The mystery here is top notch with a compelling MC and a terrifying villain. In my opinion, a great villain is one who is multi-faceted with some elements that make you pity them and that's exactly what Markert did. Andi Arndt is a great narrator and did a skillful job of keeping the many characters in this story clear and distinct.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC copy of this in exchange for an honest review. Every once in a while, I'll read something that reminds me that there are books in the world that aren't for me. I'm generally an easily pleased reader, but this just didn't work for me. This just did NOT work for me.

There were a lot of reasons why. First, I didn't feel connected to any of the characters. I don't think they had a lot of character development or traits, and that made it really hard for me to root for them or care about them or engage with their trials. Second, there was a LOT going on. Like, too much. For a mystery, having 1000 angles was just overwhelming and made me start to check out of the story. That being said, I still did (mostly) predict the ending, which was weird. It felt like all the 'extra' was fluff and didn't matter at all to the plot, which made the story tough to engage with. I felt my attention drifting quite a bit. The writing was interesting if not particularly well written, and I was invested enough to finish the story, but I just struggled.

The biggest issue I had, though, was with the logical inconsistencies and just complete implausibility in the story. SPOILER: For example, the two parents (Tess and Justin) are 'too involved in the case to investigate' but somehow become the lead investigators, even though Justin a literal professor? The priest in the HIGH-DANGER mental institution is somehow never background checked or verified? They just let NON-INVESTIGATORS take a dangerous patient to a house to try and force him to freak out and release a personality? A woman hears her husband shot on the phone and is just like 'shoot I better call my BEST FRIEND, not the police haha yolo'??? So many of these things kept stacking up to the point where I was LITERALLY rolling my eyes at the end. What in the world?

In any case, the book was really novel and unique, and I think there are a lot of people it would work for. Because of my inherently too logical mind, and because of the lack of character investment, I just couldn't deal. While I finished it (the audiobook narration is very good - that is partially why I stuck it out), I can't say I really enjoyed it, and I am struggling to not think hard about it and rip the plot to shreds with a 'real world take' on what was described.

Synopsis: After a serial killer who terrorized a small town is executed, the detective who put him behind bars is found murdered. To catch his killer, his detective daughter will have to return to her hometown and face her own long-buried memories.

Thoughts: You need to add this book to your spooky season reading list! This book is packed with tension right from the start, and it really doesn’t slow down until the shocking conclusion! Great pacing, a unique plot, and an atmospheric setting make for a heart-pounding read.
A note on the audio: I loved the audio version of this book narrated by one of my favorites, Andi Arndt.

Read this if you like:
🏚️ scary but not full on horror
🏚️ serial killers
🏚️ detective investigations
🏚️ psychological thrillers

J.H. Markert's Sleep Tight feels like plunging into a gripping nightmare from which you can't escape, and I would confidently rate it four stars.

Set in a small town cloaked in darkness, the story revolves around the chilling legacy of a serial killer who once masqueraded as a priest. Intriguing, right? Brace yourself because the book takes you on a thrilling journey filled with unexpected twists that will leave you breathless. The premise of a detective's daughter confronting her deepest fears and darkest memories drew me in right away, and the story didn’t disappoint—it’s an exhilarating ride from start to finish.

The novel’s fast-paced momentum is one of its strongest elements. There's hardly a moment to catch your breath as each chapter delivers suspense, action, and surprise after surprise. Just when you think you’ve figured it all out, Markert hits you with another twist, keeping you on edge.

Although I occasionally found myself needing a moment to absorb everything happening, that intensity is part of what makes Sleep Tight so exciting. From serial killers to kidnappings, cults, and addiction, the story is packed with drama.

Tess Claibourne, the protagonist, is particularly compelling. She's flawed and burdened by her past, yet her courage and determination shine through as she races to uncover the truth about her family’s dark secrets while trying to save her daughter. Her emotional journey had me fully invested until the very end.

If you're a fan of thrillers, Sleep Tight is a must-read. With its relentless pace, layered characters, and spine-chilling twists, it’s the kind of book that will keep you hooked well into the night, turning pages to uncover the next shock.

I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook! The narration was incredibly well done. The story pulled me in and had me listening for hours. The characters were intense and so intricately thought out. Some of the best character buildings I've ever read. A must listen!

💤Book Review💤
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Summary- 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.
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Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️
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My thoughts- this one had potential but it also had some problems. Thank you @crookedlanebooks and @netgalley for the advanced copy of this one, it released last week. I thought I was going to love this one, but it had quite a bit of problems. The ending was a bit out all over the place, the characters weren’t super likable, and there was just a bit too much going on in this book. I really disliked the bit about the killer having a facial deformity and stutter. It’s 2024 it’s really not cool to make that the underlying reason a person becomes a killer. It just didn’t sit right with me but the overall premise of this was good. 🥴
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QOTD- what are you currently reading ? I’m working on The Night We Lost Him.
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Father Silence once terrorized the rural town of Twisted Tree, disguising himself as a priest to prey on the most vulnerable members of society. The police caught up to him and locked him away after they find his home full of bodies . Two decades later, he is put to death, but a new serial killer is taking credit for the murders .
When Tess’s daughter is kidnapped by the Outcast, she travels back to Twisted Tree to visit the boy who survived and see what secrets might be buried .

This book is fast paced, and very complex. Each chapter is full of suspense , and never a dull moment.

A consistently-creepy, fully engrossing horror/thriller. Some of the twists toward the end felt a bit extraneous, but definitely a great read.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this audio.

WOW the book was amazing and kept me on the edge of my seat. I finished it in one sitting. The narrator.. WOW!! Did such an amazing job on this one!

I haven’t read a good serial killer book in a while. This one was definitely original, and full of terrifying moments. Not only is the serial killer/ kidnapper the hook of this story, so is Tess. She is a very damaged individual, who is dealing with demons while trying to find her daughter. We get a look into her past, and her connection to the killer, and it’s scary as hell.
I listened to this book, as I do with all of JH Markerts books, to get a fuller experience. The narrator, Andi Arndt, is a master of voices and emotion. They bring the suspense levels up in the right moments, giving goosebumps. I really recommend the audio version of this book to step it up a notch.
The thrills and chills were on point, and the twists were unexpected. I had a couple of wtf moments, as well as a few jaw droppers. The book doesn’t let up at all.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced copy of Sleep Tight. I enjoyed the narrator, she had a pleasant voice and tone. Sadly, this book didn’t live up to my expectations. The premise sounded creepy and intriguing, but there were way too many plot devices to keep up with and in the end, the reader needs to suspend far beyond belief. I was hoping for a horror novel but this read like a police procedural.

I got an ARC of this audiobook through NetGalley. I enjoyed parts of it but parts of it felt too convoluted.

Oh my gosh! This book (audiobook) kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I was hooked from the very beginning. Right as I thought I had it figured out, another twist! wow!

I really enjoyed this book and am thankful for the chance to listen to it as an audiobook. I was hooked from the very first chapter. My 13 year old daughter and I had so much fun trying to piece together clues to figure it out. We were way off. There were so many twists that we finally said let's just listen and see where this is heading. This was a great book and we both hope the ending is leaving it open to a sequel, because we would both most definitely be interested in reading/listening to if/when it comes out.

What a ride. This book is dark but very good. The writing was incredible. I remember reading Mister Lullaby last year and really liking it, and I can say J. H. Markert really out did himself here. I really loved the characters. The plot had me engaged from the start! I mean within the first 10% of the book all hell literally breaks loose and you just can't help but to need more answers. It's really fast paced so it kept me entertained till the twists and turns that was the last 20% of the book. Perfect for the Halloween!

While I do wish the audiobook would have had more than one narrator Andi Arndt does a very good job keeping all the characters voices different, so I was never lost while listening.

The morning after the execution of serial killer Jeff Pritchard, Tess receives a phone call from a man who identifies as 'The Outcast' who claims to have murdered the lead detective from the Father Silence (Jeff Pritchard) case. Shortly after this event happens, Tess's life is flipped upside down when the same man kidnaps her daughter. Tess, her husband, and a gang of fellow detectives and friends go on a wild goose chase to unravel the mystery and find the lost children.

This book gave me nightmares. As a parent, one of my worst fears is my children going missing, and that's exactly what happened to Tess in Sleep Tight. The beginning and end of the book were *chef's kiss* but some portions in the middle were a bit slow to get through. I enjoyed listening to the audiobook, the narrator did a great job portraying the characters. The book was easy to understand and follow along. I didn't feel like I was left with many questions after finishing.

Thank you to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and J.H. Markert for the complementary audiobook in exchange for my honest review

This was a good but Dark thriller, perfect for Halloween. It reminded me a lot of Alex North's books with the multiple POV, secret backstories, and different timelines. I did have trouble a couple of times keeping track of the characters, but it all makes sense in the end.

TW: child abuse (not explicit), attempted rape of a minor, substance abuse.

Wow, Sleep Tight had it all, serial killer, kidnapping, mysteries, pace, you name it. I think it is best to go in blind with this book.

This book starts off with the Father Silence, a terror of Twisted Tree, serial killer with one survivor in an asylum. Two decades later Father Silence is brought to his death sentence. Soon after a copycat killer arises.

We follow detective Tess Clairboure as she is on the hunt for this killer that brings her to her home town. Fighting her own childhood trauma to find her kidnapped daughter.

This book had a great pace and kept me on the edge of my seat.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this audiobook for my honest review of this book.

I was addicted to this audio - I cleaned for hours to keep it going.
I loved the women's issues weaved into the story- that's what made it a five star read for me. Subtle ways women talk about autonomy away from men.
Loved these characters, family history and drama.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for sending me the audiobook of Sleep Tight!

When I started Sleep Tight, it had my ENTIRE attention. I was so in it & needed to know the what, who, when, why & hows — but at some point, my attention kinda wavered & I lost all interest. It still was an okay read & the concept was interesting, but it’s not going to be a book I remember weeks from now.

As for it being audio, the narrator did a fine job & think it’s a great way to read this story