Thanks to NetGalley and the author for granting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest rating.

Thank you NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and J. H. Markert for early access copy of Spider to the Fly.

Spider to the Fly follows the story of Ellie, who after seeing a victim of the I-64 murders who looks identical to her, becomes obsessed with the serial killer named "The Spider." After Ellie wrote a book about the murders, started an online true crime network/database to help prevent victims from being unidentified, and eventually starts helping law enforcement to track down the Spider., Ellie is suddenly thrown even further into the search when her own therapist gets arrested for the murders.

With twists and turns at all corners, it was hard to put Spider to the Fly down. This will be a fantastic fit anyone who is interested in true crime stories. J.H. Markert does a phenomenal job at making the reader feel like they are watching the story unfold.

🕸️ This book starts much like a typical true crime mystery (fiction) novel - we learn about the long-term serial killer and the true crime investigative journalist, our main character, Ellie Isles, who is somehow connected to and investigating the case.

🕷️The book started out reading as a tiny bit confusing, but once the story picked up, it did take off!

🕸️ There are a lot of surprises in the story - it heads in directions I would not have expected from the beginning opening.

🕷️ Some of those twists and turns felt a little conveniently written and/or far-fetched, but in the end they came together into a compelling story. It reminded me a bit of the House in the Pines in that some of the explanations for what happened feel far fetched but are still a fun and exciting “what if” to explore. The twists kept twisting although I did predict the big ones

🕸️ I enjoy stories written like this with multiple POVs that expose more information as the story continues.

🕷️I really liked the ending a lot - it was action packed and tense! I even had an actual chill or two.

🕸️ If you are scared of spiders / arachnaphobic - you’ll want to skip this one!

🕷️ Thank you to the author, Crooked Lane books, and @netgalley for this #gifted #advancereadercopy in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't think any JH Markert book could beat The Nightmare Man, but dang if this book might do it.

I love the mystery around the FMC and her potential connections to the murdered victims and killer. I also think her personality was perfection for this type of curious, aggressive, 'don't stop until I get answers' character.

I also love the progression of the book. It starts off as a dark, crime solving mystery, then (like typical JH Markert books) turns into something more complicated.

I feel so lucky to be able to review this book early and am already anxiously awaiting his next book.

The story started off slow, and I kept having to stop and come back to it. There were a lot of characters that you had to keep track of, so I got confused about who people were a time or two. Ellie was a little confusing to me at times but as the story progressed I started to understand her more. The twist at the end was a good one and I didn't see it coming. All and all I really liked it but there was a lot happening in the story so you have to pay attention.

Book review 📖

📜Spider To The Fly
✍️J.H. Markert
📠Crooked Lane Books
📚Mystery/Thriller Fiction
🗓️Pub date: September 2, 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️

✨Thank you @NetGalley and @crookedlanebooks for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

✨True crime writer, Ellie Isles, first became obsessed with the I-64 murders when she saw her face on one of the victims. The victim was identical to her in every way, so compelled to find out everything she could, Ellie wrote a best-seller, dubbing the killer “the Spider.”

✨Weaving his victims into a web they can’t escape from, the killer is still very active four years later.

✨With a new and improved system of cataloguing and identifying potential victims—homeless, runaways, and drug-addicted—Ellie is able to share and work alongside law enforcement in assisting their investigation. Once her therapist is arrested for the murders, she is in a race against time to find out who the Spider killer is.

✨This was a spooky ride with a horror-y edge. Perfect for any serial killer thriller lovers, this one will have you scratching your head in the whodunit department. A little bizarre at times and character heavy, so it was somewhat tough to navigate.

#netgalley #spidertothefly #jhmarkert #crookedlanebooks #advancedreadercopy #arc #bookreview #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #summerreleases #thrillerfiction

Thank you to @netgalley @jamesmarkert74 and @crookedlanebooks for allowing me to read this amazing book!

I give this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ without hesitation and if I could give more, I would! I am a FAN of @jamesmarkert74 and this book is by far, in my opinion his best! The storyline was easy to follow and the characters lives pulled me in! Even though the story goes back and forth from past to present and from one character to the next, it’s well told and easy to follow. I can’t wait for this books release date so that everyone can get their hands on a copy!

Markert is quickly becoming the master of that fine line between thriller and horror. The MO of the serial killer in this one is honestly terrifying. There is so much to this story, as well, like a web they slowly builds to the ending, and when you get the full reveal my kind was blown. The characters are well drawn and interesting, it’s an incredibly solid and engrossing book.

Definitely a enthralling read. The plot is original and quite well-developed. It truly felt like the story has been thoroughly thought out, it did not read like a more « mainstream » thriller, and I liked that. It was a rather profound read, with some storylines intertwining. It was not a straight forward read, though it was easy to read thanks to the writing. The only thing is I did not connect with the characters at all, especially one male character that was ruining some scenes for me. But I would still recommend this book… if you’re not terrified of spiders.

Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Spider to the Fly had a great premise but I think the author got caught up in telling too many different stories. The multiple sets of identical twins, the vague background that happens to come back to them after another character dies, the "who done it!" clue vibes. I would have rather read about the Farm and the game OR the serial killer. Jamming both into this novel made it aggressively busy with no real pay off. While this novel is hailed as "the heir to Stephen King", I think it falls extremely short of that promise. Some readers might enjoy this novel but for me, it didn't stick. The last minute plot twist sealed the deal for me with a low rating.

This book has a very interesting introduction, and then it goes into the story about a journalist investigating the Spider serial killer.

I think I should just decide now that this authors books aren’t really for me.

There’s nothing wrong with the two books I’ve read but there’s just also nothing that draws me into the story enough.

Sleep tight was police procedural and that is not my thing but this one wasn’t as much but it still was. It’s just my own personal taste!

This was a stunning thriller, definitely one to put at the top of your TBR reads.

It’s like Silence of the Lambs mixed with Orphan Black and at times gets wildly outrageous with the plot twists.

Follow a serial killer named The Spider who has left multiple young women along the highway. Cause of death? Multiple venomous spider bites.

Then we have an intrepid and determined woman who has dedicated years of her life trying to catch this madman, after one of the victims looked like her identical twin.

I was really caught up in whodunnit, and it felt like every other page my hypothesis was changing. As secrets and truths were revealed there were a few times I rolled my eyes at some of the ridiculous reveals.

Other than that it was definitely hair raising and captivating. The method of taking the lives of the victims was SO disturbing. 🕷️

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Crooked Lane Books for a copy!

I’m mind blown but this book and I just have a feeling that I want to turn this into a movie so so bad.
At first I didn’t know what was going on but as I got more into the book, I just COULDNT put it down!
It was too good, the story and the plot itself was so good!
I think the only downside of this is that I wanted to be more of Ian’s POV. I wanted to see his side of the story and definitely wanted to know the details of Bart and Karena’s death.
Either way I still enjoyed the book regardless and I’ll definitely recommend it
Thank you netgalley for the early ARC

I honestly had a really hard time reading this book. Lots of characters that are too intertwined with each other, multiple sets of twins that are being mistaken for one another, and story just seemed to drag along.. The back story of The Farm and the game of Spider and Fly was interesting but it took forever for it to unfold. Too many characters and too much of a serial killer thriller for me. I really enjoyed Sleep Tight by this author but this book was just not for me. Book will be released September 2, 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review. This book will be released September 2, 2025.

Ooo boy this was a thrill ride! You have to suspend your disbelief a bit for this one, but it’s well worth it. The story is very intriguing and has so many enjoyable elements! I really liked Ellie, the main character, and her daughter Amber. I will say there are a lot of people (and OTHERS) to keep up with and at times it was a little confusing, but it all came together. I definitely had no issue flying through the pages as I was dying to get to all of the answers! I enjoyed this one quite a bit!

This was my first book by Markert, and it definitely made me want to move his other books up on my TBR. I found the idea behind this book intriguing, and it kept me engaged the entire time. The twists were good; however, I guessed one of them. I think I've read so many thrillers that I’m getting too skilled at figuring out the formulas.

Needless to say, I really enjoyed this. I did have some trouble keeping track of all the twins and who was who, but it didn’t lessen my enjoyment.

I thought Markert did a great job of maintaining interest and providing that eerie feeling you want in a thriller.

If you’re looking for a solid psychological thriller, I think this one would be a great choice to pick up.

J.H. Markert cleverly spins a meandering web of a tale that is sure to trap readers from its very first chapter. I was completely engrossed in the story from start to finish, theorizing about the serial killer even when I put the book down.

To fully enjoy the story, it helps to suspend your disbelief and accept that some questions will remain unanswered. Though that didn't affect my rating, the ending did, as it felt more like a setup for a series, which likely explains the lack of closure.

I still highly recommend this book for a thrilling read.

Ellie’s fascination with the I-64 murders turns into full-blown obsession when she sees her own face on TV except it’s not her. The 17th victim is her identical copy. Fueled by deep curiosity, she writes a bestselling novel inspired by her own research on the I-64 victims and launches The Spider Web a site that helps identify missing persons and helped identify some of the I-64 victims. But as the bodies keep piling up and unsettling memories creep in, Ellie realizes the truth might be lurking in the shadows of her own mind. And worse she might already know the killer.

When I say I never saw that ending coming, I mean if you gave me 100 guesses and a psychic, I still wouldn't get it right but the ending was sooooo satisfying. This book had everything I crave in a thriller twists, turns, and that deliciously unsettling feeling that keeps you up way past bedtime. J.H. Market is a mastermind, and I’d give anything to sit down with him just to figure out how his brain works because wow just wow.

Thank you @netgalley
and @crookedlanebooks for this EARC in loved it so much!

This one had me hooked from the start. A true crime writer who sees her face on a murder victim? That’s the kind of creepy I love. Ellie’s obsession with the Spider killer felt totally believable, especially since she’s already knee-deep in this world with her followers and databases. The whole “citizen detective meets serial killer” thing was done really well without feeling over the top.

The pacing kept things interesting, and I liked how the book explored people society often overlooks—it made the mystery feel heavier in a good way. I wasn’t expecting the therapist twist (yikes), and while a few parts felt a little far-fetched, I was totally in for the ride.

If you’re into crime stories with a side of obsession, some moral murkiness, and a main character who won’t let things go (in the best way), this one’s worth the read.