I absolutely LOVED Sleep Tight!

I love how the author gives you enough back story to get by then dives into the good stuff. I appreciated the brief looks into the other povs and reports. It was enough to give you the information you were looking for while not overwhelming or bouncing around too much.

The twists and turns kept me on my toes! Highly recommend this book to everyone!

I loved this book! It was so well written and tied together so perfectly! I couldn't put it down! My only issue with the book was the reference to "satanic music". What exactly is that?

ARC by NetGalley and the publisher.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

Tess Claibourne has spent her whole life haunted by her past. A past that was filled with the horrors of notorious serial killer Father Silence. But all that is finally being put to rest with the murderous fake priest being put to death. However, Tess recieves a truly horrific call the next morning, leading to the discovery of her parent’s brutalized lifeless bodies. A new serial killer calling himself the Outcast is taking credit for Tess’ tragedy. As the stakes get higher and leads grow slim Tess heads back to her hometown of Twisted Tree. Where she must face and untangle her web of lost memories to put a stop to this new horror.

Let me start by saying this was my first J. H. Markert book and I will immediately be remedying that as this book completely blew me away! As someone who is a huge fan of shows like True Detective and Law and Order this book gave me all of those vibes. I simply could not put it down! Sleep Tight was a perfect example of when a crime thriller meets cult horror that’s filled with a detective story about hunting down a killer. The story unfolds through multiple POVs as the reader unravels this twisted tale, racing against time trying to solve these crimes. The characters that Markert wrote were real, raw and authentic. They all have flaws, secrets, fears, pain, and real anger that they experience. While these characters were not perfect people who in fact have made their own mistakes I still found myself rooting for them to stop the Outcast. With each page that I turned I could feel the building pressure and when those final twists were revealed I was truly shocked. I could not stop reading as I devoured each word that brought all the connections together. Overall this was a wild ride that I wish I could read for the first time again because it was just that good. If you are a fan of true crime then you most definitely have got to read this book!

Sleep Tight comes out September 10th, 2024.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Wow, does Markert know how to keep a reader hooked. This is a chilling tale that will keep you up all night, desperate to finish reading. Bodies are piling up, kids are missing, and the town is in a panic. Finally putting Father Silence to death was supposed to be the end of this nightmare, not the start of another. But the arresting officer is dead, his granddaughter is missing, and the only lead detectives have is the apparent connection to a dead man. Markert takes readers on a wild ride full of twists and turns, never knowing what to expect around the corner.

This novel was absolutely a banger! I loved the character development of this story! This book goes between past and present and trying to piece together the characters before and after.

Seventeen years ago, Jeff Pritchard from Twisted Tree, Kentucky, disguised himself as a priest. He would then murder the outcasts of society including homeless, neglected, and people with addiction. He is caught and his execution day comes. He has not said a word, and therefore is deemed Father Silence.

The next morning, Missoula police detective Tess Claiborne takes a call from someone claiming to be "The Outsider" and they have just murdered the lead detective from the "Father Silence" case.

I felt this book stood up to the greats Joe Hill, Alex North, Catriona Ward, and even Stephen King.

This book was a lot. A lot of twists, a lot of turns, a lot of confusion and jaw-dropping realizations. It was creepy, weird, and twisty-turny right from the beginning. The author has a knack for intertwining multiple stories ans characters to leave readers guessing right until the end.

This is the first book I’ve read by JH Markert - and I enjoyed it.

It’s a detective thriller, and that part is played well. There’s anxiety and suspense, and questions about certain characters that lead to interesting twists.

However, the use of DID, medicine abuse, and a few other points seems very very unnecessary. There’s a lot of characters and a lot of plot points that feel like it is pad the story a bit, in what is already a long book.

WOW. This book is a LOT, and it's worth every ounce of its anxiety-inducing terror. This is my first J.H. Markert read and I promise it won't be my last. There's so much going on that it can be a little hard to follow, but everything wraps up perfectly at the end. I feel like I need to take a nap, but I'm afraid of what dreams may come... DEFINITE recommend!

This book was interesting and kept me engaged to find out what was going to happen next. The twists at the end of the story were great. Was the first by this author, but not the last!

This was one of the best dark suspense/thrillers I have read in many years. It is truly scary and has multiple villains that are really scary. A multi-generational story of good and evil and a study of whether or not evil can be passed down through bloodlines. It also has one of the most satisfying endings for a thriller I’ve ever read.

This was a little disappointing for me. I was hoping for a horror thriller. I didn't experience much horror. It was just a standard detective/crime story.

Seventeen years ago, Jeff Pritchard reigned terror over the town of Twisted Tree, Kentucky; disguising himself as a priest in order to collect and murder the outcasts of society—the neglected, the addicted, the homeless. But his reign is over and the day of his execution has finally come. Having not spoken a word since his arrest, the media has deemed him Father Silence.

The morning after the execution, Missoula police detective Tess Claiborne receives a phone call from someone identifying themselves as “the Outcast” and claims to have killed the lead detective from the Father Silence case. Tess has close connection to both cases and works tirelessly to catch the latest killer while juggling her own childhood trauma surrounding the Father Silence case.

This novel should be sold with Xanax because my anxiety was through roof reading it. This is a book that is packed with tension from cover to cover. Markert comes out of the gates swinging with this complex, grisly, fast-paced crime novel, intricately and meticulously weaving different timelines and view points. I especially enjoyed the “Before” chapters that included police interviews from the detective who captured Father Silence. There were a lot of likable (albeit flawed) characters here which helped propel the story forward but, surprisingly enough, Noah—baddy boy Noah—was my favorite.

Overall, no notes on this one, only praise.

Thank you Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the digital copy! Out 09/24/2024!

Dark, creepy, and complex mystery with a bit of supernatural feel threading through. A lot going on, a tapestry of storyline that weaves together and will hole you tight - no daydreaming while reading this one, every word counts and everything ties together. Great mystery

Another absolutely thrilling and chilling book from J.H. Markert. I fell in love with his writing with Mister Lullaby so I just had to try Sleep Tight. This book kept me on the edge of my seat. From people in animal masks to priests to haunted forest, this book had plenty of horrifying moments. I loved the unique cast of characters. I can't wait for what he writes next!

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book was just "meh." There was so much going on, it almost felt like it should've been multiple books. There were too many characters., and it was too long. . There were definitely some creepy moments, but it was overshadowed by the multiple ideas that felt jammed together. A tighter edit may have helped this. If you don't mind that, or suspending your disbelief for the majority of the book, this one could be for you.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane for an ARC of this book!

I just loved this! It had all the creepiness factor I was looking for and I was glued to the pages until I finally finished. I have a found a new favorite author!!

A third successful horror novel for James that does not hold back. It was a wild ride that I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of.
It was a total psychological roller coaster that really dived into the deepest and darkest depths of the human imagination. Some moments felt almost overwhelming with the intricacy of the world and the story-building that switched between points of view. However, once you dive right in and fully commit to the narrative unfolding from the bumps in the night.... well..... sleep tight!

I really really wanted to like this book but it just didn't appeal to me. I dnf'd around the 25% mark. I tried to give it some time but even after a week break, I found myself not enjoying reading it. I may try to pick it up a bit later (I'll update my review if I do) but right now it is not for me. I feel like the characters and their decisions were annoying. I was not connecting with the story at all and the relationships in the book just fell a bit flat for me.

I've read other people's reviews on here who really enjoyed the book so I would say to give it a try if it sounds interesting to you! It just wasn't the right book for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC!

10/10 from start to finish! Honestly had me on the edge of my seat. Character development 👌🏼 honestly, this book scared me. I was home alone reading it and had to have all the lights on or I thought the men with animal masks were gonna get me😂

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane for allowing me to read this advance copy. The Black Phone is one of my favorite stories, so this was right up my alley. Equal parts unsettling and also heart pounding, this books twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat. Get ready for a new formidable villain on the block! So much fun, I loved it!