Holy Sh¡t this one was terrifying. I'm not the biggest horror reader and I'm sure there are more terrifying reads out there, but this one scared me. I enjoyed this goosebump inducing scenes!

I found this book to be interesting enough to finish within a week. The twists and turns kept me turning the pages in search of answers. I do look forward to reading another of this author’s books on my TBR pile. Perfect mix of suspense & creepy.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for the copy for review.

The Nightmare Man actually gave me nightmares. I love a good horror book and this one entered my top 5 as soon as I was done. Bravo.

The Nightmare Man hooked me on the cover alone. Scarecrows have always been creepy to me. The story started with a bang too. It could have been edited a little better there were a few slow parts especially at the beginning but overall it was a great, original horror story. I’ll definitely read the authors next book.

**Thanks to the author and publisher for the e-arc I received from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.**

This was an enjoyable, suspenseful read. I've seen a lot of criticism about unlikable characters but I think that may be part of the point of this book.

I have attempted to read this book three times now and have finally given up at the 70% mark. The first time I tried, I made it to 22% as it starts off really good, but then gets dull. The second time, I made it to 35% and just got so bored. The characters are all so unlikeable - especially the main character. There is so much dialogue and just repetitive description that it took a lot for me to get to 70% - even with eventually skimming paragraphs. This book had so much promise for me, and it does have a great creepy vibe, but it just fell short of what it could have been.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This is my first time reading this author, but I can see myself needing to pick up the rest of them based on this book alone. A truly enjoyable, suspenseful read. I couldn't get enough.

Well written, keeps you engaged up till the end. There is total tension while you wait to find out what happens at the end, and that is my kind of book! Murder, spooky, dark woods. Yup.

THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING! And completely messed my dreams up. Def have this going into the re-read tbr yearly.

Well written, a good story, but I had a hard time finishing sadly. I love horror but had a hard time with this one

The Nightmare Man is a crime-horror book involving nightmares, murders, family secrets, and complicated characters. I was immediately intrigued by the setting and the premise, especially with a reveal that takes the story somewhere unexpected. The writing is captivating with visceral descriptions of dark scenes and haunting nightmares.

I thought the characters could have been fleshed out more because they followed basic archetypes, resorting to predictable reactions whenever things get tough. I wasn't a fan of the cheating trope and how it's employed here with miscommunication and vagueness that annoyed instead of intrigued me. It felt like a romantic drama at times, which wasn't helped by the fact that I didn't care about the protagonist and his passive behaviour. The procedural aspect brings an interesting angle, but I think the book would have worked better if it had just zoomed into the dysfunctional family drama and the power (magic?) behind their secrets. A great effort but I was left wanting more.

A truly harrowing whodunnit.

J. H. Market has created a truly interesting horror novel focusing on dreams and nightmares. This book was a pleasant surprise from what I originally thought it might be. It is a medium paced book that I found myself racing to finish as I approached the end.

This book follows a horror author, who is currently stuck writing a sequel to his hit book. When murders start being discovered that align exactly with his novel, he knows something else must be going on. There are so many moving pieces to this story that it felt a little hard to keep up with at times, however it all comes out to a startling but very interesting conclusion.

Check this book out!

The Nightmare Man captivated me from the very first chapter. Murders that are copied from a book are hardly a new thing to write about, but the way Markert writes it. Well, I was hooked and I found the story to be thrilling. The ending, well let's say that I want a sequel to this book because I feel that this is just the top of an iceberg...

Update: There is a sequel called The Mr. Lullaby and I can't wait to read it!

Let me be honest that I wasn't a prior reader of any piece of writing by Markert. However, this book caught my eye due to a rather decently designed cover, mysterious, to say the least. The title tickled my fancy as well.

"The Nightmare Man" by J.H. Markert is a chilling horror novel that masterfully illustrates the fine line between humanity and monstrosity. The story is set in the small town of New Haven, where the ominous Blackwood mansion, surrounded by creepy pines, looms atop a hill ... the perfect, though common setting for a horror story.

The protagonist, Ben Bookman, a bestselling novelist and heir to the Blackwood estate, spends a weekend at the ancestral home to finish writing his latest horror novel, "The Scarecrow". As the book's release approaches, the terrifying story within begins to unfold in real life.

Detective Mills arrives at the scene of a gruesome murder: a family butchered and bundled inside cocoons stitched from corn husks, eerily mirroring the opening of Bookman's latest novel. As the series of "Scarecrow crimes" continues to mirror the book, Ben quickly becomes the prime suspect.

Markert's writing style is taut and often cryptic and works well for a gory story in this genre. The plot's hammier excesses are easy to get through as it reaches its chilling climax. The book is a masterful, atmospheric horror novel that has deliciously terrifying shades akin to the legendary Exorcist.

I seriously read and/or review over 300 books annually, as part of my professional practice and "The Nightmare Man" scores high on my favorite reads of 2023, and fans of old-school horror, in my opinion should give this book a shot. It's a horror story with a mystery feel to it and a touch of a psychological thriller. This story making it a must-read for any horror genre enthusiast. Kudos Markert, I personally look forward to more chills, thrills, blood and gore from your pen.

DNF. The main character was abrasive and rude and I just could not get past that to continue reading.

I liked this one to start out with, especially the very creepy premise, but after a while it lost me. Too many characters and I just couldn't really care about any of them that much. The writing style just wasn't for me either. I think a lot of horror readers will like this one better than I did though!

This book had me from minute-one! Perfect horror book for the spooky season -- I know it came out in January but it's a great read for October. There are plenty of jaw-dropping moments to keep even avid horror readers intrigued, and I honestly didn't anticipate where the plot was going. It's a perfect blend of horror and magical realism, and Markert explains the lore behind mares in a way that holds the reader's attention while also not making it seem like the plot is taking a break for the sake of background information. Turning Mr. Dream and The Nightmare Man into actual people without them realizing it is just (chef's kiss). The only "hand-up" for me was towards the beginning -- before readers really understand what is going on -- there are so many outlandish bad guys that it feels like a spin-off of Batman and Arkham Asylum, which thankfully the author briefly acknowledges in the story. But once I fully grasped what was really going on, it all made sense and didn't come off as campy in the least bit. I thoroughly enjoyed this and shared so many scenes with my husband while I was reading it. Definitely a great horror read for us grown-ups who devoured R.L. Stine's Fear Street series when we were kids. Not for the faint of heart!

**Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.**

While it turned out to be quite interesting, it was also messy and a bit convoluted. I'm not sure what made me accept this widget from the publisher but I did and then promptly avoided it. Decided I would read it during October. It was chilling and gruesome and a bit supernatural. But also a bit confusing. I liked the journal aspect. I probably won't seek out another Markert book though.

Ben Bookman, a bestselling horror author often compared to Stephen King, is the heir to the ominous Blackwood estate, a mansion steeped in chilling history. During a weekend stay at Blackwood, Ben embarks on and completes his latest book, “The Scarecrow.” However, the eerie twist comes when the events of the story begin to manifest in real life, starting with a gruesome crime scene that mirrors passages from Ben Bookman’s terrifying novel. This sinister turn of events spirals out of control as Ben finds himself a prime suspect in the unfolding horror.

In the realm of horror literature, this narrative stands out for its distinctive approach. The story boasts a plethora of characters, occasionally posing a challenge to navigate, especially given the complex web of familial relationships. Nevertheless, the effort invested in unravelling the characters’ connections is well worth it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you are looking for a spooky read this season then look no further! This read scared the daylights out of me! Granted, I don't read much horror, and I thought this would be more of a thriller and I guess it was but I just found the subject matter terrifying. I thought the character development was very well drawn out and cohesive to the story line. I will recommend this to my customers