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Down the Well
Awarded the silver medal for horror in the 2023-2024 Reader Views reviewer's choice awards
When hunters stumble upon a genocide deep in rural Kentucky, investigators unearth a mysterious cache of canvases at the scene that seem to contain the secret to solving the case – but they’re written in an unintelligible script that has the uncanny ability to drive people insane.
Immune to the sinister power of the canvases due to his color blindness, lawyer Joe Blackhurst is tasked with translating the messages and unravelling the truth behind the carnage. Joe begins to unmask the perplexing story behind the canvases Richie Maltessouri, a down-on-his-luck young lawyer struggling under a mountain of debt.
Drawn deeper into an unsettling mystery, Joe finds his fate tangled with a cast of strange characters – including a handicapped painter with seemingly supernatural skills, a rude barista, and a camgirl. As he peels away the layers of Richie’s enigmatic story, he finds himself flirting closer and closer with madness.
And when the trail of canvases leads him to an old, dark well, Joe knows that the answers that have been tormenting him lie deep at the bottom – if he can bring himself to face them...
Step into a gripping paranormal thriller that artfully weaves together edge-of-your-seat suspense, stunning prose, and a dash of disturbing horror. Down The Well is an unforgettable read that’s perfect for fans of experimental novels from authors like Mark Z. Danielewski.
Editorial
"Down the Well is the best novel I have read this year and I don’t think any novel will be able to top it. The mystery was intricate; it had layers that peeled away as Joe uncovered more and more secrets from each of the canvases. The narrative was fragmented in the best way possible. Author Joseph Blackhurst masterfully flipped between the canvases to Joe’s notes and investigation. The story was surprisingly easy to read and flowed incredibly well. I felt a rush of excitement every time I started a new chapter and found something new in the Carrington Tragedy. The pace was perfect, and the characters were highlighted well. The story will surprise you and give you an adrenaline rush at the same time. The author reminded me of Dan Brown, yet somehow, his writing style was more unique than Brown’s. I highly recommend this novel!" — Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite
"What type of reader could possibly want to venture into this madness? Fans of well-written, intense horror stories, as well as fans of psychological suspense novels. Those who enjoy literature that refuses to “dumb-down” to the lowest common denominator and aren’t afraid to step into the darkness. Or perhaps those who want to fling themselves headlong into the madness of mental health disorders and walk on that wild side for a while. If you dare to take on the journey that is “Down the Well” by Joseph Blackhurst, you’ll be blessed with an array of superb characters, a Hitchcockian plot unraveling at the pace of The Twilight Zone, and an abundance of chaos. " — Reader Views
When hunters stumble upon a genocide deep in rural Kentucky, investigators unearth a mysterious cache of canvases at the scene that seem to contain the secret to solving the case – but they’re written in an unintelligible script that has the uncanny ability to drive people insane.
Immune to the sinister power of the canvases due to his color blindness, lawyer Joe Blackhurst is tasked with translating the messages and unravelling the truth behind the carnage. Joe begins to unmask the perplexing story behind the canvases Richie Maltessouri, a down-on-his-luck young lawyer struggling under a mountain of debt.
Drawn deeper into an unsettling mystery, Joe finds his fate tangled with a cast of strange characters – including a handicapped painter with seemingly supernatural skills, a rude barista, and a camgirl. As he peels away the layers of Richie’s enigmatic story, he finds himself flirting closer and closer with madness.
And when the trail of canvases leads him to an old, dark well, Joe knows that the answers that have been tormenting him lie deep at the bottom – if he can bring himself to face them...
Step into a gripping paranormal thriller that artfully weaves together edge-of-your-seat suspense, stunning prose, and a dash of disturbing horror. Down The Well is an unforgettable read that’s perfect for fans of experimental novels from authors like Mark Z. Danielewski.
Editorial
"Down the Well is the best novel I have read this year and I don’t think any novel will be able to top it. The mystery was intricate; it had layers that peeled away as Joe uncovered more and more secrets from each of the canvases. The narrative was fragmented in the best way possible. Author Joseph Blackhurst masterfully flipped between the canvases to Joe’s notes and investigation. The story was surprisingly easy to read and flowed incredibly well. I felt a rush of excitement every time I started a new chapter and found something new in the Carrington Tragedy. The pace was perfect, and the characters were highlighted well. The story will surprise you and give you an adrenaline rush at the same time. The author reminded me of Dan Brown, yet somehow, his writing style was more unique than Brown’s. I highly recommend this novel!" — Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite
"What type of reader could possibly want to venture into this madness? Fans of well-written, intense horror stories, as well as fans of psychological suspense novels. Those who enjoy literature that refuses to “dumb-down” to the lowest common denominator and aren’t afraid to step into the darkness. Or perhaps those who want to fling themselves headlong into the madness of mental health disorders and walk on that wild side for a while. If you dare to take on the journey that is “Down the Well” by Joseph Blackhurst, you’ll be blessed with an array of superb characters, a Hitchcockian plot unraveling at the pace of The Twilight Zone, and an abundance of chaos. " — Reader Views
- GenresHorror
306 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 10, 2023
172 people are currently reading
281 people want to read
About the author
Joseph Blackhurst
4 books5 followersJoseph received his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. He received his undergraduate degree in screenwriting from Columbia College Chicago. His 2023 novel, Down the Well, won the silver medal for horror in the 2023-24 Reader Views Reviewers’ Choice Awards. His 2024 novel, A World Without Trees, was awarded a Kirkus star and was selected as a Kirkus indie book of the month in April 2025.
He lives in Detroit.
He lives in Detroit.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
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November 27, 2023DNF. I was just bored.
June 30, 2023
I'm still confused as to where the True crime comes in...
But it was a decent horror story and I couldn't put it down!
But it was a decent horror story and I couldn't put it down!
June 28, 2023
I’m not sure where to begin. I swear I don’t remember taking a single breath after the 200th page. Where do I begin? Let’s started with the ending. I suffer from bipolar disorder and the ‘mania’ everyone keeps throwing around in the book, is very comparable to the canvases of Richie and writings of Joe. I loved how it started out incoherent with Richie and progressively got better as the story went on and how it started out knowledgeable with Joe and regressed into insanity with him.
I have no words. I am finding it really hard to convey just how insanely good this book is. I’m going to recommend it to everyone. Near the end my heart felt as if it would come out of my chest. Every ‘aha’ moment was worth the confusion in the beginning.
Absolutely, stunning book.
I have no words. I am finding it really hard to convey just how insanely good this book is. I’m going to recommend it to everyone. Near the end my heart felt as if it would come out of my chest. Every ‘aha’ moment was worth the confusion in the beginning.
Absolutely, stunning book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2024
That was a gotdamn fever dream. It started off as crazy ramblings, balanced out, and then ended in crazy ramblings. Im still sorting out what the hell I just read.
Okay, big House of Leaves vibes, which I see other reviewers felt the same way. I understand we were meant to feel crazy right along with Richie and Joe, and once I got used to it, the story started to flow for me. However, the last 40ish pages had me very lost. It felt rushed, and I am still pretty confused by it all.
Okay, big House of Leaves vibes, which I see other reviewers felt the same way. I understand we were meant to feel crazy right along with Richie and Joe, and once I got used to it, the story started to flow for me. However, the last 40ish pages had me very lost. It felt rushed, and I am still pretty confused by it all.
August 18, 2023
If the author set out to blow reader’s minds to bits, well…mission accomplished. “Down the Well” by Joseph Blackhurst is a unique story, fashioned in an unusual way, and brought forth with uncommon style.
Do you remember the first time you watched the movie, “The Sixth Sense?” What was your initial reaction? For many people, it was the feeling that now that they understood, they wanted to go back and watch it again with greater insight. Readers will have a very similar reaction to this amazing work.
Meet Joseph Blackhurst. He’s a Chicago lawyer specializing in high-profile government investigations. He’s been sent to the backwoods of Kentucky’s Appalachian mountains to investigate an “incident.” He’s not alone. There’s an entire committee backing him, though they won’t be getting their hands dirty. There’s also another attorney making this journey with him: Sahar Ayubbi. She’s acting as a counterbalance and watchdog for Blackhurst as he undertakes a dangerous transcribing job. Sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? How dangerous could copying a work be? Let’s just say the previous translator lost his mind while doing this and isn’t likely to ever find it again.
What follows is about as easy to describe as it is to nail Jello to a tree. Or herd cats. Or to… find a needle in a haystack when you don’t have the address to the farm, as the author says. You get the idea. So, I’m not really going to attempt description. I will say the novel is extremely well written, with an uncanny blend of creepiness, wit, and WTH moments. This is such an immersive story that it’s not quite right to say the main character is going to tell us what going down the well is like. Rather, he’s going to pull us with him into the gaping maw of chaotic lunacy so that we, the readers, can experience every mind-melting, bladder-releasing moment with him.
This story is going to be unlike any most readers have experienced before. As such, readers should anticipate periods of turmoil and confusion. As the story unfolds, there will be two main points of view: that of the attorney Joseph Blackhurst, and that of an unusual man named Richard Maltessouri (Richie). Richie’s point of view is all written on canvases of various sizes, created by an unusual kind of ink that seems to encompass every color of the rainbow. Richie’s canvas writings are what Blackhurst is there to transcribe, due to the frenetic scribbling and the unusual qualities of the ink, known as tint. It is these canvas writings that hold the secret to the massacre that took place in the Appalachians. It is also these canvas writings that drove the initial transcriber mad.
I fell into the tint again. It’s like being inside a womb. Like tossing and turning inside an eggshell padded with awful patterned wallpaper, rolling around.
Once I started to get some sort of clumsy idea as to what was going on (which took several chapters- be patient), I began to appreciate the brilliance of this writing. The most amazing literary feature to me was the way Richie’s writings started in such abject disarray that they were complete gibberish, and how they slowly began to morph into statements that make sense and sound quite normal. As this was occurring, Blackhurst’s renderings of the texts started out extremely literate, even obnoxiously so- with all the dollar words from law school he could throw in there. But as the story progressed, Blackhurst’s words took on the rambling, incoherent tone of the madman. The juxtaposition of these two character’s writings had an almost mathematical quality to it, like playing Bach’s Inventions for piano, or finding Fibonacci patterns in nature. Both seem random and disordered at first blush. Until the pattern is discovered.
What type of reader could possibly want to venture into this madness? Fans of well-written, intense horror stories, as well as fans of psychological suspense novels. Those who enjoy literature that refuses to “dumb-down” to the lowest common denominator and aren’t afraid to step into the darkness. Or perhaps those who want to fling themselves headlong into the madness of mental health disorders and walk on that wild side for a while. If you dare to take on the journey that is “Down the Well” by Joseph Blackhurst, you’ll be blessed with an array of superb characters, a Hitchcockian plot unraveling at the pace of The Twilight Zone, and an abundance of chaos.
Do you remember the first time you watched the movie, “The Sixth Sense?” What was your initial reaction? For many people, it was the feeling that now that they understood, they wanted to go back and watch it again with greater insight. Readers will have a very similar reaction to this amazing work.
Meet Joseph Blackhurst. He’s a Chicago lawyer specializing in high-profile government investigations. He’s been sent to the backwoods of Kentucky’s Appalachian mountains to investigate an “incident.” He’s not alone. There’s an entire committee backing him, though they won’t be getting their hands dirty. There’s also another attorney making this journey with him: Sahar Ayubbi. She’s acting as a counterbalance and watchdog for Blackhurst as he undertakes a dangerous transcribing job. Sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? How dangerous could copying a work be? Let’s just say the previous translator lost his mind while doing this and isn’t likely to ever find it again.
What follows is about as easy to describe as it is to nail Jello to a tree. Or herd cats. Or to… find a needle in a haystack when you don’t have the address to the farm, as the author says. You get the idea. So, I’m not really going to attempt description. I will say the novel is extremely well written, with an uncanny blend of creepiness, wit, and WTH moments. This is such an immersive story that it’s not quite right to say the main character is going to tell us what going down the well is like. Rather, he’s going to pull us with him into the gaping maw of chaotic lunacy so that we, the readers, can experience every mind-melting, bladder-releasing moment with him.
This story is going to be unlike any most readers have experienced before. As such, readers should anticipate periods of turmoil and confusion. As the story unfolds, there will be two main points of view: that of the attorney Joseph Blackhurst, and that of an unusual man named Richard Maltessouri (Richie). Richie’s point of view is all written on canvases of various sizes, created by an unusual kind of ink that seems to encompass every color of the rainbow. Richie’s canvas writings are what Blackhurst is there to transcribe, due to the frenetic scribbling and the unusual qualities of the ink, known as tint. It is these canvas writings that hold the secret to the massacre that took place in the Appalachians. It is also these canvas writings that drove the initial transcriber mad.
I fell into the tint again. It’s like being inside a womb. Like tossing and turning inside an eggshell padded with awful patterned wallpaper, rolling around.
Once I started to get some sort of clumsy idea as to what was going on (which took several chapters- be patient), I began to appreciate the brilliance of this writing. The most amazing literary feature to me was the way Richie’s writings started in such abject disarray that they were complete gibberish, and how they slowly began to morph into statements that make sense and sound quite normal. As this was occurring, Blackhurst’s renderings of the texts started out extremely literate, even obnoxiously so- with all the dollar words from law school he could throw in there. But as the story progressed, Blackhurst’s words took on the rambling, incoherent tone of the madman. The juxtaposition of these two character’s writings had an almost mathematical quality to it, like playing Bach’s Inventions for piano, or finding Fibonacci patterns in nature. Both seem random and disordered at first blush. Until the pattern is discovered.
What type of reader could possibly want to venture into this madness? Fans of well-written, intense horror stories, as well as fans of psychological suspense novels. Those who enjoy literature that refuses to “dumb-down” to the lowest common denominator and aren’t afraid to step into the darkness. Or perhaps those who want to fling themselves headlong into the madness of mental health disorders and walk on that wild side for a while. If you dare to take on the journey that is “Down the Well” by Joseph Blackhurst, you’ll be blessed with an array of superb characters, a Hitchcockian plot unraveling at the pace of The Twilight Zone, and an abundance of chaos.
July 6, 2023
I’m not saying this was a bad book. It was just hard to follow and I spent most of it wondering what I had just read.
July 20, 2023
Big waste of time ever.
This was a very difficult read . The characters were confusing and
the story was choppy. This was a waste of my time.
This was a very difficult read . The characters were confusing and
the story was choppy. This was a waste of my time.
August 13, 2023
In Joseph Blackhurst’s book, Down the Well, lawyers rush to solve the mystery behind a mass of bodies found in a well. Their only clue to the “mass genocide” is a set of canvases with mysterious writing. The “tint” in which the information is written is like no other substance known to man. It drives the readers mad unless they are colorblind, but reading the canvases is necessary to locate the author of the pieces and affirm the theory of a flash flood. As a colorblind attorney attempts to transcribe the remaining canvases, more of the mystery is revealed, but the truth may be so bizarre and horrifying that it will test the limits of human comprehension.
Joseph Blackhurst has written a mystery that will astound anyone brave enough to finish the book. The tale is narrated by a colorblind attorney who explains more than one man’s descent into madness. Each canvas reveals a clue and references an unidentified baby, but readers will be shocked by the events and turns throughout the story. The twisted results of a dying wish are manifested into a disastrous outcome that will have readers biting their fingernails as they read the latter half of the story. The author brings the reader within inches of resolution before pulling away and revealing more pertinent clues. The book is dark in nature, with a secondary mystery and hints of magical realism. Down the Well is great for readers who enjoy twisted psychological suspense and mysteries.
Joseph Blackhurst has written a mystery that will astound anyone brave enough to finish the book. The tale is narrated by a colorblind attorney who explains more than one man’s descent into madness. Each canvas reveals a clue and references an unidentified baby, but readers will be shocked by the events and turns throughout the story. The twisted results of a dying wish are manifested into a disastrous outcome that will have readers biting their fingernails as they read the latter half of the story. The author brings the reader within inches of resolution before pulling away and revealing more pertinent clues. The book is dark in nature, with a secondary mystery and hints of magical realism. Down the Well is great for readers who enjoy twisted psychological suspense and mysteries.
September 1, 2023
Wtf did I just read. I think I understood what was going on but it would have been much easier if it wasn’t transcribed and typed out like that.
The whole book was supposed to be transcribed by Richie writing in the canvases, and then by Joe, who is writing after notes. I’m confused about the order in which things take place based on the tense that it was written. Like he would be telling a story, writing a diary entry, and then I think, interjecting, random thoughts he was having as he was recalling events, but without having any differentiators, it was confusing to read it digitally.
The overall tone of the book was super creepy which I did enjoy but it was confusing
The whole book was supposed to be transcribed by Richie writing in the canvases, and then by Joe, who is writing after notes. I’m confused about the order in which things take place based on the tense that it was written. Like he would be telling a story, writing a diary entry, and then I think, interjecting, random thoughts he was having as he was recalling events, but without having any differentiators, it was confusing to read it digitally.
The overall tone of the book was super creepy which I did enjoy but it was confusing
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2023
Fresh and Complex
I've never read a book quite like this one. I love horror, but this novel explored mystery and terror in such unexpected ways that it stands apart from so many other books I've read. I was worried that there would be no relief from not knowing the answers, from being caught in the vortex of the story along with the characters. But the ending is as eminently satisfying as it is surprising.
I've never read a book quite like this one. I love horror, but this novel explored mystery and terror in such unexpected ways that it stands apart from so many other books I've read. I was worried that there would be no relief from not knowing the answers, from being caught in the vortex of the story along with the characters. But the ending is as eminently satisfying as it is surprising.
July 2, 2023
A lot of people on Insta recommended this book. I decided to give it a try. It sounded like a good read. It was okay. I felt insane and crazy throughout the entire book, which is what the author, I’m sure, wanted us to feel like. I was confused maybe 75% of the read. Not disappointed with reading this, just not my favorite.
January 29, 2024
Only one typo, which is pretty good nowadays.
I enjoyed this story, but have to say I was a bit confused by the ending, I feel like things got a bit muddled. It’s an interesting storyline and I think fans of House of Leaves would possibly like this. It builds nicely and develops a lovely odd and creepy atmosphere. I just wish the ending had more of an impact. 3.5 stars
I enjoyed this story, but have to say I was a bit confused by the ending, I feel like things got a bit muddled. It’s an interesting storyline and I think fans of House of Leaves would possibly like this. It builds nicely and develops a lovely odd and creepy atmosphere. I just wish the ending had more of an impact. 3.5 stars
April 30, 2024
One of those books where you’ve got no clue what’s going on until 1/3 of the way in and then it gets GOOD. Appreciated the author going back to previous points in the story later on to remind the reader of things they may have missed. Very cool story
June 29, 2023
totally confused
I couldn’t decipher what was going on 90% of the time and skimmed through most of the pages. Sorry, not my cup of tea at all.
I couldn’t decipher what was going on 90% of the time and skimmed through most of the pages. Sorry, not my cup of tea at all.
July 6, 2023
I always looked forward to picking this up. Was on edge through the entire book.
August 9, 2023
Amazing.
Even the good are capable of very bad things.
This is not for everyone...chaos reigns here. Do you have what it takes?
Even the good are capable of very bad things.
This is not for everyone...chaos reigns here. Do you have what it takes?
August 30, 2023
Very complex, following this story. Almost too complex to appreciate what an interesting narrative style it has. Reminds me a bit of House of Leaves in it's multi-layered narrative.
dnf
July 27, 2024”Fever dream” kan i mitt tycke vara både bra och dåligt omdöme. Efter ett par kapitel lutar jag åt att tidigare recensenter menat den dåliga sorten i det här fallet.
July 31, 2025
The build up was great and the ending was a little...well disappointing.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews