The Well ~ Marie Sexton
- The Word Nerd Reviews
- Oct 14, 2022
- 2 min read
The Story:
Twenty years after prom queen Cassie Kennedy is brutally murdered, six teenagers break into the house where she was killed to hold a séance. Haven knows his cousin Elise only wants to scare the crap out of him and his friends, but he’s willing to put up with one of her pranks if it means a chance to spend a few hours with the new kid in town, Pierce Hunter.
But when morning comes, Elise has disappeared without a trace.
Twelve years later, Pierce and his twin brother Jordan are professional paranormal investigators, starring in their own ghost-hunting TV show. When Pierce calls Haven, insisting they return to the supposedly haunted building one last time, Haven reluctantly agrees. He’s nervous about seeing Pierce again, but he’s determined to get some answers. Did they really speak to Cassie’s ghost that night? What happened to Elise? And the biggest mystery of all – how did she know the secret of the well?
The Well was a skillfully crafted murder mystery with a paranormal twist. It was my first book by Marie Sexton, but if the quality of her other books matches this one, it won't be the last. The Well kept me guessing right until the big reveal. I had absolutely no idea who the killer was.
"Years later, he’d look back and marvel at that surety. He was right.
That night did change his life. But not in the way he’d hoped."
I loved how the book alternated between past and present, telling the story of that night twelve years ago in segments. It made the suspense grow with each installment. The story is told only from Haven's point of view, and even though I usually prefer dual POV, it wouldn't have worked in this case. This was Haven's (and Elise's) story, so the single POV worked well to increase the suspense as we learned what happened that night along with Haven. Plus, Haven was as clueless as I was, so it made me feel better!
The Well is low heat (by my judgement), but it was very romantic and quite intimate at times. There was only one sex scene, and it was almost clean, a bit more detailed but with a fade-to-black quality. I love a steamy sex scene, and Pierce and Haven had terrific chemistry. Honestly, though, I didn't miss it (too much) because the story and the relationships between the characters, all the characters, not just Pierce and Haven, were so good.
"The way Haven’s world seemed to shift on its axis at the sight of him?
That hadn’t changed at all."
The Well was a superbly crafted murder mystery where nearly everyone is a suspect at one stage or another, but it keeps you guessing until the end (well, it kept me guessing!). The characters were beautifully developed, and the mystery around the deaths was engaging, if sad to think about.
The Well had one of the nicest endings; it was a touching way to end what had been harrowing but ultimately sad events. I'd highly recommend The Well to anyone who enjoys a good murder mystery with a ghostly twist.
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