Wendy Dalrymple once again proves why she’s Florida’s reigning queen of horror and suspense. This is the fourth book I’ve read from the author, and although I’ve enjoyed them all, They Come From the Water is probably my favorite so far.

The story is a page-turning mix of suburban horror and family drama… and while I wouldn’t go so far as to call it folk horror, there are certain elements which I think would appeal to fans of that subgenre. all of Dalrymple’s books, the prose is clear and easy to read, making this perfect for a fun/creepy story to bring with you to the beach or on vacation. It’s not a very long book, but it’s long enough to tell the story without feeling details were skipped over.

Another of this author’s strengths is her ability to convey the day-to-day lives of everyday people in a way that makes us care about them. The arc involving Summer and her sister Joy felt real and was a highlight of the book for me.

I will say the very ending made me uncomfortable, but I’m pretty sure that was the whole point!

It’s also worth mentioning (at the time of this review) the ebook version is a Scribd exclusive, coming in August, but I believe Amazon will carry the paperback version. Thank you to the author for providing me an ARC, it is much appreciated.23 s Howard1,483 94

4 Stars for They Come From the Water (audiobook) Wendy Dalrymple read by Marie Jenkins.

Family drama unfolds as two sisters have to deal with their parent’s estate. As they are cleaning out the cabin they’re realizing that their family was involved in some unbelievable things. audiobooks fiction suspense-mystery13 s Damien CaseyAuthor 14 books65

If you would have told me Wendy Dalrymple wrote horror based in Florida, I would have pictured bright and vibrant cityscapes; some high energy stuff. Nope. What Dalrymple does for Florida is the same as what Rice did for New Orleans. They Come from the Water is no exception. This book feels it crawled out of the swamp inside of an alligator’s mouth; it’s damp, it feels musty, it feels the Everglades. Dalrymple is in top form here fitting perfectly alongside writers McDowell, Rice, and Jackson. There’s also a very Lovecraftian vibe going on here. There’s something huge lurking under the shallow waters that is just out of reach; an enigmatic force pushing the pieces around in some cosmic joke. A truly dread and anxiety inducing read with Dalrymple’s trademark atmosphere, character, and pacing. K thx. 7 s Heather Horror Hellion 215 62

Family drama.
Family drama and murder!
Family drama, murder, and hidden secrets!
Family drama, murder, hidden secrets, and an ending that made me say "WTF why would you do that to me, Wendy?"

This book is part of her Florida gothic collection. They are all crazy little tales, and you need to read them all. Wendy has a way of writing weird things and making them believable and fun. I'm a big fan and really enjoy her collection!

I definitely think you should give this one a chance! The sisters were great, and I really d Joy.4 s Maddy (maddys_needful_reads)194 31

Brief Summary: Sisters Summer and Joy come together to clean out their grandparents' home after the gruesome deaths of their mother and grandparents. But something is amiss in the community of Palmetto Lake, and, as secrets are uncovered, Summer starts to realize she and her sister might be in danger.

This was a highly anticipated read for me, as I have become a big fan of Wendy Dalrymple, and it did not disappoint!

Reading this transported me to summers in Florida - hot, humid, and claustrophobic, with mosquitos sticking to my skin and the constant shrill buzz of cicadas. I think you should go into this story knowing only that and the brief summary, and hang on for the ride.

As usual, Dalrymple writes wonderfully realistic characters who find themselves in uniquely horrifying situations. The tension and atmosphere are thick, and I was truly shocked by the ending. I really thought I had it all figured out, but I was so wrong . The best part is that it made sense, though - it isn't one of those endings that is only surprising because it came so out of left field.

I highly recommend this book to everyone, including people who don't normally read horror. (Also I have to mention that I really love the cover!!)3 s Jan80

Not necessarily scary but very unsettling and disturbing 3 s Escapereality4now515 49

RTC2 s Arnela48

It was looking this would be a 4 star read…... But then I got to the ending and decided to retract my statement. I mean wtf was that? The story overall was quite good - decent characters, family drama, ghosts, weird cult, but all of that ruined by the ending. It just didn’t make sense. Was it a dream? Was Summer having a psychotic break? Was it really happening? Sometimes I asking questions that when I’ve finished a book without a conclusive ending bc it’s fun to use your imagination and come up with your own conclusion, but this? This just left me annoyed bc nothing leading up to that point foreshadowed that ending? I don’t know, just disappointed. 1 Sophia195

Short but good stuff 1 Aly6

Ew?1 Brian BowyerAuthor 28 books222

Quick, Dark, and Twisted!

The fourth book I've read in this series, and this one is my favorite. It's fast, creepy, and I especially loved the ending. Dalrymple never disappoints. Highly recommended!1 Lynnsey_M180 7

I listened to the audiobook, and I don't know if it was the book or the narrator, but I barely made it through this one. The beginning was boring, and then the end was, I guess weird is the word. I stg though, in the beginning, if she's said "vape pen" one more time, I would've thrown my phone. I'm just glad it was a short story.audio1 Zoë Damacela168

This was a really fun novella! I loved the Florida/gothic vibes. It was fast paced and creepy. I would have loved for this to be a full length book. It would also make a really fun movie or TV series. 1 Rosie73

Real shame this is a novella, would love a full novel around this concept1 Brittanny75

Not what I expected, very weird and a bit twisted.1 Linda WatkinsAuthor 16 books365

A decaying house on Palmetto Lake in Central Florida is the scene of a double murder-suicide and sisters, Summer and Joy, have to clean up the aftermath. Arriving at the house in her RV, Summer (the narrator and older of the two girls) dreads even entering the place her grandparents lived and then died in, murdered by their own daughter who afterward committed suicide. If Summer’d had her way, she would have hired someone to gut the house, but Joy insisted they do it themselves. The sisters are not close and haven’t seen each other in years. Summer, who lives in Atlanta, is married with two children. Joy is alone – a recovering addict. The ties that once bound them together are now broken and they struggle to be civil to one another. Summer just wants to get this job over with, but Joy has questions about their mother and seeks answers within the remnants of the house.

An old flame from her youth appears and Summer finds herself still strangely attracted to him. There are neighbors, too, all of whom seem curiously perfect, not a hair out of place in the bunch. They all also seem to be frozen in time – 1970s. Curious, isn’t it?

I really enjoyed this creepy, atmospheric southern gothic tale! Author Dalrymple keeps the tension high which keeps the reader turning pages. There is something wrong with the residents of Palmetto Lake. But what is it? And, why did Summer’s mother hack her parents to death with a hatchet? The answers will surprise you as they did me. Reading They Come From The Water, I was reminded of a classic horror tale by Robert Marasco, Burnt Offerings, in which the house is strangely linked to what happens to its occupants.

They Come From The Water is highly recommended for those who love gothic fiction and southern (or Florida) gothic in particular.

I want to thank the author for providing me, a voting member of the Horror Writers Association, with a free copy of this novella for consideration of a Bram Stoker Award.
contemporary-gothic ghost-story gothic-horror ...more Nicole123 5

Uhhhh what the hell just happened? Albeit I think I’m more confused after listening to this book on Scribd as it showed I had two hours left and then abruptly ended and then started over again…? Are you intended to read this book twice in immediate succession? Or is the Scribd app just getting high on its own supply…? (Sidenote - don’t get me started on that app. Yes, I pay for it every month and no, I have no plans to cancel it even though I have nothing but issues with it and overall think it is a subpar audio library - but that is a rant for a different day)

But in this case, I do blame Scribd for my less than stellar journey with this book as it was out here making me think I was only halfway through, when I in fact was actually rounding third and heading into home.

I guess this book was OK? I don’t know what to think anymore. A cult of Reptilian lake people is a fine premise I suppose. I’ve read weirder things so who am I to judge? [Proceeds to continue judging]

Now that I know this book is a novella, I can confidently say that I do not think the random character nuances and underdeveloped thematic elements had any place in this story. Maybe if this book was fully fleshed out, some of the irrelevant side stories (Joy’s previous drug addiction, Summer’s rocky relationship with her mother, as well as Summer’s very clearly disintegrating marriage) could have worked and given weight to this book. But alas, none of that ended up mattering.

UNLESS! All of those aspects are fully realized in the SECOND telling of this novella and that’s why Scribd wants you to listen to it two times in a row? Maybe those rascals know more than I’m giving them credit for. H. EverendAuthor 13 books105

3.5/5

I had been meaning to get to this one for a while, but I'm glad I found time to do so! Dalrymple's attention to details is incredible - it did make me feel I was in the middle of a hot Florida day! Summer and Joy were well written characters and felt real (un a lot of book characters imo); however, I felt it got to the cult portion of the story too quick - this could have been built up a little more instead of rushing into it, but that's a personal preference. There were a couple parts that drug on, but overall, this was a fantastic gothic horror short. I've already read a couple of Wendy's books before this and they were phenomenal and while this one wasn't my favorite, please check it out! Shandalyn GodnBooksnThings65 2

This was a really good read! I wanted to slap the little sister so many times but the story line was so good and the sisters finding out the truth about the community they lived and their family secrets captive me. I wish there were more to the story at the end cause I really wanted to know what happened to the MFC but leaving it up to the readers imagination was even better. Will read more from this author for sure. Eva Edge545 16

They Come From the Water by Wendy Dalrymple was different. As I didn't read the blurb I didn't know some mystery elements would be included so it came as a surprise for me.
It started as a family drama with two sisters who would to unwrap a family secret but then all this turns into a mystery thriller.
I am not sure how I am feeling about the ending... definitely left me with an open mouth!4-stars audiobooks-23 Mersh170

The thing about not expecting anything is that sometimes a book can be surprisingly good. this novella abou two sisters returning to their childhood creepy Florida town to clean up their grandparents' lakehouse after their murder. This was fairly entertaining and there was some horror to it also. That ending was also a refreshing surprise but maybe something you might expect in a horror movie. Expect but still find it satisfactory.2024 audiobook gothic ...more Michelle T56

I just finished this book today and I loved it! Set in Florida two sisters are cleaning up their grandparents home after a horrible crime. The residents around the sisters grandparents home are nice on the outside but they are hiding something dark on the inside... This is by far one of my favorite reads this year! Kevin L469 8

Wendy Dalrymple kills it in They Come From the Water. I loved the elements of estranged siblings, a return to ‘home’ to clean up after their mother has killed her parents and the creepy community. Florida Gothic, indeed.

This is my second read by Dalrymple and it won’t be my last - she’s the real deal, y’all. Gabrielle Paquette106 1 follower

That was... short? And weird? and I'm not sure I understood the ending. I'm still processing... The audio version on Scribd is 30 chapters long, but it ended after 15. So It messed up with my mind. I thought I still had the whole end of the story coming my way, but it was already over. Anyways. It wasn't bad! Henry22

They Come From The Water is a short horror story about two sisters coming together at their grandparents house after the death of their mother and grandparents.

Easy read for a short book, although the twist was unexpected and quite different. I am conflicted at if the twist puts me off although I guess you could say it shouldn’t be a complete blindside due to the name of the book.

Marissa Arthur9

It begins interesting enough, with astranged sisters tasked with clean out their family lake house after their mother murders their grandparents,then kills herself in it.There is a cultists vibe within the town, then a big plot twist that was out of nowhere and rediculous to me. It kind of reminded me more of a
goosebumps book, but not good. Shane121 5

Another great one from Wendy Dalrymple. She never disappoints. This one has an intriguing story with a crazy inciting incident to start everything off. You get weird happenings at a lake, and neighbors that are certainly aaaaawfullly nice. The ending is pretty goddamn nuts, and I really enjoyed it. Highly recommended if you're looking for some great, short horror Jossie22

A slightly below average thriller, until you get to the reptile people part. Reptile people are very problematic due their their origins in antisemitism. I don't think the author was aware of this while writing but it is something she should have looked more into Tamara217 8

What the actual fuck did I just listened too ? Don’t get me wrong, it was okay till the end. But the end actually disappointed me, hence the 2 stars. I think it’s considered horror, but I didn’t get any horror feeling, just a bit suspense. audiobooks Aubree80

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