I don't need horror novels to be completely logical, but this one doesn't even really make sense within its own framework. There are some fun scenes some creepy visuals, but it's also SLOW and ends up being a whole mess.

This book was riveting and definitely not something that you want to read before bed.

This was equal parts supernatural thriller and crime thriller and it was thoroughly scary. I love the book within a book trope, and this was great because it was a horror novel about a horror writer and events inside his books becoming reality. Crimes, deaths, horrific acts are played out in real life to real people and a group of people in this book have to figure out how to stop it from continuing, while trying to determine who is responsible.

The nightmare sequences in this book are terrifying and written in such a way that it really painted the picture of the fear in the vividness. I found the characters all quite interesting even if some were unlikable. I really look forward to reading what suspenseful books this author brings us next.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

This book was well-written and well thought out. I really loved the characters and the story itself. The thought of a nightmare running rampant in real life is terrifying and is executed extremely well in this book. One of the characters we follow is Ben Bookman, an author of horror novels and his latest release has someone out there copying the murders of the book. We follow this storyline as it goes deeper and darker along the way.

I really loved this book.

Confession - I'm indifferent to Halloween.. There, I said it. I don't dislike it by any means, but it's never been a huge deal to me.

With that, I don't gravitate to spooky books. However, I decided to get into the spirit of the season and picked this off my Netgalley list.

Spooky title ✔️
Scary cover ✔️
Serial killers ✔️
Unsolved murders ✔️
Nightmares ✔️

Let's go.

This is debut novel by J.H. Markert and I do love supporting first time authors. However, I just didn't connect with this book.

There was potential for a good story here, but it never fired on all cylinders for me.

The horror element never transferred to the pages and I'm not a huge fan of magical realism, which was also present throughout. So, I guess it's me, not you.

I would be curious to hear from those who read a lot of horror books how you felt about this one, so let me know!

Thank you @netgalley and @crookedlanebooks for the ARC.

Available 1.10.23

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The synopsis of this book sounded interesting to me so I requested a copy to read.
Unfortunately, I have tried reading this book on 2 separate occasions and during this 2nd attempt, I have
decided to stop reading this book
and state that this book just wasn't for me.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

“Sally,” Dr. Knowles shouted. “Enough.”

One of the orderlies sprayed something into her eyes. Sally backed away from the bars, wiping at her face with the same fingernails she’d used to pluck out teeth from her neighbor’s little boy, and from four more children in the neighborhood before being caught. “One of the brothers,” shouted Sally, as Bruce continued clapping and Creech played on with his violin. “Told her that if you didn’t believe in the Tooth Fairy then she’d take a tooth from your mouth instead. Rip it out with her fingernails. Straight from the gums.” Sally made as if to rip a tooth from her own mouth, before shouting, “This became her nightmare.”

She gripped the bars again and continued. “In August of 1937, Ingrid and her parents traveled from Idaho to meet with Bernard Bookman’s daughter, Dr. Amelia Bookman. Ingrid left Blackwood cured.”

Mills walked toward Sally Pratchett, and the woman backed away from him. She cowered in the corner, laughing.

It was so loud now Father Frank held his ears.
p320

This excerpt comes from the best, scariest scene in J.H. Markert's NIGHTMARE MAN. It's chaotic right? Written that way. A cross-fire exchange between 9 or 10 (I think) different characters, mostly named, in which half of them are mentally ill and have a history of violence and the other half are presumed morally superior and have a history (and current behavior) of violence. It's a cherry of a scene. Cherry chaos.

I feel bad giving this book 2.5 stars because it has potential. Unfortunately, the narrative is also chaos, and not the cherry kind. This story is the kind of chaos where I read the book twice, but I'm still not really sure what I just read. I can't really give you a synopsis. The plot points are buried in activity, and the cast is enormous. There's too much dialogue and the main characters spending entirely too much time traveling.

Some readers like this. Lack of focus on narrative in favor of focus on other elements. I don't like it unless its extremely well done, so clever it blows my mind. Think HOUSE OF LEAVES or RAW SHARK TEXTS. Otherwise, I need a little structure to my 400 pages of words. For me, NIGHTMARE MAN is just a suspenseful mess. Nothing ever comes together.

Thank you NetGalley, J.H. Markert, and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC.

Rating 2.5 stars rounded up for the 🍒
Finished October 2022
Recommended for fans of supernatural horror, ghost stories, asylum/insanity horror, existential horror; horror fans who like a loose narrative.
TW whoa so so many, excessive alcohol and drug consumption, violence against children, torture of imprisoned people, but I want to focus on the mental illness trigger, as this population really catches some unfavorable assumptions and cliches in this narrative

The Nightmare Man by J.H Markhert
⭐⭐/5

Mr. Bones doesn't quite understand the idea behind this book, and I agree . Lets begin ,

Pros:
🎃 Gruesome scenes
🎃 Interesting concept

Cons:
☠ What was the title ? The Nightmare Man ? The Screamer ? The Scarecrow? The Boogeyman ? Mr. Dreams ? The Tooth Fairy? I DON'T KNOW every single ome of these names are used through the book, along with their background- names of the person who embodies them and the person who birthed them .. I don't know but there were to many names , and in the end I wasn't even sure of the title anymore.
☠ On top of all these names your going to need to remember, theres also alot of History that would come im handy to know, in order to keep track... but you know. My brain is tapped out in the amount of info it can retain during a novel.
☠ Some of the elements of this book defied so much logic I was laughing.

I felt the Author was just trying to do to much at once . And had me skimming just to be able to find something that gripped me and pulled me in . There was some good old fashioned evil human elements, but also a paranormal phenomenon.. but also mythological aspects .

The saving grace.. or one star was awarded to the tactfully written brutal scenes, in which I ate up . But that alone isn't enough for me to say I loved this book .

Im sure this will tickle someone's fancy, but it was a let down for me .

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read The Nightmare Man. All of the main characters were connected in someway to Blackwood Mansion.
Ben Bookman's family owned Blackwood Mansion.
When a family is found murdered and hung in cocoon like casings, sewn together, there is only one survivor, a child. Detective Mills and his daughter Detective Samantha Blue are first on scene.
Ben Bookman is the horror author of The Scarecrow which has just been published. The first murder in his book is exactly like the horrific scene of the family found murdered in the barn.
In fact, everything that happens next, mirrors his book. Someone is usiing his book to plan murders. Detectives Mills and Blue question Ben Bookman as he is their prime suspect. It's like everyone's nightmares have come to life with no end in sight. Ben's own brother, disappeared into the woods years ago as a child, never to be seen again.
It is all connected. Ben's grandfather owned Blackwood mansion and was a doctor of sorts. He had this room of books with no titles. He helped his patients get rid of their nightmares., including members of his own family.
Everything leads back to Blackwood Mansion and the Asylum.
This story was in part a mystery and horror all wrapped into one. It was quite a ride, one that I enjoyed. I hope the author continues writing in this genre. I give this book a 3.5 out of 5.

This was slower paced than I was expecting. While I wish it was a little faster I still really enjoyed this book. Getting lost in the pages.
The story had us following a few different things. Mills and his daughter, Ben with not only his past but his current life.
I did get a little confused at certain points but as I kept reading I found myself understanding a little more.
The atmosphere was dark and intense. Kept me on the edge of my seat towards the end.
The ending itself left me wondering what could be next in this world.

A fantastic book! I didn't want to put it down. Loved the intricacies of the plot. It is very rare that I give a book 5 stars, but this book deserved it.

<i>ARC provided by NetGalley for an Honest Review</i>

Nothing scarier than fiction meeting real life. Something odd is happening around Ben Bookman after the release of his most recent novel. Someone or something is recreating his work in the most macabre of ways. It all starts at a book signing when a man kills himself right there in the bookstore. What follows are a crazy sequence of events that all seem to stem from Ben's ancestral home Blackwood. In his family the Blackwood house is both revered and respected. There is a room in the house that no one may enter without being invited and you're not allowed to read any books in the library, they're all blank anyways. Or are they? Such a pulse pounding read. I loved the complexity of it all and how Ben and the lead detective's lives seemed to blur. When it comes to the current murders plaguing the town and the scores of missing children over the years, everyone thinks Ben is connected somehow but as he was a child during many of the incidents, the police have a hard time finding any facts. Now years later everything seems to be coalescing and anyone in the path of the Nightmare Man is in danger. Perfect addition to Spooky season. It was a fun and exciting thrill ride, wonderful debut novel.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read this fast paced novel.
An intriguing concept that is given a fresh take and will keep you wanting more. That is how I felt reading this novel. Everyone has wondered “what if nightmares are real” and J.H. Markert delves into that idea and brings it to life. Highly enjoyable read that will keep your heart racing until the end.

Deciding to read this was certainly a case of judging a book by its cover - I mean how could you resist picking this up after seeing it? And I'm happy to report that the book lived up to its cover.

Its premise is somewhat simple - a series of murders mimicking a recently published book by a well-known horror author. Is this the work of a deranged serial killer taking inspiration from the book? Is it the author himself, who has a dark history and suspiciously can't remember the weekend he spent writing the book? Or is something darker, more supernatural occurring in the town of Crooked Tree altogether?

The storyline was captivating, making the book hard to put down. As more of the plot unfolded, you couldn't help wanting to learn more about what was going on in Crooked Tree and at the Blackwood Estate. Like any good horror novel, the mood was tense throughout and full of vivid scenes that cause your spine to tingle just a bit. The crimes were pretty gruesome, but never felt over the top, and they added perfectly to the stakes of the book and the sense of danger as the chaos unfolds in town. I absolutely loved the relationships between the characters that Markert was able to establish and develop quickly. Heart and fear are at the crux of what makes a good spooky read, and this book has plenty of both.

Do yourself a favor and grab this book for a perfect Halloween read.

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the chance to read this book as a digital ARC.

Ben is a horror writer all right, but sometimes he doesn’t necessarily control his stories. It’s almost like they are fueled by something more than him…many suspect they are fueled by the childhood disappearance of his younger brother Devon. Others are convinced the stories are fueled by guilt for an alleged affair with his family’s nanny. Still others are convinced that the fuel is something deep and dark in Ben’s soul. But Ben knows, even though he can’t remember how, that everything ties back to his family’s estate, Blackwood. The room in that estate that one could only enter with his grandfather. The room with all the numbered books with blank pages.

Detectives Winny and Blue are investigating murders that eerily replicate Ben’s horror novels. They have a killer on their hands using the novels as an instruction manual for murder: so they know what the next kill will look like. What they don’t know is who will fit that image, or who is behind the killings. Is Ben bringing his characters to life, or is a crazed fan seeking attention? And why is Winny having nightmares that aren’t his own, but through the eyes of other townspeople?

This was an enjoyable spooky season read, with plenty to enjoy and a fast paced narrative.

What if a nightmare could become real? How would you capture it? How could it be stopped? I love stories that explore these ideas. Thinking of some of my nightmares, it would be very bad for the world if they became reality, so it is an inherently terrifying concept.

This novel starts out as a classic horror thriller, reminiscent of King or Koontz from the 1980’s. It’s tense, exciting, and hints at dark secrets that lie beneath the Mayberry-esque surface of Crooked Tree.
However, as the novel progresses, it delves into dark fantasy. Nightmares and nightmare imagery becomes prominent as the layers are peeled back and the more paranormal elements of the story are exposed.

I loved the nightmare mythology and world building that forms the backbone of this book, and I couldn’t get enough of it. I wish the book had delved deeper into these elements rather than some of the more standard horror thriller tropes, as they were so fascinating and original. I don’t wish to spoil anything, so all I can say is that I loved the magical idea that is central to the novel and I couldn’t get enough of it. It really captured my imagination.

I found the ending slightly disappointing, not because it was unsatisfying, but because it relied once again on more horror thriller tropes and I think a deep dive into the fantastical would have served it better. The asylum full of criminals with names like The Boogeyman, The Toothfairy, and The Scarecrow unfortunately reminded me of Arkham and Batman, and detracted from the tension at the denouement.

If you love stories about dreams and nightmares, you will want to grab a copy of this book.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC and I’m voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The cover caught my eye and when I read the blurb, I thought of Stephen King. How can I go wrong? Blackwood Mansion. The Atrium. Oswald Asylum. A family, murdered, hung by the barn rafters in a cocoon. A book that comes to life.

I want to share so much, that I quit taking notes. I was afraid of spoiling the horror for YOU.

This is my first novel by J H Markert/James Markert and I thoroughly enjoyed the grim story. I love books that deal with the depravity of humanity. It also brings about the best in people. All I KNOW is that you won’t find me wandering around in the cornfield. You never know what might be out there.

I didn’t find any mind blowing moments, but I did find myself wondering what was coming next, at times rapidly flipping the pages because I had to know.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Nightmare Man by J H Markert.

The nightmare man started out very promising and I really wanted to like it… but for me it was a miss.

Pros:
- Interesting concept
- Unique characters
- Gruesome scenes

Cons:
- Too many characters are introduced, and sometimes they’re mentioned by name and sometimes by nickname which adds to the confusion.
- Mentions of an “atrium” that is a fundamental and reoccurring theme in the novel… is barely mentioned at the end.
- I can’t give examples without spoiling most of the novel but I feel like so many big ideas and plots were glossed over!!
- End was predictable and fell flat for me.

Maybe these plots were meant to be kept mysterious and magical! But unfortunately it missed the mark for me.

What would happen if all of Stephen King’s novels came to life? Something similar is going on when someone starts recreating Ben Bookman’s latest character, the Scarecrow. Detective Mills, who seems to have all the nightmares in the world, finds a crime scene based on the book only, the killings started before it was published. Both, Ben and Mills are alcoholics but at least the detective is dry, while Ben doesn’t seem to be able to face a morning, let alone a day, without booze. Everything must have a rational explanation, but how? It’s like nightmares are becoming real. There is also a string of children gone missing that Mills hasn’t been able to solve. The plot is well written and never loses steam. I kept reading to find out what was going to happen next. I loved the complicated, but ultimately loving relationships between the characters. Mills, and his daughter Blue, who works with him, and Ben and his wife and little daughter. There are a lot of red herrings and twists that I never saw coming. I wasn’t overly excited about one of the twists, which felt like cheating (spoiler alert: I rather have the butler, who’s been there all along, do it, than the neighbor’s sewing partner’s cousin who’s barely been there before. The ultimate identity of the person made it worth it though / end spoiler). Other than that, this is a great, suspenseful read that is at once a thriller and a horror novel.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Crooked Lane Books!

I wasn't sure what I was going to get with this book was it going to be a horror, detective novel, psychological, it turned out to be all of those and more, you get a smoothly written story peppered with backstory for each of the characters.
This allowed me to learn more of why the things that happened, happened and why/how this linked each of the parts together, I know quite a few books do this but this particular book used it very well and to help move this forward rather than merely filling in gaps creating boring sections that the reader had to work through to get back to the original story.
This is the first book in quite some time that I looked forward to getting back to any chance I got, it for me was a perfect mix of horror, truth, lies, psychological with the paranormal mixed in, definitely a worthwhile read.
My only grievance was that I wished I had saved it for the colder evenings but that's not the fault of the writer or book honestly it's a good book for any season, it gave me classic horror vibes throughout and I really enjoyed that, do yourself a favour and read this book

Unfortunately this book was not for me, it was a bit slower than I would like and it just didn't hold my attention. I am sure other people will love it!