T. Kingfisher meets Cassandra Khaw in a chilling horror novel that illustrates the fine line between humanity and monstrosity.
Blackwood mansion looms, surrounded by nightmare pines, atop the hill over the small town of Crooked Tree. Ben Bookman, bestselling novelist and heir to the Blackwood estate, spent a weekend at the ancestral home to finish writing his latest horror novel, The Scarecrow. Now, on the eve of the book’s release, the terrible story within begins to unfold in real life.
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 Bookman’s 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—and the killer—before the story reaches its chilling climax.
As the series of “Scarecrow crimes” continues to mirror the book, Ben quickly becomes the prime suspect. He can’t remember much from the night he finished writing the novel, but he knows he wrote it in The Atrium, his grandfather’s forbidden room full of numbered books. Thousands of books. Books without words.
As Ben digs deep into Blackwood’s history he learns he may have triggered a release of something trapped long ago—and it won’t stop with the horrors buried within the pages of his book.
Genre: Horror
Blackwood mansion looms, surrounded by nightmare pines, atop the hill over the small town of Crooked Tree. Ben Bookman, bestselling novelist and heir to the Blackwood estate, spent a weekend at the ancestral home to finish writing his latest horror novel, The Scarecrow. Now, on the eve of the book’s release, the terrible story within begins to unfold in real life.
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 Bookman’s 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—and the killer—before the story reaches its chilling climax.
As the series of “Scarecrow crimes” continues to mirror the book, Ben quickly becomes the prime suspect. He can’t remember much from the night he finished writing the novel, but he knows he wrote it in The Atrium, his grandfather’s forbidden room full of numbered books. Thousands of books. Books without words.
As Ben digs deep into Blackwood’s history he learns he may have triggered a release of something trapped long ago—and it won’t stop with the horrors buried within the pages of his book.
Genre: Horror
Praise for this book
"Markert's The Nightmare Man is an atmospheric and character-driven novel that reads like the brainchild of Michael Connelly and Stephen King. With a tangled web of family secrets and small-town intrigue, this terrifying story will make readers wonder if they should ever fall asleep again." - Richard Cox
"A clear heir to Stephen King, Peter Straub and Richard Matheson, J.H. Markert is an absolute architect in this dizzying, dazzling and utterly spooky descent into the mouth of madness. Equal parts thriller, detective novel and atmospheric folk horror extravaganza, The Nightmare Man is stunningly clever, richly layered and perfectly paced, with revelations and scares that kept this Constant Reader up well into the night. You'll never think about a bad dream the same way again." - Peter Farris
"J.H. Markert's The Nightmare Man is a witch's brew of horror. The setting steeps the reader in shadow, the mystery is beautifully layered, and the tension ratchets tighter with every turn of the page. If you're looking for a delicious yarn that will captivate you deep into the night, this is the book for you. A gloriously creepy scarefest!" - Jonathan Janz
"The Nightmare Man by J.H. Markert is a thrilling, fast-paced horror tale that's part police drama/part slasher flick. The twist and turns took me places I didn't expect, but was damn glad when I got there. The Nightmare Man is one of the best works of horror I've read in quite a long time." - Jason Offutt
"J. H. Markert's The Nightmare Man is tense, taut, and terrifying. Full of long-buried secrets, family sins, and monsters both human and otherwise, this haunting tale is equal parts crime novel, horror story, and dark fable. I can't wait to read whatever nightmare Markert unleashes next . . ." - J Todd Scott
"It's rare to find horror this original. The Nightmare Man is a dark and captivating mystery populated with wonderfully realized characters, fraying relationships, and family secrets. The line dividing horror and thriller has been beautifully crossed. Markert knows how to work a twist and keep the reader guessing, and I look forward to whatever nightmares he has in store for us next." - A M Shine
"Absolutely devoured The Nightmare Man by James Markert, a masterful, atmospheric horror novel that has delicious/terrifying shades of The Silence of the Lambs and The Exorcist. It's one of my favorite reads of the year." - Josh Winning
"A clear heir to Stephen King, Peter Straub and Richard Matheson, J.H. Markert is an absolute architect in this dizzying, dazzling and utterly spooky descent into the mouth of madness. Equal parts thriller, detective novel and atmospheric folk horror extravaganza, The Nightmare Man is stunningly clever, richly layered and perfectly paced, with revelations and scares that kept this Constant Reader up well into the night. You'll never think about a bad dream the same way again." - Peter Farris
"J.H. Markert's The Nightmare Man is a witch's brew of horror. The setting steeps the reader in shadow, the mystery is beautifully layered, and the tension ratchets tighter with every turn of the page. If you're looking for a delicious yarn that will captivate you deep into the night, this is the book for you. A gloriously creepy scarefest!" - Jonathan Janz
"The Nightmare Man by J.H. Markert is a thrilling, fast-paced horror tale that's part police drama/part slasher flick. The twist and turns took me places I didn't expect, but was damn glad when I got there. The Nightmare Man is one of the best works of horror I've read in quite a long time." - Jason Offutt
"J. H. Markert's The Nightmare Man is tense, taut, and terrifying. Full of long-buried secrets, family sins, and monsters both human and otherwise, this haunting tale is equal parts crime novel, horror story, and dark fable. I can't wait to read whatever nightmare Markert unleashes next . . ." - J Todd Scott
"It's rare to find horror this original. The Nightmare Man is a dark and captivating mystery populated with wonderfully realized characters, fraying relationships, and family secrets. The line dividing horror and thriller has been beautifully crossed. Markert knows how to work a twist and keep the reader guessing, and I look forward to whatever nightmares he has in store for us next." - A M Shine
"Absolutely devoured The Nightmare Man by James Markert, a masterful, atmospheric horror novel that has delicious/terrifying shades of The Silence of the Lambs and The Exorcist. It's one of my favorite reads of the year." - Josh Winning
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