What do you think?
Rate this book
The Bargain
From the author of The Pope Lick Massacre, The Rest Stop series, & The Shadow Within comes his next tale of terror.
Seventeen years ago, Zeke made a deal with Mama Faye.
A deal that provided his barren sister with the baby she always wanted.
In exchange, on the girl’s seventeenth birthday, she will be wed to Mama Faye’s beloved son.
Now desperate to save her daughter from a fate worse than death, Zelma strikes a new bargain ...
And all it will cost is her humanity.
"The Bargain is a tense, folkloric horror story that blends Appalachian gothic vibes with modern dread. Relentlessly tense from the very start, Butler introduces an escalating horror that climaxes into a savage confrontation that is as emotionally devastating as it is terrifying. One of Butler's best so far." - Megan Stockton, author of Pink Neon.
Seventeen years ago, Zeke made a deal with Mama Faye.
A deal that provided his barren sister with the baby she always wanted.
In exchange, on the girl’s seventeenth birthday, she will be wed to Mama Faye’s beloved son.
Now desperate to save her daughter from a fate worse than death, Zelma strikes a new bargain ...
And all it will cost is her humanity.
"The Bargain is a tense, folkloric horror story that blends Appalachian gothic vibes with modern dread. Relentlessly tense from the very start, Butler introduces an escalating horror that climaxes into a savage confrontation that is as emotionally devastating as it is terrifying. One of Butler's best so far." - Megan Stockton, author of Pink Neon.
259 pages, Paperback
Published March 4, 2026
3 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
Eric Butler
47 books199 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Okay, this was wild in the best way.
The Bargain takes Southern backwoods horror and mixes it with Greek mythology, and somehow it works really well. The atmosphere is thick and tense right from the start .
Once things start going wrong, they go VERY wrong. The horror is brutal and doesn’t pull punches, but it fits the story. The creature elements are especially memorable (and genuinely unsettling). I also liked how the mythological angle gave the violence a bigger, almost tragic weight instead of it just being shock for shock’s sake. But I also LOVE Greek mythology, so blending two different things I love (southern based horror and Greek mythos) had me in love.
A few character choices had me yelling at the page, but honestly, that’s part of the fun with this kind of story.
If you like Southern vibes, folklore, Greek mythos, and unapologetically bloody horror, this one’s worth checking out.
I also believe this might have been the first Eric Butler book I've read, so I'll certainly be reading more soon!
The Bargain takes Southern backwoods horror and mixes it with Greek mythology, and somehow it works really well. The atmosphere is thick and tense right from the start .
Once things start going wrong, they go VERY wrong. The horror is brutal and doesn’t pull punches, but it fits the story. The creature elements are especially memorable (and genuinely unsettling). I also liked how the mythological angle gave the violence a bigger, almost tragic weight instead of it just being shock for shock’s sake. But I also LOVE Greek mythology, so blending two different things I love (southern based horror and Greek mythos) had me in love.
A few character choices had me yelling at the page, but honestly, that’s part of the fun with this kind of story.
If you like Southern vibes, folklore, Greek mythos, and unapologetically bloody horror, this one’s worth checking out.
I also believe this might have been the first Eric Butler book I've read, so I'll certainly be reading more soon!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Faustian bargains, witchcraft, monsters straight out of Greek myth, horrifying scenes of butchery and slaughter - this one has it all! Butler takes a story the first part of which appeared in one of Uncomfortably Dark's excellent horror anthologies, and beefs it up with a bloodier and gorier sequel, bringing all remaining tensions to a head. The action starts right away: the story is fast-paced and unapologetically violent; the mythical horned beast and its labyrinthine lair are seamlessly woven into the Southern setting; and the ending was a complete surprise!
The tale is a riveting creature feature, building on a poor choice made in the past and developping its consequences for the present: a bargain was struck and now it's time to pay the piper - unless an alternative can be found: innocent people to be sacrificed! "Sacrificed" being a rather infelicitous euphemism for "getting devoured by a monster deep in the woods". This monster bears a familiar face (if you're acquainted with Greek myths); his lair is a legendary place where people get in and very rarely get out; and what makes for a brilliant twist is that this monster can die. Part II picks up on that plot point and shows exactly why you don't mess with ancient Greek witches-slash-queens!
This is a hell of an intense ride, a gruesome and fun read. I highly recommend it!
The tale is a riveting creature feature, building on a poor choice made in the past and developping its consequences for the present: a bargain was struck and now it's time to pay the piper - unless an alternative can be found: innocent people to be sacrificed! "Sacrificed" being a rather infelicitous euphemism for "getting devoured by a monster deep in the woods". This monster bears a familiar face (if you're acquainted with Greek myths); his lair is a legendary place where people get in and very rarely get out; and what makes for a brilliant twist is that this monster can die. Part II picks up on that plot point and shows exactly why you don't mess with ancient Greek witches-slash-queens!
This is a hell of an intense ride, a gruesome and fun read. I highly recommend it!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Holy crap that was intense! Loved every bit of it.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews