Mr. Lullaby has a mission: one that is communicated to him through a voice emanating from a blue seashell. He is to find the “dead-heads” (the comatose), and kill them. The reason: they are impeding the entry of evil into the world. Dead-heads are important in keeping the status quo in “Lalaland” (“everyone has been to Lalaland...only the strongest stay. The Rest of the world wakes up and goes about their days.”). Sad for us, the more he kills, the stronger he becomes, and the hold the deadheads have in Lalaland weakens.

Despite the specialized vocabulary (Mr. Lullaby, Lalaland, dead-heads, etc.) that can seem trite, the premise of a second reality that exists in the plane of the dreamworld (Lalaland) is fascinating and horrific. J. H. Markert seems to have had fun as he created the Dr. Seuss-like flora and fauna that seeps into the reality of the towns folk of Crooked Tree. Their cuteness belies the harm that they can do, unlike the more obvious evil manifested in the visages of Mr. Lullaby and his band of murderous cronies.

For me, the book would slow down in the areas where explanations and descriptions took over the narrative. As someone who thinks less is more, I found myself skipping sections. Others might enjoy this more than I did. I suggest you look for his previous book The Nightmare Man where the nightmares come to life through an author’s writing.

I would like to thank Crooked Lane Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

It’s like you’re living in a horror movie when you open this book. Mister Lullaby is out for vengeance after his tunnel has been closed up for a number of years. Your dreams and reality mix together in this mind twisting story.

I really enjoyed The Nightmare Man so I was eager to get my hands on this book. It was creepy and perfect for spooky season!

JH Markert is a master storyteller. He writes like old school King, with that deep world building vibe. You are completely transported to wherever he puts you, and leaving is a journey. The characters become your friends and enemies, their feelings are yours. When you finally put the book down, you can almost hear the pop of release the fictional world has on you.
Mister Lullaby is the follow up to The Nightmare Man, but can completely be a standalone. There are small connections between the two books, but they do not effect the story. While The Nightmare Man is the beginning of the nightmare, Mister Lullaby is the horrific aftermath. There are more hellish characters, actually a bus load of them, that invade small town lives. These nightmare characters really deserve their own books, maybe follow up novellas, so we can get more of their background. With so many different killing specialties, and their bizarre personas, I feel like it’s reminiscent of RL Stine’s books. I would be down with each one getting a tiny paperback story, with a vintage cover.
I’m not happy with the ending. First of all, I’m not happy it ended at all! I could have kept going, the story isn’t done. It was very abrupt, almost like running into a closed door. I don’t know if there is another book expected, but I feel like there could be. I mean, there will always be access to the nightmares, you just have to know how to let them out..

***ARC received from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley in exchange for honest review, opinions are all my own. Thank you!***

Mister Lullaby is not so much a direct sequel to The Nightmare Man but another story that takes place in the same world. You can certainly read this as a stand alone book, you could also read it first and then go read the previous book. Both are enough of a completely contained world that you don’t need to have read the other book but I think that it certainly helps.

I liked the two main leads, Beth and Gideon. Both are really interesting characters providing different perspectives of what is going on. I liked really that both are flawed characters, Gideon is a bit of an outcast within his community, a soldier returning from war that has been deeply scarred by what happened to him. As Sully’s older brother he was there when his brother was hurt in the tunnel and the book slowly pieces together the truth of the tunnel and how it drew in and impacted those in the town. Beth is the workaholic deputy that seems to have only one drive in her life, to be a great cop and solve crimes. There seems to be nothing more important to her and it was a good contrast between the two. Throughout the book there are hints that they have a deeper connection that stretches back to their birth but unfortunately it is never really explored in much detail. It felt like it was going to be set up as something that would have a bigger impact on the story and there is still time for it in future books as both their stories are not fully complete.

The other secondary POV are Mady and Teddy, Teddy is the far more interesting of the two while Maddy providers a lot of information about Lalaland. Teddy’s sections were really good, they are a lot more graphic than the others just by the nature of what he is up to but the violent never feels like it is over the top graphic. These books are far less gory horror and atmophere horror, playing off the characters fears and creating monsters that travel in the shadows. I love these types of horror books and this one is strong in that category.

I loved the concept of Lalaland, it was very atmospheric and the creatures that are trapped within the world are terrifying and wanting nothing more than to break free. There is also hope built into that world and interesting how it interconnects people trapped within comas.

I am really interested to see where the rest of this world goes. The book references The Nightmare Man from the previous book and Mister Lullaby from this book but there is a third, Mr. Dreams that is mentioned as a counter to the Nightmare Man. I don’t recall him being present in the previous book so I’m hoping that this will explore and eventually combine a book where all three characters come together.

Again, my issue with this book comes down to how quickly the book just ends. I had this issue with the previous book and I think the only way that this could fully work is if the characters return in additional books. There is no resolution, there are still a lot of unanswered question left will hopefully be addressed in a future book.

This is a wonderful horror book to read on an overcast fall day with the lights on.

I really loved J. H. Markert's last book The Nightmare Man, so when I saw he had a new one coming out I knew I had to read it.
The world Markert has come up with is impressive. Creepy, twisted, and full of literal nightmares come to life this world has sucked me in and I hope we get more books in this world.
The town of Harrods Reach has been full of the crazy and unexplainable for many years, mostly centered around a tunnel in the woods. People go in, but they don't always come out, and sometimes all that's left are pieces. But the tunnel doesn't just go from one end to the other, for certain people it takes them to Lalaland. A magical place full of everything we have ever dreamed up, and some of them want to escape. Mr. Lullaby is the worst of the worst, and he has his own plan set in motion to get free.

This is more of a slow-burn horror, where we really get a feel of the town and its residents before the murder and general mayhem really begin. I am a huge fan of Gideon and was rooting for his survival from the moment we were introduced. Once we get to the last third or so things skyrocket and we're in the middle of not only the characters fighting for their lives against a bunch of serial killers, but also fighting to save their town. From start to finish I didn't want to put this book down, and I can't wait to see what Markert is going to write next!!

Even though this isn't technically that long of a book, I personally felt like it could have been even shorter. To me, the horror elements weren't enough, which is a bit unfortunate, since the concept of the book sounded very intriguing.

Thank you NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and J. H. Markert for the advanced copy of Mister Lullaby in exchange for my honest review!

After *loving* The Nightmare Man I was beyond excited to get my hands on an early copy of Markert's newest book. While this one was good, I found it wasn't quite on par with Nightmare Man, and there were times I struggled to get through it.

I was VERY confused about who each character was, what their timelines were, and had a hard time remembering who was who. I did get it figured out by the end, but I do have to say the ending left a LOT to be desired, so be prepared for that.

Nevertheless, I won't hesitate to read this author again in the future! Mister Lullaby will be on US bookshelves November 21!

I was lucky enough to have both the ebook and audiobook for this one so I listened along as I read. What a twisted disturbing tale this was! It took time to come together (be patient starting out!) but the story really got going after midway. I don't easily get scared by books but there definitely was an eerie element to this one. I do hope there is another book in the works as the ending was not what I'd hoped for and I need answers!

Mister Lullaby by J. H. Markert was AMAZEBALLS! I mean.... I'm speechless! Not only is it well written and has dynamic sequencing but it is gorgeous in its nonchalant macabre. As a horror fan, this book is like someone Freedy Kruger recruited Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, Thomas Hewitt, and Chucky, put them on an all-star team, and set them out on an unsuspecting world. Told from many points of view, with fantastical elements mixed in, Mister Lullaby will easily top many favorite horror books of the year list. This author is now an auto-buy for me.

I received a review copy of this book from the author/publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I really liked reading The Nightmare Man so I was super excited to read Mister Lullaby by J. H. Markert.
I know that the spooky season has just ended but if you like creative, chilling and those creepy stories….. pick this one up!
I love this authors writing. He immediately hooks you and keeps you entertained throughout the entire book.
Mister Lullaby is a meticulously crafted psychological thriller that will keep readers engrossed from start to finish.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

Taut and suspenseful. Creepy and chilling.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wow, what an incredible book this is. This was my first exposure to J.H.Markert and he did not disappoint.

This suspenseful, creative, shocking, plot twisty and thrilling book is one not to be missed.

The boundary that protects our world from the creatures that haunt our darkest of nightmares is on the cusp of shattering - with it brings the greatest terror of all - Mister Lullaby. The town of Harrod’s Reach was built around the now ageing train tunnel that sits abandoned these days. Many of the townsfolk believe it plays a huge role in every shocking occurrence that has struck them in the last several years. It isn’t until their Deputy Beth Gardner finds two bodies at the tunnel entrance which coincides with Sully Dupree stirring from his coma with a message. To his older brother, Sully chokes out that he is among all the coma patients, they are stuck in LaLaLand - the ‘other side’ of the train tunnel. It is the most horrid place but it must be kept at bay at all costs. For Mister Lullaby is coming, ready to take on the rest of the world.

This was one of the most creative books I think I’ve ever read, with equal parts horror, thrills and fantasy elements that tie it all together. It was a big book, but it was one that hooked me right from the beginning and had me gasping for air at its ending.

This is one of my favourite books this year. A true master of the genre.

This one had some stand out moments and I specifically liked the creative descriptions of the realm of nightmares called "Lalaland."

However, I had a difficult time keeping all the characters straight with the alternating POVs and would have loved to have seen that streamlined a bit. I also had a hard time connecting with the storyline and being invested. It just didn't feel like a book I wanted to pick up or was excited to get to and was a little disjointed at times.

I ended up abandoning Nightmare Man so maybe if I finish that I would be more connected with this? I think they go together.

This is a fun addition to the universe created in The Nightmare Man. We get a new set of characters and a wholly unique situation that leads to a great battle of good and evil, using dreams, nightmares and coma patients. The plot sometimes meanders with lazy plot twists that don't add much to the story aside from a cheap shock here and there. But the characters are really neat, especially the nemeses. If you like Stephen King's forays into fantasy, you'll likely enjoy this similarly toned book.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

This review is a hard one for me to write because this is a book I both really enjoyed but also didn't enjoy it. This one pains me to not give a 5 star rating to, but hey, honest reviews are what its all about right? Anyway, lets jump into the review.

Mister Lullaby is a story taking place in Harrods Reach where there was a tunnel that had previously been closed up due to past instances of harm begins to cause more issues. This story is told in multiple points of view, which I usually tend to love, however in this case it was actually really hard for me to connect with any of the characters because of how often the POV was switched. I feel like it was but wasn't easy to follow, mainly because of the constant shifting of narration, I found myself questioning who was who and how exactly they relate to this story. Mister Lullaby is also told in multiple timelines which I had no issues with, I actually enjoyed finding out how the timelines collided.

This was an extremely slow burn in my opinion, which is never really an issue for me, but I felt like the entire time I just wanted to know more about Mister Lullaby and LaLaLand. I felt like there was a lot more character building going on when all I wanted was world building, which in the end is totally a me problem. The writing itself is absolutely impeccable, to the point where J. H. Markert and his stories remind me of Stephen King, which I am a huge fan of. There are plenty of oddities within this story that I was so down with and the horror aspects and the gore in this one are on point! There were certain twists that were put in there that definitely threw me for a loop and I very much enjoyed them.

The concept of this one is so unique and spectacular that I literally couldn't stop reading and/or listening but it was just lacking something for me, and if I'm being honest, I still haven't been able to pinpoint what exactly. This book is definitely creepy as fuck, though I wouldn't say that I was ever actually scared, but it still had a pretty good shock value to it, especially with tying in the lullabys. I will say though the tie in of Nightmare man to this one was *chefs kiss​* absolutely genius and I loved it so so so so so much. The ending was pretty abrupt and I kind of expected more out of it, which leads me to believe there will be another book coming out, which if that's the case - hell yeah I'll be reading it.
I listened to this one via audiobook while reading the eARC. The narrators were David Bendena; Lauren Ezzo and they did a great job at bringing this one to life and really made this story extra creepy with their narration. Definitely recommend listening to this one.
Overall this wasn't my favorite, though I definitely enjoyed it. Will I read more of Markert's work as it's published? ABSOLUTELY, especially if there is a continuation of this story. I'm definitely recommending this one to all of my horror fans out there, I think this is definitely going to be one that people are going to love.

Huge thank you to NetGalley, J. H. Markert, Dreamscape Media and Crooked Lane Books for the eARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review. Mister Lullaby releases on 11/21 - be sure to check it out.

Such a fantastical story! Reminiscent of old Stephen king tellings. So much amazement and horror throughout the pages made it hard to stop reading. I’m so hoping for a continuation of the story and to see what happens next in lalaland.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc

When Nightmares come to life!

There is an old, abandoned train tunnel in Harrod’s Reach, it’s a sinister tunnel that has seen its fair share of danger. A young boy is injured in the tunnel and bodies have been found outside of its entrance. It has become a real nightmare for the townspeople.

The young boy, Sully, who is injured is in a coma but wakes up just long enough to give a message saying “Run"! Sully has been trapped in Lalaland while in his coma! Lala what, you ask. Lalaland is a place where others in comas are trapped with the evil creatures of sleep. Sully with the others like him are fighting to keep the evil creatures from entering the waking world.

Teddy was never like the other children. He has growths on his head that he tries to keep hidden. He begins hearing the voice of Mr. Lullaby telling him to act by killing coma patients.

This was a dark and sinister tale that is not for the faint of heart. It is imaginative and does have strong Stephen King vibes. I had both the book and the audiobook and found myself listening to the audiobook more as I enjoyed the narration.

The book is slow to build and has many characters (mainly creepy), different timeframes, and an uneasy feel. I didn't find this book to be scary, but it is creepy, horrific and dark. Like other reviewers, I found the ending to be a little abrupt. I'm assuming the author is planning on another book.

While I enjoyed this book, I wasn't blown away by it. But I did enjoy the atmosphere, the sinister vibe, the danger level. Others are enjoying this book more than I did, so please read their reviews as well.

Original, dark, and atmospheric.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media, Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

A young coma patient awakens briefly to warn the town that he’s trapped in Lalaland where mythical sleep monsters feed on the living minds that are inhabited there.
Meanwhile, a small town railway tunnel caves in and the residents of Harrod’s Reach realize that the boundary between the physical and the nightmare world where Mr. Lullaby lives is growing weaker by the moment. And Mr. Lullaby wants out.

⭐⭐⭐ 3/5
0 /5 spice

Tropes:
Mythical Creatures
Otherworldly magical quest

Deb's Thoughts:
I raved about this book while I was reading it and couldn’t put it down! It would have been a solid 5 star read for me, but the book literally just ends, which killed the momentum. I can’t find a reference to a sequel and almost every aspect of the plot still needs to be completed. The writing is suspenseful, downright gruesome and captivating, so I’m confused as to why the author just left the reader hanging at the end.

Triggers:
Coma
Serial killers
Rape
Nightmarish Creatures

I went into this story blindly with my book club as a buddy read and with high hopes because they were all excited about it. Unfortunately, I did not really enjoy this story and so therefore I’m going to keep my review short and simple.
The story had potential-the idea of the fight to save the town from the evil LaLaLand and its inhabitants that you enter when you dream sounds like it should be good right? Especially when you read the description of some of the animals that exist in LaLaLand-purple snakes, red deer with orange antlers, etc. it sounds quite magical and so when the story finally gets to the point (and it takes a long time to get there btw) there is such a minimal amount of time in LaLaLand it is such a letdown! I mean, what has this all been about? Then there are so many secondary characters that are irrelevant to the story that just helped to bog down the details. And the ending left it open to a second book, but I think if they had edited this one a little better they could have made a better ending with this one and skipped the need for a second book imo.
Could have been good but missed the mark.
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.