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!

This is a slow-burn narrative. I love the 'locked-room mystery' with paranormal and a bit of occult aspects. Pair this with LGBTQ characters it is compelling. . It's worth giving a try for those interested in a mix of suspense, mystery, and positive representation.

I'm in the minority on this one - it seems like I've been saying that about reviews a lot lately - but I just could not connect to the story at all. I was drawn to the premise and found the opening intriguing, but it rather quickly devolved into a bit of a hot mess of family dysfunction and personality flips and rather horrible name-calling and mistreatment of pretty much everybody. It felt like layer upon layer upon layer of awful that didn't seem to be going anywhere but it increasingly dreadful circles.... This just wasn't for me.

No Road Home by John Fram
Pub date: July 23, 2024

Toby is a single father to Luca and newly married to Alyssa. Alyssa comes from a very wealthy family that has made their money from televangelism. Toby and Alyssa married quickly and all seemed well until a trip to Alyssa’s family’s compound. It starts with a mystical and mysterious warning from a store clerk just outside the compound and things only get worse as a freak storm hits. There’s a murder and general mayhem along with a whole lot of homophobia and bigotry.

While I loved the atmosphere that Fram set, I had a hard time following the actual storyline. There’s a lot going on and a lot of characters to keep up with. Then there’s the complete personality shift in Alyssa and her family (her good to bad and them – some bad to good, or good to bad – depending) Anyways, for me, the plot got weighed down by a lot of unnecessary deviations. I think the paranormal/occultist shift and the deep dark family secrets all exploding into one big story took away from the core message, which I think was important.

My thanks to Atria Books for this gifted DRC.

Review of eBook

Toby Tucker and his son, Luca, and his new wife, Alyssa, travel from Los Angeles to Ramorah, her family’s estate in Hebron, Texas. His meeting with her parents had been less than auspicious; he felt rather anxious about meeting her televangelist grandfather and the rest of the family. Naturally, the reputation of Jerome Jeremiah Wright, billed as America’s Prophet, was a bit daunting, even for someone who considered The Prophecy Hour a carnival act.

But the Wright clan . . . filled with cruelty and spite . . . isn’t particularly welcoming.

And then Jerome is found on the roof . . . murdered.

======

With all the elements of a gothic horror novel, this unfolding narrative reveals the closely-held secrets in this family. With well-drawn [but not at all likable] characters, a huge Southern gothic mansion, a fierce storm, and a delightfully twisted plot filled with unexpected revelations, readers will find this dysfunctional family tale keeps them guessing.

With an undercurrent of tension running throughout the telling of the tale, the various characters reveal their true natures. Suspense builds, heightened by creepy sightings, shivery shadows, and a touch of the occult, all leading to an unexpected denouement. Fans of family drama, suspense, and thrillers will find much to appreciate here.

Recommended.

Unfortunately, the use of an unnecessary expletive throughout the narrative is certain to offend many readers; its overuse lowers the rating for the book.

I received a free copy of this book from Atria Books and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
#NoRoadHome #NetGalley

Great character development, and the plot kept me invested throughout the whole book! Unsettling in the best possible way.

Toby and his son Luca travel to Texas with his new wife Alyssa, to meet her family. Knowing of the televangelists only what he has seen on TV, The family has set plans for handling their empire. Toby is in no way prepared for what he and Luca are about to experience.
This book is a great representation of families who look great from the outside but don't look so great when you start to peel away layers. The eerie shadows, creepy sounds, and weird characters play great roles in this story. The family secrets and their way of keeping family members in line are such ingenious moves. This book gives you loads to ponder. It kept me guessing. Great take on welcome to the family.

I received an e-arc from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

A wild ride! Definitely an "outside the box" story. This story has a full house of quirky - and rather frightening - characters. Toby is a completely different type of MC, you're never quiet sure if he's vacant eye candy or someone with very high intelligence. He certainly has enough "locked doors" in his mind to keep you wondering what goes on behind those eyes!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC.
Toby Tucker and his son Luca are on their way with Toby's new wife, Alyssa, to her family of very wealthy and well-known televangelists. It doesn't take long for him to realize he and Luca have landed amidst a nest of vipers. They are particularly strange around Luca, at once wanting to indoctrinate him by toughing him up, as well as at the same time being snide about his gender.
Toby is very protective of sensitive and sweet Luca, who's desperate to keep close to him. The family is determined to separate the two, no matter the cost.
A very readable and frightening read that I enjoyed a lot. The ending was highly satisfying. Good stuff!