Spider to the Fly by J.H. Markert
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
4 stars

I love a good psychological thriller. Even though this is fiction, it gives true crime feels and realistic insight to how true crime podcasters and forums band together to research and investigate crimes. I loved this aspect and how communities come together and found family bonds are formed.

Ellie Isles is a single mother who’s rise to internet fame came after a best selling book she wrote about a serial killer known as The Spider. Ellie’s obsession with the Spider came after one of the I-64 victims that was televised on the news, looked exactly like Ellie. Four years later Ellie runs the site, The Spiders Web, a network of true crime followers that work together collecting information for a database that has enabled them to help identify several of the victims. The Spider continues to evade authorities while his victim count rises.

Along the way we are introduced to a cast of support characters that are written so well, they seamlessly blend into the story. This novel is plot driven and kept me engaged from start to finish. I was constantly questioning the twists and thinking that I had it figured out. The ending could have hit harder and been more impactful but overall I really enjoyed this read.

Also, will Ellie Isles possibly have a series in the future??! I would definitely read it, if so.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane for the digital advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed Markert's The Nightmare Man (gave it 5 stars) and Mister Lullaby, so I was eager to read this one. I like that it still has that connection with nursery rhymes/lullabies because it lends an additional creepiness factor to the book. Still, I prefer his novels that have a bit of a supernatural element to them; as a general rule, I'm not a serial killer novel fan. Maybe I like it when "something else" is the cause for people's misery and not the actions of other people. If there was another downside to this novel, it was some clunky dialogue. There were times when it just felt forced (like when Ryan first comes into the picture and just out of the blue asks, "Are you adopted?" No one starts a conversation that way unless they are at an event that is related to adoption.) Of course, I was reading an ARC so it is possible that things like this were changed (or will be).

So the 3 for this one is partly me and partly the dialogue, but I would still recommend it to others because it was interesting and kept me reading and wondering how Markert would wind the story up.

This horror novel was terrifying! It is full of mystery, psychological suspense and emotional! This author captured my attention in the first chapter and throughout the entire book! I will now read anything this author writes. This is a very fast paced read, that is both plot and character driven. The characters in this story are strongly developed and are both likable and unlikable. The different points of views in the book brought the suspense even higher and the mystery even deeper. Even though this book is a book of fiction, it felt like I was reading a nonfiction book. It felt realistic and horrifying. This book comes with a serial killer on the loose, a found family and a nonlinear timeline. It was well executed and it came with unexpected twists! Oh and I do not like spiders, so this book was extra creepy. I give it a 4.5 out of a 5 star rating!

J.H. Markert’s The Spider to the Fly is a cerebral psychological thriller with a strong premise and a steadily building sense of unease. With its clean, accessible prose and an intriguing central mystery involving a true-crime writer and a series of orchestrated and incredible murders, the novel succeeds in keeping readers engaged. The spider motif and the eerie tone are memorable, and the title’s nod to classic nursery rhyme noir adds a chilling, almost mythic quality.

While the themes of obsession and identity are promising, they sometimes give way to implausible twists and emotionally distant characters. Elements like the eugenics subplot and nature-vs-nurture debate are rich in potential but don’t quite reach their full depth. The final twist is clever and satisfying, but its emotional resonance is somewhat muted somewhat due to a lack of character-driven-storytelling that the tale would have benefitted from.

Despite a few bumps, this is an enjoyable, thought-provoking thriller with flashes of originality. Fans of slow-burn mysteries with psychological undercurrents will find much to enjoy. A solid read that leaves you intrigued, although not a standout in this genre.

This book was a FULL ON thriller. Lost memories, separated twins, a cultish rich family, a prolific serial killer, a true crime podcaster, secrets, lies and a grim and scary childhood game of tag.

Markert created great characters in the wounded yet earnest and hopeful Ellie Isles and her plucky daughter, Amber. Ellie became obsessed with the SK after seeing a photo of one of his victims and she was her exact likeness. She creates a website of armchair detectives and writes a bestseller about “The Spider.”

At times, there were almost too many characters to keep straight but Markert keeps it tidy, clear and fast-moving. His writing is tense and clever and the action is consistent and believable.

An exciting read.

Thank you @NetGalley and @crookedlanebooks for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Thank you for this advance reader copy. I really enjoyed the story, it felt very original and I appreciated the lack of triggering scenes. Although some moments were uncomfortable to read I felt the author wrote them very thoughtfully and it left it to your imagination rather than with overly graphic disruptions.

I really liked Ellie, I felt her struggle as a single Mum trying not to let her trauma impact on her child but obviously not being able to. I loved the concept of the spider web and how it could ensure people who knew they could be a target made sure they were not forgotten if the worst happened. I felt like so many stories really pulled at me from the three children in the beginning to all the ones after, there were so many character to follow but so many were fleshed out in such a way I cared for them all. I don't want to give spoilers but even the ones who didn’t turn out to be good people had such a bad start it was sad.

I did figure out part of the ending but not all! It was a wild ride and I would reccomend writing down people's names as there are a lot of characters to remember but overall such a good thriller, honestly had me rushing the last few chapters because I just needed to know! Did not disappoint

This book was SO GOOD. I love a serial killer thriller! This one had some true crime and serious family drama mixed in as well! This story was so addicting and I could not put it down!! If I didn’t work so early in the morning I would have finished this in one sitting! I loved this book and I can’t wait to finish this author’s backlog! I really enjoyed the flow and the pacing of this story!! Definite recommend!!!!

You know it's going to be a bone-chilling thriller when your stomach knots up from page one. That sense of dread? It delivers. Add in literal spiders and actual flies, and you’ve got the makings of an unforgettable horror novel.
I’m a sucker for serial killer stories—the chase, the fear, the unraveling mystery—and J.H. Markert nails it. This is a fast-paced, 5-star thriller with strong characters and terrifying moments. Add it to your spooky season TBR ASAP! 🕸️📚

I want to begin by saying that I absolutely was a fan of this authors previous book, Sleep Tight. After all this time I’m still thinking about that book and it’s stuck with me long after I finished reading it. Imagine my absolute excitement when I found out that the same author has a new book coming out named Spider to the Fly. Full disclosure: I have terrible arachnophobia so I was a bit creeped out by the title and cover of this book but didn’t think the novel would deal with those eight legged creatures…well I was wrong. This book was terrifying and a true horror all the way through! Filled with so much psychological trauma and emotions with the characters that it’s not for the faint of heart. Full of several content trigger warnings that I know most readers will not be able to get through. As mentioned before I had no idea that the title would actually reflect the story but spiders are basically the majority of the plot and it was something that I couldn’t face. I do appreciate the writing style and this author has a way of writing books that stay with you for a very long time and I know horror fans will absolutely love this one! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review and feedback.

Thank you to the publisher for giving me a chance to read Spider to the Fly, which is out in September. We have about a month to go until pub date! This one was so good. Market is so good at writing super suspenseful novels, and this one absolutely reads like a true crime novel. It was eerie and creepy, and I was completely hooked from the very first page. Make sure you check this one out; if it is not on your TBR for the fall, it needs to be. It is definitely the perfect book to curl up with on a fall day with the leaves falling and a pumpkin spice latte in hand!

Ellie's obsession with the notorious I-64 murders began the moment she became a doppelganger for one of the victims. Haunted by this unsettling discovery, she channeled her fixation into writing a bestselling true crime book about the serial killer known only as "the Spider." Many victims remain unidentified, prompting Ellie to create a database that tracks vulnerable populations. Ellie's successful victim identifications attract the attention of law enforcement, and she is invited to join the official investigation.

This novel is a pulse-pounding, dark thriller propelled by suspense rather than outright horror, yet it contains genuinely disturbing moments. The Spider continuously seems to bait Ellie, pulling her relentlessly deeper into his sinister game. With a narrative shifting across multiple timelines, readers slowly unravel chilling secrets about horrific psychological experiments conducted on children, who carry devastating traumas into adulthood. The brutality is stark and is captured vividly in one unforgettable scene where a child quietly claims he will "cut another boy's smile off and hang it in a tree."

This is a fast-paced, intense, and engrossing read that fearlessly examines the profound scars left by violence and trauma. It offers an unflinching glimpse into obsession, psychological torment, and the sinister darkness hidden beneath society's surface.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to review and provide my honest feedback.

** “What makes a monster a monster?” **

Under pen name J.H. Markert, author James Markert continues his journey in the contemporary horror/suspense genre with “Spider to the Fly,” another deeply dark and disturbing thriller.

When Ellie Isles notices serial killer the Spider’s 17th victim looks exactly like her, she becomes obsessed with him and his victims. Becoming an unofficial expert on the subject, she’s drawn into the case again when victim number 29 is found.

As Ellie meets new neighbor Ryan, who has equally odd memories from his childhood as she does, they begin to realize there is much more evil behind the story of the Spider. And when the Spider strikes close to home, the race to find him amps up even more.

Markert again delivers a brilliant story with incredibly twisty plot lines that will shock the reader. He is an expert at creating deeply flawed characters, as well as incredibly evil and psychologically damaged people. His story allows us to dive into the concept of what makes us who we are — good versus evil, nature versus nurture.

Fans of true crime will love “Spider to the Fly,” which is due out Sept. 2, as well as stories like the TV show “Criminal Minds” and authors like Ted Dekker’s psychological thrillers like “Three.” However, be forewarned this book, unlike Dekker’s, contains a lot of foul language and some mature situations.

Five stars out of five.

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

"A true crime author helps in a desperate hunt for a killer in this dark and twisted thriller from the deviously inventive horror author that Peter Farris calls the "clear heir to Stephen King."

Perfect for fans of cat and mouse serial killer thrillers like The Butcher and the Wren and The Jigsaw Man.

Ellie Isles first became obsessed with the I-64 murders when she saw her own face on one of the victims. Identical to every detail, the woman wasn't her, but she could have been. Compelled to discover the story of her dopplegänger's death, Ellie wrote a bestselling true crime book about the serial killer, dubbed "the Spider."

Four years later, the Spider still hasn't been caught, and his victim count is climbing. Many of the bodies remain unidentified, but with Ellie's online network of true crime followers, that's slowly changing. Together they've pooled information to create a massive database that tracks people at risk of becoming Jane and John Does - the homeless, the drug addicted, and the downtrodden - with the hopes that if they become victims, they might at least be identified.

Now that Ellie has successfully identified multiple victims, the law enforcement task force tracking down the Spider pulls her in to help - and after Ellie's therapist is arrested for the murders, she is more determined than ever to help catch the Spider.

With striking prose and a horror flair, Spider to the Fly is an engrossing serial killer thriller, perfect for fans of The Whisper Man."

I mean, personally, if I looked like the victim of a free range serial killer I wouldn't write a book about it. I wouldn't advertise my presence at all.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for allowing me to read an eARC of this book.

J.H. Markert is a recent find for me, and after reading Sleep Tight I have truly enjoyed their books. As a fan of horror and cat-and-mouse plots and serial killers, how could I go wrong with this one?? Spider to the Fly is all those things and more! And you better hold on to your seat because it's a fast and wild and terrifying ride!

Spider to the Fly centers around a woman named Ellie Isles who becomes involved in the investigation of the I-64 murders after the 17th victim, Sherry, happens to look EXACTLY like her; which obviously intrigues her into trying to determine if it is fact a coincidence or her twin. She also has a daughter, Amber, and a therapist, Ian (who happens to be Sherry's adoptive brother). The backstories and connections between all of the characters in this book are wild, and dare I say a complex, twisted WEB. Ian and Sherry, and Ian's other siblings were all adopted by the Brocks -- rich, locally famous philanthropists -- who seem to have dark secrets hiding under their perfect surface.

So Ellie is helping the FBI and the local police hunt the Spider, and the Spider is taunting her and getting closer. And then his 30th victim hits a little too close to home. Then it's a race against time to find out the Spider's true identity before it's all over for Ellie. Note to self: beware of twins and/or doppelgangers because you never know if they're good or bad.

This book is very fast-paced and very plot- and character-driven; and let me just say there are A LOT of characters. At times it was almost hard to follow there was so much going on. There were also a few confusing discrepancies in the writing which I hope were just attributable to the fact that this is an ARC and will be properly edited before final publication. That being said, this book was SO GOOD! My head was literally spinning by the end with all the twists and turns and re-twists.

Fans of Stephen King, The Jigsaw Man, The Butcher and the Wren & The Silence of the Lambs will love this book! It was extra creepy, especially all the parts with the spiders. They gave me the heebie jeebies. It's a definite page turner and you won't be able to put it down! Definitely check this one out! Highly recommend!

See my full review on www.mysteryandsuspense.com
Horror author J.H. Markert, author of The Nightmare Man and Mr. Lullaby, returns with a terrifying new novel, Spider to the Fly, about a serial killer who murders his victims using poisonous spiders, earning him the nickname “The Spider.”
Ellie Isles is a true crime writer who became obsessed with “The Spider” after seeing one of the victims—who was the spitting image of herself—on a news broadcast. After writing a book based on the murders and starting a true crime website, The Spider Web, Ellie is called into the investigation when victim number twenty-nine is found, in hopes that her unique insight and resources will help lead police to the murderer. It isn’t until her own therapist is arrested for the murders—and Ellie’s daughter is kidnapped—that she begins to understand exactly what her personal connection is to the case. The race is on to discover who “The Spider” is before Ellie’s teenage daughter becomes victim number thirty.
Spider to the Fly is a multi-viewpoint novel, narrated mostly by Ellie, but there are parts where we hear from other characters—such as Ellie’s teenage daughter—as well as an unidentified person who could very well be the serial killer himself (we do find out his identity toward the end of the novel). Scattered throughout are sections labeled “Before,” which tell a haunting tale of a group of young children in an orphanage who play a terrifying game. These scenes provide background on “The Spider,” giving readers insight into his traumatic childhood that helped shape his modern-day sociopathy.
Ellie’s traumatic past adds complexity to her character, and readers won’t be able to help but feel empathy for her. Her traumas led her to the door of therapist Ian Brock—where the true horror unknowingly begins. As a single mother, Ellie’s focus remains on keeping her daughter safe, even if it comes across as next-level overprotective to everyone else. Ellie is likable, relatable, and endearing, making her an easy character to root for.
J.H. Markert has been labeled the “heir to Stephen King,” and it’s easy to see why. His stories are clever, creative, and uniquely spooky—and Spider to the Fly is no different. Markert’s plot is well-developed and flows seamlessly, with the action beginning on page one and pulling readers into his web (pun intended) from the start.
This novel has it all: a serial killer, death by spiders, psychological experimentation, and abandoned children—and Markert weaves these threads into a cohesive, goosebump-inducing story. For readers who enjoy sleeping with the lights on after scaring themselves silly, Markert is the author to check out. Spider to the Fly is a terrifying and engaging page-turner that readers won’t be able to put down.

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
In pure Markert fashion-this book was horrifying in the best possible way! Markert is an auto-buy author for me, and he never disappoints. This is a fast-paced, twisted, eerie, and spine chilling read🙌🏻 Ellie becomes obsessed with the I-64 strangler cases, mainly because one of his victims looks a lot like herself. Ellie is adopted, so could this victim per her twin, or just an unlucky doppelgänger?? Ellie is so intrigued with the case she goes onto become a true crime best selling author and run a true crime network and database. She is determined to find the spider (the serial killer) in hopes of getting justice for its flies (the victims). I love books about serial killers and true crime sleuths. Markert nails it at creating the I-64 serial killer to be so utterly devious and twisted. This book is truly like a spider’s web, spinning the reader into a tangled web only to be spit out and taken into another direction entirely. I had no idea where things were headed, but I absolutely loved the wild ride🙌🏻

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗘𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆:
✦Horror books about sadistic serial killers
✦True crime sleuths
✦A twisted web
✦A fun and wild ride

𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫4.5/5

There are more raisins than bran flakes in this one.

Spider to the Fly grabbed me from the beginning. We've got a serial killer who has never been caught after leaving behind twenty-nine bodies of young women. The crimes have been committed along I-64 in the area leading to Louisville, Kentucky. There was a lull for four years......and now he's at it again.

Enter Ellie Isles who is almost an expert on the I-64 murderer. She's written a best-selling book called The Spider that depicts his use of deadly spiders as the last killnote. Ellie has also organized a data base of missing women in the area to assist families. The police have called her in when a crime fits the bill.

Double vision......It's come to the surface that many of these victims have a twin known or unknown. Interesting premise until this gets out of hand. I've not read J.H. Markert before. He's throwing that abundance of raisins into an abundance of characters to track and to follow. It was just plain overkill. (Pardon the pun.) As the story peaks to the ending, we find that everybody is related in a tangled web of deceit. Spider to the Fly could have used some finely tuned editing to skim off the bulk. It went from a solid base initially and then flew in all directions. Check it out for yourselves. There's plenty of room for all of us on this wide and tangled web.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Crooked Lane Publishers and to J.H. Markert for the opportunity.

The Spider and the Fly was for me, a story that had a rich concept, with weaving elements of psychological suspense and mystery. However, despite the intriguing premise, the execution didn’t quite land for me.

There were a couple factors I believe this story didn’t work for me. While the plot offers plenty of twists and layered developments, the narrative often felt overcrowded, making it difficult to fully connect with the story. I also found I had no connection to the characters, and I wish there was a bit more character development and emotion on page.

Additionally, the writing style tended to rely on telling rather than showing. This created a distance between the characters' experiences and myself as it made it hard to become fully immersed in the atmosphere or emotional weight of the story.

Overall, while this novel may appeal to readers who prioritize intricate plotting and a fast-moving storyline, I found myself wishing for stronger character development and a more immersive emotional core.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Atmospheric but uneven. Cool premise, but it gets lost in melodrama and pacing issues. The tension never fully tightens.

A compelling story of a true crime investigator’s obsession with a serial killer nicknamed Spider.
Ellie is drawn to the case when one of the victims could be her doppelgänger. Determined to find answers, Ellie develops an online database to help identify many of the victims.
As her online presence grows along with the victims, Ellie begins to see that she and the victims are all part of the spider web.
The story is complex, disturbing and full of surprises, you will find it difficult to stop reading.


Thanks to the author and Net Galley for the advanced copy