I loved this story so much. I tend to agree with author Peter Ferris that J.H. Markert may be the "true heir to Stephen King" (but I also love horror in general). The author does a great job of creating a world where fantastical things can happen, like having a monster that puts people in comas to trap nightmares, then sending Mr. Lullaby to awake them and unleash the nightmares into our reality. Fun, fun, fun!!! I want to thank the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for giving me an e-copy of this book, in return for an honest review.

dnf @ 26%
I almost immediately noticed the ableism in the book and I wasn’t a fan. The one main character has a cleft palate and it’s constantly being referred to as a “deformity”. There’s another character named Simon, but the whole town calls him “Simple Simon” because he’s… mentally disabled? And apparently later on he wields a chainsaw? I was reaching close to the dnf button but decided to carry on.

I had dnfed this author’s other book so I was interested in seeing if my feelings would change in this one – I think I lasted longer in the other book. The plot wasn’t much to write about and according to spoiler reviews, it carries on being confusing until the end of the book, ending on a sort of a cliffhanger and not much being explained.

I’ve said this multiple times but I’ll say it again – I don’t mind long sentences. What I mind is when they’re too long and they don’t work as long sentences, that’s where I have an issue. Mister Lullaby doesn’t have well-written long sentences, unfortunately.

This was an absolutely insane ride! It was creepy, intense, and had me questioning everything that was happening throughout the story. My only complaint is that it ended so abruptly and I REALLY need to know what happens next!!

What a unique story with bits of time travel and other-worldly beings. Overall I enjoyed the story but I felt the ending was a bit rushed. I would have liked to have a little bit more on the end.

Wow, I hated this book. I had such high hopes for this book after loving Sleep Tight but now it feels like it was written from a completely different author. The story bounced all over the place and confused me, there were way too many characters to keep track of and the ending infuriated me. The whole story read like a bad fever dream and I was expecting so much more. I wasn't scared or freaked out once while reading.

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books for the gifted copy for my honest review!

DNF @25% . I cannot for the life of me get into this story line . So many characters and honestly have no idea what’s even happening , nothing is sticking ! After reading a few reviews from fellow bookstagram friends I think it’s time for me to lay this one to rest.

Mister Lullaby by J. H. Markert is a dark and atmospheric novel that intertwines elements of horror and psychological thriller. The story centers around a haunting figure and explores themes of childhood trauma, grief, and the thin line between reality and nightmare. Markert’s prose is vivid and evocative, effectively creating a sense of unease that permeates the narrative.

The characters are well-developed, each grappling with their own demons, which adds depth to the story. The exploration of how past traumas manifest in the present is compelling, and readers will likely find themselves drawn into the protagonists’ struggles. Markert’s ability to convey emotion and tension is a highlight, making certain scenes genuinely chilling.

However, the pacing of the novel can be uneven, with some sections dragging while others rush through crucial plot points. Additionally, certain twists may feel predictable to seasoned readers of the genre, which could detract from the overall suspense.

Overall, Mister Lullaby offers an engaging premise and strong character work but may not fully satisfy those looking for a tightly woven plot or fresh surprises. It’s a decent read for fans of psychological horror who appreciate character-driven narratives but may leave others wanting more.

Mister Lullaby revolves around a boy in a coma who wakes up with a message, a man back from war with scars, and a man hearing voices deciding to go on a rampage. There's also an abandoned tunnel believed to be haunted, in a small town heavy with suspicion and secrets. The book explores nightmare vs reality, and the possible existence of a different world. This is a slow-burn, character-driven horror, and I was interested in how the characters' relationships unfold in the past and present.

However, I felt the ending was anticlimactic. There was a buildup leading to a possible confrontation or resolution but it was glossed over. While I was interested in the characters, after a certain point I wanted to know more about the dream world and how it's connected to the waking world. In the end, this book has all the right ingredients but felt undercooked to me.

The description of this book is literally my deepest reading desire. And this book was phenomenal! Strange, odd, weird, creative, terrifying... all boxes checked. I love the disturbing, unsettling, eerie idea of an otherworld with monstrous beings, and the pure existential terror induced by the imminent crossover between the two worlds. Few things really freak me out, but the level of dread I feel when I think of this book being played out in real life is indescribable. Marvelous.
This did feel like reminiscent of Stephen King, as the writing is incredibly detailed and fluid, I appreciate that. And the beginning actually made me think of NOS4A2 by Hill (another King connection unsurprisingly) but it (happily) did not read that way, and quickly turned into it's own unique story. I actually didn't like NOS4A2 because of a few specific details (the "monster" for starters) and this fulfilled that creepy otherworld void that I had been missing!

A book where nightmares come to life? Sign me up! Ya'll know I like all the dark and twisty books. Anything can happen in LaLaLand.

I feel the writing is incredibly important in a horror novel. It can make or break the story. The writing was detailed. The writing style and the story both reminded me of Stephen King.

My favorite part was the horns. I can't say anything else, or I might ruin the story.

The ending is WIDE open. There could definitely be a book two! I listened and read this book. IMO, I prefer the physical copy. There is a lot going on, and I had to re-listen to a few parts because I was multitasking, and I missed important detail. It wasn't the narrators at all. This is a personal preference for me. If you can sit and listen to a book and not be distracted, you might love it.

This book came off a little bit more as a thriller for me not so much horror. There was scary aspects and it was creepy. However it was pretty slow paced with a rushed ending.

Reading Mister Lullaby made me want to go back and read The Nightmare Man and though I could have sworn some of the same characters made an appearance, per the acknowledgments everyone was new! That being said, the world felt very similar and that is clearly why it gave me similar vibes. I love J.H. Markert's writing, and this book is terrifying, violent, and eerie in all the best ways. We have multiple viewpoints that never confused me and a shocking ending I never saw coming!

I do always love a full cast for audiobooks, but David Bendena & Lauren Ezzo were such great narrators for Mister Lullaby that I was perfectly content with just the two of them. The pacing of this book never quit, and I have no idea how Markert thinks these things up but I'm glad he does. The paranormal elements and horror are top-notch, and it even made me tear up in a couple of places. This author is so talented and his books under this pen name are perfect for thriller and horror fans alike! If you love the creepy and supernatural, you must pick this up!

Overall I enjoyed this story. Early on, it reminded me a bit of Joe Hill's NOS4A2.

I do think there were some issues with pacing, especially with the rushed conclusion that feels like it would have served better if this was book 1 in a series rather than a stand alone. I think some of the characters could have been explored further as well.

That being said, it was still a good read. This author's previous novel, The Nightmare Man, was one of my favourites last year so I will definitely read more from this author.

I've read "The Nightmare Man" by J. H. Markert and loved it. So, could "Mister Lullaby," his new novel, be as good? Well, honestly... "Mister Lullaby" is BLOODY amazing! Perhaps even better than "The Nightmare Man." I was drawn into this book like a moth to a flame and felt slightly bereft when the ending came. Now I can't wait to read "Sleep Tight."

I tried to get through this several times, but it is too weird, even for me. I kept getting the characters confused and would have to go back to re-read parts, and by then it just became mundane and difficult to continue. The writing style was good! It just isn’t my kind of story, and I couldn’t concentrate enough to keep me turning pages. This was the second book by Makert that I just can’t finish. I know he has a big following, so I will keep trying, but this one isn’t for me.

I have to say this one didn’t grip me as much as the first book did. I just loved The Nightmare Man. It took me quite some time to get into the story and connect with the characters. Also the beginning was a little confusing with the tunnel. It felt very paranormal although it wasn’t. Very atmospheric but the pace was too slow. The ending saved it for me.

Mister Lullaby by J. H. Markert - I ADORED The Nightmare Man. So what happened when I saw the advance copy for the authors next book pop-up? I begged. I sold a kidney. It wasn't pretty. But, hey, I got the book, and it was definitely worth it. I didn't love it AS MUCH as TNM, it definitely had way more supernatural elements than I was expecting, but the writing, the story, and the characters were amazing

This audiobook is narrated by David Bendena & Lauren Ezzo

•Thank you to @crookedlanebooks

With such a great cover, I'm so sad I didn't love this one more. But it just did not work for me

First, the cast was huge. Characters are thrown at you in quick succession, as a whole town and their connections, people coming back, and some guy with a bus all rush by. Then there is a girl in the hospital, a kid who sculpts wood, and the guy who pulls a gun at his bday party. It was. . .a lot. My head was spinning trying to keep them all straight and try to remember why one guy punched another.

Once I lost the characters as even more side characters were introduced, I just completely lost momentum in the story. The attacks and the serial rapist were interesting pieces, along with the dead-heads but I just couldn't juggle it all to love it. I wish I had, I loved this author's previous work. I'd definitely try another one, this one just wasn't for me.

<i>A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.</i>

I'm a sucker for an interesting sounding horror book, and that's exactly what Mister Lullaby by J.H. Market was. It helped that its cover art caught my eye, but the synopsis is what really drew me to request a review copy of this one. It's also part of the reason as to why I held off reading it until the time was right. The other parts had to do with a great review I'd read, and an online post about how it was someone's favourite book of 2023.

I wish I'd liked it as much as those people, and am disappointed that I didn't.

Mister Lullaby had the potential to be an epic horror book the likes of something by Stephen King. I went in expecting a small town versus evil kind of thing, and mostly got that, but not in the way I expected. This wasn't as psychological a book as I'd hoped, and it was different from any preconceived notion I had about it.

Set in the small town of Harrod's Reach, Nebraska, this novel features multiple points of view and jumps between a couple of different timelines. I can't say a whole lot about the story, though, because this is one of those stories where saying much will risk spoiling things. Here are the basics, though:

Harrod's Reach is a troubled town, and was the location of a train derailment accident that took many lives many years ago. Since then, its railway tunnel -- which went through a mountain -- has been cursed. Kids have played games, where they've dared each other to run from one end to the other, bodies have been found nearby, and some have become stuck inside of this strange tunnel. Furthermore, there are those who've come out of it acting differently, while saying that they were possessed by a creature from dark mythology.

Within this town lays a boy named Sully, who's been in a coma for some time. His much older brother, Gideon, was blamed for the accident that made him that way, and went off to war to try to get away from it all. At the start of this narrative, Gideon returns from war, and pulls a pistol out during the beginning of a surprise party in his honour. This is quickly forgotten about, which I found shocking.

In Mister Lullaby, there's also somebody hunting what they called Dead-Heads, but are actually comatose folks. This man -- named Teddy -- has been receiving instructions from a blue seashell, which talks to him any time he's open to listing. During his travels throughout the country, Teddy encounters others who like to kill.

Meanwhile, there's talk about a place called LalaLand, where those who are comatose may be. It's said that there's some sort of battle going on over there, but the book doesn't do a good enough job of fleshing it all out, which is one of my biggest issues with it.

Told from multiple viewpoints, including those of Gideon, his cop friend Beth and Teddy, this is a bit of a jumbled narrative. If the storytelling were more concise, and had more depth, it would be a much better book. After all, there's tons of potential within this story. The execution stumbles, though, and holds it back, as does the lack of real depth to the talk of another world.

Another issue I had with this book was that it ended abruptly, and something that happened during the ending made no sense based on how the character had been thinking and acting. It bothered me.

The writing also feels a bit juvenile at times, like it's some sort of fan fiction. I respect the effort, though, because I don't think I could ever write a book. It just all failed to truly hook me like I had hoped, and perhaps I went into this thing with too high of expectations. It was quite hyped, or so they say.

There are also a lot of characters, so be warned about that. I've read reviews saying people had trouble keeping track, and I'll admit that I forgot about a couple of secondary characters, then remembered them when they were mentioned again. I didn't have much trouble though.

At the end of the day, Mister Lullaby by J.H. Market is a decent attempt at a horror epic. Its premise has a ton of potential, but the execution keeps it from reaching it. Still, there's a pretty solid book here that is worth checking out if it intrigues you. Just don't expect the best book of 2023.

This review is based on a copy of the book that we were provided, by NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books. Receiving a free copy did not sway our opinion or affect our review.

I have become a big fan of J. H. Markert. Mister Lullaby is as good as The Nightmare Man.
We meet the characters from that novel before the events that changed their lives.
I love Beth Gardner and would love to read more about her.
J. H. Markert has been called the heir to Stephen King and I wholeheartedly agree and plan to read all I can get my hands on.
Thanks to @netgalley for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.