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A review by wellwortharead
The Nightmare Man by J.H. Markert
4.0
I was first attracted to this cover since I can not resist a creepy scarecrow. The synopsis further piqued my interest even though I thought it may not be all that original. This is not the first time in horror that strange murders have seemed to copy an author's book. However, this is not the same old hat.
This is a story that spans generations. Ben and his sister grew up in a dysfunctional family and suffered the tragic loss of their younger brother who has been presumed dead. Not long after this, their parents were killed in a car crash. Years have passed but Ben has kept secrets, including the fact that he still looks for his brother. His sister Emily has also kept secrets concerning what really happened to her in their grandfather's forbidden room. There is much I could tell you about grandfather but I don't want to spoil anything for you. Suffice it to say that although this may sound more like a psychological thriller it is grandpa that brings about the supernatural horror.
As a child, Ben already knew he wanted to be a writer. Now he has grown up to be a best selling author. He has written a gruesome novel full of grisly murders. Unfortunately, he is struggling to complete the sequel, his marriage is falling apart, and the police have lots of questions for him about the dead bodies that are turning up in real life exactly the way he wrote them in his novel.
Detective Mills is trying to unravel this mystery but he has secrets and demons of his own that have burdened him for most of his life. His daughter Sam has followed in his footsteps of police work and their dysfunctional relationship further complicates matters.
The Nightmare Man is full of unexpected surprises and twisty paths that I didn't see coming. The relationship between Detective Mills and his daughter and the relationship between Ben and his wife feels genuine. It is dark, and original, and cleverly written. Each character, even those who play a minor role have their own creepy backstory. The chills are many and the fear runs rampant especially if like me you have ever been plagued with nightmares.
My thanks to Crooked Lane Books
This is a story that spans generations. Ben and his sister grew up in a dysfunctional family and suffered the tragic loss of their younger brother who has been presumed dead. Not long after this, their parents were killed in a car crash. Years have passed but Ben has kept secrets, including the fact that he still looks for his brother. His sister Emily has also kept secrets concerning what really happened to her in their grandfather's forbidden room. There is much I could tell you about grandfather but I don't want to spoil anything for you. Suffice it to say that although this may sound more like a psychological thriller it is grandpa that brings about the supernatural horror.
As a child, Ben already knew he wanted to be a writer. Now he has grown up to be a best selling author. He has written a gruesome novel full of grisly murders. Unfortunately, he is struggling to complete the sequel, his marriage is falling apart, and the police have lots of questions for him about the dead bodies that are turning up in real life exactly the way he wrote them in his novel.
Detective Mills is trying to unravel this mystery but he has secrets and demons of his own that have burdened him for most of his life. His daughter Sam has followed in his footsteps of police work and their dysfunctional relationship further complicates matters.
The Nightmare Man is full of unexpected surprises and twisty paths that I didn't see coming. The relationship between Detective Mills and his daughter and the relationship between Ben and his wife feels genuine. It is dark, and original, and cleverly written. Each character, even those who play a minor role have their own creepy backstory. The chills are many and the fear runs rampant especially if like me you have ever been plagued with nightmares.
My thanks to Crooked Lane Books