We Already Dug the Grave

by Emma C. Wells

Sharp Objects with a dash of Practical Magic in this southern gothic thriller with cool girl edge from USA Today bestselling author Emma C. Wells following two estranged sisters who will do anything to protect each other – even murder. Again.

Milly can’t divine the future anymore, and maybe that’s a good thing. Lately, her life has been bleak enough, she doesn’t need the now-silent tea leaves to tell her. She’s alone and waitressing in a sleepy town while her estranged younger sister thrives miles away in a shiny new life with a shiny new marriage. Milly doesn’t blame Francis for wanting nothing to do with her. Not after what happened in that Tennessee meadow a decade before.

But when Francis shows up on Milly’s doorstep with a black eye and a plea for help escaping her well-connected, wealthy husband – Milly can’t say no. Especially when the tea leaves are finally crystal clear: if the sisters don’t kill Francis’s husband, he’ll eventually kill her.

But if they’re going to plot a murder, the sisters have no choice but to return to the one place, and two aunts, they’d left behind. A place where another body – and a multitude of secrets – were buried. Because this isn’t the first time the sisters have needed to dispose of a bad man. In fact, they might be pretty good at it.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Horror, Family, Crime

416 pages, Paperback

Expected publication September 8, 2026

About the author

Emma C. Wells is the USA Today bestselling author of This Girl's A Killer and the forthcoming We Already Dug The Grave.

Reviews

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (Semi-Hiatus-attempting return)]

Sharp Objects meets Practical Magic? 👀🔥

Please. I hope you pull this off Emma C Wells 🙏🏼

Digital arc provided via NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press. All thoughts are my own

Expected Pub Date - 09/08/26

⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

[Rosaline (Rosaline's Rolls & Scrolls) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It's not super fun reading a mystery novel with an incredibly stupid MC.
The premise sounded interesting. However, the execution left much to be desired.

Here is the gist of it:

The Good
The story itself was fun and original. I loved how basically every important character in this book is a woman and they have a beautiful bond with each other. They have each other’s backs through everything. A lovely portrayal of sisterhood by Emma C. Wells.

The Bad
However, the rest of the book is a big disappointment. The writing itself really bothered me. The dialogues read like one of those popular teen series from 2010s we used to love and now cringe at. The MC’s sister was referred to as “baby bird” a total of twenty times in the whole book and it started to get really annoying. Especially since I, for the life of me, could not figure out why she was called that. And the way things are described in the book give you pause, even simple hugs. There are moments in the book that if you were to imagine actually happening in real life (which is what most readers do) it becomes extremely comical. I really did expect much more from a bestselling author.

The Ugly
While I liked the mystery itself, I hated the conclusion of the book. I like my thriller mysteries to have a concrete, real conclusion. It’s very frustrating when the author builds up the whole thing and now, you’re in it and you’re like “omg what a twist” … and then nothing happens nor gets resolved? Yeah, not cool!
Which brings me to the worst part of this entire book: the main character. I like reading about unlikable, flawed, or even not so bright characters that are not easy to like. I am not looking for the perfect heroine. But having an extremely stupid MC in a mystery thriller book is a new form of torture. Usually when the MC is this dense, it’s because the story is not strong enough and they had to make the MC dumb just to get the book going. However, that’s not the case with We Already Dug the Grave. The story is good, and the mystery keeps you on your toes. The characters, situations, and their relationships are complicated enough to deliver a good mystery. It also warrants the MC acting the way that she does. But she is supposed to be the salutatorian in her school, therefore, I don’t believe she could realistically be as stupid as she was. When everything was right in front of her face, she still refused to understand.

Overall
So, while I liked the story itself, I feel like lots of things did not need to happen if the MC just used her brain for a second in this book. And I, personally, do not enjoy yelling at characters in my books to just please acquire a brain with cells.
This would’ve been a better book with a more… intentional writing, far better dialogues, an MC that made sense and didn’t make you want to break your e-reader, and a satisfying (not necessarily good, but SATISFYING) ending.

[Stacey · Rating 1 out of 5]

This unfortunately did not work for me.

The premise immediately calls to mind comparisons to Practical Magic, and while that can be a compelling foundation, this felt more derivative than inspired. The core elements, being two sisters, a troubled past, and a supernatural thread tied to love and violence, never quite developed into something distinct or cohesive.

My biggest issue was with the characterization, particularly the main character. Early on, she is presented as capable and resilient, but as the story progresses, her decision-making becomes inconsistent and, at times, difficult to follow. This shift made it challenging to stay invested in her perspective.

The dynamic with her sister also raised concerns. Certain character choices and reactions felt underdeveloped or unrealistic, which made key plot points feel predictable rather than impactful.

As the story continued, the narrative became increasingly disjointed. There were multiple moments where transitions felt abrupt or unclear, and I found myself rereading passages to determine whether I had missed something. Unfortunately, this seemed to stem more from structural issues than intentional ambiguity.

The resolution left several important questions unanswered, particularly regarding character motivations and consequences. This lack of clarity made the ending feel incomplete.

There are underlying themes of grief, trauma, and sisterhood that had potential, but they were overshadowed by uneven pacing and inconsistencies in both plot and character development.

Overall, this was a promising concept that ultimately fell short in execution.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved This Girls a Killer and when I saw that this book was being compared to Practical Magic I jumped at the opportunity for an ARC. While I loved the witchy vibes, the eccentric aunts, and the plot of the story the twist fell flat for me. I found it to be predictable and to be honest, it’s not my favorite type of twist. Despite that, this was still a fun, quick, enjoyable read.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

[Gabby Hurley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5

Thank you NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and the author Emma C. Wells for gifting me with this ARC to review.

This book was going so well until the ending 😔

Liked:

-practical magic vibes (one of my absolute favorite movies that I used to watch on repeat). Loved the witchy vibes from the whole family and how the “sight” works. Honestly kind of jealous that I don’t have a slew of bones that I use to decorate my house with.

-dead men tell know tales. Bury the bodies and move on with life is this families motto and honestly I respect that. Shane definitely deserved that because 🤢. Aunt Hattie’s solution to the “pest” problems that are causing bruises to married women is great and she won’t hear any complaints from me about it.

Disliked:

-the ending!!!! I’m so serious when I say that the ending ruined it for me. I mean the plot twist wasn’t anything mind blowing (I knew where the author was gonna take us) but the end of that plot twist was completely unsatisfying. There’s so much I want to say about it but for the sake of not spoiling anything I’ll hold my tongue 😤

-stop calling your sister your baby bird. You get 3 call backs to a nickname or comparison to an animal before I start cringing and rolling my eyes.

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC.

I enjoyed this book more than her last book. This was all witchy vibes with strong female characters and mysteries to follow. Deception. Strong family loyalty. Betrayal.

This story instantly peaks your interest from the beginning and doesn’t let up until you know what really happened. It’s a fun, quick read that makes it hard to put down because you need see if your theory is right at the end. The ending was a little predictable but that shouldn’t discredit how entertaining this read was.

The one complaint I had was how many times Frances was called “my baby bird” throughout the book, it started to get annoying with the frequency.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you @poisonedpenpress for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this witchy psychological thriller! What I loved most about this book was the atmosphere. We Already Dug the Grave is a dark southern gothic that pulls you in from the first page. The main character Milly has been running from her past and her gift (reading the future in tea leaves). One day she gets a phone call that that tips her off that her sister might be in trouble. She would do anything for her sister Francis including coming out of hiding and fighting for her family. I feel the author delivered a page turning story filled with magic, loyalty and survival. The book is a perfect read for Summerween!

[Trisha]

oh my gosh! I saw this title and information so long ago on FB! I was frustrated because I couldn't find the book anywhere - and I really like this author - so I wanted to read this one!

Imagine my surprise when I spotted it on Netgalley!! YAY!!!

So excited to read this! Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press - for the E-Arc!! Pub Date: 9/2026

[Nicole Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“We Already Dug the Grave” by Emma C. Wells is one of those books that grabs you by the throat with its opening line and refuses to let go. From there, it unfolds into a dark Southern Gothic thriller packed with family secrets, generational trauma, superstition, murder, and some surprisingly emotional sister relationships.

The story follows Milly and Frances Robinson, two estranged sisters connected by a complicated past they can never fully escape. Milly has spent years trying to outrun her family's strange gift (or curse) known as "the Sight," an ability tied to tea leaf readings and glimpses of things that may or may not be inevitable. When Frances suddenly reappears in her life terrified and desperate for help, Milly is forced to confront both the present danger and the buried secrets of their childhood.

One of the book's biggest strengths is its atmosphere. The Tennessee setting feels incredibly vivid, with humid summer air, rundown houses, family graveyards, tea leaves, old superstitions, and enough buried secrets to fill a cemetery. The Southern Gothic vibe is absolutely dripping from every page. There's a constant feeling that something terrible happened here long before the story began and something even worse is waiting around the corner.

The dual timeline structure works really well for most of the story. The chapters alternate between "Then" and "Now," gradually revealing pieces of the sisters' childhood while building tension in the present-day mystery. More than once I found myself desperate to get back to a particular timeline because both storylines kept ending on cliffhangers. The flashbacks especially were some of the strongest parts of the book, adding emotional depth and helping explain why these sisters are so fiercely connected despite everything that's happened between them.

Milly is an interesting protagonist because she's far from perfect. She's exhausted, traumatized, stubbornly clinging to hope, and completely devoted to protecting her younger sister. Sometimes her decisions can be frustrating, but they also feel understandable given everything she's been through. Frances is even more fascinating. She's one of those characters who constantly walks the line between victim and something much darker. The deeper the story digs into her past, the more complicated she becomes. You may not always like her, but you'll definitely want to understand her.

The supporting cast is fantastic as well. Bunny, Ruth, Hattie May, and the other women in the story often steal the show. The book is filled with tough, resilient women who have survived impossible situations and continue protecting one another even when it hurts. At its core, this is really a story about family, particularly the messy, painful, sometimes toxic but unbreakable bonds between sisters, mothers, daughters, and aunts.

The supernatural elements are handled with a surprisingly light touch. The tea reading, the Sight, and the family's strange abilities add an eerie layer to the story without overwhelming the psychological thriller aspects. Throughout the book, there's always the question of whether events are being driven by fate, family legacy, or the choices people make for themselves.

As for the mystery itself, there are plenty of twists, secrets, and revelations. Some were easier to predict than others, but the emotional impact of uncovering the family's history kept me invested regardless. The book does an excellent job of making you question who is telling the truth and who can actually be trusted.

That said, the ending will probably be the most divisive part of the book. For some, it may feel hauntingly open-ended and fitting for the story's themes. For others, it might feel frustratingly abrupt and leave too many unanswered questions. I definitely found myself staring at the final page thinking, "Wait... that's it?" after spending so much time invested in these characters. Whether you love or hate the ending will probably determine your overall rating.

Overall, “We Already Dug the Grave” is not a fast-paced thriller full of nonstop action, but rather a slow-burning story that carefully peels back layers of trauma, loyalty, and buried secrets. If you enjoy stories about complicated families, morally gray characters, creepy small-town atmospheres, and women willing to do absolutely anything to protect the people they love, this one is definitely worth digging into.

[Elige Ghattas · Rating 5 out of 5]

‎
‎"It was no better than the grown-ups. I was a liar too."
‎
‎This is truly one of the best thrillers I've read so far. It deciphers deep and sensitive topics carefully yet powerfully. It's like a cat gently sneaking in. This book carries the Robinson women's story in a world of violence, where surviving comes first. We explore the powerful dynamic of family, grief, love, and most importantly, sacrifice. The story and plot were thoroughly woven. It sticks to the tradition where the suspect is never the real villain, but the author took that and made it her own giving us a close but open door, charged and waiting to be opened.
‎
‎⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This part discusses character arcs and thematic outcomes, including the ending.
‎
‎Let's start with our protagonist, Millicent Marie Robinson. A salutatorian of her class. A gifted, or rather cursed, with the family heirloom of the inevitability of knowing. We see her lose her childhood one too many times first when she was eight, and then when she was a senior. We feel her constant daze, her fatigue, and her suffering through the writing. Some might say that it made her dumb, or dense and intolerable, but she hung on to the last sliver of anything resembling hope. That was denial. We see her stick to the "baby bird" because that was her purpose. She was the one who needed to protect her sister. That was the only thing she was confident in a constant in the wild storm within her. The nickname came from the story of Francis saving the little indigo bunting, and was mistaken for saving him while she was the only threat.
‎
‎Francis is, well, a complex character both on the psychological side and in her significant role throughout the unraveling of the story. Who would've thought that the closest people to you can be the real monsters hiding under the bed? Despite everything, you can never fully hate her. Even to some degree, you might admire her. I mean, serial killer podcasts are popular for a reason, right? We witness her like a puzzle slowly coming together. We see her be the victim all throughout her childhood a precious gem to be protected. But they never thought or even doubted that when we love someone, we expect them to tolerate our actions the most and forgive us to infinity. Because love can never be erased. It might turn into hate, but as some wise words I was told: to feel hatred, it must originate from a place of deep love enough to hurt.
‎
‎Not to forget the amazing women along the way from Bunny, Ruth, Hattie May, to Lilibet Waters. She wasn't the perfect mother; in no way was she even in the context. But she showed and portrayed in many ways what it means to be a mom not only a mother, but a mom. She knew that pushing her daughters away was her only option for them to build something for themselves and fly. She wanted a better life for them, where they didn't drown because of her. And in the end, she was always ready to sacrifice herself over and over until she was sure they were better off.
‎
‎The pace throughout the story was evenly laid out. Not to forget to mention, the duality of timing can sometimes be either a hit or miss, but the author deliberately used it to the advantage of the plot unraveling. The ending is not a definite ending, but it does leave enough room for maybe a sequel, or to leave it open for each their own ending. However, I would've loved to know more a deeper dive into the backstory of the incredible safety nets of the sisters. It felt kind of missing. I know we get a glimpse of Ruth's marriage, and Hattie May's experience with "pest," but we never got to see the emotional and hard journey it took them to become these incredible women not to forget Bunny. And the dialogue may feel "old fashioned" with words like sister, mama, and many more, but you gotta keep in mind these women are the equivalent of "modern witches" if you will. They can't be without some zaz.
‎
‎This book was a trifecta of mystery, relationship bonds, and craftsmanship in writing. It's the book for the reader who's looking for an engaging read where it'll push you to figure it out, only to turn out wrong in the best way. Is it for everyone? No. But I believe it'll be an unforgettable experience for those who won't be triggered and are okay with all the topics warned about beforehand.
‎
‎I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
‎
‎Happy reading ◉⁠‿⁠◉
‎

[Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

With a title like "We Already Dug the Grave", reading is not an option. It's mandatory. I finished it at an hour when only bad decisions and great books exist and I regret nothing. Well…except maybe how I feel today. Nothing a long nap can't cure.

This is a psychological thriller with a little bit of the paranormal in the form of tea leaves, and it absolutely earns its place in the “just one more chapter” hall of fame. The story follows Milly, whose present-day life is interrupted when her estranged younger sister, Frances, shows up desperate for help after previously brushing her off. The narrative moves between “then” and “now,” slowly unraveling a shared past filled with buried secrets, complicated family dynamics, and a growing sense that something is very, very wrong.

The pacing is perfect. The dual timeline reveals just enough information to keep you hooked, dropping answers right before frustration can set in. I kept telling myself I’d stop at the next chapter… and then immediately didn’t.

The psychological tension is magnificent. This isn’t just a story where a character’s mind is being manipulated. Your mind is right there in the crossfire. The slow realization of what’s actually happening is brilliantly done, and when the full picture comes into focus, well, my jaw hit the floor.

Frances is…something else. She doesn’t come across as overtly unhinged, just slightly off in a way you can almost explain away. That subtlety makes her all the more unsettling. Watching the layers of her mind unfold is equal parts fascinating and horrifying.

Milly, on the other hand, surprised me. I started out wanting to shake her and tell her to get it together, stop complaining, yeah, life is hard. By the end, I was firmly in the “someone wrap this poor woman in a blanket and protect her at all costs” camp. That shift didn’t happen by accident. It’s a testament to how well the story recontextualizes everything you think you know.

The aunts are absolutely lovely. Warm, loyal, and just as willing to do anything for family, which, in this book, is both comforting and deeply concerning.

At its core, this book asks a very uncomfortable question: How far would you go for the people you love? It explores loyalty and its cost, manipulation, and the fine line between devotion and destruction. I found myself genuinely wrestling with that idea. I hope this is a question I personally will never need to know the answer to.

This story includes dark themes such as manipulation, violence, and morally complex choices. If you’re looking for a light, feel-good read…this is not that book.

My critique is very minor. The very elements that make this story so effective, its subtlety and layered reveals, may not work for readers who prefer straightforward storytelling. You have to be willing to sit in the uncertainty and let the story unfold on its terms.

I think fans of Freida McFadden will love the twists and shifting perspectives. Readers of Dean Koontz will appreciate the eerie undertones and emotional depth.

Romance readers…this is your official warning. This is Not a “happily ever after” rainbows and puppies novel. This is more like, “Hey! I found someone who loves mind games and questionable life choices as much as I do.”

This book gets five out of five stars from me, which is the “I should have gone to bed hours ago but absolutely did not” rating. This is not a book for everyone, but for the right reader it will completely wreck you. And yes, I immediately went back and reread the final chapters just to see what I missed. It’s that good.

A special thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Dai · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poisoned Pen Press, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc., and NetGalley provided me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I thank both for the opportunity to read this book before its publication and share my thoughts with the Goodreads community.

“If there hadn’t been good parts, leaving wouldn’t have hurt so bad.”

This book is perfect for readers who do not usually read psychological thrillers or mysteries but want to explore darker genres. In that case, I would say this novel is an excellent place to start. Because I've spent the last twenty years reading psychological thrillers and mysteries, many of the twists felt familiar to me. Readers who are newer to the genre, however, will likely find them much more surprising. Even so, it was a lovely way to spend a summer weekend at home. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down because I wanted to know where the story would take me. I was particularly invested in Casey's story.

I was expecting more of a murder mystery, but what I found was a coming-of-age story about a deeply wounded young woman who did the best she could with the hand she was dealt (and some might say she did more than could reasonably be expected of someone so young and so traumatized under those circumstances). I think this book is primarily about family bonds that are incredibly difficult to break, no matter what happens or how much time passes; women supporting other women; female empowerment; and the roles society expects women to play. I did not always see eye to eye with all of the characters, but I understood why they made the choices they did. To me, the novel's central theme is women protecting other women.

While the writing style was not always what I personally prefer, as an editor myself, I have to say that this book is very well written. The things I would have written or edited differently all come down to stylistic choices rather than flaws in the writing itself.

I would have loved to learn more about the characters: their points of view, their backstories, their emotional wounds, and how those experiences shaped them over the years. I especially loved Ruth and Bunny's relationship, and I would have liked to see more of the healthy romantic relationship Milly describes them as having throughout their adult lives. I also would have enjoyed delving deeper into Milly's mental health, as well as Frances's. More than anything, I wanted to understand Frances better, both before and after her relationship with Burt.

I also would have liked to see a detective or someone from the police department become more involved in investigating the deaths woven throughout the story. At times, it gave me the impression that no one was really looking into these people's disappearances. I understand that some of them came from families who may not have cared about their whereabouts, but it still felt a little too simple and convenient: this person comes from a terrible family, no one reports them missing, the case goes cold, and the culprits get away with it. That aspect of the story felt a little too easy for me.

Although this book did not completely surprise me with its plot twists, I genuinely enjoyed the reading experience. I wished for a little more psychological depth and a more developed investigative thread, but I still found this to be a compelling read. Its greatest strength lies in exploring the complexity of family ties and the lasting impact of trauma. I think many readers, especially those who are new to thrillers and mysteries, will have a great time with it.

I'm glad I had the opportunity to read this book, and I look forward to seeing what Emma C. Wells writes next.

[Karen Brooks - TheTxLitChic · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up because the overall story was great.

We Already Dug the Grave 

~Emma C. Wells 

We Already Dug the Grave by Emma C. Wells is a southern-gothic psychological thriller soaked in trauma, superstition, and the kind of familial love that cuts as deeply as it protects. It's dark, bruising, often messy, but unforgettable in its ambition.

Sisters Milly and Frances Robinson are bound by blood, haunted by history, and trapped in the shadows of choices that have been made for and by them. When Frances shows up at Milly's front door after dismissing her visit, she's terrified and desperate for Milly's help. This drags Milly back into a past she has spent a decade running from, and Frances has erased from her current life. What ends up unfolding is part murder mystery, generational reckoning, and rekindling of family bonds.

Wells writes her characters with trauma, depth, and uniqueness. Giving each character quirks distinguishing them from each other, yet bonding them. They feel real, raw, and full of emotional baggage – kind of like a member of your family. The entire cast is fierce and gloriously alive showing what sacrifice and survival looks like when that is all you have.

We Already Dug the Grave is heavy with atmosphere. You can feel the humidity suffocating you while the mosquitos try to carry you off. But underneath that is the undertow of dark family secrets. Readers are immersed in the southern-gothic setting while faced with the journey of the sisters showing that sisterhood isn't always gentle. Sometimes it's a sharp-edged weapon as much as it is comfort.

The story itself is wonderful. The dual timeline keeps you intrigued and turning pages. Repetition is what made this one lag for me. Specifically when it came to “the sight" and “baby bird,” – I think toning those down some would have made pacing and transitioning much smoother of a read on my end. Milly also frustrated me on more than one occasion – now, that may have been by design, but it was still frustrating.

I was also thrown off by the conclusion. I'm not saying that it was bad, but it just didn't hit the mark on memorable endings for me. The last couple of chapters felt wordy, like a sudden information drop, where I felt it could have been spread throughout the story more effectively.

Overall, We Already Dug the Grave is worth a read. It is not a fast-paced book, but one that carefully tests the waters, circling and whispering as you read along. But my favorite part of all was the bond between all the women in the book – their grief, loyalty, tenderness, and will to survive no matter what life throws at them.

If you are looking for a southern-gothic psychological thriller built on family secrets, superstition, and the kind of familial love that can't be broken, then We Already Dug the Grave needs can be pre-ordered now on Amazon for release on September 8, 2026.

I would like to thank Emma C. Wells and NetGalley for the opportunity to Alpha/Beta/ARC We Already Dug the Grave. As always, all opinions and reviews are of my own volition. I have not been promised any compensation by the author or publisher for a fair and honest review.

[Sarah Stull · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC Copy in exchange for my honest review!! :)

I wish I could have given it 5 stars but I’ll come back to that… The first line of this book is, “We had blueberry pancakes the morning mamma killed Daddy” !!! Talk about grab your attention with intrigue and the need for more, right from the jump!!

By the second chapter I was hooked in all the most amazing ways imaginable!! The ebb and flow of the chapters going back and forth from “Then” to “Now” was great and one of my favorite layouts because you have these cliffhanger events that you can’t wait to return to but your also picking back up on the last chapters questions you forgot you needed answers too!

Incredible writing with the exception of the occasional overuse of some references to Milly’s little sister as her baby bird… that for me got a little repetitive but the way the supernatural element plays in with the "sight" and the reading of the tea leaves woven throughout was well done, with a good understanding of the craft. You really were captivated by the entire story!!

There were some real moments you felt as torn as the characters on what was true or false. This book pulled me in by the heart and carried me through effortlessly. I hated to put it down. I absolutely LOVED IT until... Sooo now onto the reason why I couldn’t give it the 5 stars that I was so expecting it to achieve…

The end …. It fell so flat and anticlimactic that I was left with my mouth hung open for all the wrong reasons!! I really thought i was missing chapters… I almost went back to read the last 10% over because I had to have missed something or maybe my Kindle malfunctioned and skipped over chapters… I was in total disbelief, and left frustrated after being taken on this wild ride to be left with the words THE END and my brain just said "NO it Can't be...". Leaving behind a DESPERATE NEED for more answers and CLOSURE ON SO MANY THINGS!!!

I almost cried over the disappointing ending, especially after such built up anticipation throughout!! For me; 95% of this amazing story was 10 stars, THEN it’s as if the book was taken from me and I was told I wasn't allowed to finish it (might have been better that way :()!! BUT I WAS… So take that for what it is and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did but maybe if there’s enough of an uproar and outrage, we can get this incredible writer to give us all closure!! Maybe an alternate ending... or just some extra chapters before the final one with Aunt Hattie May...

I needed more I needed to know the fate of the characters I’d just become so invested in!! It ends way too vague for me… I’m left speechless by all the things I wish I knew!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press for an experience with a wonderful writer!

I hope Emma C. Wells does more in this genre because she really can tell an incredible story and i LOVE her style of writing!! There is a more complete finish out there, or an Epilogue that helps bring it all home.. My mind knows there won’t be more be but my heart wants to holdout some hope!! :)

[Gali · Rating 3 out of 5]

"We Already Dug the Grave" by Emma C. Wells is a dark (and creepy) southern gothic thriller following two estranged sisters with skeletons in their closet, literally. The premise sounded promising, but unfortunately it didn’t live up to my expectations. More on that later.

The story takes place in a fictional town in Appalachia. After a traumatic event in their childhood, the two sisters, Milly and Frances Robinson, are taken to live with their eccentric aunts, Ruth and Hattie May. The Robinson women share a family inheritance: the ability to divine the future by reading leftover tea leaves. Of the two sisters, only Milly inherited the Sight. Oh, and they also have another, far more sinister family tradition, but I'll let you discover that for yourself.

After another traumatic event in their teenage years, Milly is forced to run away and break contact with her family. Stuck in a crappy job and having trouble divining the future, she tries to get by, still keeping track of her sister. On the surface, Frances’s life seems perfect, but not everything is as it seems. Years later, Frances shows up on Milly’s doorstep asking for help. Together, they return to the only place they ever called home, a place full of long-buried secrets, uncomfortable truths, and death.

The narrative is told in first person from Milly’s POV, with a dual timeline of "Then" and "Now. The book explores themes of abuse, choices, sisterly and family bonds, love, loyalty, and moral conflict. The Appalachian setting, with its witchy undertones, supernatural elements, and gothic atmosphere, was one of the book's strongest aspects. The layers of secrets slowly unravel until everything is revealed.

The characterization is excellent. Even the morally questionable characters felt fully realized rather than one-dimensional. Milly was impulsive and at times too naive, whereas her sister was far more calculating. I loved the aunts, but disliked one of the main characters (I won't tell you whom) due to her terrible attitude and questionable choices.

I am very ambivalent about the book. On one hand, it was engaging and well written. On the other hand, it lost a bit of steam in the middle, and while I guessed the twist halfway through, that wasn't what bothered me. I found the resolution regarding abusive men morally troubling. While I understood some of the characters' actions, the story ultimately crossed a line for me, and I wasn't entirely convinced by how it handled accountability. It seemed to blur the line between understandable acts of self-defense and repeated, deliberate killing without adequately addressing the ethical consequences.

In short, what ultimately didn't work for me was not just the slow pace, but also the way the book resolved its moral conflicts. Because of my reservations, I rate the book 3 out of 5 stars. If you like family secrets, supernatural elements, and morally gray characters, you may like the book more than I did.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.
* Review on my blog: https://galibookish.blogspot.com/2026...

[Kristi Lamont · Rating 3 out of 5]

BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of We Already Dug the Grave, by Emma C. Wells, from Poisoned Pen Press/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

⭐ 3.5 ⭐

Very much enjoyed this, and now I’m a li’l stalking Emma C. Wells on the socials because I was such a big fan of her first book, This Girl’s a Killer.

The main reason We Already Dug the Grave isn’t getting 4 stars from me isn’t something I can share with you without spoiling the entire book. And it’s a me thing, trust me (although not one I think I’ve written about before).

Also, and I guess it’s just because I’ve read _so_ many books in this particular lifetime, parts of it were too predictable for me.

I do think Ms Wells does a great job with the Southern gothic stuff; she must have had (or still has) a mawmaw and a coupla great-aunts in her life to write them all so well. And I laughed out loud when it got to the line about the potted meat her great-aunt scraped onto saltines for a midnight snack, thinking back to the many Spam Spread crackers of my teenage years. Plus, this: ”Falling apart was a luxury she didn’t have. What oldest daughter did?”

Definitely look forward to her next book, and am not-so-secretly hoping she’ll do a series.

DESCRIPTION
"This is the kind of book readers love to devour: family secrets, people trying to escape their predetermined roles, and a good dash of the supernatural all blended together in a story that's ultimately about love and loyalty." — Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times bestseller

From the USA Today bestselling author of This Girl's a Killer, comes a southern gothic thriller with the bite of Sharp Objects and a dash of Practical Magic, following two estranged sisters who will do anything to protect each other – even murder. Again.

Milly can't divine the future anymore, and maybe that's a good thing. Lately, her life has been bleak enough, she doesn't need the now-silent tea leaves to tell her. Meanwhile, her estranged younger sister thrives miles away in a shiny new life with a shiny new marriage. Milly doesn't blame Francis for wanting nothing to do with her. Not after what happened in that Tennessee meadow a decade before.

But when Francis shows up on Milly's doorstep with a black eye and a plea for help – Milly can't say no. Especially when the tea leaves are finally crystal clear: if the sisters don't kill Francis's husband, he'll kill her.

And if they're going to plot a murder, the sisters have no choice but to return to the one place they'd left behind. A place where another body – and a multitude of secrets – were buried. Because this isn't the first time the sisters have needed to dispose of a bad man. In fact, they might be pretty good at it.

[payton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the author & publisher for providing an ARC of this book.

The concept was interesting, and this novel’s strongest selling points for me were its setting (I don’t read many southern or gothic-esque novels) and the emotions of its characters during the flashbacks of its first half. Milly and Casey’s teenage romance was cute, and after the retelling of it ended, I honestly lost my main reason to keep reading. But, I did.

The plot pacing and reveals of “We Already Dug the Grave”, particularly in its second half, are done too hastily. The absence of frequent flashbacks are noticeable, because the novel loses its most detailed settings and characterization. Moreover, a surprising amount of typos, grammatical errors, and even misspelled character names amass the longer this novel continues.

The Mom’s arc was done too quickly for me to care about it — and quickly enough that it felt hastily thrown in for added shock value. The novel’s biggest plot point, between present Milly and Frances, was guessable from about 100 pages out. The adult versions of Milly and Frances unfortunately felt flat, and Burt was an almost cartoonish or Scooby-doo style villain. His dialogue didn’t feel like something people would realistically say.

The most interesting aspect of this novel for me was the tea reading itself, milly’s gift, and the side characters—Hattie-May, Ruth, and Bunny. I wish these were explored more, and frankly, aside from Casey and Milly, Ruth and Bunny were the most interesting pairing in this book for me.

The logic of the final 25% of this novel doesn’t make sense — characters miss key questions or issues, have absurd ideas and reasoning, and mention seemingly key details after the fact. It’s also marked by the worst quality of writing the novel has. Then, for the two final flashback chapters, the quality does a near 180, as if another person wrote them entirely.

This novel has a lot of potential that unfortunately, due to poorly paced plotting and some cliche, inconsistent writing, felt unrealized. The concept and imagery of tea-reading in a worn down, Tennessee house with literal and figurative skeletons in the closet, murderous husbands, and tough-as-nails aunts made for such a promising premise. But this novel needs a serious combover— especially in grammar and detail-checking, but in my opinion, some full revision on the writing and pacing of the second half—before it’s ready to hit the shelves.

[Penny · Rating 2 out of 5]

My second read from Emma C Wells.
I enjoyed this one overall, The character build-up was decent and believable to a degree, and Milly was on the whole likeable, albeit a bit... what could I say ... A bit all over the shop. I was invested in her from early on, I was on her side, but could have shaken her a few times. The aunts were a highlight for me, mostly because of their witchy, forest-hidden home with a cosy, eerie charm that I honestly wished I could move in with them. They each brought something distinct to the story and were easily my favourite part. Give us a story about the Aunt Hattie-May, cmon Emma!.

At the beginning, there is a noticeable repetitiveness around “the sight” and what’s read in the leaves. Normally that might grate, but here it did feel intentional... I think... that's what I put it down to, because no actually, it did grate on me, buuuut It really pulled me into Milly's headspace, her anxiety, her spiralling thoughts, that sense of everything becoming a bit chaotic internally. It made the experience more immersive rather than frustrating... Great now I have anxiety!

That said, while I enjoyed the book and moved through it easily, I do think the story itself could have been a bit more cohesive. There was reasonable depth and I believed the characters to a point, but some motivations, particularly around the sister didn’t fully make sense for me. It left me questioning "why you like this?". The sisters' relationshio is shown to be really close and deeply connected, Millie is super perceptive and so it felt a bit off that she wouldn’t have noticed something so significant, especially when she picked up on other, smaller things.

The concept of “the sight” was interesting and I did like it, but it became a bit messy at times. There were moments where it felt like that was all they were doing, drinking and reading without enough clarity or progression. I also didn’t feel like we got a satisfying answer as to why everything unfolded the way it did. There’s a hint at trauma, but it didn’t feel explored deeply enough to fully justify the weight of what happens.

There are definitely some solid twists and turns, a few of which genuinely caught me off guard, which I appreciated. I can’t say I hated the book, it was an enjoyable read. Just could have done with some more depth and reasoning to some bits.
Thanks to Emma C Wells, Net Galley and Poison Oen for the ARC.

[TheNovelNomad · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something deliciously dangerous about a story that begins with tea leaves and ends with a body.

This southern gothic thriller from Emma C. Wells (author of This Girl’s a Killer) understands exactly what it’s doing. It blends superstition, sisterhood, and simmering violence into a narrative that feels both intimate and feral.

At the heart of the novel are Milly and Francis — estranged sisters bound by history, trauma, and a shared past they’ve tried desperately to outgrow. Milly’s lost her gift for reading the future. Francis has built a polished new life far from home. But when Francis arrives bruised and afraid, and the tea leaves finally speak again, the message is chillingly clear: survival may require blood.

What makes this story so compelling isn’t just the murder plot — it’s the emotional excavation underneath it. The dual timelines slowly peel back layers of childhood, generational secrets, and the quiet ways women learn to endure. The Tennessee meadow. The buried history. The sense that this isn’t the first time the sisters have crossed a line — and maybe not the last.

The supernatural elements are woven with restraint. They enhance the atmosphere without overpowering it, giving the novel that faint shimmer of is this fate or choice? The magic feels inherited, almost instinctual — like something passed down along with family recipes and warnings whispered in the dark.

Tonally, it strikes a sharp balance. There’s menace, yes — but also dry humor and a biting awareness of what it means to escape (or fail to escape) the roles you were born into. The tension doesn’t just come from whether the sisters will get away with it. It comes from whether they can ever truly leave their past behind.

For readers who love the psychological edge of Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn with a whisper of the sisterly magic found in Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman, this delivers something darkly satisfying and entirely its own.

Lush, unsettling, and fiercely loyal to its characters, this is a story about what we inherit, what we bury, and how far we’ll go to protect the only person who truly knows us.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this one already knowing I enjoy Emma C. Wells’ writing after loving This Girl’s A Killer—and this absolutely delivered in a completely different, darker way.

This is a moody, southern gothic psychological thriller layered with family secrets, complicated sister dynamics, and just enough paranormal elements (think tea leaves and intuition) to give it that eerie, unsettling edge. From the very beginning, the story pulls you in and doesn’t really let you go.

The dual timeline works really well here, slowly peeling back the past while the present timeline builds tension. I kept thinking “just one more chapter” because I needed to understand what actually happened—and how everything connected. It’s one of those reads where you’re constantly trying to piece things together alongside the characters.

Milly and Frances are at the center of it all, and their relationship is… complicated, to say the least. Frances has this subtle, unsettling presence that keeps you on edge, while Milly’s character really grew on me as the story unfolded. By the end, I felt completely invested in her and everything she’d been through.

The atmosphere is one of my favorite parts—thick, heavy, and almost suffocating in the best way. You can feel the tension, the history, and the weight of everything unsaid. And the family dynamics? Messy, loyal, protective, and at times deeply uncomfortable. It really leans into the idea of how far people will go for the ones they love—and what that can cost.

While I did find parts of the story slightly predictable, it didn’t take away from how engaging and immersive the overall experience was. This is less about shocking twists and more about the slow unraveling of truth—and that tension is what makes it work.

Overall, this is a gripping, atmospheric read that blends psychological suspense with a touch of the supernatural and a heavy dose of family drama. If you love stories about messy relationships, buried secrets, and morally complex characters, this one is definitely worth picking up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for my eARC!

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

We Already Dug the Grave is a dark, atmospheric southern gothic that sinks its teeth in from the first page and never quite lets go. It’s a story steeped in family secrets, old wounds, and the kind of loyalty that can feel like both salvation and a curse. Milly and Francis, estranged sisters bound by a terrible act in a Tennessee meadow a decade earlier, are the beating heart of the novel — bruised, complicated, and fiercely tethered to each other even when they wish they weren’t.

Milly’s lost her ability to divine the future, but the silence of the tea leaves feels less like peace and more like a warning. Francis, polished and distant in her new life, arrives on Milly’s doorstep with a black eye and a plea that cracks open everything they’ve tried to bury. The moment the tea leaves finally speak again — and tell Milly that Francis’s husband will kill her unless they kill him first — the story shifts into a taut, witchy thriller that blends the supernatural with the raw, messy reality of survival.

The sisters’ return to the place where their first secret was buried gives the book its most haunting edge. The land feels alive with memory, with guilt, with the ghosts of choices they can’t outrun. There’s a sharpness to the writing that echoes Sharp Objects, but also a strange, earthy tenderness reminiscent of Practical Magic — a belief that love, even when twisted by fear, can still be a force worth fighting for.
What makes the novel so compelling is how it balances its darkness with a deep sense of humanity. Milly and Francis aren’t heroes; they’re women who have been pushed to the edge again and again, and who choose each other every time, even when the cost is steep. Their bond is messy, fierce, and beautifully rendered.

A gripping, witch‑touched thriller about sisterhood, survival, and the secrets that refuse to stay buried. It’s unsettling in all the right ways and lingers long after the final page.

With thanks to Emma C Wells, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

[asia - books district · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley & Poisoned Pen Press for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are my own. <3

“We have no control over the people who are hell-bent on hating us. But if they’re determined to hate us, then by God, let them fear us too.”

I liked how the story revolved around women, focusing on them and their Sight, which I was hoping to read more on. Unfortunately, the things that made me enjoy this book stop there.

At the beginning I was sure it was going to be such a nice read, as I was curious about the tasseomancy, which I thought was quite original in a mystery and could really spice things up, and of course I wanted to know about Milly’s secret.
The thing is, I feel like there could have been done a lot more with the tasseomancy and the Sight of the characters, as it felt a bit like something not as important throughout the book. I couldn’t feel any connection or interest with Milly, the main character, and as much as I wanted to find out about what happened to her (which became pretty obvious), I couldn’t stand her repeating about her dark secret every other sentence. For me, the writing itself was too repetitive and it overexplained (again and again and again) even the simplest things, making the book flow a little less smoothly. Being a mystery, of course some things need to be explained, but I think the reader could’ve gotten it even without the constant repetition.
I found the book a little too slow, by 50% still not much happened. Now, I don’t mind slow paced books, as long as there’s something happening somewhere, or if the book is character-driven. Once again, that wasn’t the case.

The thing I liked less was, no doubts, the ending. There’s a build up when everything’s finally getting answered, a big moment of tension, and then…nothing. We get to the big revelation, which honestly was also a bit predictable, and nothing happens! There’s no closure, no understanding of the character or the dynamic, no focus on the psychological aspect or what will happen from that moment on. Just…nothing.

In conclusion, I think it has a great potential, but overall I didn’t enjoy it.

[Deanna Loves to Read!!:) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an atmospheric, witchy-vibe book! The opening grabs you right away! The characters are well written, especially Milly and the aunts. But then...

Milly used to be able to divine the future, but after an incident in the past, she has been unable to do it. She is living in a small town, waitressing, and feeling like her life is simply stuck. Her sister, Frances, is living miles away and seems to have the perfect life. However, Milly is not bitter about this, and is actually happy for the life her sister has. The sisters haven't spoken or seen each other in 10 years, and Frances hasn't spoken to the aunts that raised them in that time either. She thinks it is best that she stay far away after what happened in Tennessee a decade ago.

Fran starts to see signs on her sister's social media that maybe life is not what she thought it was for her. Then the visions start to come back slowly. She fears that her sister might be in danger, but when she reaches out, Frances turns Flo away.

Then.. Frances shows up at Milly's door with bruises and a black eye pleading for Milly's help to protect her from her abusive husband, Milly cannot say no.

There were many things I liked about this book: creepy atmosphere, past/present timeline, a narrative style that had me questioning everything.

However, there were also a few things that fell flat for me, and held me back from a higher rating. I can't really get explicit without giving spoilers, but when we get to the twist, I already guessed what it was. That is not what bothered me. What bothered me is that it did not really seem to ring true to who Milly had become when she was away in the ten years. And there was no way you could gloss over one of the victims.

Overall a decent read, and I liked the way it revealed the past and present. It simply fell flat for me!

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC. THis is my honest and voluntary review.

[Jua Andrizzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanna thank Net Galley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me to read this book before its release.

(This review is in spanish)

Tengo muchisimos sentimientos encontrados. Partamos de la bade de que la premisa es FANTÁSTICA. Dos hermanas que son obligadas a vivir con sus tías brujas porque su mamá mato a su papa me parece espectacular, pero el libro va mas alla de eso, y por momentos logró su cometido y por momentos no.

Milly es un personaje que para mi su trasfondo no es tan grande como parece. No la vemos entablando relación con Carla o con su Jefe, solo sabemos que están ahí y que la quieren, pero ella no parece quererlos tanto. Aunque son irrelevantes, creo que ayudan a la construcción del personaje.
Pero hablemos de su relación con Casey. Para mi, fue inexistente, pero al mismo tiempo me los pude inaginar. El tema es que fue muy difícil empatizar con su amor por él cuando solo aparece en menos de una mitad del libro y ya después puf... nada.

Otra cosa, las tias son los mejores personajes, son las mas misteriosas pero son con las que mas pude conectar, especialmente Ruth. Me pareció muy lindo el último caoitulo de Hattie-May, pero innecesaria la muerte de Casey.

Ahora, supe el plot twist desde mas o menos la mitad del libro. Siento que lo dejaron muy a la vista. Y a Milly la hicieron muy estúpida, porque está bien, es tu hermana, pero si tenes ese poder y te esta diciendo que algo está mal con ella hace mucho, tal vez.. no se... ESCUCHA ESE PODER ????.

Francés esta re loca, lo supe desde el momento que se preocupo más por sus zapatillas que por el profesor muerto. Que además debo decir, hasta ahí la historia venia genial, pero después pasa lo de Casey y la vuelta de la madre, y el plot twist que ya se veía venir, y no me entretuvo como el principio.

3.5/5, es un buen libro para pasar el rato, pero no es uno que me haya marcado. Igual amaria leer mas de esta autora.

[Carrie Shields · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝐌𝐲 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐦𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐫, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝...𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧. 𝐄𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬.

Milly has spent years trying to outrun both her past and the gift that once let her read the future in tea leaves. Her younger sister Francis has done the same, building a polished new life far away from the Tennessee town and family they left behind. But when Francis shows up bruised, terrified, and desperate to escape her wealthy husband, the sisters are forced back together. And when Milly’s tea leaves finally speak again with one horrifyingly clear message that Francis’s husband will kill her if they do not act first, the sisters return home to the place where they already buried one terrible secret years ago. This is Southern Gothic chaos wrapped in family trauma, the bonds of sisterhood, and just enough magic to make everything feel slightly cursed.

What I loved most about this book is the atmosphere. It has that humid, decaying feeling where every porch creaks with history and every family gathering feels one bad decision away from disaster. The author masterfully balances the darker themes surprisingly well with sharp dialogue and moments that almost made me laugh in spite of myself. Beneath all the murder plotting and buried secrets is a story about sisters who love each other fiercely, even after years of resentment and distance.

And if I'm being honest, there is something deeply satisfying about a story that looks at terrible men and says, “perhaps the graveyard is the solution.” This book knows exactly what kind of story it wants to be and fully commits to the vibe. The tension keeps building as old secrets claw their way back to the surface, and the emotional core never gets lost beneath the bloodstains. By the end, I felt like I had just been told a dark family legend whispered over candlelight and bourbon, the kind where nobody involved is innocent but you still hope the women get away with their deeds anyway. Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for this early copy that will publish September 8, 2026.

[Heidi Tiedemann Darroch · Rating 3 out of 5]

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the preview.

In We Already Dug the Grave, Emma C. Wells sets up an intriguing premise: a woman who has the ability to read tea leaves is living in a small town far from her family, working as a waitress, when she begins to receive a series of disturbing messages--both in the real world and from beyond.

Milly is hardworking and conscientious, but she's concealing some very dark secrets about her past. Her younger sister, Frances, was always the beautiful and brilliant one, and she's now enjoying a life of ease in her marriage to a man from a powerful family. But when Milly spots their secret signal in a photo, she realizes that Frances's world may be more complex than it appears.

Frances wants nothing to do with Milly, but the older sister is worried: Frances is, or soon will be, in danger. And the recent disappearances of an attractive young couple with links to their hometown and adolescent dramas is a particularly ominous sign.

But after this intriguing opening, the novel flags, despite the strong pacing. The stories about the past and the sisters' shared history of secrets are doled out, but the protagonist is revealed as deeply naïve and largely hapless. The girls' two witchy aunts are a lot of fun, but these characterizations feel familiar.

These are very black-and-white characterizations, with predatory teachers and abusive husbands alike portrayed as popular and well-liked, their proclivities concealed from view.

The development of the sisters' relationship, and their tenuous but ongoing connection to their mother (incarcerated for killing her own abusive husband, the girls' father) help propel the action of this supernatural suspense thriller. But the big reveal is obvious well before the novel's climax, which is disappointing.

[Kylie Weigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

We Already Dug the Grave is a beautiful southern Gothic novel that delivers magic, secrets, bloodshed, deception, and deep, twisted devotion.

Milly left, never looked back but her heart craved for her family - her little sister, her little bird. That fateful night, she left everything behind, everyone. She had already lost everything; her heart, her humanity. Despite the distance, she never stopped trying to read the leaves of her tea.
Frances, little bird, is cloaked in secrets and dark fantasies that she cleverly hides behind her good girl persona. Stuck in an abusive marriage, she seeks the comfort of her sister and will do anything to bring her home.

Years after her disappearance, Milly has adjusted and is complacent until a phone call at the Huddle Hut strikes fear into her very core and she rushes back home. Back to do what she did so many years ago, protect her little bird. Little does she know that she is about to be in for a tumultuous future that no amount of tea reading can prepare her for. Determined to save her sister and protect their family's dark secrets, she is blinded to the entity that has burrowed itself in her heart with intentions that have no bounds or morality until the plan fails. A race against the clock has the family recently united before evil itself for a final round. Milly and Frances are back together but more questions than answer berate the back of Millie's mind as they flee to start over.

This story is divine in its ability to transport the readers smoothly back and forth as the story unravels. You are left wanting more and more, devouring every piece of the puzzle trying to solve it yourself. How far love will take us, how we will do anything for companionship even at the cost of sanity, comfort and trust. A page turning story that blends magic, trauma, loyalty and survival.

[The Lit · Rating 3 out of 5]

🚨 SPOILER ALERT: READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!
​I am giving We Already Dug the Grave by Emma C. Wells a 3-star review. ⭐⭐⭐
​This book lands right in the middle for me. It blends some incredibly fun genre elements, making for an enjoyable but middle-of-the-road reading experience on a Kindle screen.
​ARC Disclosure: Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing an early digital review copy. All thoughts and reflections shared here are entirely my own.
​The Review
​We Already Dug the Grave sets up a highly distinct narrative landscape right from its opening sentence, attempting to fuse a dark mystery with a cozy, magical realism setting. The story relies heavily on family secrets, legacy ties, and an underlying sense of atmospheric suspense. Because the plot balances these two very different tones, it occasionally struggles to maintain a surprising momentum, settling into familiar territory as the mystery unfolds. While the prose is accessible and the secondary dynamics are full of unique personality, the central conflict works through its paces in a highly structured, expected format.
​The Good
​"We had pancakes for breakfast the day Mama killed Daddy." When the book starts with a sentence like this one you know—or at least I did—that it was going to be good. Or it should! It’s supposed to be a mix between a thriller and Practical Magic, and I absolutely loved the eccentric aunts and the witchy vibes at times. The cozy, supernatural family dynamics were easily the highlight of the story for me.
​The Not So Good
​However, the MC felt a tad silly at times and the plot was a bit predictable. Because the mystery elements didn't offer many real surprises and the main character's choices occasionally felt a bit frustrating, the high stakes from that killer opening line lost some of their steam. All the same, I enjoyed it enough to keep reading to the end!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

We Already Dug the Grave by Emma C. Wells had such an intriguing, slightly eerie premise that immediately pulled me in. With the mix of sisterhood, family trauma, and a subtle supernatural element, it gave Practical Magic vibes in a darker, more unsettling way—which is exactly what made me want to read it.

There’s a lot here that worked for me. The atmosphere is heavy and moody throughout, and I liked the slow unraveling of both the past and present timelines. Following Milly and Frances as everything comes to light kept me engaged, especially once the story picked up about halfway through. The aunts added a unique dynamic, and I appreciated the strong focus on complicated female relationships and that sense of loyalty and connection.

That said, the execution didn’t fully come together for me. The pacing was uneven, especially in the beginning, and the shifting timelines could feel a bit disjointed at times. I also struggled with the main character—while I don’t mind flawed or even frustrating characters, some of her choices felt hard to understand, which made it difficult to stay fully invested.

The writing and dialogue also didn’t always land for me and occasionally felt repetitive or overly dramatic. And while the mystery itself was interesting, some of the foreshadowing made parts of the twist feel predictable. The ending, unfortunately, didn’t quite deliver the payoff I was hoping for and felt a little incomplete after all the buildup.

Overall, this was a solid read with a unique, moody feel. It didn’t completely wow me, but I enjoyed the journey and can see it working well for readers who like darker, character-driven mysteries with a touch of the supernatural.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up.

I really enjoyed this book. The whole premise and the witchiness of it all.

Milly's character was respectable to me. She was strong, suffered trauma, ran away, and did the best she could with the hand she was dealt. I think she had a well-developed attitude based on her circumstances. In my opinion, she was likable.
Frances' character at first seems similar. Trauma but lucked out. Married rich but then became abusive. Luck ran out. I can't explain WHY or HOW...but Frances's character just put me off about 30% through. I started thinking things were different than what they seemed.
I loved the sisterly love/bond throughout the story. I loved the aunt's devotion and willingness to help. I loved Casey and I was absolutely devastated by his storyline. I don't cry for silly things like that in a book, but I almost did. I didn't like Frances' mindset. Make others do her dirty work. Including her mother. Literally ruined her mother's life. But I loved the anger and hatred it made me feel towards her.

I didn't like the fact that they always called each other "sister". If I never hear sister again....Gave me ick family dynamics. I can understand a nickname like "baby bird" but even that was so frequent it became intolerable.
I was not a fan of the ending. I really wanted to see more for Milly. We are left with just suspicion. It never confirms her knowing the facts of Casey and that really peeved me. I wanted her to find out. I don't know what she would have done if she did find out, but it would have made me sleep easier knowing she knew!

I've never fancied myself a Southern Gothic reader but that's what people describe this as and I enjoyed it very much. Would definitely recommend.