Twisted and creepy, I enjoyed this horror read immensely. Tess is a cop with a messy personal life. Separated from her husband, her daughter hates her and she’s barely keeping it together when an infamous serial killer is executed. The police officer who stopped him is Tess’s father, so she gets involved in a very complicated but engrossing series of events featuring cults, multiple personalities and the kidnapping of her daughter. I loved the characters. Tess is messed up, but really trying to be a good mother. Her police partner, Danny, and his wife Eliza are specially adorable. The baddies are, as usual with this author, a little over-the-top but so scary that it doesn’t matter. The plot involves supernatural elements along with a procedural. Every single location is hair-raising, and the last part is very suspenseful. Markert’s novels should be in any horror reader’s library. Five stars.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Crooked Lane Books.

When a serial killer is put to death 2 decades after terrorising a local community, it seems like the end of a nightmare. But a matter of days later the people involved with the case are being by systematically murdered and children are going missing. With another killer on the loose and her daughter missing it is up to the daughter of the original arresting officer and the one victim that got away to solve the case…but the surviving victim is in an asylum for the criminally insane….

This is a really compelling read: part Silence of the Lambs, part Split I really loved the way that trauma is examined and mental health highlighted as a very terrifying thing.
Sleep Tight combines psychological thriller, slasher and folk horror in one brilliant package. The chapters are short and the narrative shifts perspective which means you are kept on the edge of your seat the whole time. There are some classic tropes in here with some plot twists I saw coming, but there are other totally original plot points that completely absorbed me. This was a great read

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers!
Serial killers, cults, missing children, and missing memories-this book had it all! Creepy in all the right ways, I tried to limit myself to only reading during daylight hours-yes, it was that creepy-but had to binge read it nice and quick because it was just that good!

***SPOILERS***

The author did a great job of setting up the premise and then immediately getting right into the action. Loved all the different POVs! The little snippets we got of Tess’ past as the memories resurfaced were very intriguing. At no point in reading did I ever have any idea of how this was going to end. As soon as I had an idea it was squashed and I was left confused again. Loved the way everything came together in the end. I only noticed one inconsistency but it didn’t bother me much. When “Father Friday” shaved his head and suddenly the warden knew who he was with the new description, it didn’t make sense to me. If he had been coming to see the prisoners the first Friday of the month for a while then that means the warden would’ve saw him with hair as him shaving it was new. But like I said didn’t bother me much just left me wondering if I possibly missed something. I liked how the ending was somewhat left open and gave the possibility for a second book. Overall very well written and attention grabbing.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

What a psychological read this was! I was hooked on every word. Tess is battling demons both past and present as she searches for her daughter and through her memories to uncover the truth. I thoroughly recommend anyone read this book. I will be searching for other books by this author.

This book was amazing and so twisted with layers upon layers. It's a dense read but all the information in the book is necessary. J.H Markert has a brilliant mind to create this story. The last half of the book made me gasp so much and made me think back to the bread crumbs that were left throughout. A great read for fans of psychological thrillers with a focus on split personalities. I would love to see this as a movie in the future and can't wait to read more of his books.

SLEEP TIGHT by J. H. Markert

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC ebook.

The book starts off with Father Silence finally being put to death after terrorizing the rural town of Twisted Tree, nearly two decades ago. He disguised himself as a priest and preyed on the most vulnerable. The day after his execution, the detective that put him behind bars has been found murdered. A new serial killer is taking the credit for this murder and calls himself the Outcast. Tess Claibourne, the detective’s daughter, is also a detective. Tess has suppressed childhood memories and is terrified with the resurgence of Father Silence’s legacy. Tess’s daughter has been kidnapped by the Outcast and Tess must face her fears and find her daughter.

A dark, chilling, psychological crime thriller that will have you turning the pages fast. This delves into the dark and complex framework of the human psyche. I throughly enjoyed reading this and thought it was one of the better dark crime thrillers I’ve read. Touching on mental health, cults, addiction, abuse, and relationships. James Markert writes under the name of J. H. Markert too. I’ve read A White Wind Blew, by James Markert and enjoyed. I will be reading more of his books.

I struggled to put this book down.

Every chapter leads you further and further down a dark path and honestly, no matter how hard you try to guess what’s at the end, you never will.
I’m usually pretty good at figuring out plots but this one had me blindsided.

I had a little issue with the different pov’s in the beginning but the author makes it effortless to settle into the different narratives and timeframes.

I loved the characters. The inclusion of trauma and mental illness in different scopes was a diverse tough that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Brilliant read.

A low-key horror hit to look forward to this fall. It feels like Alex North's Whisper Man (which the blurbs reference). It also feels like J.D. Barker's "The Fourth Monkey." It's a psychological horror story that leaves a gossamer shadow in your heart the deeper your read.
The writing is pretty sharp. I think I was expecting something that re-invented the wheel, which is the only reason I considered docking a star. Ultimately, however, the story doesn't need to reinvent the genre. It delivers an outstanding story of menace and dread. Pick it up if you like psychologically dark stories.

Thank you Crooked Lane Books for the gifted ARC!

I LOVED everything about this book. The pacing was great, we got different character POV chapters, and the way everything weaved together was so intriguing to me.

There was a slight element of paranormal in this one, like Markert's other novels, and it was really well done. I wasn't really expecting a "big reveal" but we did get one and it was SO good! I cannot say enough good things about this one. I think it has dethroned The Nightmare Man as my favorite Markert novel!

Sleep Tight pub date is September 10.

Sleep Tight is a suspense thriller that borders on horror. J.H. Markert really knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat. It was intense and kept me up late at night reading longer than I should because I wanted to know what would happen next.

The execution of a high profile killer sets things in motion for Tess and the small town of Twisted Tree. There is murder, kidnapping, a cult, and mayhem in this book, plus a lot more.

I really liked how Tess had holes in her memory from something that happened in her past and how what she had blocked out tied into what was happening in the present.

I thought the characters are well-written and every plot point in the story comes together nicely in the end. I thought the handling of sensitive subjects was done well, also.

Trigger warnings for this book include: murder of adults and children, drug addiction, kidnapping, mental health issues, mentions of child abuse.

Last fall, I read “Mister Lullaby” by this author, and really enjoyed it. I thought it started slowly but then finished strong, and I liked all the imagery. I liked this one too, though maybe not quite as much. This felt the opposite to me - it started really strong, then got a bit too drawn-out towards the middle and end. In both books, I felt like there were too many characters to keep track of, but this one may have been worse in that aspect, as several characters have several names, and this spans several generations.

We start this book with a serial killer named Jeff Pritchard (aka Father Silence) being executed. He killed at least nineteen people, but one got away - a child named Noah, who is now in a hospital for the criminally insane. When a copycat killer calling themselves “The Outcast” kills the detective who originally arrested Father Silence, it brings into the story Tess and Justin, his daughter and her soon-to-be ex-husband. While Father Silence kidnapped/killed the neglected, the mentally ill, the drug addicted, The Outcast seems happy taking anyone, including Tess and Justin’s daughter, Julie.

The whole book is about trying to find Julie, and it also has the story of the past. I really loved this as it started out, but the more I read, the more convoluted it felt. This was an interesting concept, but it just got too muddied and the ending felt abrupt compared to the rest of the relatively slow book. It also went from more of a straight horror story into a fantasy story, and that’s something I usually don’t care for. This was good, but I liked “Mister Lullaby” better (and I still haven’t read “The Nightmare Man!”). 3.5 stars.

(Thank you to Crooked Lane Books, J.H. Markert and NetGalley for the ARC I’m exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on September 10, 2024.)

Thank you Netgalley for this eARC. 4.5 for this book. This is a slow burn thriller with lots of characters. However it all comes together nicely at the end. There were times when I needed more to happen but needed to know what was going on. It had a nice psychological aspect to it but some was harder I believe. I can’t go into detail as it will spoil anything. There were parts that creeped me out and will probably continue from this author.

Solid thriller and not what I expected. The inclusion of D.I.D. was certainly unique and not something that has been overdone in the genre. The plot twists were well timed and keep me reading late into the night. My only complaint was that some of the side stories and characters we just unneeded or not advanced. Noah and Benjamin sharing a mind and only mentioned twice? Just unnecessary for the storyline. It was realistic and then...what? Completely removed me from the realism of the story. But he got me back. The infidelity? Justin's drinking? Tess's addiction? Killing all the farm animals? And then the reveal of how the grandfather actually died? Glossed over. That I would have liked to hear more about. Home girl was deranged!

Overall a great thriller, and makes me want to read more by the author.

Creepy and suspenseful.

My only complaint is there are a lot of characters to keep up with as well as a lot going on. At times it was hard to keep up with who was who and what is actually happening.

Tess is a detective just like her father. Her father is known for putting away the notorious Father Silence and that case haunts him to this day. It becomes clear that Tess's father is to be punished for his involvement in putting away the murderer. A new murderer comes to the surface, Outcast, and a series of events unravels as people end up murdered and ultimately Tess's daughter gets kidnapped.

Many twists that keep you guessing, and the reveals are flawless. Well written and thrilling.

"Sleep Tight" by J.H. Markert is my first read from this author, and it did not disappoint. Channeling the eerie and captivating style of Stephen King, this book has been generating quite the buzz, and for good reason. Once the story gets off the ground, it becomes an utterly compelling read.

The novel intrigued me on all fronts that I love: true crime, psychology, forensics, police procedural elements, and multiple POVs that keep the narrative fresh and engaging with every turn of the page. This is horror at its finest, complete with serial killers and dark, twisted elements that left me riveted.

The portrayal of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) did become a bit confusing towards the end with the multiple personalities, but it didn’t detract significantly from the overall experience. In fact, I appreciated how the ending left the door open for a potential sequel (fingers crossed).

"Sleep Tight" offers a wild ride featuring druggies wearing weird animal masks, thunderstorms, an old amusement park, priests, the paranormal, kidnapping, mommy issues, &&& lotssss of murder. The blend of these elements created a unique and terrifying atmosphere that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Overall, I have no critiques for this one; chef's kiss. I highly recommend it if you're looking for a police procedural horror with a sprinkle of cult activity and a lot of terror. It’s so unique, and I’m definitely interested in exploring more of J.H. Markert’s work.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and J.H. Markert for providing a complimentary digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

I'll be honest at first glance the big draw to Sleep Tight by J.H. Markert was the fantastic cover art and title design, but after the first few pages of this horror novel we were in for the long haul.


Father Silence once terrorized the rural town of Twisted Tree, disguising himself as a priest to prey on the most vulnerable members of society. When the police finally found his "House of Horrors," they uncovered nineteen bodies and one survivor–a boy now locked away in a hospital for the criminally insane.

Nearly two decades later, Father Silence is finally put to death, but by the next morning, the detective who made the original arrest is found dead. A new serial killer is taking credit for the murder and calling himself the Outcast.

The detective’s daughter, Tess Claibourne, is a detective herself, haunted by childhood trauma and horrified by the death of her father and the resurgence of Father Silence’s legacy. When Tess’s daughter is kidnapped by the Outcast, Tess is forced to face her worst fears and long-buried memories. With no leads to follow, she travels back to Twisted Tree to visit the boy who survived and see what secrets might be buried in the tangled web of his broken mind.

Aside for the wonderful artwork, as I delved into the pages, I was immediately drawn in by the dark and complex framework of the human psyche that J.H. Markert expertly weaves throughout the narrative. Throughout my reading experience, there was a perpetual sense of anticipation surrounding how the book would unfold. While some of the twists were predictable, it's really hard to write a novel nowadays and not have at least a few predictable twists, the bulk of the twists and turns were unpredictable, keeping us on edge as we raced through towards the end.

Sleep Tight was not only a super suspenseful novel, but one with depth and complexity in character development. The characters all felt real and flawed, making them relatable despite the dark circumstances of the novel. Tess Claibourne's journey from detective to determined mother seeking answers was both heartbreaking and empowering.

Sleep Tight by J.H. Markert is a gripping, thrilling and intense horror novel with some pretty stellar twists, complex and well-developed characters, and a pretty atmospheric and dark setting. Sleep Tight is a horror novel that delivers on all fronts. While we loved the cover art, the story was just as good.

Sleep Tight
by: J.H. Markert
due 9-2024
Crooked Lane
5.0

There is a satanic cult in the town of Twisted Tree. Its haunted by its past, held hostage by its present, and people are being killed in the name of Father Silence. They wear the masks of animals.

This novel twists and turns, like a can of worms. The complex story lines help keep the creepy feeling at a high-it enhances the story and deepens the connection between Father Silence, Noah, Tess and the town of Twisted Tree. Noah and the black eyes have conjured an image in my mind that I can't forget. Its one of my favorite parts of the story. J.H. Markert is a writer whose work I will look for. I loved this book.

Complex, unforgettable and enthralling, don't miss this one, sure to become a classic.
Thanks to Net Galley for sending this e-book ARC for review
#SleepTight #NetGalley

Oh Boy! This was a wild ride. The elements of this story are everything I like; cult, serial killer, premonitions, dark themes, police & psychology relationships. In this story we follow Tess, who in current time is witnessing a serial killer get the death penalty. Once this occurs, weird things start happening and due to an event she has to revisit her hometown. The darkness in this book is similar to the one in Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter. This would have been a 5 star and I would have push this down people’s throat (consensually) IF the author would have not used the laziest plot device in this story. The representation of this device was awful, and this is coming from somebody who works in that specific field. Also, the way they tried to explain the way somebody was skimming in this novel was unrealistic. The different character were great, and the fact that we get inside the main character’s head was awesome. Gave more depth to Tess. Also, the different clues used in this story we do get to see, which are mostly old police files. So much potential ALL wasted. Overall, I do look forward to more books by this author and hope they make better choices to tell even better stories.

This was such a great book! I believe it has all the great elements to be made into a movie! The book touches on things like marital problems, childhood trauma, cults, murder, etc. The book is mainly told from the point of view of Tess who is a detective just like her father. Her father had been the lead detective in a murder investigation in their old home town in Twisted Tree and the person responsible was named Father Silence. Right from the beginning we learn that Father Silence has finally been executed so you would think that the nightmare is finally over, however it is just the beginning of a new nightmare!
This book is a different kind of horror that no parent wants to go through. I liked that the story was told from present time to past time. Tess has had some blocked memories from her childhood that begin to resurface with the kidnapping of her daughter, Julia.
The story develops really well and there were a lot of twists and turns to get to the truth.
I definitely recommend this story! Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books. All opinions are my own.