I got engaged with this book quite quickly. It is told from multiple POV and with two timelines.
Gideon has recently come back to his hometown after being discharged from the army. His brother Sully has been in a coma for three years and Gideon feels like everyone blames him for the accident. One of his closest friends is Beth who is now the deputy sheriff for the town. In the town there is a tunnel that people are afraid of and children are warned to not go near. Bad things happen there. Weird things happen there. People go missing there.
This book has Stephen King vibes but Markert has added his own stamp. I enjoyed the character development but there is a lot going on in this book and it took me a lot longer to enjoy the sections about Teddy. I loved the incorporation of lullabies from different cultures and I liked how Markert used these to become killers in our world but as mentioned before, there is a lot going on, especially during these parts.
Now let’s discuss the ending - a huge cliffhanger and I really hope there is a second book to answer it (otherwise my rating would be lower and I would be hugely disappointed). If there is a second book, then you can be guaranteed it is on my list to read.

Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to read this read this book for an honest review.

I was stoked to see another book by Markert, an author who left such an impression on me last year with The Nightmare Man. A lot of the same elements that I loved before are ever present in Mister Lullaby - it shines in world development, character relationships, and creep-factor. It took me a while to get into the groove of the story, I think due largely to the multiple POVs and time jumps, but once I hit the last third of the book, it was a breeze. The small town setting of Harrod’s Reach made it easy to care about the fate of the characters and the old train tunnel loomed large, almost standing on its own as a character. Overall, though, I struggled with staying consistently interested throughout. It’s a good read for this time of year if you like seeing how multiple storylines all come together, aren’t afraid of a little violence, and like seeing the layers of seemingly straightforward characters peel away to uncover something more interesting (and sometimes, something far more sinister).

This book was too much like It. Even the cover conveys the same vibe. Because of that I just couldn’t enjoy it like I wish I could have. I feel like the author borrowed so much from Stephen King and little from his own imagination

I think my problem with this book were related to editing. While all of the elements in the story are solid, it felt like there was just a ton of stuff being thrown on the page to see what sticks. From a reading experience, it ended up feeling like a bit of a mess. This bummed me out, since I liked the meat of the book.

The premise, characters, town, the history of lullaby land all felt solid to me (in particular, the characters had interesting backstories and were easy to root for) But then we started throwing serial killer on top of serial killer (all with nicknames), and that seemed to muddle up a very clean story which held a lot of promise.

In some respects, this felt like I was joining a horror universe, a few books into a series, and that was a strange vibe. I wish the author would have narrowed the focus, and not tried to link in other stories/characters.

Also, at times the story felt a little derivative of Stephen King. (A slow adult who can see into other worlds? M-O-O-N, that spells "familiar") But it had enough unique things happening that kept me reading.

Thankfully, the ending is a wild ride, with our heroes all grouped together in a town overrun with crazies. I wish we hadn't ended on a cliffhanger. But, these are just personal quibbles. There is some genuinely creepy moments in here which should satisfy most horror lovers.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Where do I even start with Mister Lullaby? When I saw the cover of this work, I immediately felt Stephen King vibes. Going in with high expectations, Mister Lullaby did not disappoint.

Markert takes us deep into the world Harrod's Reach, a quaint town near an abandoned train tunnel, that has known nothing but oddities for majority of it's existence. Murders, severed limbs, earthquakes, psychotic episodes and most notably here, the mysterious coma of Sully Dupree are just a few of the abnormalities to have come from the tunnel. One day, Sully temporarily awakes after 3 years and sets the town on a path to find answers. As we follow Sully's older brother Gideon and childhood friend/deputy sherrif Beth Gardner, the mystery grows and grows. Corpses are found with the words to old lullabies. Townspeople are maimed and murdered. Oddly colored critters are roaming the forrest. The tunnel is hiding more than meets the eyes and it is up to Gideon and Beth to stop it before the entire town is destroyed at the hands (or maybe the words) of Mister Lullaby...

The use of multiple narratives across two time periods provides perspectives that keep the storyline interesting. As the story unfolded, I became more and more engrossed in the world that Markert created. The visuals are so clear and enthralling that I found myself getting lost from reality. The fear in the characters was palpable; my heart was racing through the last quarter of the story. My only qualm is that I don't know what happens! The ending left so much to be desired. And though it added another point of interest to the story, what was the goal of the pseudo love triangle? I hope this is setting us up for a sequel because I want MORE.

If you enjoyed The Nightmare Man then you are going to absolutely love Mister Lullaby!
Murders, serial killers, monsters and the terrifying nightmares come to life, all combined in one small town, this is every horror fans dreams come true!
Things have been happening in the small town of Harrod’s Reach for years, terrible, unexplainable things, all centred around an old abandoned tunnel, and as with any old, scary tunnel surrounded by folklore the children are drawn towards it like moths to a flame.
One of those children was Sully Dupree who’s obsession led him to try running through the tunnel landing him halfway through resulting to him being in a coma ever since.
On the arrival of his older brother, Gideon back home, Sully suddenly wakes up and starts reciting names, names that have no meaning to anyone before slipping back into his coma. These names, they are names of other coma patients from all over the world.
One of these coma patients, Maddy Boyle, much to the surprise to everyone comes out of her coma with memories of being in a strange place, and a name, Sully. As she recovers from what put her in the coma in the first place she sets off to find Sully, unsure why, just that that’s what she needs to do.
What she, or anyone else doesn’t know is that these coma patients are all in danger. They are all being targeted by one Mr Theodore ‘Teddy’ Lomax.
Teddy has been hearing a voice from a strange blue seashell he found and this voice is sending him on a trip with a mission. To kill all the coma patients, or ‘dead heads’ along the way.
As good and evil come together in Harrod’s Reach the tunnel comes to life, letting through some of the nightmare creatures from Lalaland into the town with horrific consequences……
This book is packed to the brim with so much imagination, clever plot lines and unforgettable characters that reading it time just flys by and the rest of the world disappears as it transports you to Harrod’s Reach. As I’ve already said, this is definitely the best book I have read this year, if not longer.

The beginning of this book is/was a bit too intense for me. I mean that is the goal to hook readers right? But I was like "too much too soon!"
Like Guns at a surprise party? This is why we don't all need to be carrying guns all over the place. The writing is absolutely wonderful and if I weren't so sensitive I would have loved this one probably.
I like the atmosphere anyway.

I did not like this at all. It's 300 pages of moving pieces around a game board, only for all the players to quit before the game is played though. There's no ending or resolution for any of the storylines or characters, as if 100 pages just got lopped off. What a massive disappointment.

Writing: 4/5
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
Enjoyment: 4/5

Themes: Horror, Mystery

Mister Lullaby is about a town where many strange things have been happening and it is all centered around a tunnel. This was different than anything I have read. The characters was my favorite thing about the story. I wish it got more into the characters but I understand it was ment to focus more on the mysterious and spooky atmosphere. It took a few chapters to understand who all the characters were with how many POVs there were. The writing was well done, especially with all the strange events that took place. I was still able to understand what was happening.

I received an arc and am leaving an honest review.

Mister Lullaby by J.H. Markert is a standalone sequel to The Nightmare Man. You don’t have to have read the first one to enjoy this book but it does add to the story. This book follows several members of a small town as a lot of creepy things begin to happen. From odd dreams to comas to a creepy tunnel, this book contains a lot of scary elements that will stick with you long after you finish the book.

I really loved The Nightmare Man last year so I was highly anticipating this book and I’m so glad it didn’t disappoint me. There is a lot going on so the plot is a little bit busy and I don’t think it was all necessary. I would say if you are a fan of Stephen King, you would enjoy this book. It has that very classic “is it supernatural or not?” vibe that a lot of King’s books have.

This is a book that I found myself having to put down at night because it was getting quite creepy and I didn’t want to have nightmares! I really enjoyed the way this book ended but I think that will be a very polarizing element of this book.

If you want something really creepy to read, definitely check out this author and this book. It is a wild ride!

As I read this stand-alone sequel to The Nightmare Man; I kept thinking that I could see this book as a movie or NF series. It reminded me of Stranger Things, with that blend of scifi/fantasy and horror. Although I enjoyed my time revisiting the mares, I also couldn't help comparing it to The Nightmare Man, which I absolutely adored! When I learned about the mares in the first book, it was all new for me; which added to the thrill of the story. Since I was already familiar with many of the elements, it didn't have quite the same impact.

This book focused on childhood lullabies and lalaland - a term I recall from childhood that really brought me back in time. When Giddeon returns home from the war with an honorable discharge, he walks into a nightmare about to happen. His long-time friend (and childhood crush) is now the deputy sheriff in town and married to his frenemy Jax, now a firefighter. The two are raising a young child. His younger brother is still in a coma, ever since he ventured into the "train tunnel," and Giddeon still feels responsible. This tunnel has an infamous history in which people have been killed, dismembered, and disappeared. Between relationship angst, murders and odd things starting to happen at the tunnel, Gideon must stand up against this evil force, whatever it is, to save his family, friends, and town.

I felt like the plot didn't grab me as much as I was anticipating. It seemed a little disjointed and jumped around a lot. I also had a hard time connecting to the characters. I couldn't bond with them. I think readers who enjoy action thrillers might enjoy this book more than I did. There was a ton of action in the last few chapters. The ending was left on a cliffhanger, so there will most likely be a follow-up.

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

With creepy IT vibes, Mister Lullaby is bringing something evil into Harrod’s Reach. I was trying to add a brief recap of the story here but I realized it’s too complicated to summarize in a few sentences. It didn’t matter too much to me, I was able to follow it without any issues. I also liked the good characters - even the supporting ones have depth (I especially loved the Sheriff). The bad ones were not that well-drawn, though. The titular Mister Lullaby was too cartoonishly evil and his retinue of villains was very thinly sketched. Not that it mattered, since they are all slasher-type baddies. The plot was entertaining, if a little convoluted, but kept my attention till the end. And that was its Achilles’ heel for me, the conclusion seemed too rushed and somehow easy. It’s like the tension kept mounting and mounting only to burst at the end. Mild spoiler here but one of the confrontations was not even shown on page but only the aftermath. It’s still a good horror novel and I enjoyed it.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Crooked Lane Books!

My thanks Crooked Lane books, J.H. Markert and Netgalley.
This is hands down, one of the best horror stories I've read this year. I've read a few reviews that stated that this book scared the crap outta them and gave them nightmares.
Well, I'm here to tell you that they must be trying to blow smoke up your ass, or "most likely" they just haven't read much horror.
Don't get me wrong, because I'm here to tell you that Mr. Markert gave me some serious chills.
Was this a scary book? No. Not for me. But, let's get real. I've been reading scary since the 1970's.
What worked for me was not only the majorly messed up scares, but also Mr. Markert's ability to write about characters that you'll love or hate.
This author repeatedly reminded me of early Stephen King. Not a comparison that I often make, but the feels were strong!
My recommendation? It's really good. Read it!

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was so excited for this book as it was giving me Stephen King vibes; however, it was all over the place. There were too many characters, which isn't always an issue. I just never felt connected to any of them. In addition, the timelines and murders gave me whiplash from all the jumping around. Just not for me.

DNF at 24%.

I have no idea why I couldn't get into this book. I loved the last one but I guess I just wasn't in the right headspace for it. It was so slow to get started so maybe that's why. I hope I can come back to it soon!

I really like Mister Lullaby. It gave me Nos4a2 by Joe Hill vibes. The story is scary, and gripping. Once I started reading, it was hard to take a break. There were a lot of characters so getting to know any one of them was a bit difficult. However, I think that this is a great Halloween read. It gets all the October book points: fear, an evil being and a scary location. Waiting on the next book since this book didn't really have much of an ending.

This is a very absorbing and tense read that had me gripped but a did feel a little disappointed at the ending. There is a lot going on in the book and as it’s told in different timelines I did feel at times it was a bit over complicated but in all fairness maybe that was just me. There also is a large cast of characters and some very weird ones as you would expect from this author who seems to have the ability to conjure up characters that you can actually picture in your mind. So I enjoyed the book but to be honest I did struggle at times to connect to what was going on but it still was a read that I would recommend especially if you love a good horror tale.
My thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I enjoyed Mr Nightmare enough to request Mr Lullaby, but just couldn't get into it. It took me many attempts to even put a dent into it. I found it to be a bit too all over the place, hard to follow, and ott. J. H. Markert isn't a bad writer, he just isn't an author for me. I won't be reading another of his books, as that wouldn't be fair to him. Others certainly seem to like the book, so please take what I said with a grain of salt. I would recommend a horror fan to check out either book from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Book for the e-ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

This was like portal fiction with a horrific twist.

Superstition surrounding the old abandoned train tunnel has plagued the little town of Herrod’s Reach. After a boy, Sully, is injured and now in a coma while down there, the town wants to board it up. Now, two dead bodies are found at the entrance, with strange lullabies on them.

Sully, in his coma, is in a place called Lalaland, where nightmares run rampant. He and a slew of other coma patients are trapped there, with the big bad searching for a way to leave this dream realm and renter the living world for good.

A group of people in town, including deputy sheriff Beth Gardner and Sully’s older brother Gideon, must race against time to save Sully and the rest of the coma patients, considering Mr. Lullaby is closer and closer to his destination.

Horror surrounding dreams, nightmares and sleep paralysis (demons), things of that nature really is truly scary to me, so I enjoyed this immensely.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Mister Lullaby is a horror/paranormal novel with a taste of mythology/folklore that I would normally be drawn to, except this one just didn't cut it for me.
The storyline jumps back and forth between the good and the evil characters. The timelines are a little bit off and I had a hard time following the events in a sequential order.
I found this novel to be so bizarre, that I really don't know what to say. There are coma patients and their families who are bizarrely connected to a bus full of serial killers and psychopaths. There is a fight to save earth from being overrun by the monsters that inhabit LaLa Land if a portal is opened to release them. The book ends in a way that suggests there will be a second installment but to tell the truth I'm not really interested in finding out where it goes.
When I finished this novel, I couldn't help but think "What the hell did I just read".
I'm sure there will be lots of readers out there that will enjoy this book, I just wasn't one of them.