Oh, man… WOWZAH! This book has it all — twists, a dash of paranormal (queue family ghost), queer themes, religious bigotry, and lots of characters with hidden agendas, secrets, and drama. This locked room, gothic mystery grips you until the end, and it’s so important to pay attention because there’s a lot going on as the book progresses. The ending is NOT expected and highly satisfying. I highly enjoyed this eARC and thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review John Fram’s No Road Home, Pub Date 07/23/2024. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The book 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. I found there to be too many characters, and the second half of the book's pacing made it somewhat difficult for me to plow along.

A gripping and atmospheric closed room mystery/thriller. I wasn't the biggest fan of Bright Lands, but when I had the chance to read Fram's next book, I knew I wanted to give it a chance. I like the writing style, the clear LBGTQIA+ representation, and the "get out" type vibe. I am a sucker for weather induced separation, creepy families, and secrets.

What I don't love--religion. It's just not my topic. Now, there's no covering up that this religious discussion is to expose hypocrisy and prejudice. I can appreciate that, but in general, I find religion in books to be something I avoid, for good or bad. Not sure why anyone would think that an Evangelical family would be welcoming of an openly queer child, but I do love the support, love, and acceptance of our MC for their child.

This was a very atmospheric and descriptive story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. In the end, I think I have to admit that maybe Fram's writing isn't for me. I didn't dislike this book, but I didn't love it either. It was a little wordy for me and missed the mark on executing some themes covered.

Somewhere between Knives Out and Get Out is this thrilling and disturbing second novel from John Fram, who’s debut The Bright Lands was one of the best books of 2020. Home is a strange concept. We’re taught when we’re young that there’s no place like home. It’s the place where we grow up, and find ourselves, and are surrounded by family. But for many, it’s difficult, it’s painful, it’s something to escape rather than return to or emulate into adulthood. And very often, especially for those in the queer community, we build our own family and become our own home, our own sanctuary.

No Road Home tells the story of Toby Tucker and his son, Luca. Newly married to Alyssa Wright, the granddaughter of a famous televangelist known for his increasingly twisted prophecies, Toby is cautious when the time comes for him to travel to the Wright family home, an enormous Texas compound that houses most of the bizarre Wright family tree. Alyssa promises that her family aren’t as bad as they seem, that they’re too rich to be bigots, and more harmless than predatory. Yet, upon arrival, the promised theater seems more reality than fiction, and for some reason, everyone is looking at Luca. A freak storm causes all communication to the outside world to be cut off. And then Jerome, the family’s patriarch, dies under mysterious circumstances. Everyone is a suspect and nobody is safe until the rain lifts. And Toby will stop at nothing to make sure Luca makes it home unscathed.

It’s difficult to sum up this book. There’s so many moving parts and so many characters, but it all comes together in ways both shocking and poignant. While Toby is a little unreliable of a narrator, he’s steadfast in protecting his child and thus No Road Home becomes a tribute to the remarkable parents who protect their children and don’t try to mold them or change them. Set against the immense generational wealth and trauma of the Wrights, the difference couldn’t be more apparent. As (I hope) always, Fram’s work is also unapologetically queer and leans heavily into the way that experiences when young shape the people we become. What’s left at the end is the hard part; the internal healing, the forgiveness of self, the expungement of shame. That road may be ultimately difficult to find, covered in brambles and weeds, but it’s worth it to explore. And for many of us, that road’s end point is simple: trying to make it a better world for the next generation, trying to normalize and accept and love, being adventurers in our own minds and in action, unafraid to unlearn and choose something better. Amen.

So many intriguing and powerful literary tropes - Agatha Christie, the paranormal, the gothic - combine to make a fast-paced, must-read novel. Fram's writing style pulls you in immediately and makes it hard to put down this book. No Road Home has a little bit for all kinds of readers, but this in no way dilutes the power of the book. If anything, the combination (in this author's hands), make it all the better. Whether you pick it up for the locked room mystery, or the power play seemingly inherent in televised religion - just be sure to pick it up!

Slow in the beginning, but enough to keep my interest. A captivatingly narrative, weaving a claustrophobic locked-room mystery with strong LGBTQ representation. A blend of suspense, mystery, and inclusive storytelling in a rich gothic atmosphere, also supernatural - delicious! Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

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.

This was really well done Gothic novel. I thought it worked well as a whole. And I loved the locked room feel for a thriller novel. The characters felt like they belong. And I really enjoyed that the father was trying to protect his son. I really felt for the characters because they felt realistic, and it was well written overall. John Fram has a great writing style and left me wanting more.

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.