The Nightmare Man

by J. H. Markert Narrated by David Bendena

Overview

Blackwood mansion looms, surrounded by nightmare pines, atop the hill over the small town of New Haven. 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 and his daughter, rookie detective Samantha Blue, are 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 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.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Praise for The Nightmare Man:
“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, award-winning author of Last Call for the Living and The Devil Himself

“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, author of the horror novel The Girl in the Corn, an IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award finalist

“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, author of House of the Rising Sun

“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, author of The Flock

“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, Author of The Siren and the Specter and The Dismembered

Library Journal - Audio

03/01/2023

Ben Bookman, heir to the Blackwood mansion in the small town of Crooked Creek, spends his weekend visit finishing his latest horror novel. Just as the book is about to be released, there are several real murders in Crooked Creek that imitate the murders in his book. Detective Mills takes on the cases, discovering gruesome death after gruesome death, and identifies Ben as the prime suspect. Ben is sure he is innocent, but at the same time, he can't really remember the night he finished the book. All he knows is that he finished writing in his grandfather's locked atrium, a room that houses thousands of books without words. As Ben digs into the mysteries of the murder, the mansion, and his family, he discovers more terrors than even he could have imagined. Markert (Midnight at the Tuscany Hotel, published under the name James Markert), a master of the macabre, offers a twisted tale full of gore and family secrets. Narrator David Bendena gives voice to a wide cast of characters, both human and otherwise, showcasing his ability to play adults, children, and monsters. VERDICT Fans of Paul Tremblay, T. Kingfisher, and Stephen King will enjoy Markert's fast-paced, old-school horror, brimming with edgy tension and evil.—Elyssa Everling

Product Details

BN ID:	2940176800166
Publisher:	Dreamscape Media
Publication date:	01/10/2023
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	435,632

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