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

Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This novel is a small town horror similar to old school Stephan King, and I would have to agree with that statement. It was very atmospheric and creepy. I ended up reading this book after the second one written: Mr. Lullaby to see if Mr. Lullaby was a kind of a sequel of sorts and I would have to disagree. The characters were all different yet the "theme" or plot was quite the same. Centering around mares and old school lore. I was able to keep myself invested though with all the different characters and storyline and I enjoyed this story so much that I was able to read it in just a few sittings. This was a highly recommended book for me.

Overall, a very solid and spooky novel. It did drag a bit in the middle but was creepy enough to keep me engrossed. I will say, there were some weirdly sexual aspects sprinkled in throughout this, and in my opinion they were unnecessary and just like "...alrighty then".

I am interested to see what this author does next, and look forward to reading more from them. This has the potential to be a series based on the ending of the book, so I’m curious as to if that’ll end up happening!

Creepy, atmospheric and well written horror story that I have been needing to read for a long time! Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

4.5 stars! Absolutely loved this book. Hoping for a book 2!

I didn’t like Ben at first. He could have avoided a lot of the trouble he faced if he just opened up to those who loved him, especially his sister and his wife. Keeping it to himself just made him seem guilty.

I also liked that in addition to being a horror book, this was also a mystery that had some twists. Twists that I kind of guessed, but so did not see coming at all. I like how the author did the nightmares, how they went away and came back, how they became real…all of it.

I liked how this story played out…having someone copying the kills in Ben’s books. While not an original idea, it was done very well in this book, especially since the first copycat murder took place before the book was released.

The ending was really good, too. It all came together so well. If you’re into horror reads, definitely recommend.

What a whirlwind. The title made me think of other things and this definitely got the inspiration going for me for the WIP I’m doing. 4 star attraction.

Thank you to NetGalley, J.H. Markert and Crooked Lane Book for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn’t sure how this was going to go but the cover is amazing and the synopsis sounded good, so I decided to try. Man, am I ever glad I did. I loved this creepy, dark and suspenseful novel. I read it in two sittings and was totally annoyed to have to put it down. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

All books deserve a second chance. I've always thought that before, but now I'm really sure of it.

I first started reading this book in the summer of last year, but I only got to 7% before putting it down. It was only the other day, a full year and some, that I decided to pick it up again. And boy, am I happy with that decision.

First of all, this was very easy to read. It flowed well, and I rarely felt lost, even though there was like a bazillion plotlines happening all at the same time. The characters also felt real, alive. Sometimes they talked too similarly to each other, but that was fine. I loved reading about their backstories. And I enjoyed their interactions with each other. That's mainly why I had a lot of fun with this book. I wasn't just looking forward to the ending – I was looking forward to the next scene, the next dialogue, the next secret to uncover.

The moment the main killer got revealed was when it all started going downhill for me. All of a sudden, it seemed like the author just wanted to get things over with. To reveal everything at the same time. The next chapters became twist after twist after twist – so many that although it was great at first, eventually, it just became predictable that there was going to be a twist. And another one after that, for sure.

By the time I got to the ending, the book was merely a 3.5 for me. But I'm still giving it a solid 4 because at some point, like before the 50% mark, I was even contemplating giving it a 5. So overall, I did like the book. I enjoyed it. And I certainly don't regret reading it. But knowing now what the last 30% holds... sorry to say, but The Nightmare Man failed to hold me tight.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

The cover is what grabbed me. I knew that this was going to be an intensely horror/thriller. I listened to the Audio and you really have to listen. There is a lot going on and many characters, combining ordinary nightmares to a grotesque outcome. If you are a fan of horror, I highly recommend this book.

Did not finish at 31%
Even if I didn’t know beforehand I could’ve easily picked up that this was written by a man. It’s the way he talks about everything, how he narrated through the main character’s eye. Though I dnfed this it did help me to see what I like and don’t like in adult thriller/horror novels. The fact that this had nearly nothing of what I like – says a lot, I think. I have this author’s new arc as well so I hope it’s better.

The main character was an edgy cop and I watch a lot of crime shows – I watched a lot of CSI as a kid, rewatch the older seasons of Criminal Minds because I love them. So I understand the whole ‘edgy cop’ vibe that writers like to go for (even though it’s much overdone and therefore very stereotypical). Markert didn’t write it well. Tried too hard to make the Dectective Mills edgy. I just skim read when he spoke about something that I knew would make him more edgy – because I didn’t care!

The other main character was a writer and I actually preferred when the chapter focused on Mills instead of the author. Nothing really wrong with how Ben Bookman was written, I just didn’t like him at all.

The horror aspect was okay – I didn’t understand any of it, unfortunately. The plot was very confusing and was another reason for me to dnf. Even when I skipped ahead and read around I still didn’t understand anything. Actually, in my opinion, it read like it went on downhill in terms of quality. I was sad because in the beginning it felt a bit like Sinister and I love that movie so I wanted to see that type of thing here.

Ben Bookman is a successful novelist. On the eve of his newest release, "The Scarecrow," some really bizarre things begin to happen. People have been brutally murdered and more deaths are to come, suspiciously in a similar manner to the deaths in the book. Is Ben some sort of crazed murderer? Could there be a deranged super fan out there killing people???



This book is EXCELLENT! If you have the opportunity to listen to this as an audiobook...DO IT! I read this book as well as listened to it, I personally preferred the audio. There are ALOT of characters, as well as a bit of back and forth between present and past, so it's pretty easy to get lost.

This whole book is one hell of a twisty ride. It has the perfect balance of spooky. If you're looking for extreme horror, this will most likely not satisfy your need for gore, BUT it does have a few decently gruesome scenes. It also has a nice amount of "WTF, just happened moments"

Grab your own copy today and find out just what's happening in the town, but be careful what you dream because it just might kill you.

As always, thank you to the publisher and netgalley for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review

This was my first read of 2023 and it was the best book I could have possibly started the year with. I devoured this story. I still have vivid images of the cocoons stuck in my head. I will probably reread this book every year. I enjoyed the POVs, the horror atmosphere, the twists and turns. I truly cannot wait to see what the author comes up with next.

I was so excited to read this and enjoyed it for the most part. The writing was completely atmospheric and I found myself creeped out at times. There’s a part that happens 60-65% of the way in, though, that really just took me out of the story. I just didn’t find it necessary.

Aside from that, I enjoyed the story but found the pacing to be inconsistent. There were a lot of character and some side stories that really did not add much to the whole. Some actually creepy parts with some cheesy horror. I had fun reading this and look forward to checking out more from the author.

This was a novel where the author had a lot of really good ideas for the plot but wasn't quite able to execute them well, for me. The initial premise of a series of murders following the plot of a novel is very much just the initial premise. There is an awful lot more going on here, which makes the opening part of the novel quite confusing. It takes a while to get a hold of things and you are never quite sure who to trust. I thought that some of the reveals felt a bit obvious and sometimes contrived and overall, while I did definitely enjoy the book and will be picking up the author's work in future, I just found the narrative to be a bit disjointed throughout.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Nightmare Man. What’s that? You see it? See what? It moves out from the shadows of the trees. It’s dressed as a scarecrow and stands in your backyard. What do you do? What do you do?
Well first of all I would have ran out of my bathroom screaming as if the hounds of hell was on my hills. Then as I’m screaming and running, I grab my shotgun, run out the back door shooting like I’m in the middle of a TWD scene. Take no chances and ask questions later when you see something like that.
Anyway, you have got to read this book. It is amazing. It is super fantastic. This is a blow your mind crazy book and I loved every page of it. Talk about the ultimate bedtime story. I read the book in one night.
The story instantly grabs you right from the beginning. The book has you so engaged in the story until the last word people! Do you hear me. I didn’t want the book to end. I seriously wanted to read more. This story has secrets. There are bizarre stories. Mysterious doors that must always remain locked. Mythical creatures that come to you at knight and a sleep walker who holds all the information. But this is just a small part of the book there’s so much more.
People, while reading the story, I don’t know how many times I did the sign of the cross. This book can work up your mind. The narrative was psychologically good. Everything was told so well. There was nothing and I mean nothing that was boring or slowed down the progression of the story.
The plot was crazy good. It was not at all what I expected from the synopsis. Not to say the synopsis does not explain the book, but it did hold some major things back and that was well played. All of the characters are terrifically written. My favorite character’s are Blue and Wills.
Their dry humor was perfect for the quacks that they have to chase down. Teaming these two together was perfect for the book. They do have their moments in the book to were you’re like what’s happening here, but they have a connection that is very strong. Each twist and turn of the story is written so well. I found myself saying don’t go down there. Don’t do that. Don’t open that! Ruunnnn!
I’m sick I know it, but psychological, crime, thriller books are my game. I love it when you can read a book and it has the ability to play out like a movie in your mind. I believe that the writer accomplished this ten times over. The descriptive details from the characters emotions to what they were drinking is explained so well in the narrative. I loved the entertainment from the story and the characters. This is excellent writing and I look forward to more books from them. I give this story two snaps and a, now where in the heck is my night light? Never mind I have Winchester next to me. Until next time my fellow readers. Read on!
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Welcome back to the #NetGalleyBacklist! I’m making my way through whatever copies I can grab at my local library because for some reason physical books go much faster for me than eBooks.

“The Nightmare Man” by J. H. Markert follows author Ben Bookman. On the eve of his latest horror novel publishing day, the crimes in his new, unread novel begin to unfold. Ben knows he didn’t commit the crimes, but his memories of writing the book are foggy at best. To finish his book, he returned to his family home, Blackwood Mansion, and set to work in The Atrium, his grandfather’s forbidden room filled with books without words. Upon releasing his book, Ben fears he may have unleashed something from Blackwood Mansion, and the horrors won’t end with his book.

Talk about a spooky read. I rarely pick up horror novels, but when I heard the plot for this one, I knew I would be completely sucked in. And I was right. Ben Bookman is a man of secrets, which makes him a clear suspect, but the mysteries of Blackwood Mansion seem far more involved than one writer.

I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end, racing to put together the pieces before they were revealed to me. With this book, there were so many plot points that I wasn’t able to figure out before they were revealed. I love when a book can stump me, while still making reasonable sense.

In the end, this book got a solid 4 stars from me. It was quick and clever, but a little too intense for me at times. Do yourself a favor and read this one during the daylight, preferably in the sunshine!

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Did I love it? No. Did I hate it? No. I mean, it was fine. I love me a good horror/thriller and this one just… was. Great cover, solid premise, just wasn’t it for me.

I expected some serious spooks from this book, but it was just a slog to get through. It felt like maybe a good idea in theory, but execution left something to be desired. I didn't like the wife - she was honestly bitchy and didn't seem to want to even try to understand her husband. She called him deranged, which seemed like a lot, especially early on, to be honest. She also wasn't present and seemed to use their kid to manipulate her husband a fair amount. She kind of got better by the end of the book, but not enough to rescue it.

The old male detective was absolutely a stereotype. He was basically a cliched drunk stereotype who also did drugs and was lonely, and should've retired at least 5 years earlier.

Unfortunately the characters were so aggravating to read about that they kind of obscured the actual story and even now I only have a vague recollection of the climax and what was actually going on. I'm sure some people would really enjoy this book, but it was not for me and I can't really think of who I'd recommend it to.

This book meshed mystery and horror in really great ways. I thought the supernatural elements were creepy and compelling, and the way the narrative was told kept me riveted. If you are a fan of Stephen King, I think you'll really like this one.