Ben Bookman has a successful career as a fiction writer of horror books. Sure, he has some personal issues with his wife Amanda, and his sister Emily wants to sell their old family home(against his wishes), Blackwood Manor. He also maybe drinks a bit too much, but after the last year, he feels like he needs it. His latest book, The Scarecrow has just been released and it is part of an unresolved issue between him and Amanda. It seems like he wrote most of it in a fugue state at his creepy old home. What happened that weekend and how is he going to get his life back on track?
Pressing issues, am I right, but when the police show up, they will pale in comparison. Someone is killing people and the gruesome methods come straight from the pages of Ben's books. Is he the killer or is someone taking great pains to get his attention? Ben's past and present collide with nightmarish results.
As the body count rises, I was convinced I knew who the killer was, and miraculously I was correct! But, if you think that is the end, you would be dead wrong. There were still so many twists and turns and while I guessed some parts, I had no idea how much more was going on. If I thought the story was quite scary, the ending was a what moment! .4.5 stars.

This is an extremely well written horror novel, a genre I never read. It is about nightmares coming to life and the small cadre of people trying to stop them. The fact that I did finish it is a testimony to how very well written it is. Thanks to Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC for an honest review.

ARC thanks to Crooked Lane and Netgalley. This book gave me a weird sense of nostalgia, because when I was a kid, I was OBSESSED with Dean Koontz. This book reads so similarly to one of his novels. The author keeps you guessing as to what is real and what is dream, what is solid and what is some sort of evil magic until the end. It was scary enough to keep me up at night, so I had to read during the day.

Now for the negative, and the thing keeping this from being a five star horror novel: the ending was unbelievable and there was no foreshadowing that made it palatable. If they just rearranged the flashbacks, I would have had an easier time...maybe? It just sorta made me roll my eyes a little.

Ultimately, this was the right combo of supernatural chills, suspense, who-dun-it, and full out monster mash of a horror book and it was entertaining if not a little bit Stephen King Fanboy. ;-)

This story had me hooked from the very first page.
Even though it wasn't scary, I really liked the mystery of the Nightmare Man and the attempt to find out who he is.
The writing was good, the plot was great and I loved the lore.
There is suspense, action, and a lot of well-written characters.
A good recommendation for a quick read that keeps you on edge.

Detective Mills has been busy for decades, taking down serial killers. Too many, for their small town. Every one described by surviving victims as "nightmares".

Ben Bookman, known in the literary world as The Nightmare Man, has just published a book about a living Scarecrow. The Scarecrow is imaginary, but someone has started copying his murders. Is it Ben? Is it someone from the asylum? Is it a fan with a grudge?

All of this ties back to the founders of the Bookman family, the men who built the family home and the local asylum. The men who learned to take nightmares away from children and trap them in books. The men who may or may not have released those nightmares.

This was fantastic - like reading a spinoff of Supernatural. There's a bit of magic of course, but the police investigation is just as important. This would appeal to fans of mysteries, police procedurals, and magical realism.

I was given an Arc copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Let me start by saying I’m not usually a horror reader but I think that has now changed!

This book follows Ben who’s an author who quickly becomes the suspect of a murder investigation when someone is murdering exactly like in his books!

I loved every single twist and turn in this book and couldn’t put it down! It was creepy and chilling and made me stay up late just to finish!
This was the perfect book to read on a rainy night!

A great psychological thriller combined with good, old-fashioned horror. A captivating, suspenseful, twisted and chilling delight! This one will make you want to leave the lights on!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

#TheNightmareMan #NetGalley

The book started off great, but when I felt like it should be ramping up I realized I was only half way through. The midpoint is where in my opinion it lost steam and just kept circling around the same plot points; advancing the plot ever so slightly. Instead of a slow build it just took me out of the story. There was great world building, but it got too caught up in the mundane elements. Worth a shot if you're into twisty plots.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐍 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐛𝐞𝐝𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲.
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭; 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 - 𝐟𝐚𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞...

This is an unforgettable tale of mystery and horrors. J.H. Markert’s writing is superb - astonishingly unique, gripping, tense, twisty, heart pounding, and deeply moving. A perfect nightmare.

My gratitude to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and J.H. Markert for the opportunity to read this frighteningly fabulous ARC in exchange for my honest and wholly independent review.

The Nightmare Man is a fantastic book and Markert crafted an original spin on familiar horrors. I couldn’t put it down and there were so many wonderfully creepy moments. I knew this was a real winner when I realized the plot centers around a horror author whose newest book is coming to life in his hometown several weeks before the book releases. So many interesting elements: Son-daughter detective duo, small town murder mystery, an eerie gothic family home tucked away in the woods with creepy rooms and sinister secrets. This one really kept me getting and the last 15% had me with my jaw dropped. Solid ending as well! If you’re a fan of small town horror with detectives solving a mystery then this can’t be missed.

'Scarecrow's scare. That's what they do.' Ben Bookman is releasing his new novel, The Scarecrow. He is nervous about the book's opening for many reasons but what happens at the book signing was not even a thought. After the book signing, he is still reeling from what occurred, only to find out that someone is acting out the scenes from his book. Someone is being The Scarecrow with murder in his mind. Ben soon finds himself being a suspect.
The Nightmare Man is a thrilling murder mystery with a horror twist. The story unravels quickly and intensely. It keeps you on the edge of your seat as you keep saying, 'just one more chapter.' It is gruesome and exciting to watch the scenes unfold piece by piece.The characters are fleshed out quite well. Some of them are directly out of your nightmares.
I enjoyed this book greatly and recommend it to anyone who enjoys thrillers or horror stories. Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane publishing for the advanced copy of the book. The opinions are my own.

I am very sad to say this, but I really didn't like this book. I ended up skimming most of the ending.

Blackwood Mansion is where the Bookman children grew up. It is surrounded by woods overlooking the town of New Haven. Something unthinkable happened there when they were children and no one wanted to go back.

Enter Ben Bookman, bestselling novelist of stories that give you nightmares. Ben has his own nightmares and they are terrifying. When he has a bout with writer’s block, he heads to Blackwood and in one weekend has finished his book, The Scarecrow. And just as the book is ready for launch, someone is acting out all of the killings in the book. And Ben looks like a suspect instead of an author.

The killings are gruesome. A family chopped up and sewn into cocoons, very similar to the book. And then another family is killed in the same way and Detective Mills and his daughter are trying hard to find what links these murders to the book and the author of the book.

Ben becomes the only suspect. With his lapses in memory and odd behavior, even he isn’t quite sure he isn’t guilty. Digging into what went on in that house begins in the atrium. Where there are thousands of books with nothing in them. It would seem. But there is a much more chilling thing in these books and someone is letting it out.

Who doesn’t love a good horror story? And this one had me twisted in knots. It’s scary because it’s possible. Looking forward to the next one!

NetGalley/ January 10, 2023, Crooked Lane Books

First recommendation- do not start the book at night especially if you are alone.
Second recommendation- this book is not for the squeamish.
Third recommendation- it’s not necessary for the author to cover the same material multiple times just because a character is relating information to a new person. Many pages of ‘new’ could be covered with ‘I told so and so this and their reaction was a, b., and c.
Fourth recommendation- endless retellings keep the story from moving along. That, I think, is a major problem with this book. Gore can only get you so far. Repeated gore bogs you down. And makes the reader want to skim.

Ben Bookman is bestselling novelist and heir to Blackwood estate spent a weekend at the ancestral home to finish writing his lastest horror novel the scarecrow and now on the eve of the books release the terrible story within begins to unfold in real life and Detective Mills arrives at the scene of a gruesome murder a family butchered and bundled inside cocoons stitched from corn husks and hung from the rafters of a barn eerily mirroring the opening of Bookmans latest novel when another family is killed in a similar manner Mills along with his daughter rookie Detective Samantha Blue is determined to find the link to the book
Totally recommend this chilling gripping psychological thriller which had so many twists and turns and great characters totally kept me in suspense throughout
Thank You NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books
I just reviewed The Nightmare Man by J. H. Markert. #TheNightmareMan #NetGalley

What an absolutely brilliant, scary, nightmare inducing read!
Worth all 5 stars plus more.
This is a book even Stephen King would be proud to put his name too.
Word of warning - don’t read it in bed at night with your windows wide open and a lamp on. I nearly had a heart attack when a moth flew in!
I absolutely loved this book, missing an entire nights sleep just to keep reading.
This being his entry level into the horror genre I seriously cannot wait for his next book.
Dark, atmospheric, spine tingling and oh so addictive. If you like Stephen King then you will love this.

What an absolutely brilliant, scary, nightmare inducing read!
Worth all 5 stars plus more.
This is a book even Stephen King would be proud to put his name too.
Word of warning - don’t read it in bed at night with your windows wide open and a lamp on. I nearly had a heart attack when a moth flew in!
I absolutely loved this book, missing an entire nights sleep just to keep reading.
This being his entry level into the horror genre I seriously cannot wait for his next book.
Dark, atmospheric, spine tingling and oh so addictive. If you like Stephen King then you will love this.

Nightmare man is an accurate title for this gruesome, terrifying read. This desolate, creepy tale is so unique and so horrifying you can’t put it down. Jaw droppingly gruesome at parts, this book conveys sheer terror. The plot is well written and full of twists and turns, with a family at the heart of the story there is a human layer in between the raw fear. Supernatural elements are mixed in to give this the perfect flair. A great read over all. Get ready for nightmares of your own!

A thrilling and engrossing story filled with realistic characters and haunting nightmares.

This was a very unexpected 5 star read. The characters were amazing, every single one was completely flushed out and unique. I felt as though I was watching a movie play out in front of my eyes.
I didn’t expect this to be such an enjoyable, thrilling, scary and ultimately awesome read.

I didn’t want this story to end and I really hope that there is further instalments of this! I can also easily see this having an excellent tv adaptation. I can’t wait to buy this when it is released and enjoy this a second time.
Posted on Twitter @readsgavin & goodreads

The premise for The Nightmare Man is quite clever and was something that held a lot of promise. A killer who dresses himself as a Scarecrow and terrorizes a small town? Chilling and literally nightmare fuel. Unfortunately we get less of the Scarecrow killer and murders and more fantasy elements instead. This isn't a scary book though it is riddled with purposefully gross and disturbing ideas and I wouldn't call it a horror novel. Instead maybe a fantasy thriller. I found myself more interested in Ben Bookman's series that is mentioned throughout the novel instead of the actual events occurring on the page.

The main issue with The Nightmare Man is that it suffers from “just one more” syndrome in which the author adds just keeps adding more plot reveal, character, or event. It reads as if Markert wanted to dazzle and shock instead of sticking to an actual plot. The result is a particularly convoluted story that loses its core in all the extra. By the ninety percent marker I found myself saying, “oh of course” because of course there would be another thing added that wasn't necessary.

My second issue with the story is the sudden genre shift from realistic thriller to fantasy thriller at the seventy percent mark. The book would've benefited from the reveal of fantasy elements earlier on instead of waiting so long. It left me feeling cheated out of what I assumed I was going into based off of the marketing.

I believe at the core there is a good story here and the first half of the book was very enjoyable. If you don't mind fantasy thrillers with things left up to the reader to determine, than you'll probably enjoy this. It just wasn't what I expected going in and I believe it could've been executed much better, especially by the seasoned author.

I don't have much to say on the characters which was a surprise. I honestly didn't resonate with anyone or feel as if I truly understood them. This is most likely due to the convoluted nature of the book giving so many unorganized flashbacks and interactions that it's hard to keep up with.

I'm also tossing in some content warnings down below because this book is riddled with them!

Self harm, body horror, murder, suicide, child abduction, child abuse, pedophilia, child grooming, cannibalism, drug use