This book is told in 3rd person from alternating POVs from the main characters of Detective Mills and Ben with flashbacks to “before”. This book was a super fast paced page turner. I really enjoyed the main characters and was hooked from the very first page. I loved how unique and creepy this book was. It definitely has some imaginative folklore but I really loved that aspect because it made it different from other horror books I’ve read. I definitely will be keeping an eye out for this author’s next horror book 👀 definitely recommend this one!

This was a multi-level horror tale. A wounded, dark investigator with a strained relationship with his daughter, a horror writer from a famous secretive and dysfunctional family that runs the local asylum and owns Blackwood House, a cursed mansion, a town riddled with serial killers, crumbling marriages, mutilated bodies, nightmares, superpowers, a haunted forest and magical books.

It was a LOT. But it was gripping and well told. I was all in, until the last 10% of the book. Where some silly choices (Let’s split up!) just pissed me off.

Why oh why, when the craziness is peak crazy, are we all meeting at the cursed mansion where horror occurred for DECADES?!?

This is probably one of my biggest disappointments of this last year, though not quite as high as Stephen Graham Jone's My Heart is a Chainsaw or Lucy Foley's The Guest List. I'd been so looking forward to reading it, and got even more excited when I saw an audiobook was coming out soon, as audiobooks are a recent obsession of mine - but I can't recommend this audiobook.

The narrator, David Bendena, does something I hate in audiobooks: women and children are given the same voice. This reader takes it further, as every woman and child has the exact same tone, timber, inflection, speech pattern, to the point it feels quite patronizing, especially by the end. This isn't necessarily helped by the writing (and why I'm hesitant to put all the blame on the narrator).

Every character makes stupid decisions. Most make several. Some only make stupid decisions. Conversations are weird, dialogue is weird. The plot takes turn after turn after turn, to the point of ridiculous, like a souped up blend of M. Night Shyamalan and Dan Brown. I just found myself shaking my head at everything. It's as though the author wasn't sure what he wanted to cover so he just did it all. I think I'd have liked this better if it were two books, but not much because I'm not a fan of the content. Every character is awful - even the kids!

If the idea of Law & Order: SVU in a world of magical realism appeals to you, then you might like this.

I normally don't care for police procedurals so when the book description included "Detective Mills," I almost didn't request it but I enjoy horror and while this one was pretty gruesome, it was also very spooky. I love reading books about authors so the horror spin of a copycat murder of a just released book making all ARC readers suspects. The story ended up including some fantastical and paranormal elements-- going a direction I didn't expect but that could be more about the book description. Overall, I enjoyed it and it was creepy.

I love thrillers and horror, but I don't love police procedurals. I think this would be a good pick for those who do, but it wasn't for me.

"What is your ultimate goal as a writer?"
"To scare the pants off people...to give them nightmares!"

Score! The Nightmare Man by ingenius author James Markert is nightmarishly scary. It starts with a brutally murdered family hanging from barn rafters wrapped in cocoons stitched together with corn husks. Just like in the new book, The Scarecrow, by Ben Bookman which has not been released yet. Then at a book signing a man puts a gun to his head and yells to Ben, "You stole my nightmare," and pulls the trigger.

Narrator David Bendena is chilling as this twisty scare fest unravels. When the action is ramped up you feel the anxiety but it's when it's quiet and Ben is in his memories, his nightmares, that the goosebumps begin. What's Ben sacrifice to be the best writer, what about the forbidden room with books with no words, and where are all the children that have disappeared over the last 15 years, including Ben's younger brother?

Stephen King is the king of horror but this writer just became the rising heir to the throne for me. Listen with the lights on or beware The Nightmare Man!

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Dreamscape Media via #netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is really good horror story that gripped me from the start. I thoroughly enjoyed the creepy elements, lore about dreams and mares, well done setting and characterization, and fantastic narrator (audiobook) who really fits the vibe of this well.

The Nightmare Man is about a book come to life, with murders mirroring that of a new horror novel. The story follows Detective Mills who is investigating the crimes and Ben Bookman, the writer, who is trying to make sense of the novel he wrote and his family's history.

All in all, I have been looking for a good horror story, and this was just what I needed. Horror fans will definitely enjoy this one.

It's a very rare audiobook that has me captivated to the point where I can't stop listening but is also so spooky that I don't want to put it on late at night while I'm alone.

I thought the story was totally great, the only things I would change are to the book's marketing. The story has more fantasy elements than I thought it would based on the blurb and there should probably be a trigger warning for self harm, which is brought up briefly but in multiple instances.

Overall this was a chilling book with complex and flawed characters. The choice of narrator for the audiobook was perfect as his timbre and timing add to the creepyness and suspense.

I'll be looking forward to reading more by J.H. Markert!

The Nightmare Man by J. H. market was a suspenseful thriller. The operator for the book did an incredible job of luring you in and hanging you on every Cliff note in the book.

It jumps around a little bit from the author writing his book to the crime scenes as they're found. This book is not for the faint-hearted. It'll give you your own nightmares.

It was well written and I appreciate it the fact that he gave enough description that you could paint a picture in your mind but not enough that he adds the touches your mind has to do that. I think because of the visuals that I had in my mind and possibly made the book scarier than it was actually written.

If you're a horror book aficionado I definitely suggest picking up this book. Just be aware you may not put it down.

Absolutely fricken amazing! If you have ever had a nightmare, and who hasn't? Or you suffer from night terrors, this book will not only resonate with you but will scare the heck out of you! I hope...oh I hope that Markert is planing for this to be a series.
Highly recommended. I listened to the audiobook version which just added to the overall creepiness.
Thanks to @netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to enjoy this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced audio copy in return for an honest review.

Rule Number 1
Open the book when prompted.

Rule Number 2
Close it precisely when told.

Rule Number 3
Tell no one.

Ben Bookman is a horror novelist who spent a weekend at this ancestral home Blackwood Estates to finish his latest novel, The Scarecrow. Before his book is released, gruesome murders began to happen based on things that happen in The Scarecrow. Ben must work with Detective Mills and the local law enforcement to find the killer.

This book is so much more than my quick synopsis. It's told in past and present timelines that allow the author to paint a truly horrifying picture. I enjoyed every bit of it.

The Nightmare Man delivered. Excellent narrator. The way the author described the scene with the hanging sacks... oh man. Talk about nightmare fuel!!

I would recommend this to horror fans. It's not an easy genre to write well, but this author did a good job. I would say that the list of characters was kind of tough to keep track of, but that could be because i was listening to an audio version. Sometimes I feel it's harder for me to organize myself if I'm not seeing it with my actual eyes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this. Not much horror feels fresh to me these days and this did feel like new ideas and a fresh take on the "horror author has horrible things happening" trope. It didn't scare me, necessarily, but definitely had some creepy imagery and ideas.

This chilling novel where folklore comes to life will have you on the edge of your seat, closing the blinds at all hours of the day, and afraid to sleep for weeks. This was such an amazing horror read, I cannot recommend it enough.

“I hid them deep down in the hallow where nightmare seeds grow.”

🚨What NOT to do: Read this book while watching The Devil’s Hour. The stories are different but could meld together so well. My brain was making a fusion of this book and that show🤣😂🤣🚨

Horror…it’s a difficult genre to write and especially to write well. This book definitely gets a glowing recommendation from me. It’s atmospheric and creepy without being wasteful with words.

There are several different “mares” in this book. Thankfully there is a human dreamcatcher there to save the day. It was creepy from start to finish.

This book has several different stories woven together with lots of characters. I had a hard time keeping the characters straight but it didn’t take away from the story.

I would love to see this made into not only a book series but a show or movie too.

The nightmares “getting out”sorta gave me that ghostbuster nostalgia feeling. I wonder if the author did that to sorta pay homage to ghostbusters…🤔👻

The audiobook was really well done.

Fingers crossed there will be a sequel.

Definitely go check it out if you like horror novels.

Title: The Nightmare Man
Author: J.H. Markert
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

I enjoyed this book as a whole, but there were way too many characters to keep track of. I got very confused with how many different characters there were that I couldn't remember who was who half the time. I really enjoyed the horror aspect as it did give me creepy vibes which I love in a horror book. I like to be scared while reading horror books and this one had its moments where I was a little scared.

I liked the audio, however, with all of the characters involved, I personally think this would have been better for me to read the physical book. Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who likes horror as well as Freddy Krueger.

This was a great audiobook. I really loved the narrator. He had a nice smooth voice that was easy to keep you entertained. This was a creepy book for sure. I would highly recommend this book. I would really like to see this be turned into a movie. If you want a creepy book that will leave you wanting more and give you some twist and turns then this book is for you.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing to me to read this ARC in advanced.

"Blackwood mansion looms, surrounded by nightmare pines, atop the hill over the small town of Crooked Tree. Ben Bookman, bestselling novelist and heir to the Blackwood estate, spent a weekend at the ancestral home to finish writing his latest horror novel, The Scarecrow. Now, on the eve of the book’s release, the terrible story within begins to unfold in real life."

I think that the best way to enjoy this book is to go in without too many details, so I'll keep it vague.
This book is your worst nightmare coming to life. The story was unique and not like anything I've read before. I was fully engaged from the very beginning and couldn't stop turning the pages to see what would happen next. I loved the characters and the way this story was told with past and present time lines from different POV's. This is definitely a dark story, but it is so well done and I loved it from beginning to end!
I would absolutely love for the story to continue, hint hint @jamesmarkert74


Thank you to @netgalley, @crookedlanebooks, and @dreamscapemedia for the gifted copy of this book.

5 stars and a heavy recommendation for murder mystery/horror lovers! This title will not disappoint! Thank you to the publishers at Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an AudioARC in exchange for an honest review

Crooked Tree is a town plagued by nightmares. The most notable nightmare is Ben Bookman, a local horror novelist whose new book, The Scarecrow, is being brought to life by someone, page for bloody page. Who is behind these grizzly crimes and what other nightmares lurk in the Bookman past?

This book is better than anything I could have imagined. It read like a movie, like a Netflix series with each chapter asking me "Are you still watching?" to which my reply was always YES or MORE PLEASE! This book has mystery, gore, lost time, a paranormal element; everything you want from a great series all well paced into one fantastic ride readers won't soon forget. The gore was tastefully done, not just something typed onto the page for a gross factor. Everything comes together in spooky harmony with twists I didn't see coming.

Five stars and a thirst for more to come from J.H. Markert. Recommended for readers of horror who liked It Rides a Pale Horse and Within these Wicked Walls. Pick up a copy and cozy up with a spooktackular book!

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for providing me with an early audiobook of The Nightmare Man in exchange for an honest review!

If The Nightmare Man would have ended around that 60% mark of the audiobook, I think this book could have been a favorite. Unfortunately, it kept going & sadly overstayed its welcome. The concept was phenomenal (writer writes a book and then the murders from the book start to happen in real life -- yes, please!), it felt weird(niiiiceeee vibes for a book with nightmares) & there is a pleasant amount of gore for the gore fans (also known as me).

But even with the pros, it didn't end up being a hit for me in the end & I just found myself hoping it'd be over soon.