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The Grove
From the writer of The Pope Lick Massacre, The Shadow Within, and The Rest Stop comes Eric Butler's next extreme tale.
Danny’s wife, Janet, is throwing her annual Halloween get together at the family cabin, and Mike is looking to blow off some steam. Sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll … just like the old days when they did anything they wanted. Except, it’s not the old days, and Janet has a list of rules for them to follow. Lucky for Mike, Danny’s given them a way around all that. A place they can go to have a little fun. A place they call ... The Grove.
"The Grove is a treat that will thrill and then linger in your mind. With crisp, descriptive prose, Eric Butler brings suspense and unease to a haunting tale of murder and retribution." - D.W. Hitz, author of Garrets Lodge
Danny’s wife, Janet, is throwing her annual Halloween get together at the family cabin, and Mike is looking to blow off some steam. Sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll … just like the old days when they did anything they wanted. Except, it’s not the old days, and Janet has a list of rules for them to follow. Lucky for Mike, Danny’s given them a way around all that. A place they can go to have a little fun. A place they call ... The Grove.
"The Grove is a treat that will thrill and then linger in your mind. With crisp, descriptive prose, Eric Butler brings suspense and unease to a haunting tale of murder and retribution." - D.W. Hitz, author of Garrets Lodge
44 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 27, 2025
About the author
Eric Butler
48 books206 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 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 18, 2025
And...
Then There Were None
THE GROVE
by Eric Butler
2 1/2 stars. Danny's annual Halloween trip with his seven friends at his cabin started off with a scary story...
Staying at the lodge was a tradition Danny had started...
Danny's wife Janet had rules forbidding sex and drugs in the cabin, so Danny renovated an old out building and the grove for his friends' wilder uses...
But there was a dark secret Danny and his friends were hiding...
Let the slashings begin...
Okay, I saw all the 4 and 5 star reviews and wondered: Did we read the same short story? It amounted to one killing after another without much prelude until no one remained alive to slash. The end.
Then There Were None
THE GROVE
by Eric Butler
2 1/2 stars. Danny's annual Halloween trip with his seven friends at his cabin started off with a scary story...
Staying at the lodge was a tradition Danny had started...
Danny's wife Janet had rules forbidding sex and drugs in the cabin, so Danny renovated an old out building and the grove for his friends' wilder uses...
But there was a dark secret Danny and his friends were hiding...
Let the slashings begin...
Okay, I saw all the 4 and 5 star reviews and wondered: Did we read the same short story? It amounted to one killing after another without much prelude until no one remained alive to slash. The end.
July 12, 2025
This was a perfect short novella with a great slasher vibe. All the elements were there. A group of couples are all in a relatively isolated location for an annual get together. Enter the violent baddie. Secrets. Lots of blood. And there was some mystery in there too. This one got a lot of story told in a short amount of time and I really appreciated that.
April 4, 2025
First, I want to say how much I love the cover!!!! Sexy with a hint of darkness.
Who doesn't enjoy a good Halloween party? Unless it's an extreme slasher story and you're on the wrong side of the invite. Then maybe you wouldn't. Or maybe you would. Am I being too vague? Too cryptic? Probably. but it's only 44 pages or about an hour of listening (and I don't want to give too much away), so you'd have to read/ or listen to it for yourself to get a dose of Eric Butler and how he can spin a good time into a bloody romp. . I rec this story to fans of the extreme slasher genre
Who doesn't enjoy a good Halloween party? Unless it's an extreme slasher story and you're on the wrong side of the invite. Then maybe you wouldn't. Or maybe you would. Am I being too vague? Too cryptic? Probably. but it's only 44 pages or about an hour of listening (and I don't want to give too much away), so you'd have to read/ or listen to it for yourself to get a dose of Eric Butler and how he can spin a good time into a bloody romp. . I rec this story to fans of the extreme slasher genre
April 9, 2025
The Grove is a short slasher told like a few teenagers telling stories around a campfire.
Sexually charged and violent it delivers a simple plot with straightforward horror tropes. This is a fun read if you’re wanting some short horror.
Sexually charged and violent it delivers a simple plot with straightforward horror tropes. This is a fun read if you’re wanting some short horror.
April 18, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this short little story! It's my first from Eric Butler, and I've not heard much about it at all! It was fun and engaging with a good amount of gore. It was well written, fast-paced, and exciting. I really wanted more! I'd love a full-length extended novel of this!
April 12, 2025
44 pages of retribution and slasher in the woods vibes. You know it's gonna be good when the cover is THIS good. Just a nice get together with friends and Mike seems like a nice guy. They all seem like your usual crew blowing off steam, obviously there are rules. Janet sets them out for her husband Danny and his friends, for me though that level of control has the reader questioning things. Like how wild did these guys get in the day? Emily comes on the scene and seduces Mike. As the cabin has been taken by Trevor and his girl, Mike decided to show Emily somewhere else they can party.
That is when things take a very intense and bloody turn. Fueled by drugs and repressed memories the vibes go from party hard to go hard or go home. As this takes a brutal turn and revelation of misdeeds come to light. As always Eric is on form and delivers amazing, gripping and immense story telling skills.
That is when things take a very intense and bloody turn. Fueled by drugs and repressed memories the vibes go from party hard to go hard or go home. As this takes a brutal turn and revelation of misdeeds come to light. As always Eric is on form and delivers amazing, gripping and immense story telling skills.
May 2, 2025
This story was dark and gory and gave off I Spit on Your Grave vibes.
June 11, 2025
If you want a quick little slasher that hits all the tropes, with some twists, in 44 pages, this is the one for you!
February 11, 2026
A group of friends head to the woods for a night of adult fun. The Grove is fast-paced, thrilling, and oh so satisfying. It didn’t go in the direction that I initially expected and I loved where this story went, I gasped! This book is brutal and will please fans of rape and revenge stories with a little twist.
I just wish this novella was longer and the plot and characters were more fleshed out! The set up is fascinating and I would have liked to get more of Janet considering how prominent she is in the synopsis, there are plot threads that are under utilized.
I just wish this novella was longer and the plot and characters were more fleshed out! The set up is fascinating and I would have liked to get more of Janet considering how prominent she is in the synopsis, there are plot threads that are under utilized.
April 15, 2025
Wow this was one hell of a ride. Nothing good ever happens in the woods. This is perfect for fans of Slasher Horror.
The Grove follows a group of friends during Halloween. Danny and his wife have a family cabin that they are all using for their get together. One of the friends, Mike, is looking to get lucky and cut loose. There's something not quite right with one of the female guests though. Who exactly is this plus one that was invited along?
I was on the edge of my seat reading this one. The suspense was high and the sense of unease never left. This story is a fast paced one sitting read, clocking in around 40 pages. Highly recommend to those who enjoy Extreme Horror and slashers!
The Grove follows a group of friends during Halloween. Danny and his wife have a family cabin that they are all using for their get together. One of the friends, Mike, is looking to get lucky and cut loose. There's something not quite right with one of the female guests though. Who exactly is this plus one that was invited along?
I was on the edge of my seat reading this one. The suspense was high and the sense of unease never left. This story is a fast paced one sitting read, clocking in around 40 pages. Highly recommend to those who enjoy Extreme Horror and slashers!
September 20, 2025
Love Love Love ❤️
5/5 🍒
This book is a quick and bloody good time! A group of friends go out to a cabin like they do every year for a Halloween celebration.
But this year something is different. Something or someone is among them ready to strike. All the men are too busy worried about sex and most of the women want friendships to be mended.
Violence erupts into the night and the friends are picked off one by one. Each death bloody and gory. But why? By who? By what?
This is short story is great. I loved every minute of it. Eric Butler has a way to make you feel like you are there watching the scenes in real time and I love that about his writing. I will be reading more of his books 🫶🏼
5/5 🍒
This book is a quick and bloody good time! A group of friends go out to a cabin like they do every year for a Halloween celebration.
But this year something is different. Something or someone is among them ready to strike. All the men are too busy worried about sex and most of the women want friendships to be mended.
Violence erupts into the night and the friends are picked off one by one. Each death bloody and gory. But why? By who? By what?
This is short story is great. I loved every minute of it. Eric Butler has a way to make you feel like you are there watching the scenes in real time and I love that about his writing. I will be reading more of his books 🫶🏼
April 14, 2025
Eric Butler is my book Dad!
March 17, 2026
Only 44 pages. Short, sweet n a lil spicy. Wasn’t too bad of a read!
2.5/5 but rounded up to 3 for Goodreads.
2.5/5 but rounded up to 3 for Goodreads.
April 12, 2026
Eric Butler blends haunted dread, cabin in the woods weekend, and slasher vibes so well in The Grove!
It’s a quick read that you’ll get through in one sitting because you won’t want to put it down!
It’s a quick read that you’ll get through in one sitting because you won’t want to put it down!
July 18, 2026
2.5⭐️ I enjoyed the short story and the good for her revenge plot
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews