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.

This book contains scenes that depict the death of children, sexual assault, and mentions of suicide.

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.