Peril Beneath the Surface

by John Lynch

The graduating class of Budlong High are ready to take the next step in their lives.

An accidental death strikes the small town, threatening to tear apart the community.

But something is stirring beneath the calm water of Lake Budlong.

Something that will usher the graduates into an early grave.

Genres: Horror

164 pages, Paperback

Published May 14, 2025

About the author

John Lynch is a United States Marine Corps Veteran. He writes horror in Rhode Island with his cat, and English Bulldog.

He is most known for his debut novel, The Warrior Retreat.

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Reviews

[Peter Topside · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really struggled to connect with this story. It felt like the author tried to tackle more than what was necessary here. He attempted to intertwine a revenge plot with a creature feature, but there was no smooth connection between the two. Separately, either were fine, but together, not at all. And I also greatly struggled with keeping track of who was who, especially with the twins, which further added to a reduced experience. And, as we were dealing with adolescents, there were so many other plot points tossed around involving crushes, betrayals, pranks, etc, it just all got so jumbled. This just needed to simplify its approach and have a much narrower focus, as opposed to trying to jam too much into one book. Probably my least favorite John Lynch experience to date, and I really do regard him as a talented writer.

[Kiera ☠ · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Peril Beneath the Surface' is a very fast paced, easy to read, fun time overall. I had the opportunity to beta read this before it was finished and re-worked and really enjoyed what John had put together and encouraged him to get back to it and such I was very happy and excited to see him finish the novella and publish it. Unfortunately, it took me some time to get to it but better late than never they say!

Overall, I don't think that this is Lynch's strongest work. It felt a bit rushed to me, like he was anxious to finish it for once and for all, which mirrors his authors note in the end. What I struggled with personally was the two storylines being told. The mysterious shape-shifting creature and the serial killer aspects didn't merge well together made it feel a little clunky in my opinion. I like both ideas, I just feel like we could have likely done without the serial killer aspect and this may have been stronger. Overall, I still had a lot of fun and it read very easily. If you're looking for an exciting short novella with a really cool creature, I would still recommend this read.

[Cherise Isabella · Rating 2 out of 5]

There wasn't very much about this book that I enjoyed. The first chapter was promising. I was expecting a tense and carnage filled creature feature read. Instead, what I got was what felt like two different books badly meshed together. I didn't get enough creature at all. I barely understood where this thing originated from. I wanted and needed more of the thing that this book was centred around.

For such a short book, this felt way longer than it was. It has a ton of filler. It reads like the author at times forgot what he was supposed to be writing about. Then, at the last minute, remembered. "Oh yeah, the creature." I don't want to give anything away in terms of spoilers, so I won't mention the other storyline. I will, however, say that it felt disjointed, incohesive, and lacked structure.

The main characters were also quite silly. I mean, I know they're teenagers, but jeez. Do they all have to be so awful all the time. The carnage wasn't even enough to save this one for me. The writing was okay. The ending anticlimactic and felt rushed. We spent so much time on unnecessary bits, and then the ending wasn't even worth it. Le sigh. What a letdown. I love creature features. It's my favourite sub-genre. So, I had high hopes. Alas, I was deeply disappointed. ☹️

[hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was such a great read. lynch has such a phenomenal writing style that keeps you absolutely invested and the gore was TOP TIER. this was done so well . I highly recommend.

[Mickey · Rating 4 out of 5]

What begins as a harmless prank, ends with an accidental death. Struggling to deal with what's happened, Tommy throws a party to celebrate graduation. But something in the water is coming for them all.

What a great read this was. After reading both Christmas Eve Carnage books last year, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to read this.
It starts with a bang and doesn't let up throughout. It did end on a bit of a cliffhanger though, so I'm hoping there is a sequel in the future.

[Rhonda Bobbitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another slam dunk from John. This was a fast read and creepy as hell. What lies beneath the surface? Death and torment. And a little revenge. When a joke goes wrong, and an accident becomes a murder. Fantastic story.

[Danielle Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Black tendrils shot out, grabbing the chunks of meat and pulling them into its body even as smaller bits of the ooze detached itself, sliding across the floor, walls, and ceiling in a sluglike movement, sucking up the remnants of the man’s body.”

To start, I’m a sucker for any book that has a setting in Rhode Island. So right from the beginning, I was sold. That being said, John Lynch has officially published my favorite book from him to date.

This book reminded me of a late 90’s / early 00’s teen horror movie. In the best freaking way possible. (Think “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” but make it 2025). Senior year, about to graduate, summer at the lake house / cabin. Then a prank goes wrong, and all hell breaks loose.

There’s so many elements to this story and I’m living for them all. Some books you read and can see them being turned into a movie. I rarely make this claim… but this is definitely one of those times.

I would recommend this one to all horror readers. Like I said before, there’s so many different elements and they all come together brilliantly.

Easy five stars, without a doubt.
It’s available on Amazon and it’s on KU! Add it to your summer TBR, it’s perfect for that.

[Amber Rothermel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book checked all of my boxes in a horror novel!

- perfectly paced
- shorter story without all of the unnatural dialogue and useless filler to make the book longer
- unknown creature on a killing spree
- chaotic teenagers making dumb decisions
- lake and cabin vibes

This was a fun read! It had a bit of gore but nothing too crazy. I think it would make the perfect horror movie!

I am going to seek out more books by John Lynch because I really enjoyed his writing style.

[Ian Gielen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story in two halves that form a whole in the end, this is a fantastic fast paced read.

Tommy, his best friend, his sister and his girlfriend are out on a boat on Lake Budlong when tragedy strikes. Being a small town, the death hits everybody hard. Meanwhile, something under the waters of the lake comes to life and begins to target unsuspecting residents and visitors surrounding it.

The two halves meet as one at the end when Tommy and his sister host a party to pay tribute to their departed friend as part of a graduation party when the thing beneath the surface pays them a visit.

There is far more to the story then the quick summary but it is deliciously morbid and gore filled and it kept me wanting to turn the pages far past my bedtime. The characters are flawed and some are unlikeable due to their age (these are high school graduates after all) and because of their own agendas which makes a great cocktail for the events that happen in the book.

It's a short gore filled creature feature with added teenage drama that is definitely recommended if you enjoy those things.

[Donna Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

No more swimming in lakes for me!

I'll only go in clear water pools where I can see the bottom! This was horrible! And the worst part was that I believed everything about it! I'm afraid to go to sleep! Wow!

[Emily Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lake

There is something in the lake it's waiting for the perfect time. Now, it has found some prey. Is there any way to escape? Spooky water chiller.

[Kati Chastain · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Lynch’s Peril Beneath the Surface is a fast-paced plunge into horror that blends teen drama with spine-chilling suspense and top-tier gore. From the first chapter, the story lures you in with its eerie atmosphere, building a sense of dread that never quite lets up.

Set in a town where teen pranks take a sinister turn, Lynch weaves together themes of adolescence, regret, and the unknown. What begins as harmless fun spirals into a nightmare of death, torment, and something unspeakable oozing from below.

The writing is vivid and dark. Characters feel raw and believable, especially the teens whose angst and recklessness spark the horror that unfolds. And if you like your villains bloody and relentless, there’s some serial killing here that will satisfy your craving for chaos.

Peril Beneath the Surface is a wild ride from start to finish. Highly recommended for horror fans who love a good scare with substance.

[Cynshine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good, short read. At one point I did find that a lot of things were happening. There’s a mysterious thing that comes from inside the lake that has been pulling people underneath the water… very spooky. But then there’s also someone else going around killing people too? I feel like it would have been a lot better if it focused solely on either a serial killer or the mysterious black blob killer.

However, this still a good read! No one is safe—you build connections with certain characters and they could die in the next paragraph, so beware 👀

Gory, detailed, suspenseful.

[Alexandra Nisneru · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good and exciting story, which I really enjoyed. My only objection would be that the "danger" described in the book only came more present from 60% in the book, I would have liked to see a bit more of it.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun and gory read from John Lynch. He never disappoints. A fast paced-page turner with a cool twist. It also gave me vibes of Kings The Raft.

I really enjoyed this. Lynch is becoming the king of gore.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for providing a review copy.

I normally love John Lynch, but this book didn't quite do it for me. It felt very disjointed, with one creature feature story line and one slasher storyline. I feel the narrative should have focused on one or the other (my preference would be creature feature). I never really came to care for any of the characters, and things felt a little predictable. 2.75 stars

[Dave Lizotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first read from John Lynch so please bare that in mind that I have no other sources to reference in regards to writing style, pace, plot lines, etc. With that being said, this was a fun, nasty, little read. It was very fast-paced and there was very little lag what-so-ever. The story starts with a creepy, creature attack right off that bat which then follows a quick story-line buildup followed by more creature attacks, a possible serial killer subplot, a prank-gone-wrong scenario, and a culminating let's let everybody who sucks get their just desserts moment at the end. That's quite a lot to pack into one story which for some may be too much but in all honesty, I found it just fine as a novel I think doesn't take it self too seriously or try to be something more than it is.

The characters in the novel are interesting as none of them come off as overly likeable. I don't think that's unintentional as that makes the final scene seem more of a rewarding payoff than it might if we do grow attached to them. There are a few characters here who feel highly underdeveloped, which is possibly my only gripe as they are introduced and come off as initially interesting but then quickly depart.

The best way I could desribe this novel using references would be Donkey Punch meets The Collector, meets Creepshow 2's The Raft. It's really a fun time if you can appreciate a read that feels like a summer popcorn flick. What would be a fun little addition to this novel would be if we got a little prequel to the serial killer we are introduced to, so perhaps that's something fun we will get down the road.

As mentioned this was my first read of John Lynch but will definitely not be my last as this was a highly enjoyable, fast paced ride.

[Jonny Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Rounded Up

This is my second of Lynch's and I will never be able to get over the fact how fucking cinematic his voice is.

This was fun, fast paced read that I thoroughly enjoyed, however, I did feel that it was a tad rushed near the end (which can be supported by his Author's note).

I also felt that the serial killer plot thread may have been a tad unnecessary.

Either way, I'd recommend this book if your looking for something fast paced and brutal.

Definitely going to be reading Christmas Eve Carnage in the upcoming months.

[Melaine Sturm · Rating 5 out of 5]

eerie quick read

If you’re looking for an eerie quick read, look no further. This book has it all!

I was wondering how the story of Lucy tied in with Tommy and his friends, and I’ve got to say, WOW. I wasn’t expecting that at all! This was a well written eerie horror story that will make you think twice next time you go swimming in a lake or camping near one!! Happy spookings fellow horror readers!!

[Teah Sennett · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5 stars

I don't typically give such low ratings, but I'm really confused by the plot of this story. It felt like two different plots going on with the creature feature and the serial killer. I really enjoyed the creature feature aspect of the story, and in my personal opinion, the other left completely out. It added nothing to the plot. It was created as a filler, which is a shame because that space should have been used to expand on the characters.

[Dan Mckeithan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great intense story! It is one part slasher and one part creature feature, giving great attention to both sides. The accidental death of a newly graduated highschooler gives pause to his friends as they try to navigate their life's post his death. This combined with the creature that has shown from the lake leads to an all-out horror bash. If you enjoy creature features and a slasher thrown in then this is the story for you.

[Liana Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️ rounded up for Goodreads.

This book had multiple POVs throughout, it followed along a few teens who had recently graduated high school when a tragic loss in the friendship group started to spiral into something a lot darker.
I found the writing solid, I enjoyed the pace and found it fun to follow along I although did find so much unanswered? Where some characters come from, how some passed, backstories that would have added a lot of substance.

Overall a fun easy read!

[Chelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first book by this author and I struggled to get into it.

The characters were good but it seemed too short for my liking. I think a Longer book would have given the author more chance to expand and explain the story better.

I really liked the story line.

Even though it wasn’t to my liking I’d still rate it 3.5 stars.

[Terry and dog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this book wastes no time getting down and dirty and then there is no stopping. There is a lot here, teen angst and pranks, oozy unknown black stuff, accidental killing, serial killing and a couple of surprises. Good fun.

[FiFi · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5

It was fine, but I wish it was elaborated on more. There's no backstory to the monster... it's just there with no explanation. The other killer felt a little random and out of place too.

I think this would have been better if it had been longer.

[Overlook Hotel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a good read but I felt it could have gone so many different and better directions.

What was the whole point of finding the phone? Can someone let me know please as I feel I may have missed a chapter.

[Tiffany Lowe-Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another masterpiece from John Lynch

I read this in one setting due to hooking me from page one, who needs dinner anyways. The twists just blew me away, you won't see them coming!

[§amantha · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf

[Bret J · Rating 5 out of 5]

A revenge plot mixed with The Blob, so good! My first John Lynch book, won't be my last