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Sleep Tight
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Horror (2024)The sole survivor of a serial killer might hold the key to stopping a new spree of murders in this propulsive thriller in the vein of The Black Phone and The Whisper Man.
Dark and twisting at every turn, fans of Catriona Ward will love this chilling new tale from the deviously inventive horror author that Peter Farris calls the “clear heir to Stephen King.”
Beware the one who got away . . .
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.
With captivating prose and an old-school horror flair, Sleep Tight is a must-read, haunting tale from a true master of the genre.
Dark and twisting at every turn, fans of Catriona Ward will love this chilling new tale from the deviously inventive horror author that Peter Farris calls the “clear heir to Stephen King.”
Beware the one who got away . . .
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.
With captivating prose and an old-school horror flair, Sleep Tight is a must-read, haunting tale from a true master of the genre.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 10, 2024
991 people are currently reading
64087 people want to read
About the author
J.H. Markert
8 books933 followersAlso writes under James Markert.
J. H. Markert is a producer, screenwriter, husband, and father of two from Louisville, Kentucky, where he was also a tennis pro for 25 years. He graduated with a degree in History from the University of Louisville.
J. H. Markert is a producer, screenwriter, husband, and father of two from Louisville, Kentucky, where he was also a tennis pro for 25 years. He graduated with a degree in History from the University of Louisville.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,002 reviews
October 27, 2024
Just no. Beyond confusing, SO far fetched. Had so much potential, but was truly such a waste of time from start to finish. Trash
October 12, 2024
2.5 Stars ✩ˊ˗
╰┈➤˗ˏˋ 𝓠𝓾𝓲𝓬𝓴 𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂 ✶⋆.˚
Detective Tess Claibourne has spent many years haunted by a terrible event that happened when she was a teenager. She can’t remember all the details but it ended with her father arresting a serial killer called Father Silence. Now, after all these years, Father Silence is executed.
But there‘s a new serial killer in town. He‘s calling himself The Outcast and he just murdered Tess‘s parents and kidnapped her daughter. To stop this new horror, Tessa must face and untangle her web of lost memories.
╰┈➤˗ˏˋ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 ✶⋆.˚
I'm a little conflicted with this one. Some parts were compelling with cliffhanger chapter endings and super short chapters that had me reading much further than I had planned and other areas of the book I experienced some lulls where the pacing slowed and was too detailed on inconsequential things.
There were times I found myself not eager to pick the book back up. It started strong and punchy and honestly horrific but didn't hold the momentum for me. I didn't like the FMC - I just couldn't connect with her at all. Not even as a mother of a missing child. Her character was poorly constructed and she felt half-assed.
I'm still left with questions- nothing crazy. I mean, the most basic questions that tie the entire story together. I'm trying to make the puzzle pieces all fit together so I can see the entire picture but I'm coming up empty. I'm left underwhelmed.
╰⪼ Police Procedural
╰⪼ Cult Horror
╰⪼ Crime Thriller
╰⪼ Psychological
╰⪼ Serial Killer
Thank you to my girlies for buddy reading with me -💋 Courtney , Cara and Divinity ❤️
Many thanks to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and J.H. Markert for the complementary digital copy in exchange for my honest review 🖤🔪🩸💋
╰┈➤˗ˏˋ 𝓠𝓾𝓲𝓬𝓴 𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂 ✶⋆.˚
Detective Tess Claibourne has spent many years haunted by a terrible event that happened when she was a teenager. She can’t remember all the details but it ended with her father arresting a serial killer called Father Silence. Now, after all these years, Father Silence is executed.
But there‘s a new serial killer in town. He‘s calling himself The Outcast and he just murdered Tess‘s parents and kidnapped her daughter. To stop this new horror, Tessa must face and untangle her web of lost memories.
╰┈➤˗ˏˋ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 ✶⋆.˚
I'm a little conflicted with this one. Some parts were compelling with cliffhanger chapter endings and super short chapters that had me reading much further than I had planned and other areas of the book I experienced some lulls where the pacing slowed and was too detailed on inconsequential things.
There were times I found myself not eager to pick the book back up. It started strong and punchy and honestly horrific but didn't hold the momentum for me. I didn't like the FMC - I just couldn't connect with her at all. Not even as a mother of a missing child. Her character was poorly constructed and she felt half-assed.
I'm still left with questions- nothing crazy. I mean, the most basic questions that tie the entire story together. I'm trying to make the puzzle pieces all fit together so I can see the entire picture but I'm coming up empty. I'm left underwhelmed.
╰⪼ Police Procedural
╰⪼ Cult Horror
╰⪼ Crime Thriller
╰⪼ Psychological
╰⪼ Serial Killer
Thank you to my girlies for buddy reading with me -💋 Courtney , Cara and Divinity ❤️
Many thanks to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and J.H. Markert for the complementary digital copy in exchange for my honest review 🖤🔪🩸💋
October 9, 2024
Oh, I definitely "Slept Tight". Sleep Tight written by J.H. Markert wasn't horrible by any means, but it also wasn't the greatest book I've ever read either, it just wasn't for ME. I know many people will still enjoy this book and that makes me so happy, but it just wasn't my cup of tea. First and foremost, I am NOT being hateful towards this author at all, so please don't come onto my review with hateful comments, please be respectful, these are just my opinions and my opinions alone. With Halloween around the corner, I was looking for a spooky read, but in my honest opinion, Sleep Tight wasn't spooky enough for me. I was looking for a book that would make me jump out of my seat, but this book left me with more unanswered questions than anything. Sleep Tight definitely had some scary moments, but not enough to make me scared and love it. There were definitely some cliffhanger chapters where I just wanted to keep reading, but other times some chapters were filled with useless information that I really didn't care for. I don't want to be rude by any means, but in my opinion, this book could have used a few more editing stages. I don't want my review to deter anyone away from this book by any means, so please do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this book, you might have better luck than I did, this is just how I felt.
THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND CROOKED LANE BOOKS FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!
First, I would like to give a BIG thank you to my stunning gals Heather, Courtney, and Divinity for buddy reading this book with me and holding my hand throughout this book💋. I had the best time reading with you ladies. I love each and every single one of you for going on this journey together❤👻.
"❌Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness❌."
Sleep Tight takes place in the small town of Twisted Tree, Kentucky. We have a very unique selection of characters there were involved in this book, let's meet them. Tess Claiborne and Justin Claiborne were married, but now they are divorced because Justin decided to have an affair with another woman, Together Tess and Justin have a nine year old daughter, Julia, whose in the fourth grade. Tess is a detective for the Missoula, Montana police department, and Justin is a psychologist. In Sleep Tight we follow the story of a killing spree and the one and only lone survivor telling his own story. Jeff Pritchard was a former parochial school janitor, Jeff disguised himself as a priest to his victims, Jeff kills what he considers the outcasts of society, after his killing spree Jeff has gone completely silent, and completely refusing to talk which has earned him the name Father Silence. Father Silence's victims are all males that are troubled, neglected, addicted, and homeless, also known as society's so called castaways, all of the victims are adult males. After Jeff is arrested and on trial, juries have sentenced and condemned Jeff to death by electrocution. What do people get out of killing others? It just makes me sick to my stomach knowing that there's people in today's world that kill others for no reason.
After Father Silence dies, there's a new person out there who is now taking credit for Father Silence's victims, known as The Outcast. Tess's father Leland Patterson and his partner Burt Lobell are the two officers who arrested Father Silence. The Outcast later kills Tess's parents, but for what? Possibly revenge for arresting Father Silence? Read this book to find out. One day, when Julia is at school, The Outcast shows up to Julia's school wearing sunglasses and calming to be Julia's uncle and then kidnapping her, I'm sorry, but isn't Julia's mom, Tess a detective? Shouldn't Julia know stranger danger? Richard Moore is an eight year old orphan taken from a residential children's home in Boise, Idaho, Richard has a history of running away, so no one is really too concerned when Richard goes missing. The Outcast left behind a polaroid of Julia and Richard together in a stolen car for Tess to find. There's other characters in this book, but I won't say anymore because you need to meet them yourselves. At times when the pace picked up, it felt like it was going to get better, but it just went downhill immediately after something good happened and then there was just an information dump chapters which really annoyed me because there was just too much pointless dialogue, which wasn't needed, in my opinion.
THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND CROOKED LANE BOOKS FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!
First, I would like to give a BIG thank you to my stunning gals Heather, Courtney, and Divinity for buddy reading this book with me and holding my hand throughout this book💋. I had the best time reading with you ladies. I love each and every single one of you for going on this journey together❤👻.
"❌Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness❌."
Sleep Tight takes place in the small town of Twisted Tree, Kentucky. We have a very unique selection of characters there were involved in this book, let's meet them. Tess Claiborne and Justin Claiborne were married, but now they are divorced because Justin decided to have an affair with another woman, Together Tess and Justin have a nine year old daughter, Julia, whose in the fourth grade. Tess is a detective for the Missoula, Montana police department, and Justin is a psychologist. In Sleep Tight we follow the story of a killing spree and the one and only lone survivor telling his own story. Jeff Pritchard was a former parochial school janitor, Jeff disguised himself as a priest to his victims, Jeff kills what he considers the outcasts of society, after his killing spree Jeff has gone completely silent, and completely refusing to talk which has earned him the name Father Silence. Father Silence's victims are all males that are troubled, neglected, addicted, and homeless, also known as society's so called castaways, all of the victims are adult males. After Jeff is arrested and on trial, juries have sentenced and condemned Jeff to death by electrocution. What do people get out of killing others? It just makes me sick to my stomach knowing that there's people in today's world that kill others for no reason.
After Father Silence dies, there's a new person out there who is now taking credit for Father Silence's victims, known as The Outcast. Tess's father Leland Patterson and his partner Burt Lobell are the two officers who arrested Father Silence. The Outcast later kills Tess's parents, but for what? Possibly revenge for arresting Father Silence? Read this book to find out. One day, when Julia is at school, The Outcast shows up to Julia's school wearing sunglasses and calming to be Julia's uncle and then kidnapping her, I'm sorry, but isn't Julia's mom, Tess a detective? Shouldn't Julia know stranger danger? Richard Moore is an eight year old orphan taken from a residential children's home in Boise, Idaho, Richard has a history of running away, so no one is really too concerned when Richard goes missing. The Outcast left behind a polaroid of Julia and Richard together in a stolen car for Tess to find. There's other characters in this book, but I won't say anymore because you need to meet them yourselves. At times when the pace picked up, it felt like it was going to get better, but it just went downhill immediately after something good happened and then there was just an information dump chapters which really annoyed me because there was just too much pointless dialogue, which wasn't needed, in my opinion.
September 8, 2024
J.H. Markert is an author you’ll want to keep your eyes on! The cover alone is enough to pull you in, but don’t be fooled by the slightly misleading title—it delivers way more than you might expect. If you’re into ghostly and mild supernatural vibes (or even if you’re not), this one might just surprise you. It’s not spine-chillingly scary, but the horror elements still creep up in all the right places.
Now, let’s talk about Noah—whoa! I won’t spoil a thing, but the mystery surrounding him is so good, and watching Tess and Justin unravel it is a journey you don’t want to miss. Oh, and pro tip: Don’t skip the prologue—it’s a big deal in this one! The opening chapters? Chef’s kiss. They perfectly set the stage and tone for what’s to come.
Overall, this book’s got a unique concept, strong writing, and plenty of gripping moments to keep you hooked. Big thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for letting me dive into this ARC!
Now, let’s talk about Noah—whoa! I won’t spoil a thing, but the mystery surrounding him is so good, and watching Tess and Justin unravel it is a journey you don’t want to miss. Oh, and pro tip: Don’t skip the prologue—it’s a big deal in this one! The opening chapters? Chef’s kiss. They perfectly set the stage and tone for what’s to come.
Overall, this book’s got a unique concept, strong writing, and plenty of gripping moments to keep you hooked. Big thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for letting me dive into this ARC!
June 21, 2024
My thanks to Crooked Lane Books, J.H. Markert and Netgalley.
This damn author is pretty freaking fantastic!
Sure, its only the second book of his I've read, but hoo wee! What a fucking ride!
I loved this book. It was every sort of messed up and honestly? I'm here for that!
This damn author is pretty freaking fantastic!
Sure, its only the second book of his I've read, but hoo wee! What a fucking ride!
I loved this book. It was every sort of messed up and honestly? I'm here for that!
July 27, 2024
★2.75 stars (rounded down) for the book, ♾️ stars for the group buddy read
I definitely “slept tight” through this book and its severely uneven pacing 🥴😴
☆What to Expect:
After a child kidnapper/serial killer is given the final outcome of the death penalty, the town of Twisted Tree, Kentucky quickly learns he had a cult following. Detective Tess Claiborne, originally from the area, also learns the child kidnappings have not ceased. When her parents are murdered and her child is taken, it is up to Tess and her cheating psychologist husband Justin, along with a police and FBI force, to come together and solve the mystery of the continued kidnappings before it’s too late.
☆My Thoughts:
Listen, it wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t that good either.
What hinders this book is its pacing and the lack of clarity in its resolutions. I enjoyed the premise and felt it was unique, but it just needed something more. Just when it felt like the book would pick up, it would immediately slow back down to a snail’s pace. So much of the story dragged and was stalled by endless conversations and a plateaued plot. This could have used a few more rounds of editing for sure. SHOW ME, don’t tell me. And keep me thrilled and engaged the more I read!!
Like the rest of the buddy read group, I have SO many questions left. Things were not fully explained, even though you’d think with the endless amounts of dialogue, it would all make sense in the end. NOPE. This, combined with unreliable narrators, drastically lowered the rating for me.
ALSO! Went into this, based off the spooky af cover, that I would be spooked throughout this entire thing. And trust me, I handle horror about as well as a child terrified of the dark. I was maybe spooked .5 times?? Not what I was expecting at all.
Might be a better read towards the spooky season, but I wouldn’t anticipate being all that scared of it any time of the year.
Thank you again to my girls Divinity, Cara, and Heather for the best time buddy reading!! ❤️❤️❤️ TY for making this experience bearable!
* ゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜*
Pre-review:
JK not done traumatizing myself with the serial killer reads quite yet. BUT at least I have my queens Divinity, Cara, and!! Heather holding my hand during this terrifying journey 🖤 So excited for this spooky group buddy read!! 😱🏚️👻
I definitely “slept tight” through this book and its severely uneven pacing 🥴😴
☆What to Expect:
After a child kidnapper/serial killer is given the final outcome of the death penalty, the town of Twisted Tree, Kentucky quickly learns he had a cult following. Detective Tess Claiborne, originally from the area, also learns the child kidnappings have not ceased. When her parents are murdered and her child is taken, it is up to Tess and her cheating psychologist husband Justin, along with a police and FBI force, to come together and solve the mystery of the continued kidnappings before it’s too late.
☆My Thoughts:
Listen, it wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t that good either.
What hinders this book is its pacing and the lack of clarity in its resolutions. I enjoyed the premise and felt it was unique, but it just needed something more. Just when it felt like the book would pick up, it would immediately slow back down to a snail’s pace. So much of the story dragged and was stalled by endless conversations and a plateaued plot. This could have used a few more rounds of editing for sure. SHOW ME, don’t tell me. And keep me thrilled and engaged the more I read!!
Like the rest of the buddy read group, I have SO many questions left. Things were not fully explained, even though you’d think with the endless amounts of dialogue, it would all make sense in the end. NOPE. This, combined with unreliable narrators, drastically lowered the rating for me.
ALSO! Went into this, based off the spooky af cover, that I would be spooked throughout this entire thing. And trust me, I handle horror about as well as a child terrified of the dark. I was maybe spooked .5 times?? Not what I was expecting at all.
Might be a better read towards the spooky season, but I wouldn’t anticipate being all that scared of it any time of the year.
Thank you again to my girls Divinity, Cara, and Heather for the best time buddy reading!! ❤️❤️❤️ TY for making this experience bearable!
⋆₊⊹⁀➴ And a very special thanks to Crooked Lane Books, Netgalley, and the author for sharing this advanced copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
* ゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜*
Pre-review:
JK not done traumatizing myself with the serial killer reads quite yet. BUT at least I have my queens Divinity, Cara, and!! Heather holding my hand during this terrifying journey 🖤 So excited for this spooky group buddy read!! 😱🏚️👻
February 7, 2025
In a nutshell, Sleep Tight is a lot to work through.
It's an interesting story, but it's also hard to track. I couldn't even attempt to guess how many character names we learned over the course of this story. It was one of those situations where I got to the end and would hear a name and be like, who's this?
I will not even attempt to get into the actual plot with you...
I really enjoyed the initial set-up, hearing the story of Father Silence, and meeting our MC, Tess. There were also a lot of the bits towards the end were I felt fully invested, but the middle part got muddled and my attention definitely wavered because of that.
I guess I would say I felt similar with this author's earlier two works that I've read: The Nightmare Man and Mister Lullaby. Markert has exciting, ambitious concepts, but I'm not sure their execution always ends up working out for me.
To be fair though, I enjoyed this more than I didn't.
I would recommend this to Readers who enjoy Gritty Crime Thrillers that swerve into Horror territory. This one succeeds in capturing that gritty, dangerous feel and I did feel like it progressed at a fast clip throughout.
Some of the aspects of this definitely worked better for me than others, but overall, I think it's a good book. I would also recommend the audiobook, as that was well narrated by the always fabulous Andi Arndt.
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media for providing me with copies to read and review.
J.H. Markert continues to intrigue me with his creative concepts and dark atmosphere. Though this wasn't my favorite of his, I still felt it had a lot of strengths. I will def be picking up whatever he releases next!
It's an interesting story, but it's also hard to track. I couldn't even attempt to guess how many character names we learned over the course of this story. It was one of those situations where I got to the end and would hear a name and be like, who's this?
I will not even attempt to get into the actual plot with you...
I really enjoyed the initial set-up, hearing the story of Father Silence, and meeting our MC, Tess. There were also a lot of the bits towards the end were I felt fully invested, but the middle part got muddled and my attention definitely wavered because of that.
I guess I would say I felt similar with this author's earlier two works that I've read: The Nightmare Man and Mister Lullaby. Markert has exciting, ambitious concepts, but I'm not sure their execution always ends up working out for me.
To be fair though, I enjoyed this more than I didn't.
I would recommend this to Readers who enjoy Gritty Crime Thrillers that swerve into Horror territory. This one succeeds in capturing that gritty, dangerous feel and I did feel like it progressed at a fast clip throughout.
Some of the aspects of this definitely worked better for me than others, but overall, I think it's a good book. I would also recommend the audiobook, as that was well narrated by the always fabulous Andi Arndt.
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media for providing me with copies to read and review.
J.H. Markert continues to intrigue me with his creative concepts and dark atmosphere. Though this wasn't my favorite of his, I still felt it had a lot of strengths. I will def be picking up whatever he releases next!
July 27, 2024
Buddy read with @Courtney and @Cara♥️
I’m terrified but I’m not alone 😩🫣
I’m terrified but I’m not alone 😩🫣
August 14, 2024
Who is ready for spooky season?? 🖤 THIS GIRL!! 🙋♀️ Wow!!! I absolutely loved this book!! Thank you so much @crookedlanebooks for my gorgeous gifted copy!! 😍
Pub date is September 10th!! 🥳🥳
OMG this was my first @jamesmarkert74 book and let me tell you… I am a FAN!! Thankfully I have The Nightmare Man and Mister Lullaby waiting for me on my shelf!!
Let me tell you… Sleep Tight?? 😴 Ummm NO! 😂 I read this right before falling asleep every night. 😂 I did not sleep tight. 😳This book literally occupied a space in my head even while sleeping. 😳 I was jumpy and completely fight or flight ready. 🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️ Why?? Listen to this…
A serial killer that terrorized a town… is finally meeting his maker. Dubbed Father Silence… for his lack of speaking 🤐 since caught… 🤫… The terror had finally stopped… until it didn’t. 😧 That’s right… the murders are starting again… SO… Was he not working alone or is there a copycat?? Or did they have the wrong dude?? 😬🤔🤔🤔
So damn creepy!! This book was absolutely fantastic from the very first page. Why?
✅ Serial killer
✅ Creepy AF
✅ House of Horrors😳
✅ Sings 🎶 Goodnight 😴 Sleep Tight 🛌 to his victims
✅ Atmospheric… SO Atmospheric
I can't wait to read his backlist! Perfect spooky season read!
Pub date is September 10th!! 🥳🥳
OMG this was my first @jamesmarkert74 book and let me tell you… I am a FAN!! Thankfully I have The Nightmare Man and Mister Lullaby waiting for me on my shelf!!
Let me tell you… Sleep Tight?? 😴 Ummm NO! 😂 I read this right before falling asleep every night. 😂 I did not sleep tight. 😳This book literally occupied a space in my head even while sleeping. 😳 I was jumpy and completely fight or flight ready. 🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️ Why?? Listen to this…
A serial killer that terrorized a town… is finally meeting his maker. Dubbed Father Silence… for his lack of speaking 🤐 since caught… 🤫… The terror had finally stopped… until it didn’t. 😧 That’s right… the murders are starting again… SO… Was he not working alone or is there a copycat?? Or did they have the wrong dude?? 😬🤔🤔🤔
So damn creepy!! This book was absolutely fantastic from the very first page. Why?
✅ Serial killer
✅ Creepy AF
✅ House of Horrors😳
✅ Sings 🎶 Goodnight 😴 Sleep Tight 🛌 to his victims
✅ Atmospheric… SO Atmospheric
I can't wait to read his backlist! Perfect spooky season read!
November 18, 2024
I really needed this one! It has just the right amount of creepiness and a lovely amount of thrills!
Tess is a cop who comes from a legacy of cops. One of her fathers guilt suspects time is up and his death penalty is inacted. This triggers chain of events and all hell breaks lose in Tess’ life. Her daughter is kidnapped. Her parents are killed. And now she is searching for her daughter and her daughter’s kidnapper which appears to be a man who was just put to death.
This book is a wild and thrilling ride. Hang on to your book covers!
If it was a song it would be Enter Sandman by Metallica
Tess is a cop who comes from a legacy of cops. One of her fathers guilt suspects time is up and his death penalty is inacted. This triggers chain of events and all hell breaks lose in Tess’ life. Her daughter is kidnapped. Her parents are killed. And now she is searching for her daughter and her daughter’s kidnapper which appears to be a man who was just put to death.
This book is a wild and thrilling ride. Hang on to your book covers!
If it was a song it would be Enter Sandman by Metallica
October 4, 2024
HOLY SHIT THE HYPE IS REAL!!! This was my first JH Markert novel and I’m so sad to even be saying that. If you are in the mood for a good read for spooky season…
—- THIS IS THE ONE — And who more to do a perfect buddy read than with my friend, Julie! @juliereads_alot
This is a police procedural/ thriller/ horror story. Definitely not too scary or gory for people who are a little leery of horror books. The combination was absolutely PERFECT!
So much is going on in this that I don’t really think I could do it justice. Really.
Years ago, someone was a keeper of children. Some even found murdered in a home. Years later, the culprit, Father Silence is executed. However, someone is taking children again.
That’s all I can say about that! Period. Sleep Tight is a must read for crime thriller lovers! With some horror elements. Spectacular character development! Excellent writing! Characters to root for! A novel you can’t put down!
BELIEVE THAT!!
Check out Julie’s review too! It was a phenomenal read for her as well!
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
—- THIS IS THE ONE — And who more to do a perfect buddy read than with my friend, Julie! @juliereads_alot
This is a police procedural/ thriller/ horror story. Definitely not too scary or gory for people who are a little leery of horror books. The combination was absolutely PERFECT!
So much is going on in this that I don’t really think I could do it justice. Really.
Years ago, someone was a keeper of children. Some even found murdered in a home. Years later, the culprit, Father Silence is executed. However, someone is taking children again.
That’s all I can say about that! Period. Sleep Tight is a must read for crime thriller lovers! With some horror elements. Spectacular character development! Excellent writing! Characters to root for! A novel you can’t put down!
BELIEVE THAT!!
Check out Julie’s review too! It was a phenomenal read for her as well!
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
November 21, 2024
From tennis pro to pro novelist, J.H. Markert continues hitting aces with Sleep Tight.
In the acknowledgements, Mr. Markert mentions the inspiration for writing this story stemmed from his very real childhood fear of being kidnapped. And what a story he weaves as Sleep Tight. tells a tale of not only of the actual act of kidnapping, but also the emotional and residual damages such a horror can inflict on families, friends, and communities for unforetold years to come.
This is the first book I have read by Mr. Markert, and it most certainly will not be the last.
In the acknowledgements, Mr. Markert mentions the inspiration for writing this story stemmed from his very real childhood fear of being kidnapped. And what a story he weaves as Sleep Tight. tells a tale of not only of the actual act of kidnapping, but also the emotional and residual damages such a horror can inflict on families, friends, and communities for unforetold years to come.
This is the first book I have read by Mr. Markert, and it most certainly will not be the last.
September 9, 2024
An absolute MUST READ for any thriller/ horror lovers this season!
Seventeen years ago, Jeff Pritchard reigned terror over the town of Twisted Tree, Kentucky; disguising himself as a priest in order to collect and murder the outcasts of society—the neglected, the addicted, the homeless. But his reign is over and the day of his execution has finally come. Having not spoken a word since his arrest, the media has deemed him Father Silence.
The morning after the execution, Missoula police detective Tess Claiborne receives a phone call from someone identifying themselves as “the Outcast” and claims to have killed the lead detective from the Father Silence case. Tess has close connection to both cases and works tirelessly to catch the latest killer while juggling her own childhood trauma surrounding the Father Silence case.
This novel should be sold with Xanax because my anxiety was through the roof reading it. This is a book that is packed with tension from cover to cover. Markert comes out of the gates swinging in this complex, grisly, fast-paced crime novel, intricately and meticulously weaving different timelines and view points. I especially enjoyed the “Before” chapters that included police interviews from the detective who captured Father Silence. There were a lot of likable (albeit flawed) characters here which helped propel the story forward but, surprisingly enough, Noah’s—baddy boy Noah—character arc was my favorite.
Overall, no notes on this one, only praise. I would recommend if you’re looking for a police procedural horror with a sprinkle of cult activity and a lot of terror.
Thank you Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the digital copy! Out 09/10/2024!
Seventeen years ago, Jeff Pritchard reigned terror over the town of Twisted Tree, Kentucky; disguising himself as a priest in order to collect and murder the outcasts of society—the neglected, the addicted, the homeless. But his reign is over and the day of his execution has finally come. Having not spoken a word since his arrest, the media has deemed him Father Silence.
The morning after the execution, Missoula police detective Tess Claiborne receives a phone call from someone identifying themselves as “the Outcast” and claims to have killed the lead detective from the Father Silence case. Tess has close connection to both cases and works tirelessly to catch the latest killer while juggling her own childhood trauma surrounding the Father Silence case.
This novel should be sold with Xanax because my anxiety was through the roof reading it. This is a book that is packed with tension from cover to cover. Markert comes out of the gates swinging in this complex, grisly, fast-paced crime novel, intricately and meticulously weaving different timelines and view points. I especially enjoyed the “Before” chapters that included police interviews from the detective who captured Father Silence. There were a lot of likable (albeit flawed) characters here which helped propel the story forward but, surprisingly enough, Noah’s—baddy boy Noah—character arc was my favorite.
Overall, no notes on this one, only praise. I would recommend if you’re looking for a police procedural horror with a sprinkle of cult activity and a lot of terror.
Thank you Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the digital copy! Out 09/10/2024!
October 21, 2024
I picked this one up for the cover/title thinking it was going to be a spoooooooky one for the Halloweeny season. Then I realized it was maybe a serial killer (or copycat serial killer) story and that was A-okay with me too. But then?????
I don’t love a police procedural to begin with and I don’t tend to love missing children stories much either. Combine the two and have the parents both working for the police department whose kid is missing – and yet they are somehow SUPER involved in the investigation and I’m already suspending my disbelief too much. Then add in she’s a drunken pill popper, he’s had an affair, there was a superbadawful that caused amnesia, potential copycat killer, original killer was investigated by cop’s dad back in the day, multiple personalities, maybe there’s a cult, 800 characters to keep track of and perhaps this psychic can help piece things together????? Oh my word . . . .
Also? Why the eff was this called Sleep Tight???? THAT isn’t explained until 80%, but “Outcast” is mentioned forty trillion times . . . .
I don’t love a police procedural to begin with and I don’t tend to love missing children stories much either. Combine the two and have the parents both working for the police department whose kid is missing – and yet they are somehow SUPER involved in the investigation and I’m already suspending my disbelief too much. Then add in she’s a drunken pill popper, he’s had an affair, there was a superbadawful that caused amnesia, potential copycat killer, original killer was investigated by cop’s dad back in the day, multiple personalities, maybe there’s a cult, 800 characters to keep track of and perhaps this psychic can help piece things together????? Oh my word . . . .
Also? Why the eff was this called Sleep Tight???? THAT isn’t explained until 80%, but “Outcast” is mentioned forty trillion times . . . .
September 28, 2024
"Beware of the one that got away."
Sleep Tight is a compelling tale that has a LOT going on. We have Tess, a final girl of sorts, who is now a detective. Father Silence, serial killer, cult leader, and kidnapper is finally, years later, put to death for his crimes. The nightmare is over and Silence's victims have gotten all the justice they're ever going to get. But the very next day, the detective that arrested Father Silence is found dead. That detective was Tess's father. Then more murder victims turn up. Then Tess's daughter is kidnapped. Then.. you'll have to read it to find out!
This is my third J. H. Markert book and they all have a similar vibe. Whacked out serial killers, fast paced plots and characters you can get behind. This one, though, at times felt like it just had too much going on. The cast of characters grew rapidly, there was a cult and a creepy church, a lot of psychology, a mental institution, and a creepy, abandoned park on an island. I mean, I enjoy all of these elements, but all in one book? I feel like this was a big mash up of some of my favorite themes, yet somehow it wasn't 100 percent successful.
That said, this was definitely inventive and fun especially towards the last third of the book. Characters are running all over god's green earth to save these kids and it was exciting. There's another level to Tess's story and her memory of how she became a final girl and the psychology is fascinating.
I was granted an audio ARC and the narrator Andi Arndt was excellent. Her role had to be challenging, can't say why because spoilers, but she pulled it off with aplomb.
Sleep Tight was a good time even if it felt somehow overstuffed, and I do recommend it!
3.5/4, rounded up for Goodreads.
*ARC from publisher
Sleep Tight is a compelling tale that has a LOT going on. We have Tess, a final girl of sorts, who is now a detective. Father Silence, serial killer, cult leader, and kidnapper is finally, years later, put to death for his crimes. The nightmare is over and Silence's victims have gotten all the justice they're ever going to get. But the very next day, the detective that arrested Father Silence is found dead. That detective was Tess's father. Then more murder victims turn up. Then Tess's daughter is kidnapped. Then.. you'll have to read it to find out!
This is my third J. H. Markert book and they all have a similar vibe. Whacked out serial killers, fast paced plots and characters you can get behind. This one, though, at times felt like it just had too much going on. The cast of characters grew rapidly, there was a cult and a creepy church, a lot of psychology, a mental institution, and a creepy, abandoned park on an island. I mean, I enjoy all of these elements, but all in one book? I feel like this was a big mash up of some of my favorite themes, yet somehow it wasn't 100 percent successful.
That said, this was definitely inventive and fun especially towards the last third of the book. Characters are running all over god's green earth to save these kids and it was exciting. There's another level to Tess's story and her memory of how she became a final girl and the psychology is fascinating.
I was granted an audio ARC and the narrator Andi Arndt was excellent. Her role had to be challenging, can't say why because spoilers, but she pulled it off with aplomb.
Sleep Tight was a good time even if it felt somehow overstuffed, and I do recommend it!
3.5/4, rounded up for Goodreads.
*ARC from publisher
October 22, 2024
This was an unexpected book for me. I picked it on a whim without reading the synopsis and I was intrigued very quickly! I did think I knew where it was going and was a little disappointed, but that was only the surface layer of how things ultimately unfolded. There is a lot going on in the book and at times I did have to take a step back and regroup mentally as to who was who. With that said, he did an excellent job of any and all loose ends. My only complaint was I felt like the ending got cleaned up a little too quick, but was still satisfying!! Was a great creepy read for spooky season.
January 23, 2025
oh so we're still doing the villainizing mental illness thing 🙃 I also lost the plot halfway through, but the mask thing was creepy ngl
September 15, 2024
"Sleep Tight" by J. H. Markert is like stepping into a heart-pounding nightmare that you just can't tear yourself away from – and I give it a solid four stars.
A small town shrouded in darkness, haunted by the legacy of a serial killer who once posed as a priest. Sounds intense, right? Well, buckle up, because this book takes you on a wild ride through twists and turns that'll leave you breathless. The premise alone – a detective's daughter forced to confront her deepest fears and darkest memories – had me hooked, and I couldn't wait to see where the story would take me. And it's a wild ride from start to finish!
What I loved most about this book was its breakneck pace. Seriously, there's never a dull moment! Each chapter is packed with action, suspense, and enough twists to make your head spin. Just when you think you've got it all figured out, Markert throws another twist, leaving you scrambling to keep up.
However I'll admit, there were moments when I had to pause and catch my breath because there was just so much going on. But you know what? That's part of what makes "Sleep Tight" so darn exciting! From serial killers to kidnapping to cults and addiction, this book has it all.
And then there's Tess Claibourne. She's flawed, haunted by her past, and yet she's also incredibly brave and determined. Her journey to uncover the truth about her family's dark secrets while racing against the clock to save her daughter had me totally invested from start to finish.
"Sleep Tight" is a must-read for anyone who loves a good thriller. With its fast-paced plot, complex characters, and spine-tingling twists, it's a book that'll keep you up way past your bedtime, eagerly turning pages until the very end.
A small town shrouded in darkness, haunted by the legacy of a serial killer who once posed as a priest. Sounds intense, right? Well, buckle up, because this book takes you on a wild ride through twists and turns that'll leave you breathless. The premise alone – a detective's daughter forced to confront her deepest fears and darkest memories – had me hooked, and I couldn't wait to see where the story would take me. And it's a wild ride from start to finish!
What I loved most about this book was its breakneck pace. Seriously, there's never a dull moment! Each chapter is packed with action, suspense, and enough twists to make your head spin. Just when you think you've got it all figured out, Markert throws another twist, leaving you scrambling to keep up.
However I'll admit, there were moments when I had to pause and catch my breath because there was just so much going on. But you know what? That's part of what makes "Sleep Tight" so darn exciting! From serial killers to kidnapping to cults and addiction, this book has it all.
And then there's Tess Claibourne. She's flawed, haunted by her past, and yet she's also incredibly brave and determined. Her journey to uncover the truth about her family's dark secrets while racing against the clock to save her daughter had me totally invested from start to finish.
"Sleep Tight" is a must-read for anyone who loves a good thriller. With its fast-paced plot, complex characters, and spine-tingling twists, it's a book that'll keep you up way past your bedtime, eagerly turning pages until the very end.
May 16, 2024
I liked. I liked it a lot.
June 5, 2024
I'll be honest--what first grabbed me about this book was that fabulous cover. But once I delved deeper and read the synopsis, which intigued me beyond words, I knew I had to request it on NetGalley! And oh my goodness, am I glad I did!
On to my review!
The prologue was compelling, leaving you as the reader with so many questions, but setting the stage for an enthralling psychological thriller that will often leave your heart racing. The plot-line surrounds a serial killer known as Father Silence, his House of Horrors, and the gruesome legacy he leaves behind. There was so much going on in SLEEP TIGHT that my head was spinning during most of it. You need to bring your A-game to this novel — don’t expect an easy read where your mind can wander. Don’t read it while you're sleepy, either! I found myself rereading passages just to make sure I was following everything correctly. As a former psychology major, counselor, and professional student (haha), I was truly fascinated by so much about this book. I don’t want to divulge anything, though, because any spoilers going into the novel would be tragic. The less you know, the more you’ll enjoy it, trust me!
There are many characters in this book, which often negatively impacts character development. However, the author does an amazing job of developing the characters with such detail, helping the reader become even more immersed and invested in the story playing out on the pages. Tess (our MC) is a complex, flawed, brilliantly written protagonist. Her strained relationship with husband, Justin, added to the tension and helped truly humanize both of them. The antagonists in SLEEP TIGHT are equally well developed, including the Outcast and Noah, making both absolutley intriguing, especially when we are given glimpses into their troubled minds. Long held secrets, as well as traumatic suppressed memories, slowly make themselves known—a gradual process, but only helping propel the plot forward in ways you couldn’t possibly imagine going into this book.
Oh, and I especially loved reading the "BEFORE" chapters in the novel, including the police interviews. Each was deftly placed in the book to help build up the mystery and suspense. It's a cat-and-mouse thriller that will have you asking who is the real villain, whom can you trust, and what’s with those masks? My one complaint is about the ending, which was very good but seemed rushed in my opinion. I would have liked to see more regarding confrontation and closure. But without a doubt, I'd recommend this book to everyone who loves horror-filled stories packed with mysteries, twists, and memorable serial killers.
I want to thank NetGalley, J.H. Markhert, and Crooked Lane Books for gifting me the ARC of SLEEP TIGHT! It was such a privilege to read this before publication. And I appreciate you trusting me with an honest review!
On to my review!
The prologue was compelling, leaving you as the reader with so many questions, but setting the stage for an enthralling psychological thriller that will often leave your heart racing. The plot-line surrounds a serial killer known as Father Silence, his House of Horrors, and the gruesome legacy he leaves behind. There was so much going on in SLEEP TIGHT that my head was spinning during most of it. You need to bring your A-game to this novel — don’t expect an easy read where your mind can wander. Don’t read it while you're sleepy, either! I found myself rereading passages just to make sure I was following everything correctly. As a former psychology major, counselor, and professional student (haha), I was truly fascinated by so much about this book. I don’t want to divulge anything, though, because any spoilers going into the novel would be tragic. The less you know, the more you’ll enjoy it, trust me!
There are many characters in this book, which often negatively impacts character development. However, the author does an amazing job of developing the characters with such detail, helping the reader become even more immersed and invested in the story playing out on the pages. Tess (our MC) is a complex, flawed, brilliantly written protagonist. Her strained relationship with husband, Justin, added to the tension and helped truly humanize both of them. The antagonists in SLEEP TIGHT are equally well developed, including the Outcast and Noah, making both absolutley intriguing, especially when we are given glimpses into their troubled minds. Long held secrets, as well as traumatic suppressed memories, slowly make themselves known—a gradual process, but only helping propel the plot forward in ways you couldn’t possibly imagine going into this book.
Oh, and I especially loved reading the "BEFORE" chapters in the novel, including the police interviews. Each was deftly placed in the book to help build up the mystery and suspense. It's a cat-and-mouse thriller that will have you asking who is the real villain, whom can you trust, and what’s with those masks? My one complaint is about the ending, which was very good but seemed rushed in my opinion. I would have liked to see more regarding confrontation and closure. But without a doubt, I'd recommend this book to everyone who loves horror-filled stories packed with mysteries, twists, and memorable serial killers.
I want to thank NetGalley, J.H. Markhert, and Crooked Lane Books for gifting me the ARC of SLEEP TIGHT! It was such a privilege to read this before publication. And I appreciate you trusting me with an honest review!
April 6, 2024
This book was fantastic!! From beginning to end, this read had me on the edge of my seat with too many questions to hold still. The character development was excellent and I was invested in each character and their relationships. It straddles a cast of characters from the past and present and you’re constantly in a state of trying to connect the two. And the horror - holy fear!! There are drugged up adults wearing creepy animal masks and making animal noises, thunder and lightening, a haunted forest and an amusement park… oh, and priests. This book has it all!! Excuse me now while I go read every book this author has ever written.
December 15, 2024
Sometimes, I wonder if these male authors have ever met a woman in real life.
The FMC was distractingly horrible. She was both unlikeable and unrealistic. Blaming herself for her husband cheating because she hadn't slept with him in a while because she was focused on maintaining her 1st year of sobriety was particularly annoying. As was her secret miscarriage, because it was "her fault for not being excited enough about the pregnancy".
The FMC was distractingly horrible. She was both unlikeable and unrealistic. Blaming herself for her husband cheating because she hadn't slept with him in a while because she was focused on maintaining her 1st year of sobriety was particularly annoying. As was her secret miscarriage, because it was "her fault for not being excited enough about the pregnancy".
January 18, 2025
This book was good but I found it hard to keep track of people. It got very busy at the end and not so much in a good way. I still enjoyed it regardless.
Ended up donating to the library. Maybe someone else will enjoy it.
Ended up donating to the library. Maybe someone else will enjoy it.
September 22, 2024
**Spoilers, so many spoilers**
I really wanted to like this book. It started off strong, but just became a bloated, unevenly paced mess by the end. There was WAY too much going on and most of the storylines ended up feeling unresolved at and ultimately the book felt extremely unsatisfying. It felt like there were enough storylines to fill four different books but the author just decided to keep cramming all his ideas into this one.
Try as I might, I just couldn’t connect with Tess (or anyone for that matter) and there were way too many characters in general, most of whom were pretty useless to the story. And did we need so many villains??? Did we need Father Silence/Jeff Pritchard AND Father Friday/The Outcast/Benjamin AND Mother/Lisa Buchanon/Diane Buckner/Diane Cherry AND Jasper AND a satanic cult of meth heads in animal masks AND two teenage r*pists who come in at the very end and add absolutely nothing to the story???
A mother with a pill addiction and repressed memories who also murdered someone as a teen to save herself from being SA’d (I still can’t get over this storyline at the end), a cheating husband with a drinking problem (the cheating added nothing to this book), murdered parents (who barely get mourned), a kidnapped child — no wait a BUNCH of kidnapped children because, why not? — a satanic cult, a man with multiple personalities (ugh) who also has a psychic link to another villain (?), a dead serial killer who wasn’t actually the real big baddie (but was still bad) because he was covering for a teenage girl (I think, I stopped caring) who is now a grown woman with like three identities who leads the cult and then is just killed off unceremoniously, a (not) blind priest who isn’t a priest who is The Outcast who is good because he “saves” kids and is an amazing artist (cool?) and but also murdered a lot of people and two r*pists and saves Tess and another girl immediately after escaping Father Silence and Mother, a teenage girl who commits suicide because she was SA’d which comes out of nowhere right at the end and adds NOTHING to the story!! Why is all of this in there??? And I’m pretty sure I missed some stuff. You are left with way more questions than answers by the end, mainly why? Why??
If you enjoyed this book, then good for you, I’m glad you got something out of it. I was so frustrated by the wasted potential of this story. Two stars because it was well written and I did finish it hoping it would go somewhere (jokes on me).
This book could have used a serious edit (or six).
I really wanted to like this book. It started off strong, but just became a bloated, unevenly paced mess by the end. There was WAY too much going on and most of the storylines ended up feeling unresolved at and ultimately the book felt extremely unsatisfying. It felt like there were enough storylines to fill four different books but the author just decided to keep cramming all his ideas into this one.
Try as I might, I just couldn’t connect with Tess (or anyone for that matter) and there were way too many characters in general, most of whom were pretty useless to the story. And did we need so many villains??? Did we need Father Silence/Jeff Pritchard AND Father Friday/The Outcast/Benjamin AND Mother/Lisa Buchanon/Diane Buckner/Diane Cherry AND Jasper AND a satanic cult of meth heads in animal masks AND two teenage r*pists who come in at the very end and add absolutely nothing to the story???
A mother with a pill addiction and repressed memories who also murdered someone as a teen to save herself from being SA’d (I still can’t get over this storyline at the end), a cheating husband with a drinking problem (the cheating added nothing to this book), murdered parents (who barely get mourned), a kidnapped child — no wait a BUNCH of kidnapped children because, why not? — a satanic cult, a man with multiple personalities (ugh) who also has a psychic link to another villain (?), a dead serial killer who wasn’t actually the real big baddie (but was still bad) because he was covering for a teenage girl (I think, I stopped caring) who is now a grown woman with like three identities who leads the cult and then is just killed off unceremoniously, a (not) blind priest who isn’t a priest who is The Outcast who is good because he “saves” kids and is an amazing artist (cool?) and but also murdered a lot of people and two r*pists and saves Tess and another girl immediately after escaping Father Silence and Mother, a teenage girl who commits suicide because she was SA’d which comes out of nowhere right at the end and adds NOTHING to the story!! Why is all of this in there??? And I’m pretty sure I missed some stuff. You are left with way more questions than answers by the end, mainly why? Why??
If you enjoyed this book, then good for you, I’m glad you got something out of it. I was so frustrated by the wasted potential of this story. Two stars because it was well written and I did finish it hoping it would go somewhere (jokes on me).
This book could have used a serious edit (or six).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2024
Sleep Tight
5⭐️
Now Available!
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.
(Ironically, I just read The Solstice by Matt Brolly before reading this and that book also had animal masked cult members involved.)
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
5⭐️
Now Available!
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.
(Ironically, I just read The Solstice by Matt Brolly before reading this and that book also had animal masked cult members involved.)
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
January 28, 2025
Father Silence has just been executed after being found guilty of killing numerous children several years prior. All of those involved can Finally breathe a sigh of relief or can they? Tess’s father was one of the original policeman who captured Father Silence and his involvement brings a copycat killer to Tess‘s doorstep by kidnapping her daughter.
This certainly had potential but felt it got hung up with too many red herrings and a convoluted ending with too much going on. I think it would’ve worked better if it was scaled down a bit. Without going into spoilers, there were just too many angles that my mind actually was having a bit of a hard time focusing. I think a simpler format just really would’ve worked for me, but that’s just me and other readers may appreciate all the twists and turns. Overall, this was an OK read.
This certainly had potential but felt it got hung up with too many red herrings and a convoluted ending with too much going on. I think it would’ve worked better if it was scaled down a bit. Without going into spoilers, there were just too many angles that my mind actually was having a bit of a hard time focusing. I think a simpler format just really would’ve worked for me, but that’s just me and other readers may appreciate all the twists and turns. Overall, this was an OK read.
September 2, 2024
Based on the cover art I fully expected to go into a gothic Horror and was surprised to find “Sleep Tight” to be on the side of psychological thriller combined with police procedure and a touch of supernatural / horror / gore.
The plot follows our female lead Tess, whose career takes after her father, a well known and loved police officer. When her parents are brutally murdered, multiple children are kidnapped and the town is terrorized by a fake priest and people in animal masks, Tess has no choice but to dive back into a decades old serial killer case in a race to find her daughter.
I enjoyed the psychological themes in this book, we touch on interesting subjects such as multiple personality disorders, addiction, grief, loss and childhood traumas.
The audiobook is narrated by Andi Arndt who I felt did a fantastic job, at points it felt like the book was written specifically for the narrator, her voice and range met the plot perfectly.
This was definitely an interesting crime thriller with cult horror anecdotes. There is a lot to love here with a well thought out intricate plot, lots of twists, loveable side characters and complex main characters.
Thank you to J. H. Market and Dreamscape media for the ALC!
Publish date: September 10th 2024
The plot follows our female lead Tess, whose career takes after her father, a well known and loved police officer. When her parents are brutally murdered, multiple children are kidnapped and the town is terrorized by a fake priest and people in animal masks, Tess has no choice but to dive back into a decades old serial killer case in a race to find her daughter.
I enjoyed the psychological themes in this book, we touch on interesting subjects such as multiple personality disorders, addiction, grief, loss and childhood traumas.
The audiobook is narrated by Andi Arndt who I felt did a fantastic job, at points it felt like the book was written specifically for the narrator, her voice and range met the plot perfectly.
This was definitely an interesting crime thriller with cult horror anecdotes. There is a lot to love here with a well thought out intricate plot, lots of twists, loveable side characters and complex main characters.
Thank you to J. H. Market and Dreamscape media for the ALC!
Publish date: September 10th 2024
Read
August 28, 2024Why I Love It
By Jerrod MacFarlane
I confess I am not typically a fan of serial killer stories. They often feel too extreme and cartoonish. But J.H. Markert’s new novel, Sleep Tight, has me reconsidering my stance. This is a devilishly twisty and spooky update on the serial killer horror novel. It is best read with all the lights on.
For years the town of Twisted Tree was menaced by a serial killer called Father Silence, so named for his MO of dressing like a priest when committing his violent crimes. Eventually, he was captured by the authorities, who discovered more than nineteen bodies in his “House of Horrors” and one survivor. That survivor, haunted by what he endured, is now locked away in a hospital for the criminally insane. But this survivor may hold the key to solving a new series of grisly murders from a new killer let loose on Twisted Tree, whose first victim is the detective who caught Father Silence…
Throughout reading Sleep Tight, I feared my heart might burst out of my chest. From the fully realized characters to the creepy vibes and knotty crime twists, this is a gripping read. Welcome to spooky season! Your new favorite bone chiller has arrived.
By Jerrod MacFarlane
I confess I am not typically a fan of serial killer stories. They often feel too extreme and cartoonish. But J.H. Markert’s new novel, Sleep Tight, has me reconsidering my stance. This is a devilishly twisty and spooky update on the serial killer horror novel. It is best read with all the lights on.
For years the town of Twisted Tree was menaced by a serial killer called Father Silence, so named for his MO of dressing like a priest when committing his violent crimes. Eventually, he was captured by the authorities, who discovered more than nineteen bodies in his “House of Horrors” and one survivor. That survivor, haunted by what he endured, is now locked away in a hospital for the criminally insane. But this survivor may hold the key to solving a new series of grisly murders from a new killer let loose on Twisted Tree, whose first victim is the detective who caught Father Silence…
Throughout reading Sleep Tight, I feared my heart might burst out of my chest. From the fully realized characters to the creepy vibes and knotty crime twists, this is a gripping read. Welcome to spooky season! Your new favorite bone chiller has arrived.
October 21, 2024
This has a good amount of great reviews. Maybe I wasn’t in the right mood for this book? This story was all over the place. Too much going on. Way too many characters/POVs and that’s not counting the large amount of split personalities in one of their heads 😂 Also, it’s kinda supernatural with psychic connections?! I stopped caring what was going on about a third of the way through but I made myself finish the book. There’s a ton more I could rant about but I need to stop lol.
October 7, 2024
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.
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.
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