, then this is isn't a complete waste of time. On the flip side, if you're looking for an action packed thriller with enough going on to get that brain some action, then this is NOT that book.
April 11, 2014
Eye of the Witch 2 is a great read for those cold, dark days when you want to snuggle up with a good book. Lately I have been reading a variety of books – different writing styles and subject matter. I am finding a lot to enjoy in making random choices. There are so many authors our there with good books that seem to get lost in the mass marketing of a handful of authors. It’s too bad because as readers we are missing some really good books.
I enjoyed this one immensely. The characters were fun and connected in quirky ways that kept you interested. Lilith adds a lot of fun to the story as a practicing witch. The author adds to the story with practices and traditions of a witch, both factual and fiction. Tony’s connection to Lilith leads to an interesting, and surprising end to the book. And the murderer will surprise you. Maybe for some readers having Tony come out of retirement to assist with a case was not realistic enough, but in fiction I don’t look for too much factual detail. I look for a good story to pass my time and escape real life for a while. If I want to learn something there are plenty of non-fiction books available to study and research. I look forward to reading more books by Dana Donovan.
I enjoyed this one immensely. The characters were fun and connected in quirky ways that kept you interested. Lilith adds a lot of fun to the story as a practicing witch. The author adds to the story with practices and traditions of a witch, both factual and fiction. Tony’s connection to Lilith leads to an interesting, and surprising end to the book. And the murderer will surprise you. Maybe for some readers having Tony come out of retirement to assist with a case was not realistic enough, but in fiction I don’t look for too much factual detail. I look for a good story to pass my time and escape real life for a while. If I want to learn something there are plenty of non-fiction books available to study and research. I look forward to reading more books by Dana Donovan.
January 20, 2015
Second book in the Detective Marcella series, was a free offer and the first book in the series that I read. I actually enjoyed so much, I bought the first and third books in the series--which is saying something as I'm so frugal in spending. Dana Donovan did an outstanding job, fleshing out the characters, creating idiosyncrasies that make a character. Time and again, characters pop to life, settings are created without the tedium or monotony that so many writers get caught up in. Details matter, so does brevity, Dana manages to do both with such aplomb that you don't realize hours have swum by in the meantime.
Detective Marcella has flaws like everyone and Dana manages to create a character that continually reexamines his own life he has led. The other character in the main storyline, is the witch who he is bewitched by. They have a deep connection that comes clear by book three, but in book two they are intertwined in the current murder mystery so interconnected by other characters, especially one with paranormal abilities.
Once you realize you must bypass reality a bit, the storyline becomes more interesting by the line. Dana has done an outstanding job. I would give 4 1/2 stars.
Detective Marcella has flaws like everyone and Dana manages to create a character that continually reexamines his own life he has led. The other character in the main storyline, is the witch who he is bewitched by. They have a deep connection that comes clear by book three, but in book two they are intertwined in the current murder mystery so interconnected by other characters, especially one with paranormal abilities.
Once you realize you must bypass reality a bit, the storyline becomes more interesting by the line. Dana has done an outstanding job. I would give 4 1/2 stars.
May 18, 2013
Detective Marcella is called out of retirement (He's 65 you know, although I never guessed that from the first book) by his old sidekick, hungry Carlos, to investigate a series of bizarre suicides linked to each other by various connections and the Paranormal Research Centre which was the centre of the last series of paranormal murders.
A new young detective, Spinelli, is introduced, as well as a new police station equipped with state of the art computer tech.
This is far more enjoyable than the original novel, which was beset by impausible motives and scenarios and introduced far too many characters all at once, many of whom didn't survive long enough to become interesting.
Donovan seems to have found his feet here though (Yes, Dana E Donovan is a man. I hope he forgives me for mis-sexing him until I got to the author biography at the back) and returning characters seem far more fleshed out and developed. The plot is more complex and employs a couple of red herrings. It's not perfect by any means, but it's an enjoyable and engrossing read and I have already purchased the next in the series, so that's all that matters really.
A new young detective, Spinelli, is introduced, as well as a new police station equipped with state of the art computer tech.
This is far more enjoyable than the original novel, which was beset by impausible motives and scenarios and introduced far too many characters all at once, many of whom didn't survive long enough to become interesting.
Donovan seems to have found his feet here though (Yes, Dana E Donovan is a man. I hope he forgives me for mis-sexing him until I got to the author biography at the back) and returning characters seem far more fleshed out and developed. The plot is more complex and employs a couple of red herrings. It's not perfect by any means, but it's an enjoyable and engrossing read and I have already purchased the next in the series, so that's all that matters really.
October 13, 2012
Although this book is the second in a series it is viable as a stand-alone novel. The author gives enough info on the characters previous history together without recapping the entire first book.
At times I felt as if Carlos and the main character spoke to each other and interacted like twenty something yr olds, which didn't gel with the fact that they were both older men. The whole retirement and experienced cop image might have fit into the plot, but it didn't fit the character at all.
When the storyline veered into autism and the Benny and Leo plot ( I won't go into specifics) I was ready to shout out 'Impossible' and medically unheard of, but the author managed to turn that sub-plot all the way round and right way up again.
The paranormal aspect of the book was interesting and could have been explored a little more, especially towards the end, which was a little rushed.
The paranormal element could have been developed a little more and I liked where the author took the concept in regards to the solution to the problem.
At times I felt as if Carlos and the main character spoke to each other and interacted like twenty something yr olds, which didn't gel with the fact that they were both older men. The whole retirement and experienced cop image might have fit into the plot, but it didn't fit the character at all.
When the storyline veered into autism and the Benny and Leo plot ( I won't go into specifics) I was ready to shout out 'Impossible' and medically unheard of, but the author managed to turn that sub-plot all the way round and right way up again.
The paranormal aspect of the book was interesting and could have been explored a little more, especially towards the end, which was a little rushed.
The paranormal element could have been developed a little more and I liked where the author took the concept in regards to the solution to the problem.
February 15, 2012
Again, as you are used to by now, this was a free book from B&N.
I was thinking about reading it at all, since it is the second in the series and usually you get a bunch of references to the one that went before. Sometimes that really annoys me about a series of books. I understand why authors do it though.It's not really so bad in this book though! YAYY
It was a bit slow to start, but once it got going it was really a great read.
I liked the relationship the detective had with the witch. So wonderfully abrasive, yet they do sort of like each other. I adore the ending!!!!
The murders made to look like suicides and the way the detectives solve it all in the end. I just loved it all. Once you let go and really give in to the paranormal happenings of the book it will get you hooked!
If you like murder mysteries and the paranormal, you WILL like this one, I promise!
I will definitely try and read the other books in this series!
I was thinking about reading it at all, since it is the second in the series and usually you get a bunch of references to the one that went before. Sometimes that really annoys me about a series of books. I understand why authors do it though.It's not really so bad in this book though! YAYY
It was a bit slow to start, but once it got going it was really a great read.
I liked the relationship the detective had with the witch. So wonderfully abrasive, yet they do sort of like each other. I adore the ending!!!!
The murders made to look like suicides and the way the detectives solve it all in the end. I just loved it all. Once you let go and really give in to the paranormal happenings of the book it will get you hooked!
If you like murder mysteries and the paranormal, you WILL like this one, I promise!
I will definitely try and read the other books in this series!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews