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There's Something in the Water Expanded Edition: An Extreme Cryptid Tale
From the writer of The Pope Lick Massacre and The Rest Stop comes a new cryptid tale ...
All Kurt Reedy needed for his lakeside development project to go through was the land owned by Chuck Miller. The only problem was Miller refused to sell his family’s legacy. In the past, Reedy may have resorted to violence to get his way, but he was a legit businessman now.
Running out of time, he is forced to think outside the box. In his haste, he doesn’t do the proper research, and now there’s something in the water.
Something territorial.
Something hungry.
He may get the results he was looking for, but at what cost? If only he had learned about the dobhar chu, because once this particular box is open, there’s no turning back.
All Kurt Reedy needed for his lakeside development project to go through was the land owned by Chuck Miller. The only problem was Miller refused to sell his family’s legacy. In the past, Reedy may have resorted to violence to get his way, but he was a legit businessman now.
Running out of time, he is forced to think outside the box. In his haste, he doesn’t do the proper research, and now there’s something in the water.
Something territorial.
Something hungry.
He may get the results he was looking for, but at what cost? If only he had learned about the dobhar chu, because once this particular box is open, there’s no turning back.
- GenresHorror
249 pages, Paperback
Published October 30, 2024
3 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
About the author
Eric Butler
45 books198 followersI'm an indie Horror writer who lives deep in the heart of Texas. When I'm not writing novels and stories for anthologies, I'm doing the bidding of 3 adorable huskies. I've been married for over 20 years and have a teenager in the house, so I won't be running out of horror material for quite some time.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 4, 2025
Non-stop cryptid MAYHEM!!
This was a delightfully entertaining a bloody short novel featuring a plethora of shady characters, a few people just doing the best they can, and some who are just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The pace is quick and there's a lot of action. Very easy to read and a lot of fun. Eric Butler is really good at cryptid tales.
4.5/5
This was a delightfully entertaining a bloody short novel featuring a plethora of shady characters, a few people just doing the best they can, and some who are just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The pace is quick and there's a lot of action. Very easy to read and a lot of fun. Eric Butler is really good at cryptid tales.
4.5/5
March 13, 2025
I loved the first part of this extended edition when it was released as a Godless short, and I was more than happy to return to the dark shores of Miller's Park once again.
It was a great creepy little short, one that worked really well on its own, one that left you wanting more, but also gave you enough to leave you feeling satisfied. You could continue to imagine for yourself what might happen next, but you need imagine no more, as Eric fills us in on life at Millers Park…6 months later.
The pure creepiness and unease of something lurking in the water really chilled me, the narrative was so vivid and unsettling.
The revelations behind everything are explained cleverly, the kind of brilliant revelations that make you ‘Ooh’ and ‘Ahh’ out loud as it all starts to fall into place and satiate your curiosity.
And once again, Butler pulls you under his spell and holds you in a tight, chilly grip, until the very end.
It was a great creepy little short, one that worked really well on its own, one that left you wanting more, but also gave you enough to leave you feeling satisfied. You could continue to imagine for yourself what might happen next, but you need imagine no more, as Eric fills us in on life at Millers Park…6 months later.
The pure creepiness and unease of something lurking in the water really chilled me, the narrative was so vivid and unsettling.
The revelations behind everything are explained cleverly, the kind of brilliant revelations that make you ‘Ooh’ and ‘Ahh’ out loud as it all starts to fall into place and satiate your curiosity.
And once again, Butler pulls you under his spell and holds you in a tight, chilly grip, until the very end.
November 7, 2024
“Put this in the lake, and I promise you, before the summer ends, you will own this whole thing.”
Alrighty, I’m gonna start off superbly transparent with this one… I have no idea why, but I totally slept on this book before I even started it. 🫣
This story was so much freaking fun to read!! In no way did I expect it to hit the way it did, be as gory as it was, have the depravity and extreme elements that it did, and be as fucking amazing as it was. 🤌🏼
Normally I’d even be embarrassed to admit that I went into something thinking one thing (or just leave it out of the review all together 😅), but nope. I’ll fall on the sword for this one. That’s how much I genuinely enjoyed the entire thing. 😮💨
The tone, the characters, the premise, the writing style, etc. were all amazingly executed, and I truly can’t praise this book enough. There is a 100% chance that I will now binge read the hell out of the rest of Butler’s work and repent for not going into this one knowing how much I’d love it. 🙏🏼 (Yes, I already have 3 more of his books lined up in my kindle. 🤭)
If you’re a fan of crytid tales, or even not, it doesn’t matter… just get your hands on this bad boy asap and read TF out it like I did. It’s worthy of taking a chance on. Promise. 🫡
July 2, 2025
Written by Mr. Eric Butler, Something in the Water (SitW) was a fun cryptid story that has me re-thinking any trips to all lakes and rivers. The story follows several characters visit to a local lake (for various reasons) while a hungry developer schemes to obtain it for a project. However, my attention is held by the “creature “ that has its own plans.
I really enjoyed the plot and Butler’s ability to “Game of Thrones” characters I like. It’s one thing I can always count on and oddly enough, makes me come back and choose another one of his riveting, well-written stories. SitW moves quickly and wastes no time hooking me into the story. While rooting for one character and cheering for violence to another, I am given glimpses of the creature that I wanted to know everything about. A metaphor for the inevitable, it doesn’t hesitate to take what it wants/needs in the most unsettling way, picking off all hopes and dreams of those that travelled to the lack. It was wild and cathartic.
I really enjoyed the plot and Butler’s ability to “Game of Thrones” characters I like. It’s one thing I can always count on and oddly enough, makes me come back and choose another one of his riveting, well-written stories. SitW moves quickly and wastes no time hooking me into the story. While rooting for one character and cheering for violence to another, I am given glimpses of the creature that I wanted to know everything about. A metaphor for the inevitable, it doesn’t hesitate to take what it wants/needs in the most unsettling way, picking off all hopes and dreams of those that travelled to the lack. It was wild and cathartic.
October 27, 2024
Dobhar Chu.
A new term to me. A creature that is deserving of your fear.
Leave it to Butler to blow my mind and expose me to folklore that I was never aware of, but am now, and of course, am now scared of.
Half dog. Half otter. A hybrid monster that can either chase you on land or drag you into the water. A furry alligator but worse. Knowing me, I'd try to pet it or something.
One of my worst fears is drowning. I read something before about what it would feel like if your lungs filled with water and exploded. Keep in mind, I read a lot of fiction, and that's unrealistic. That's not the drowning process, but it was a new fear unlocked for me. And there are quite a few water scenes in this one that brought that irrational fear to the front of my mind.
This review would not be complete without me noting that this is an expanded edition, which includes the original story and a sequel which elaborates and expands upon the original short story. I read the original one a very long ago, and was glad it was included in the front of this one to refresh my memory before starting the new story.
A new term to me. A creature that is deserving of your fear.
Leave it to Butler to blow my mind and expose me to folklore that I was never aware of, but am now, and of course, am now scared of.
Half dog. Half otter. A hybrid monster that can either chase you on land or drag you into the water. A furry alligator but worse. Knowing me, I'd try to pet it or something.
One of my worst fears is drowning. I read something before about what it would feel like if your lungs filled with water and exploded. Keep in mind, I read a lot of fiction, and that's unrealistic. That's not the drowning process, but it was a new fear unlocked for me. And there are quite a few water scenes in this one that brought that irrational fear to the front of my mind.
This review would not be complete without me noting that this is an expanded edition, which includes the original story and a sequel which elaborates and expands upon the original short story. I read the original one a very long ago, and was glad it was included in the front of this one to refresh my memory before starting the new story.
November 15, 2025
This fun little book has it all! Smarmy businessmen, crooked lawmen, "Natural Born Killer" type murderers, sneaky private eyes, cheating spouses, revenge-seeking vixens, panty-sniffing perverts, and the coolest, baddest, cryptid this side of Boggy Creek! Is it a fish, is it a wolf, is it a reptile!?? No, it's a dubhar chu, and it's ravenous! The quick paced prose and realistic dialogue in this little book made reading it a breeze! It was the extended version that I read that I picked up from the author at a writer's event in Greenville, Texas.
November 2, 2024
Bloody good fun!
I hadn't gotten a chance to read the original version of this book so I was excited to check out this new expanded version.
Butler doesn't disappoint with this book. A cryptid I had never heard of before, lots of face crunching, plenty of blood and several story lines that all converge together to wrap everything up nice and tidy, well except for all the gore.
Give this book a read, you won't be disappointed.
I hadn't gotten a chance to read the original version of this book so I was excited to check out this new expanded version.
Butler doesn't disappoint with this book. A cryptid I had never heard of before, lots of face crunching, plenty of blood and several story lines that all converge together to wrap everything up nice and tidy, well except for all the gore.
Give this book a read, you won't be disappointed.
December 4, 2024
Wow, this is the first I’ve read of this author but definitely not the last now!!! I love a good creature horror, and this one ticked allllllll the boxes. So atmospheric and well written it played like a movie in my head while reading! He really puts the reader in the hot seat feeling ALL the horrific feels throughout this story! You NEED to check this out if you love creature feature horror!
December 28, 2024
I was lucky enough to meet Eric at a winter market hosted by Dark Hour Haunted House in Plano, TX. After talking about his books I ended up by this one and Rest Stop. I could see this story being made into a full horror book. It had everything you’d want in a horror book. Kind of wish Lewis made it, but eh. This was a fabulous read.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews