Thank you Netgalley, author and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC.
In the eerie town of Twisted Tree, Father Silence, a notorious serial killer, was executed. But for detective Tess, daughter of the cop who caught him, his death was only the beginning. When Tess’s daughter is kidnapped by a new evil known as The Outcast, it becomes a race against time. As old memories resurface and dark secrets unravel, Tess must return to her hometown to uncover the truth behind the sinister murders that hit too close to home.

Sleep Tight by J.H. Markert delivers an intriguing mix of crime procedural and horror that grips you from the very first page. As soon as the story kicks off, we’re thrown into a high-stakes investigation with Tess, a tough yet emotionally vulnerable detective, desperately searching for her kidnapped daughter. What I loved most was how quickly the tension escalates—there’s no slow burn here. You’re immediately caught in a whirlwind of action, secrets, and chilling revelations.

The setting of Twisted Tree adds to the eerie atmosphere. This small town with a dark past serves as the perfect backdrop for a twisted mystery, and I enjoyed how the flashbacks to Father Silence’s reign of terror were seamlessly woven into the current timeline. These flashbacks helped flesh out the backstory while heightening the suspense, making you feel like the past and present were colliding in an almost inevitable way.

The procedural elements were well-done, especially if you’re a fan of shows like Criminal Minds or Mindhunter. Interviews, case files, and pieces of evidence slowly come together, creating that classic puzzle-solving feel. However, it doesn’t rely too heavily on police jargon, which makes it accessible for all readers, even if you’re not usually into crime procedurals.

One area where the book could have been a bit stronger is character management. There are quite a few secondary characters, and at times, it can feel a bit overwhelming trying to keep track of who’s who. I found myself having to pause occasionally to remember which character was tied to which part of the story. However, once I focused on the main players—Tess, her estranged husband, and the key figures in Twisted Tree—I was able to immerse myself more fully in the narrative.

The second half of the book ramps up the intensity, with twist after twist. While this kept me engaged, I will say that some of the twists felt a bit excessive, almost as if too much was packed into the plot at once. It made the story feel a little chaotic at times, and I think some readers, especially those listening to an audiobook version, might struggle with keeping up.

What really made this book stand out for me was the underlying creepiness and horror elements. The religious undertones gave the story an extra layer of depth and darkness that I appreciated, without being too overbearing. It added an almost gothic feel to the procedural aspects, which made this read perfect for the spooky October season.

Overall, Sleep Tight is a strong blend of horror and thriller, with enough twists and tension to keep you hooked from start to finish. If you’re looking for a fast-paced, creepy thriller with a mix of crime and supernatural undertones, this is a solid pick!

Rating: 4/5 ⭐
Highly recommend for fans of crime thrillers with a horror twist—this one will leave you checking your doors at night!

Thank you to NetGalley, J.H. Markert and Crooked Lane Books for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Another unpredictable, twisty thriller from this author. He’s easily becoming an auto buy author for me because once I start, I can’t stop his novels. I loved the twists and I would recommend this to everyone.

Audio and ebook

If want a creepy thriller to read for spooky season, Sleep Tight by J.H. Markert is good. It’s set in the town of Twisted Tree, where a serial killer known as Father Silence was executed. A new killer, the Outcast, is targeting people connected to the Father Silence case, and Detective Tess Claibourne’s nightmare is reignited when her daughter is kidnapped.

What I liked about Sleep Tight is the way it blends horror, crime, and mystery. The short, fast-paced chapters had me racing through the book. If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers with a some horror, this is a good start.

3.5 stars rounded up

Thanks to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I LOVED THIS BOOK. This is the perfect book for spooky season. It has everything, a cult, a serial killer, an asylum for the criminally insane, and CREEPY DOLLS. I was afraid to be in my house by myself while I was reading this book, that's how good it was.

I could not put it down and read it in 24 hours. Definitely pick this one up if you are a horror fan!

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a little backlogged with my ARC’s but working diligently to get caught up. This book read more like a detective novel than horror to me. It had some disturbing moments, but overall felt pretty tame compared to some other books I’ve read. I liked the storyline and people with multiple personalities are always interesting. I can honestly say I had no idea where this story was headed and enjoyed all the twists along the way. I would recommend to anyone who likes mysteries and serial killer books!

Tess is a detective in the town of Twisted Tree, and the daughter of a renowned police officer who caught a serial killer named Father Silence many years ago. When Father Silence is finally executed, her father is found dead and Tess’ daughter is kidnapped by a copycat calling himself the Outsider. Together with the help of her recently separated husband, the race is on against the clock to find their child before it’s too late.

This book gave big movie vibes!! Full of twists and turns, fallible characters and creepy imagery, it could definitely be a blockbuster. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I particularly enjoyed the audiobook. The narrator was great! I thought the plot was a bit convoluted at times and could be hard to follow. However, the ending was sooo suspenseful and it hooked me back in. I liked the cast of characters, and Tess was easy to root for. Thanks to @crookedlanebooks, @dreamscape_media and @netgalley for my review copies!

This was honestly a perfect spooky season read! The combo of a procedural, serial 💀 and cult made for quite the page turner - I definitely didn't want to put this one down! Markert is great at bringing that classic horror vibe into his books as well. The characters in this one are super interesting, one character in particular made the entire story harrowing and tense! The plot is fast paced, engaging and twisty. I listened to this one via audiobook and the narrator was excellent. Definitely excited to add this one to my collection!

CW: Kidnapping, murder, animal death, child abuse, infidelity, sexual assault, suicide.

Rating: 4.25/5

A huge thanks to Crooked Lane Books, Dreamscape media and NetGalley for the ARC/ALC and for the free copy! All opinions are my own.

3.75 stars round up

I went into Sleep Tight excepting a gothic horror book but got myself a serial killer cult book instead. And I was more than OK with that! Such a great spooky read. The beginning started off a bit slow for my liking but it picked up about a third of the way in. I would recommend this for fans of the show The Following.

A Big thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author, J. H. Markert, for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this spine chilling, edge of your seat thriller.

It took me a minute to get into it but boy once I did I sped through it! It was so good,, crazy twists, interesting plot lines, characters and craziness without being too crazy. It got a liiiiiitle too paranormal there for a bit but then reigned itself back in again for a solid finish.

4/5 ⭐️

I loved this book so much! This is my second J.H. Markert novel, and I will definitely be reading more. This one was my favorite between the two. I couldn't put it down. Tess is such a strong character. She stops at nothing to find her daughter while weeding through her forgotten memories from a traumatic childhood. I really enjoyed her character development. Justin has made many mistakes, but it is clear that his family is important to him. Father Silence was terrifying. There was an excellent amount of horror and suspense in this book. It was a perfect read for October! The story is well written, and it was a fast read for me. I have heard parts of the audiobook and found that to be just as entertaining.

Amazing!
Sleep Tight was a horror mystery story that had me turning pages until the very end. It was also the perfect read for Halloween season. The author was new to me and I can not wait to read more books by this author. The book kept me guessing the entire time and it was so intense. All of the characters were interesting and I cared what happened to all of them. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and I loved this book a lot. I would recommend this one to any reader especially to those who love horror or thrillers. Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this creepy read in exchange of my honest review of Sleep Tight by J.H Markert.

I was so excited to see this as a BOTM option!! This one is so good and creepy! It’s been compared to Whisper Man by Alex North and it’s definitely in that same vein if not a smidge darker. My kind of book!

A serial killer from 20ish years ago is finally facing his death sentence. And the next day a copy cat appears and the granddaughter of the detective who caught him is kidnapped! Can her detective mom save her? She’s going to have to face her own demons and unravel the mystery that took place all those years ago. And the only person who can help is the man in the psychiatric hospital who was the one survivor of the killer.

It’s good. Dark and gritty and if you haven’t hit checkout on your order yet, this is a perfect spooky season read!

A fun horror-mystery story that will keep you up at night, perfect for the Halloween season. I’ve loved JH Markert’s previous stories and found this one just as intense and chilling. I love serial killer books and found this creepy mixture of horror and thriller, just perfect. The story has interesting characters who you will come to care about and feel invested in what happens to them. I’d certainly recommend this one as well as the authors earlier works. If you’re looking for a fun-to-read nightmare-inducing thriller, be sure to pick this one up.

A creepy psychological thriller that could possibly border on the supernatural. Sleep Tight is a well written, character driven novel that will keep you guessing. There are lots of twists and turns keeping the reader wondering what is going to happen next.
Tess, the main character lived in Twisted Trees. Her father, a retired detective whisked her away across the country without giving her a reason. Tess has blocked out part of her past and doesn’t seem to remember until the end. Many locations and characters add to this well crafted story: the playhouse, the orphanage, several towns, the old amusement park. Father Silence, nuns, lost children of father silence, Lisa Buchanan, Benjamin Knowles, Noah and his many personalities, and so many more add to the this perfect serial killer novel.

An intense and disturbing story about a serial killer and the lengths his followers will go to support his message.

"Beware of the one that got away". Those are the last words from Jeff Pritchard, aka Father Silence, upon his arrest. And after his death penalty is served, the people he terrorized, should sleep better now. Only, his warning may have had some teeth to it.

Tess Claibourne knows Father Silence very well, more than her dad being the arresting officer. It takes awhile for her to reveal her connection to this man, but as people close to the case are brutally murdered and her daughter kidnapped, Tess and those around her have to wonder, is this just a fan of the serial killer seeking revenge, or is it something much darker?

The author does a great job of creating multiple threads in the past and present, and weaving them together to create a gripping story. Given all the variables in play, I didn't have much hope for Tess and her team. But despite her personal issues, Tess doesn't give up and is pretty sharp on her feet (even under the influence of opioids). And a surprising alliance makes a difference in the course of events.

For those looking for a spooky October read, this dark thriller should definitely be added to your TBR.

A family drama with some police procedural and a supernatural element.

I love J. H. Markert's writing. He writes some of the craziest stories with a mix of so many different characters and story lines. And instead of being confusing it creates an interesting story you just can't wait to see how it turns out. This book was no different. A mysterious serial killer that hasn't said a word in decades being executed is already intriguing enough. Then a kid is kidnapped and it's all connected had me hooked. Tess is an interesting and flawed character and learning how she's connected in so many different ways made the story more mysterious. Seeing things from her perspective and having her have to juggle so many different things; being a detective, mourning a death, being a mom trying to find her kidnapped daughter, and being a wife and friend gave so many different angles to connect me to the story and the characters. See different narrators and perspectives pop up throughout the book made it that more mysterious but also answered some questions along the way. All of these aspects leading to a satisfying end in my opinion.

This is a book that will keep you completely intrigued and flipping through the pages.

If you are looking for a taut thriller, this is it. A well-written story with some exceptional characters. This was my first J.H.Markert book and I was pleasantly surprised.

I feel that the plot could have been tighter in some places but I am not complaining much.

4 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC.

If you're looking for a spooky read to kick off the Halloween season, "Sleep Tight" by J.H. Markert should be on your radar. The story is set in the eerie town of Twisted Tree, where a serial killer, Father Silence, seems to linger even after his execution. With nineteen victims to his name and only one survivor, you'd think the terror would be over, but the nightmare is just beginning. A new killer, known as the Outcast, emerges, and Detective Tess Claibourne is thrust back into her personal hell when her daughter is kidnapped. Tess, grappling with her own unresolved trauma, must return to the scene of past horrors to find answers and face secrets buried deep in the town’s past.

This novel is a blend of horror, crime, and mystery, with plenty of religious and cult undertones. The plot moves at breakneck speed, packed with complex, grisly scenes that feel both creepy and suspenseful. Told through multiple points of view and shifting timelines, the narrative keeps you on edge, and cliffhanger chapter endings only add to the tension. At times, though, there’s almost too much happening— with themes of multiple personality disorders, addiction, childhood trauma, and grief, it can feel overwhelming.

Still, "Sleep Tight" delivers on its promise of a dark, disturbing atmosphere. The characters are well-developed, and despite the whirlwind of events, it’s easy to get caught up in their stories. Fans of serial killer thrillers will appreciate the inventive twists and the tight pacing. While the ending feels a little rushed, the journey is gripping enough to make this a worthwhile read for thriller fans.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’m a sucker for a good creepy story, and this hit the mark. When Father Silence is finally executed for his crimes, a series of murders begin, and it becomes a race to save all involved.

Though I did pick a few things early on, I wasn’t prepared for just how twisted it all was going to be.

Great character building, compelling storyline, creepy bad guys, and an ending that could have you torn - it certainly gave me mixed emotions!

A great read for spooky season!

Sleep Tight by J.H. Markert is a chilling psychological thriller that masterfully intertwines suspense and emotional depth. The narrative centers around a mother whose life spirals into chaos when her son goes missing, prompting her to confront dark secrets that threaten her family’s safety. Markert’s writing is gripping, filled with unexpected twists that keep readers on the edge of their seats. The exploration of fear, love, and resilience makes this a compelling read for fans of thrillers that delve into the complexities of the human psyche.