Years ago, Tess’s father arrested a prolific serial killer. On the eve of his execution, a chain of events is set in motion, leading her back to her hometown, where she finds her own past coming back to haunt her. I had some reservations in the beginning, but I ended up satisfied in the end. I won’t give away too much, but it was a great story with a lot of layers. There is some exploration of morals (can bad acts ever be justified? can rules be broken with good reason?) and while the investigation leads Tess to some dicey situations, she happens to be a police detective, so it feels reasonable. I don’t think Tess’s memories coming back in chronological order was very realistic, but it fit neatly into the narrative. I would recommend this one if you like detective stories, serial killers, cults, etc.

The cover of this book does nothing to convey the levels of terror that I had while reading.

A detective with a past she can't remember + the lone survivor of a serial killer + a scary house with a long history of death + the serial killer is named "Father Silence"!!! FATHER SILENCE.

It's a fast-paced thriller - everything in the present happens inside of three days. The flashes of the past are all from one night. With each lightning strike and thunder roll, the story unfolds deeper and deeper....until a final brilliant conclusion.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is a unique and compelling take on a police procedural. So while those sometimes can be a love or hate.. I feel like even those who don’t love that sub genre, should take a chance! If you’re looking to build your spooky season TBR, you would be remiss to not have this on it; a serial killer, brutal murders, missing kids, a cult and some psychological twists! I also must note sometimes when men write women characters, they don’t get it, but during a conversation between Eliza and Tess, I found it so relatable! Markert does such a phenomenal job getting into the heads of all the characters, even a serial killer! And this book is not one to read at night, alone, in the dark.. trust me, I’ve done the leg work! The multiple POVs weaved together, creating so much tension building up to the mind blowing ending!

This was just an okay thriller to me. It's interesting and engaging enough, but I wasn't a huge fan of the characters or the use of Dissociative identity disorder (DID) as a horror element, but overall, it was just fine. The pacing could've been better, but it was easy to read and it entertained me.

Picked this book up as it got me hooked on the black phone similarity. It was spooky and creepy and I know this is gonna do well with horror readers.

Oh man! You know the action packed last couple chapters of a book? This is that, but the whole book through. Even a the halfway mark I would think to myself “this feels like the end. How is there still half a book left?!”

Detective Tess Claibourne’s world is turned upside down when her parents are murdered and her daughter is kidnapped. All of a sudden she is part of a sick game as the suspect taunts her. She ends up back in her childhood home town to piece the puzzle together and hopefully save her daughter in time.

While reading this I was reminded of The Fourth Monkey (by JD Barker) with the smart disturbed criminal leaving clues for the lead detective and The Following (2013 Kevin Bacon TV show) with the cult following of a well known serial killer.

This was a fast paced, bone chilling, edge-of-my-seat book with paranormal/super natural type elements.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. This review will be shared on NetGalley, Goodreads, and Amazon.

Pub Date Sep 10 2024

I enjoyed Sleep Tight, even though it was different than what I was expecting. I thought this was going to be a creepy horror story based on the cover and description, but it turned out to be more of a police procedural, mystery-thriller instead.

I liked the writing style and the short chapters. The pacing was okay, it did slow down in some parts but gained momentum toward the end with an action-packed conclusion. I guessed certain twists early on and the ending was a little unsatisfying.

While the story was interesting and I did enjoy it, it was quite different from what I expected. I would still be open to reading more from this author in the future. I’d recommend this book to fans of police procedural type stories.

3.5⭐️

"The sole survivor of a serial killer might hold the key to stopping a new spree of murders in this propulsive horror thriller in the vein of The Black Phone and The Whisper Man.

Dark and twisting at every turn, fans of Catriona Ward will love this chilling new tale from the deviously inventive horror author that Peter Farris calls the "clear heir to Stephen King."

Beware the one who got away...

Father Silence once terrorized the rural town of Twisted Tree, disguising himself as a priest to prey on the most vulnerable members of society. When the police finally found his "House of Horrors," they uncovered nineteen bodies and one survivor - a boy now locked away in a hospital for the criminally insane.

Nearly two decades later, Father Silence is finally put to death, but by the next morning, the detective who made the original arrest is found dead. A new serial killer is taking credit for the murder and calling himself the Outcast.

The detective's daughter, Tess Claibourne, is a detective herself, haunted by childhood trauma and horrified by the death of her father and the resurgence of Father Silence's legacy.

When Tess's daughter is kidnapped by the Outcast, Tess is forced to face her worst fears and long-buried memories. With no leads to follow, she travels back to Twisted Tree to visit the boy who survived and see what secrets might be buried in the tangled web of his broken mind.

With captivating prose and an old-school horror flair, Sleep Tight is a must-read, haunting tale from a true master of the genre."

I mean, obviously a town called Twisted Tree had its own serial killer. Am I right?

This is a fairly good story in the horror novel canon that is growing, but it isn't the first I'd pick. I generally go for something a little more complex. That being said, it was enjoyable and entertaining.

What the heckkkkkk did I just read. This was a masterpiece. The story was so creative and masterfully dark. The combo of serial killing, cult following, dual timeline, and amnesia was sublime. I read this book every free minute I had because I just couldn't get enough. It's a fast read for a procedural because there are so many twists and action throughout. You definitely don't get slogged down in the details.

It's rare for me to not predict a lot of a thriller. And I definitely did not predict some of the mysteries and explanations. I had so much fun reading this I'm always shouting about it into the void.

Spectacular give me 14 more. Chef's kiss. I probably need therapy.

“Are we born evil or made that way?”

Where are my serial killer book lovers? You need this one! Years ago, Father Silence terrorized the town of Twisted Tree with many murders leaving only one survivor. After 20 years, he is finally executed. But that same night, murders happen in the same vein as Father Silence. He is calling himself Outcast and is killing all involved with the previous trial. Tess Claiborne is a detective following in the footsteps of her father who caught Father Silence. When her father is killed, her childhood trauma from the killings resurfaces and now her child has gone missing. She then travels to Twisted Tree to interview the one survivor who is now in a lockdown facility for his “broken” mind to get as much information as possible.

That introductory paragraph is a lot, I get it, but so much happens in this book. It is a really creepy, get-under-your-skin type story. It travels from the present with Outcast to the past with Father Silence so we get the juicy details of both investigations. While there is terror for the kidnapped kids in the moment, I couldn’t help but be fascinated by the stories of the past. I was putting together the pieces before it was fully obvious and let me tell you, I was yelling at these characters! I was hooked from page one and couldn’t put it down. Is it a bit far-fetched? Sure, but in the best way. It repeatedly hit with more and more details which sucked me in completely. And the psychological mind games? *chef’s kiss* I love that the story stayed “real” and didn’t throw any paranormal aspects in because there is nothing more scary than learning what a man will do! So if you love a horror that keeps you on the edge of your seat and makes your heart want to explode with anxiety then this book is for you!

Thank you to @NetGalley and @CrookedLane for the copy!

The book releases September 10, 2024.

Part psychological horror part crime thriller, this book keeps you glued to the pages! Each chapter ends on a cliff hanger that literally won’t allow you to stop reading. Read TWs and then pick this one up for the upcoming *spooky season*!

Loved this book! Real life horrors were brought into the light with this book as the characters faced a suspenseful and creepy plot.

This was such a captivating book! I was hooked throughout the entire thing. I liked that each chapter was kind of in the perspective of each character but had bits from everyone else as well. There were a few characters that I think could have been more built out, but overall it was really well done. A good thriller with a satisfying ending!

DNF @15%

I liked the prologue. I thought this was going to lean more towards horror, but it's more of a police procedural and I don't typically like those types of books.

** “In hindsight, a lot people should have known a lot of things. But unfortunately, the world doesn’t ever run in reverse. And one thing I’ve learned to be a hard truth is that hindsight never proves useful.” **

Under pen name J.H. Markert, author James Markert continues his rebrand in the contemporary horror/suspense genre with “Sleep Tight,” a deeply dark and disturbing thriller.

The execution of Jeff Pritchard, aka Father Silence, convicted of the deaths of several teenagers, sets off a flurry of horrific events. Tess Claiborne, whose father helped arrest Pritchard, is quickly pulled into the situation when several people involved with the original case are targeted.

But when she meets the boy who got away, Noah Nichols, things get even stranger. He becomes a catalyst for information to help solve the present-day situations.

Markert delivers a brilliant story with incredibly twisty plot lines that will shock and stump the reader. He is an expert at creating deeply flawed characters, as well as incredibly evil and psychologically damaged people.

His story reveals the damage that can be done when we treat others as outcasts, as well as what happens when we bury secrets, and the impact of bitterness and revenge.

“Sleep Tight,” which is due out Sept. 10, will appeal to fans of shows like “Criminal Minds” and authors like Stephen King and Ted Dekker. However, be forewarned this book, unlike Dekker’s, contains a lot of foul language.

Five stars out of five.

Crooked Lane Books provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

Missoula police detective Tess Claiborne must find Outcast fast. This moves back and forth in time to tell the story of Father Silence, a heinous killer who even in death hovers over the lives of many. This is a fast paced (thanks to short chapters) read that merges crime and horror. You'll root for Tess even as you cringe at the situations she faces. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARc. A good read.

This book was something else! Wow. Though it stated off with a bang and what seemed high action it was also slow. Which I know doesn’t make sense but I just felt in the beginning we were going round and round without anything truly happening.
But man as we got into it it was so fun and crazy.
So many creepy elements and so many twists. I loved all of that.
Loved the ending. Very horror book vibes. Def an interesting book!

ARC 📖 Review: Sleep Tight by J.H. Markert
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pub Date: 9/10/24

This was one of my most anticipated releases this year! I did enjoy this story as it was a fast paced police procedural with a great concept. That being said there were so many characters to keep track of which confused me at times and caused me to lose interest throughout. I would definitely still recommend this one, just make sure you keep track of all the characters 😂and you’ll enjoy it! Thank you @netgalley and @crookedlanebooks for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

☠️🧒🏼🛝

Father Silence once terrorized the rural town of Twisted Tree, disguising himself as a priest to prey on the most vulnerable members of society. When the police finally found his “House of Horrors,” they uncovered nineteen bodies and one survivor–a boy now locked away in a hospital for the criminally insane.

Nearly two decades later, Father Silence is finally put to death, but by the next morning, the detective who made the original arrest is found dead. A new serial killer is taking credit for the murder and calling himself the Outcast.

#horrorreader #policeproceduralbooks #bookstagram #booknerd #booksbooksbooks #read #reader #bookworm #booklover #readmorehorror #spookyreads #reading #scarybooks #books

💥💥Book Review 💥💥

Sleep Tight
By J. H. Markert

4 🌟’s

This book was an amazing book to read from the very beginning of the book. It always had me gripping the edge of my seat for what is coming next. It has different POV’s because it goes between past and present showing growth in all the characters that play apart in this novel. This is book is filled with non-stop idolization of cult monstrosities, malicious villains, and empathetic/believable group of characters. This is a perfect crime thriller with cultish trepidation.


hank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.