Although this book kept me engaged throughout, and I did really like the writing style, there were a few things that kept me from really loving this one. First of all, the pacing felt a little inconsistent with some sections being super gripping and suspenseful and others feeling slow and bogged down in details. My biggest issue might be a spoiler, so I will try to keep it vague. But I don’t love the use of mental illness as a “thrilling” plot device. I don’t know a lot about the mental illness used in this one, but although it didn’t feel overtly offensive, it still felt like kind of a lazy and cliche choice. This one just felt like it was trying to do too much between going through a cold case, child kidnappings (particularly with our main character’s daughter), plus a weird cult that was never fully explained. With so many elements, it felt like nothing was given the proper time or explanation. I have heard great things about this author’s other books, and this book definitely didn’t dissuade me from wanting to try those. Particularly with how much I did enjoy the writing style and how propulsive some of this felt, I would hope that his other works would work more for me.

a serial killer copy cat goes on a rampage and there is only one person who can catch them? If you feel the need to lock all your doors and not want to be alone at night this is a great read. There is a lot going on... Cults, creepy dolls, stalking, kidnapping, and an unsettling house.

Ok, this is some seriously next-level horror thriller read!
There is EVERYTHING in there. Suspense, doom, mental institutions, it’s a chilling and atmospheric fast-paced read, laced with palpable HORROR.

What a read this was! This story goes along the story of the classic missing child, but then even brings in themes like mental institutions, old homes and mental illness. As the plot progresses it is hard for the reader to determine who to trust, who is good, who is bad, because ultimately it is all so subjective. Ironically, a character drives with the window down smoking a cigarette as an ultimate "I don't care" to a world who seems to care a lot about them. It just all felt so intense and captivating. This is a top horror read for 2024!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane books for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the story of Father Silence, a brutal serial killer that left behind 19 bodies and one survivor. A small kid was the only one to make it out alive from this sadistic killer’s basement. After his arrest, he refused to speak. This got him the nickname of Father Silence. But right after his execution nearly 20 years later, people are being murdered again, kids are being kidnapped and the police are running out of time to find them alive. The new serial killer is calling himself the Outcast.

Detective Tess Claibourne tries to uncover the identity of this new killer and catch them before it is too late. This is personal for Tess and there is no stone she will leave unturned to find those children.

Despite the pacing being a bit off at times, I really did enjoy this thriller with a touch of horror.
I am not a huge fan of horror so this thrilling cat and mouse tale between a smart detective with nothing to lose and an evasive killer checked the boxes for me!

Holy creepy cult vibes!!! I flew through this one, it was so good!!!! 🙌

Fast-paced throughout and a definite page turner!! If you enjoy horror or thriller novels involving cults or serial killers, you need to pick this one up!!! 👏

Thank you to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and J.H. Markert for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️ I have The Nightmare Man and Mister Lullaby on my TBR and I’m so excited to get to them both soon!!!

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 executed, 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.

This is the third book I have read by this author. Although I did enjoy this one, I will admit I enjoyed the other two slightly more. This was definitely creepy though, and it kept me on the edge of my seat wondering who the Outcast really was, and why they were doing this. Stakes got increasingly higher as the book went on, until it ended with an explosive finish. I really enjoyed the way it tied past and present together using Tess's memories. Because she was so traumatized from that as a child, she completely lost all memory of that time. As the case builds, her memory slowly returns in bits and pieces. If you are a fan of horror, or thrillers then you should definitely check this out.

J.H. Markert has been writing horror lately that feels like old-school horror with a fresh spin, and that is something I can appreciate. Sleep Tight packs one hell of a punch. Markert has a collection of characters that at first feel disjointed, but as they story evolves, so do the characters and the depth of both will quickly pull you in to this pulse-pounding read.

This is horror as it should be written!

Although I went in to the book with the misconception is was supernatural themed, my bad, Sleep Tight was a great read.

This book follows as detective Tess Claiborne returns to her home town that she left long ago in her review mirrors to help solve a case that is eerily similar a case her father solved twenty years ago. The case of serial killer Father silence.

A big thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane books for this ARC

The beginning was a little slow for me but once it going, I was hooked and could not put it down! I liked that it didn’t take until the very end for it to all start clicking together and worked off the twist towards the end to close the story up.

This was my first experience with a J. H. Markert book and I must say that I'm a huge fan of his writing style. So much so that after reading "Sleep Tight" I had to go out and obtain more of his work. This is how a horror/thriller story should be told. While the pacing in the beginning is a little slower than what I normally like, the story picked up quickly and I couldn't put it down. The ending was a little rushed but overall I really enjoyed the story and felt it concluded nicely. I highly recommend this to my fellow horror/thriller lovers.

A really great, suspenseful book about a serial killer, a cult following and the lengths people go to protect secrets. The story starts right away with a flashback of a terrible thing happening to a child. From that moment on the reader is immersed into a world full of horrible circumstances for all involved. The detective that is involved with the investigation has a long history with all the people involved. Because she does not cope well with her missing memories, she has some very destructive coping mechanisms. Then she has to deal with a double hit to her family which only draws her deeper into the past. The monster in the story is actually more than one person. I read this book in four hours because of how the story was so well written and descriptive. A definite ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ recommendation

Well written and easy to follow. I don’t normally enjoy these kind of books but this was a refreshing read

This thriller was very hard to put down. I rushed through my chores to get back to it. Father silence stayed with me for days after I finished this book.

Years ago, Tess’s father arrested a prolific serial killer. On the eve of his execution, a chain of events is set in motion, leading her back to her hometown, where she finds her own past coming back to haunt her. I had some reservations in the beginning, but I ended up satisfied in the end. I won’t give away too much, but it was a great story with a lot of layers. There is some exploration of morals (can bad acts ever be justified? can rules be broken with good reason?) and while the investigation leads Tess to some dicey situations, she happens to be a police detective, so it feels reasonable. I don’t think Tess’s memories coming back in chronological order was very realistic, but it fit neatly into the narrative. I would recommend this one if you like detective stories, serial killers, cults, etc.

The cover of this book does nothing to convey the levels of terror that I had while reading.

A detective with a past she can't remember + the lone survivor of a serial killer + a scary house with a long history of death + the serial killer is named "Father Silence"!!! FATHER SILENCE.

It's a fast-paced thriller - everything in the present happens inside of three days. The flashes of the past are all from one night. With each lightning strike and thunder roll, the story unfolds deeper and deeper....until a final brilliant conclusion.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is a unique and compelling take on a police procedural. So while those sometimes can be a love or hate.. I feel like even those who don’t love that sub genre, should take a chance! If you’re looking to build your spooky season TBR, you would be remiss to not have this on it; a serial killer, brutal murders, missing kids, a cult and some psychological twists! I also must note sometimes when men write women characters, they don’t get it, but during a conversation between Eliza and Tess, I found it so relatable! Markert does such a phenomenal job getting into the heads of all the characters, even a serial killer! And this book is not one to read at night, alone, in the dark.. trust me, I’ve done the leg work! The multiple POVs weaved together, creating so much tension building up to the mind blowing ending!

This was just an okay thriller to me. It's interesting and engaging enough, but I wasn't a huge fan of the characters or the use of Dissociative identity disorder (DID) as a horror element, but overall, it was just fine. The pacing could've been better, but it was easy to read and it entertained me.

Picked this book up as it got me hooked on the black phone similarity. It was spooky and creepy and I know this is gonna do well with horror readers.

Oh man! You know the action packed last couple chapters of a book? This is that, but the whole book through. Even a the halfway mark I would think to myself “this feels like the end. How is there still half a book left?!”

Detective Tess Claibourne’s world is turned upside down when her parents are murdered and her daughter is kidnapped. All of a sudden she is part of a sick game as the suspect taunts her. She ends up back in her childhood home town to piece the puzzle together and hopefully save her daughter in time.

While reading this I was reminded of The Fourth Monkey (by JD Barker) with the smart disturbed criminal leaving clues for the lead detective and The Following (2013 Kevin Bacon TV show) with the cult following of a well known serial killer.

This was a fast paced, bone chilling, edge-of-my-seat book with paranormal/super natural type elements.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. This review will be shared on NetGalley, Goodreads, and Amazon.

Pub Date Sep 10 2024