Passing Strange: The Well

by P.W. Creighton

For Fourteen-year-old Aidan Reynolds, the archaeological dig at the Parrish Cove historical society is the only thing making the summer interesting. That is until he meets Maddie, an unusual girl who has just moved to town and is convinced that there is more to the local legends surrounding the historical society than even he knows. While Aidan may not believe her, the strange artifacts that are recovered from the dig force them into exploring the dark, twisted history of Parrish Cove and its strange doctor...a man who vanished over a century ago. Together, they uncover a town secret that has been forgotten for centuries, and discover that there are some things that should stay buried.

304 pages, Paperback

First published September 2, 2017

About the author

Born in California, I have spent most of my life traveling throughout the US. I draw inspiration from my many adventures, turning my strange reality into fiction.

Over the years, I've found myself in many unusual situations, ranging from hanging off an 80 foot cliff-face in New York, to sailing off the coast of Salem, Massachusetts. I have hosted archaeological excavations, and have even reported from the middle of a police stand-off.

When a teacher asked me in the second grade what I wanted to be when I grew up, I didn't have an answer. To be honest, I still don't know. I let my characters make that decision for me.

Reviews

[Laura Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aidan is spending his summer break volunteering at the archaeological dig located on the Parish Cove Historical Society property. Some interesting things are being discovered, especially in the well that was uncovered, and it beats sitting home. One night while walking past the property he catches sight of a light prowling around the site and that’s when he first meets Maddie. She’s a bit odd, but he can’t resist her attempts to draw him into the mystery of the towns dark history. And soon the entire town is in danger. Something has awoken in the well and it’s very, very angry.

I love stories about archaeology and couldn’t resist reading this book. Learning about the towns history and the evil that dwells in the well was exciting and got the creepy vibes going.

Aidan and Maddie are like oil and water. Their personalities don’t really mix. But they soon become friends and get themselves into the pickle of all pickles.

The author never once missed a step with his character’s. The young teens acted their age and as they dealt with the creeping horror from the well, I thought their actions were quite genuine. Their curious nature and acts of heroism rang true. No one can know how they’ll react to situations like this and I’d like to think I would act half as brave as these kids did.

I felt a sense of mystery right from the beginning of the story and once Aidan and Maddie started digging into past events the story flew by. I read it in one sitting, feeling the sense of adventure, the glee of discovery, and the terror of a threat that seems unstoppable.

The ending was an exciting showdown and leaves things somewhat open to interpretation. I went with my first impression.

While I think this might be aimed at a younger reading audience, it still managed to give me the willies. And if the ending is any clue, I’m sure we’ll be seeing more Passing Strange mysteries in the future.

I was gifted a copy of this book. My review is voluntarily given.