The Watchers (Watchers 1) [Hardcover]

"Imagine The Bourne Identity rewritten by Neil Gaiman..."

So goes the first line of Amazon's synopsis. That sold me immediately. Now, however, permit to finish the sentence.

"...and it would be nothing like this novel." Gaiman's stories exploded with ideas, the Bourne novels are action-packed. This one is neither.

That isn't to say that it isn't without its own special charm but it is a sedate charm. Basically it has one idea and nearly two thirds of the length (and it is quite lengthy) pass before we begin to discover what it is. The story focuses on three characters who find their lives entertwining. The location is Lausanne and much of that is set within its cathedral. I can tell you that the characters are interesting -a British detective with memory loss who is manipulated by the Swiss police; an American courtesan who discovers, too late, her new life is not what it appears; and a sweet young man with special needs who has a rather unique job at the cathedral. I can tell that the author writes well and his descriptions of the environment are vivid. (Except for his jarring use of two words. I have never met anyone British who lights a 'smoke' rather than a cigarette, and the author also overuses the word 'fag' when cigarette would be better. Don't know why, but I found it jarring.) I can also tell you that this is a supernatural thriller but no more than that as to do so would be to spoil it. The author carefully involves the reader before revealing his hand.

It isn't for everyone and it is rather long for its substance, but those who do like it will like it a lot. I did.

The Watchers is the debut novel by Jon Steele. It explores the nature of good and evil, and how these forces affect everyone. Three residents of the historic town of Lausanne are caught up in a mystery surrounding the whereabouts of an Olympic official. As with all the best thrillers, there is more to this than initially meets the eye.

Mark Rochat, Katherine Taylor and Jay Harper make for a genuinely intriguing group of characters. Steele takes great pains to flesh them out and make them all feel as real as possible.

Katherine is a strong, independent woman who believes she is living the good life in Switzerland. She makes her living as a high-class call girl with an exclusive escort agency. During one of her `appointments' she is involved in a situation that can best be described as both horrific and life-changing.

Jay Harper starts off as a bit of an enigma. He is suffering from amnesia and remembers nothing of his life before arriving in town. He is a bit bolshie and has a mouth that is way too smart for it's own good. I warmed to him immediately as his character injects some darkly humorous moments throughout. I also particularly enjoyed the treat of an unhurried reveal of his origins as the novel continued.

I am sure however that it will be the third member of the trio, Mark Rochat, that is destined to be a fan favourite. He has a unique world view that is based on a lifetime of looking after the bells in the towers of Lausanne Cathedral. Like a modern day Quasimodo, he watches the streets from high above. He has a quirky, childlike innocence that shines through and makes him incredibly likeable. He is loyal, and his dedication to uncovering the nature of the `mysterious mysteries' make him a real hero.

The vivid descriptions of Lausanne give this novel a truly evocative setting. Stieg Larrson and John Ajvide Lindqvist are well known for bringing the Swedish countryside to life in their novels. I think that Jon Steele has the same keen eye for detail when it comes to Switzerland. While reading it was very easy to imagine the locations Steele describes, he obviously knows the town extremely well, and this knowledge leaps from the page. I remember after I first read The Age of Misrule by Mark Chadbourn I was so taken with the writing it prompted me to follow the character's footsteps and journey to St Michael's Mount in Cornwall. Reading The Watchers has made me feel the same, it will only matter of time before I make a similar journey to Lausanne.

In some respects, The Watchers is a quite difficult novel to classify. It is all expertly done but there is a lot going on here - one part thriller, one part murder mystery with additional supernatural components thrown in for good measure. I was impressed by the way all these disparate elements were brought together seamlessly. There are some great unexpected twists and turns that will keep any reader on their toes.

I was drawn in by the strong characterization and the utterly engrossing story. I think it is fair to say that things do start at quite a slow pace but personally I enjoyed this gradual ramping up of the tension. Conversely, the final hundred pages rattle by at a cracking pace. The novel's finale features a dramatic battle and a quizzical epilogue which hints that there is more to come. I for one, welcome it.

Some books are really difficult to review, not that it's a bad thing but purely its so hard to be able to say things without giving away any of the plot devices utilised by the author. This is one of those books. Whilst it is quite a lengthy title, its one that takes its own time to set off and carefully plods along to allow the reader to get to know the three main protagonists (from whom each chapter originates in one form or another) before throwing you in at the deep end with the metaphysical as well as paranormal side of the tale.

It is cleverly written, the characters can take a while to get used to but the do have hooks but perhaps best of all it's the authors careful setting of the scenes that will ultimately win the reader over. All in this is going to be a hard title for the majority of people to pick up and read and whilst some may well try the skim and skip routine you really need all your attention as when the nuances hit you'll find you'll have missed quite a bit. It is a challenge but for me the rewards at the titles end justify the struggle.