A perfect way to begin the Halloween season is to choose some solid novels that are sure to provide plenty of thrills and chills. THE WITCH IN THE WELL by Camilla Bruce should be added to your list of October reads. Not only is it a terrific psychological thriller involving two women with dueling points of view surrounding a centuries-old legend, it is also an above-average gothic horror story that will keep the candle burning long into the night as you furiously turn the pages.

A legend in the fictional town referred to only as F- involves Ilsbeth Clark, who was accused of witchcraft after the disappearance of several children and whose soul allegedly still haunts the old well on Elena Clover’s property. Elena and her childhood friend, Cathy Evans, become obsessed with this legend and the infamous well. They even claim to have seen the witch of the well, or evil spirit of Ilsbeth, climb out to frighten them and threaten to return to her old ways.

"Not only is it a terrific psychological thriller involving two women with dueling points of view surrounding a centuries-old legend, it is also an above-average gothic horror story that will keep the candle burning long into the night as you furiously turn the pages."

Early on in the novel, we see a newspaper clipping that refers to the body of a woman being pulled from this same well. She will not be the only victim. The story of THE WITCH IN THE WELL is told through the varying experiences of Cathy and Elena, who are now adults. Cathy has returned to F- with the intention of writing a book on Ilsbeth’s life and fate. She has no idea that Elena, whom she has not seen in decades, is writing her own book with a similar storyline.

It is not giving anything away to reveal that in the first chapter, Cathy insists she had nothing to do with Elena’s death. In the pages that follow, we will see their relationship now existing as a completely deteriorated connection at best. In fact, Elena blames many of the odd things that begin happening to her solely on Cathy, whom she claims is an actual witch.

Readers will enjoy the notion that each narrator may not be completely reliable, especially Cathy, as neither will back down and stop working on their similarly themed books. Ilsbeth’s story is only a portion of Elena’s book, which is more concentrated on a sort of new age spiritualism with a title that will include reference to the soul, a topic that she has used in prior publications. Even though Cathy’s book is purely about Ilsbeth, the two women still believe that the other “stole” their idea.

Elena’s death is described in eye-opening fashion, and it almost falls to the reader to decide if she was murdered or if something supernatural involving the witch in the well is at play. Whatever conclusion is drawn, it is still a chilling moment in a novel full of gothic darkness.

THE WITCH IN THE WELL is a tense, sometimes unsettling read. It is firmly planted in the lore of fable and the supernatural legends that easily can consume any small village to the point where the entire personality of its residents become forever changed by the events that made them legendary. Camilla Bruce is an expert at depicting this, and I highly recommend reading her novel during the spookiest season of the year.