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!

Thank you Crooked Lane Books for an ARC! (I literally squealed in joy!)
J.H. Markert has been one of my favorite horror authors since I read his first release The Nightmare Man, and that adoration continued on with his second release Mister Lullaby. I think it is important to note that this book is it's own entity. I loved his first two because they were set in the same world, and while they could both be read as standalone novels you might run across familiar towns and/or names. Sleep Tight does not continue this trend, but he does promise to return at a later date! It also felt more like a supernatural mystery/thriller than the fantastical horror of his first two. I do think it would have aided my enjoyment while reading if I had a better understanding of those differences before jumping into the novel.

In Sleep Tight we are following our main character Detective Tess Claibourne. She is thrown head first into a case that involves a man that has haunted her since childhood. The tabloids named him Father Silence and he was responsible for the death of at least 19 people. With his execution finally completed, Tess and her father (one of the detectives who helped lock him away) should be able to finally rest easy, but unfortunately the nightmare has just begun.

A copycat killer is on the loose and he has abducted Tess' daughter. Now, Tess is in a race against time and a mad man as she tries to dig into her own childhood in hopes of understanding who this copycat is and if there is something hidden in the depths of her locked away memories that holds the key to unlocking his identity.

Markert's writing is great per usual. His characters are flawed and interesting. I would say the characters are more fleshed out than ever. His villains are more tame in this one, but don't worry. If you are used to a bundle of baddies he still delivers! Overall I really enjoyed Sleep Tight!

My third JH Markert book and again, another amazing read! I love that while none of his books need to be read in order, that there are so many easter eggs that are awesome to pick up IF you read them in published order. The pacing of his book was as always perfect and kept me on my toes the entire time. I think this book is definitely for anyone who also has an affinity for cults and horror combos. There were so many layers to this read that it was truly so fun to peel them back. Definitely one that needs to be bumped to the top of everyone's horror list!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book. After reading Mister Lullaby by Markert, I was eager to get my hands on his next book. Sleep Tight did NOT disappoint. While some of the conversations between characters felt a bit repetitive/like they were going in circles at times, and I wish that we had more depth to some of the cast, I really enjoyed the overall plot.

It was wayyyyy creepier than I expected to be . . . animal masks and noises??? Absolutely horrific. That will stick with me for a bit! Any scene that had mask-wearing weirdos was straight from a horror film and was a literal jump scare for me.

I ended up enjoying this one more than Mister Lullaby -- which kind of left too much unresolved for my taste. This one wrapped up very nicely and I can't wait for Markert's next book! :)

Sleep Tight ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(5/5 stars)

Run, don’t walk, to pick up a copy of this book. This is now the third Markert book I’ve requested an ARC for and man, has this author cemented himself into the automatic read category of my TBR. Though I didn’t connect so much with Mister Lullaby, I absolutely loved The Nightmare Man when it first came out. Sleep Tight brings so many of the same elements that kept me hooked throughout the book - it was creepy (some might even say pretty gruesome), suspenseful, heart-wrenchingly tragic, with a twisty plot that kept my heart pounding until the end.

I haven’t read a book that’s made me jumpy in a while, so it was fun to have that kind of reading experience again. You inevitably loved or hated the characters, which made for an investing read. I appreciated that they all had flaws and felt like real people. I always love the town dynamics that Markert includes in his books - of Crooked Tree, Harrod’s Reach, and now Twisted Tree. Though I’m not entirely sure how and if everything is connected, I’ll be eagerly awaiting another installment to find out.

Thanks Netgally for the ARC!

⭐️3.5/4 stars
This book was something else. It covers sooo many heavy topics like multiple personality disorder, serial killers, and child abduction and I feel like the author did such a good job with it! Especially the character with multiple personalities. You could really feel each one jumping off the page and seeming “real”. There were a lot of creepy elements in this book that really gave it the good scare factor it promises. If anything, I wish it had been a little more fast paced. There were certain parts that seemed unnecessary and that dragged a bit. But I’d definitely still recommend this book if you like horror and mysteries! Read this one when it comes out on 9/10/2024.

Firstly I would like to thank J. H. Markert , Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of the upcoming book ' Sleep Tight ' to read and review.

Due for publication in September 2024 , the story follows the dark past of a small rural town called Twisted Trees. The location which is home to the building dubbed as the ' House of Horrors ' Where nineteen bodies were discovered and one survivor–a boy now locked away in a hospital for the criminally insane.

Tess Claibourne grew up in the midst of this small town horror as her father was the detective who captured the infamous serial killer known as Father Silence. Now nearly two decades later Tess is following in his footsteps and is now a detective herself.
Looking after her young daughter and working through the emotional scars left from her husband's infidelity she is also stressed as the media is abuzz with news that the murderer has finally been executed for his crimes . Relief for herself and her family is only short lived as the following day a new serial killer has come forward into the limelight . Her parent's are dead and her daughter has been kidnapped and Tess must dig deep to acquire the strength to find her daughter before time runs out.

I was initially drawn to this book by the cover and was intrigued by the synopsis. The book was dark and gritty and kept me at the edge of my seat and reading into the early hours of the morning fascinated by all the twists and turns.
Although categorised as a horror , I would personally say it is more of a crime/ psychological thriller . The concept is very unique and thought provoking and the author certainly knows how to develop characters so well that I was invested in every single one of them.
There were so many complicated and complex individuals that each had a compelling back story and these stories from the past and present are intertwined to carry the reader on such a crazy journey.

I must admit that sometimes I felt that that there were so many characters that the story lost part of its momentum as I had to reread some scenes that became a little confusing . The story is so multi layered and sophisticated, but that is also a part of its charm. Although the swapping of timelines and perspective can be a little boggling it is certainly not off-putting.
If you are looking for a book that is full of cults , serial killers , and exploration of the human psyche and the disorders that can affect it this is the one for you . Although this is the first J. H. Markert book I have read , I have already started looking at his previous titles.
Fantastic and Gritty Read

#SleepTight #NetGalley

_Sleep Tight_ by J.H. Markert is an engrossing thriller with elements of horror, multiple points of views, and plot twists that keep the reader engaged in the story. It mainly follows detective Tess Clairbourne after the execution of serial killer Father Silence, which sparks murders and the kidnapping of Tess’s daughter. Tess, her husband Justin, and partner Danny must follow clues that lead them to Tess’s childhood home in order to find her daughter and stop the terror.

Brilliant. First time I’ve read this author and won’t be the last. A great autumn read……readers will love this one.