Special thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books, and the Author John Fram for advanced copy for honest review.

Toby's life was about to change for better or worse only God knew. He was a single father to son Luca and making it by until a whirlwind romance with Alyssa Wright. The Alyssa Wright of the famed televangelist family of Texas. When the time came to meet her famous family, signs were not looking too good and they should've taken a clue from that, but on they went. Shortly after arriving, they find the family patriarch dead on the roof with a storm that has cut off means of communication and they find themselves trapped. Without any spoilers, the family is not what they seem, not how they portray themselves, and Toby will do anything to protect his son. 4 stars, recommend

John Fram's No Road Home is a locked-room murder-mystery with an eerie atmosphere, dark secrets, and complex characters. Great writing, and bonus points for the sinister religious elements.

I really enjoyed John Fram’s debut The Bright Lands, but unfortunately this one just didn’t work for me quite as well. The writing felt really repetitive — I was honestly SO sick of hearing about “mind palaces” by the end of this. The pacing of reveals was kind of weird too. I’m always a little annoyed when information is revealed to a protagonist but kept from the reader, despite being in that character’s POV. It just feels like I’m being tricked. Maybe it would’ve worked if there’d been more changes in perspective, but it was just weird to be so much in Toby’s head except for when he learns any relevant information. And by not learning about Toby’s true motivations until the very very end of the book, I spent most of the time feeling frustrated by how hopelessly naive he seemed to be, and annoyed that he would’ve placed his son in such obvious danger in the first place.

All that said, there were certain elements I enjoyed. The atmosphere was very good, and I loved the way this family’s house was slowly rotting away. Very eerie and gothic. I also enjoyed the way that the supernatural was woven into the story. Overall, I would read John Fram’s next book, even if this one wasn’t my favorite.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

I loved John Fram’s debut novel, The Bright Lands, so I was excited to get a copy of his newest book from Netgalley. No Road Home centres around single dad Toby Tucker and the absolutely deranged televangelist family he marries into. When the family’s patriarch preacher is found dead, things quickly devolve, exposing all manners of sins and secrets; Toby is accused of murder; and it becomes clear that his new wife had ulterior—and shady—motives for welcoming him and his son to her family. This story had lots of twists and turns, and I loved every minute of it.

This is a shocking, twisty and crazy (but in only the best way) locked room thriller. After a single father marries into a family of famous televangelists in Texas, a trip to their compound leads to revelations and dark secrets coming to light.

This is a thriller that involves a bit of supernatural and a smidge of horror. The characters are boldly defined, and the setting is vivid and unsettling. If you’re alright suspending disbelief and going along on a wild ride, you’ll really enjoy this.

Personally, I loved it and read it in one day because I couldn’t put it down. Because of how daring and sharply drawn the characters and some of the scenes are in this book, I already know that it’ll be one of those reads I won’t soon forget.

This comes out in July 2024!

Thank you Atria Books for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with a digital ARC.

No Road Home follows Toby, a single father of a queer son, who has recently married into a wealthy family who’s patriarch is a famous televangelist. When that same patriarch is found murdered, Toby must fight to clear his name and protect his son from the family that now surrounds him.

Y'all - this one was wild. It’s a locked room, murder mystery - with supernatural elements. I was not expecting that part of the story. I thought it was going to be your run of the mill whodunnit - but it certainly was not.

There are quite a number of twists and turns that keep you guessing - some reveals are more surprising than others! What I love about this one, though - is that Fram has created such a layered and dynamic character in Toby - who comes into this story with so much past trauma. It was really fascinating to see him navigate the family dynamics that he found himself tied up in. It was also really great to see the lengths which he is willing to go to secure the safety of his son.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I imagine if you enjoyed Fram’s other work, The Bright Lands, then this one will be right up your alley!

This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book publishes July 23, 2024.

This is a queer horror book that follows a man from California who is newly married to the granddaughter of a famous televangelist from Texas. The MC moves to Texas with his new wife and brings his queer preteen son with him on this move. They move to the estate of the televangelist which includes 10-15 members of the extended family living there and somehow involved in the family business.

The MC is thrown into the bigoted family drama including trying to solve a murder that occurs, discovering the mystery behind the creepy house, while also trying to save himself and his son from the family.

What worked for me:
-Fun setup that kept me engaged for about the first half
-The rich estate setting keeping creepy secrets was written about in an ominous way that kept me engaged
-The queer preteen son character made this murder mystery plot setup stand out compared to other books with this setup
-Enjoyed the religious commentary interwoven with queer themes interwoven with horror elements

What didn’t:
-Way too many characters. It was difficult to keep track of who was who and ultimately made the twists and whodunnit of it all less impactful.
-Wanted more focus on the preteen son and what he was going through. Was hoping for more pay off regarding the family trying to get him put on air as part of their television program.
-The characters that we learn more about towards the end of the book ended up being the most intriguing and I would’ve liked to hear about them more in the first part of the book rather than all at the end when we have mostly wrapped up. This contributed to pacing issues.
-The pacing in the second half made me lose interest quickly and ultimately made this book fall flat

Overall this book was a let down compared to Fram’s previous book The Bright Lands. Still read it if you want a queer horror book with religious trauma though. Pay more attention to the details of the character list at the beginning than I did and maybe the payoff of this book will be stronger for you than it was for me. Will still read more from this author!

I feel like it took me forever to read this book. It was a slow burn for me. I did not really connect to the book. I am not really into the gothic vibe. I felt like everyone in the book was mistreated and that was a little unsettling. This would be a great book for anyone looking for books with LGBTQ characters.

When Toby marries Alyssa Wright, the two of them along with his young son Luca head to her family’s extremely large home. Her family is quite wealthy and the patriarch, Jerome is a televangelist. But something is off about this family. They all seem to care more for spending their share of the money, quite a bit more than spreading the Lord's word. When a terrible storm cuts the family off from the outside world, and someone is murdered, the family looks at Toby as the main suspect. But why? How could a man who barely knows his wife have wanted someone dead? But if Toby is innocent, which member of the family is the murderer?
This is a locked room mystery with a lot of moving parts. Alyssa has changed 180° since she left California and Toby is very concerned for his son. The family needs Luca and when Toby learns why,he must figure out what is going on if he wants to protect him.
I’m not sure how to describe this family. But deceitful, twisted, deranged, evil, demented, and lying snakes is a good start. Each member of the family is hiding at least one secret. With them cut off, the only thing they seem to care about is keeping the money flowing. When everything was revealed well, I did not see that ending coming. Even after pondering the story, I didn’t go, how did I miss that! The atmosphere in this house was creepy times creepy. Be aware that every despicable characteristic you can think of is well represented in the Wright family. 4.5 stars.

Single father Toby has always tried to protect his son Luca from the cruelty of others, but now that he’s married Alyssa he’s finding it harder. Can he shield his son from her family?

Alyssa Wright is the granddaughter of a famous televangelist known for his staunch Old Testament teachings. When Alyssa brings Toby and Luca to her family’s home for the first time, it becomes clear to Toby they have plans for his son. Now it’s up to Toby to reveal the family’s darkest secrets in order to protect his son.

Told mostly from Toby’s point of view, this locked room mystery has a solid premise and starts off strong. There is the hint that Toby isn’t the most reliable narrator, which adds to the tension, and the first part of the book is a quick read.

While the book initially holds interest, it loses momentum by the middle when the plot starts to veer toward the convoluted side. During the last 15% of the book, multiple viewpoints get introduced to explain the plot and it makes for a rushed feeling. By the time the twist is revealed, things feel muddled and it takes away from the initial buildup.

With the many social and religious issues explored, this could make for a good book club pick, as it would lend itself to lively discussions. This book will have an audience.

This is a maze of religious zeal and terrifying discoveries!!

This book had me at Old Testament televangelism because it usually means we’re in for some sick and twisted people… sure enough, this book had me reeling!

I wasn’t always sure that I liked the language used around Toby’s son, Luca, or used to describe him… but with that aside, this child and father combo were some of my FAVORITE characters. They wind up in the family compound of Toby’s new wife, the daughter of a famed televangelist.

What they never expected? To be fighting for their lives when a storm cuts off their ability to leave these creepy people behind. Unexpectedly, Toby finds himself doing whatever it takes to protect Luca from the twisted reality this family is envisioning.

There is the religious trauma aspect, there is a little murder mystery, and there is a whole lot of weird, WEIRD stuff happening inside this family. I LOVED it!!

No Road Home by John Fram is a locked room mystery that started out interesting but quickly devolved into a dysfunctional family novel that pulled an unwitting man and his sensitive son into their mess. I found myself losing interest as the story went on and became more wild and incoherent. Thank you to the author publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This one just wasn't for me.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Toby is excited to marry Alissa. When him and his son go to Alyssa's parents house, things are not what they seem. Whe someone is murdered, toby becomes the number one suspect. This book kept me guessing.

I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher allowing me a copy of this book to read. This was a pleasant surprise and I did enjoy this read. I would rate it a 3/5 stars.

Wow! What a great thriller! Tobias Tucker, his young son Luca, and his new wife Alyssa are going to visit her family in their large compound in Texas, led by her grandfather, a famous Televangelist. It's the first time they will meet her family. This is a Southern Gothic mystery, but it is so much more! Alyssa Wright is strange, and things are definitely not what they seem. The suspense builds slowly from a low simmer, to rolling boil, to a full ecplosion. Someone's killed, and it's a locked room mystery. Toby starts investigating to find the killer to himself as the prime suspect. An edge of your seat thriller, with an ending I didn't expect. I really enjoyed it, and I know you will too.

Toby marries Alyssa, travels with his son Luca to Texas to meet her family and then her televangelist father is murdered in John Fram’s “No Road Home”. There’s a lot going on in this locked room thriller including plenty of characters, interesting family history, astrology, religion, trauma, and the supernatural. The pieces of the puzzle eventually start falling into place. But when the AHA moment happened, I had to put the book down, walk away and have a moment to myself. I’m shook! I mean that I was overwhelmed and surprised AF! Read this if you liked “The Bright Lands” by John Fram, enjoyed Twin Peaks for the weirdness, read LGBT fiction and/or like to think you’re clever, cunning, devious and sly. ARC was provided by Atria Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

No Road Home
A Novel
by John Fram
This was a fairly good read for me. I guess being from Texas some things were off. It was not one I could read again, but suggest to other.

This was an okay read . It is your locked room narrative and is engaging and keeps you reading. It has some gothic aspects too .

A locked room mystery with a gothic atmosphere and despicable characters, this was an interesting, disturbing read. This is a story of family secrets, murder, identity, and strong family bonds, good and bad. It took a little getting into for me, starting it on and off, but once this story picked up, I couldn't put it down. Eerie and intense at times, but also slow-burn. The plot was good, the actions of certain characters horrendous. This was a great read, and I give it four stars.

Thank you, Netgalley, and Atria Books for this ARC.

No Road Home was a chilling representation of the horrors behind closed doors, in the life of a wealthy family. The Wrights are wealthy, televangelists whom our MC Toby marries into. Upon meeting her family, almost immediately a shit storm commences. When a dead body turns up, family secrets come to the surface, and a storm cuts them off from civilization, Toby realizes the trouble that not only him, but also his son Luca are in. The story focuses on religious hypocrisy, homophobia, mental health, sexual identity, and then some. There are some heavy and quite disturbing topics, but that’s what really gripped me. It’s a typical whodunit, with a pretty shocking conclusion. The Wright family will make you want to rip them to shreds, but Toby is a redeeming character. A father who only wants to protect his son from the hateful bigotry in this cruel world. Overall, if you’re into “whodunit” stories with LGBTQ+ representation, this one may be for you!