Wow. What an engaging—and deeply unsettling—read.
I have thought about Campbell’s debut, Sky Full of Elephants, so many times since I read it, so I was thrilled to get an early copy of his second novel. I’m happy to say Wells Without Water is every bit as intriguing as his debut…and possibly even more terrifying.
In a strange way, this reminded me of S.A. Cosby’s Blacktop Wasteland. Not because the stories themselves are particularly similar, but because both are so deeply rooted in a Southern Black community where family, politics, religion, race, social justice, and sudden eruptions of violence are all tangled together.
Carmichael Franklin returns to his hometown of Loblolly Grove, where tensions are already simmering. His brother, Everett, has followed in their father’s footsteps and become a bishop, while Carmichael has gone in the opposite direction and is an atheist.
Then Everett brings Carmichael to see a young girl he believes is possessed.
And this is where things get DARK.
Campbell digs into Southern mythology, Black history, religious fanaticism, and the legacy of Nat Turner’s rebellion, while asking some fascinating and disturbing questions about faith and what can happen when religion becomes twisted into something dangerous.
And yes—this is absolutely supernatural horror. We are not talking about a story where you spend 300 pages wondering whether the haunting is metaphorical. There are paranormal forces at work here, and parts of it gave me serious The Exorcist vibes. It also reminded me of those early seasons of Supernatural, when Sam and Dean were traveling from town to town dealing with demons, possessions, folklore, and things that absolutely should not be lurking in the dark.
Campbell makes Loblolly Grove feel incredibly immersive, and the combination of history, religion, family conflict, Southern folklore, and supernatural horror makes this difficult to put down.
I want to say I “enjoyed” it, although enjoyed feels like a questionable word for something this disturbing. 😂
Either way, I was completely engrossed.
⭐️ 4.25/5 stars
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the gifted advance copy.
Wells Without Water publishes February 9, 2027.
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