Book Review: What the Water Remembers

Reviewed by Krysti Ostermeyer

A standout supernatural debut about a haunted home that will make you wonder if you forgot to lock your door

What the Water Remembers follows Kendra and George, a 20-something couple, over the span of several weeks as they move into a historic home outside of the city. Little do they know: the house is also home to a ghost or two.

Elyse Welles gets right to the point in What the Water Remembers, introducing the supernatural on page two; the female main character, Kendra, sees “sparkles” while touring a house, which is one way that she visualizes ghosts. In this home, she’s sensing at least two of them.

See, Kendra is a witch; as George tells their realtor, who was discussing the issues with the home’s previous owners, “You have no idea: Kendra can manage. She’ll get the sage and the palo santo, and we’ll be spic and span here… she might even enjoy herself.” However, Kendra’s beliefs run much deeper than simply burning sage throughout the house, which we’ll come to learn throughout the book.

Despite this, they put their worries aside. George, a photographer, and Kendra, a bank teller and writer, can feel themselves living here. Kendra thinks to herself, “It feels like home, somehow. It could be my home. It makes me want to write.” They close on the home and move in quickly, set up their respective offices, and begin to catalog everything the house holds, including antiques in the basement, some of which are as old as the home itself.

Shortly after moving in, Kendra’s father comes to visit. A quick visit turns into staying for a day or two, as Dad is quite handy around the home. When Dad arrives, the supernatural activity begins to intensify, making it harder for her to conceal her own beliefs. She will have to come clean so that the three of them can work together to put the angry spirit where it belongs.

Welles writes with authority on the supernatural and witchcraft. There are many nuances to the genre and plenty of fresh concepts and artifacts to explore for supernatural fans. No matter if you’re new to witchcraft or have a cauldron bubbling in your basement, you’ll be glad Welles is at the helm of this one.

Another strength is George’s characterization. His feelings of trepidation mix well with his excitement on moving to this small town as a Black man. The banter between Kendra and George is realistic and homey. There’s no false portrayal in these two characters; their relationship feels natural and their dialogue even more so.

What the Water Remembers is a supernatural page-turner that’ll have you wanting to leave the light on.

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