Something in the Water

By: Phyllis R. Dixon

Narrated by: Patricia R. Floyd

Buried secrets, environmental disaster, and a legacy of corruption hit too close to home when a California native and her family make a fresh start in small-town Texas—and find trouble just beneath the promising surface in this powerful novel for listeners of Terry McMillan, Tracy Brown, ReShonda Tate, and Elsie Bryant.

As director of an award-winning investigative news radio show, Billie Jordan is used to helping others fight trouble. But she faces her own when the radio station is sold and she’s unable to find another job. Their savings dwindle as she and her husband struggle to help their son overcome an opioid addiction. When her husband gets a professorship at an HBCU in his hometown, they relocate to get a fresh start. Billie slowly adjusts to a cubicle workspace, sweltering heat, and accepting “y’all” as a word. All is well until severe storms cause massive destruction and contaminate the town’s water supply—making it unsafe to drink.

Billie learns water woes and boil water notices have existed for years. In her new job at a local bank, she finds connections between money, power, and family are as dirty as the water. Warned to mind her own business, she remains persistent and discovers a shocking cover-up. Even more shocking is who is involved—and the extent to which they’ll go to protect their interests.

Billie has always advocated for the people over the powerful. But when her son gets in trouble, her silence can make it go away. With her son’s freedom at stake and mounting tensions threatening her marriage, she’ll need all her resources and skills to save her family and expose the corruption…if a conspiracy doesn’t drown her first.

©2025 Phyllis R. Dixon (P)2025 Recorded Books

Spicy!

Each part of this book left some new spice for your life! From the main character, Billie to a community leader, Adrian, everyone keeps you interested. There is so much happening here that speaks to so many walks of life. You need to read this one!

Captivating storyline

I'm not a reader at all so I choose to listen to this book. I listened every chance I could. This was a really good book and I look forward to reading other material by this author.

Another pageturner

Phyllis Dixon never disappoints her readers. Her books are layered with different plots and numerous characters. She has the ability to entertain and educate simultaneously. The issues of safe water and substance abuse are plaging our communities and Dixon exposes us to the devastating impact when it knocks on your door.

Twists & turns galore!

So relatable and real, depicts any hardworking women juggling life and family. As women, we give our all to others, just to realize sometimes they don't appreciate us or deserve us.

The main character learns nothing...

Everything ends relatively happily ever after for the main character without her ever having to address how she, with her intolerance, self-importance, and my-way-only personality is a problem. She never grows or accepts that she is a major factor in her troubles or that the same results could have be obtained through different measures. In the end, her high and mighty, elitist, everyone-else-is-wrong attitude continues without a dent. It was extremely hard to finish this book and would not have but for the fact that it was a book club selection.