Way too much going on in this plot yet not written well enough to keep me reading. Glad to hear others enjoyed it but this just wasn’t for me.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an electronic ARC copy in return for my honest review.

Pub date: 7/23/24

Single father Toby Tucker has tried to protect his son Luca. But Toby's new wife Alyssa Wright does not hail from a family who will love Luca. In fact, the famous televangelists are bullies. During a visit to his new extended family, Toby must decide how to keep his son safe, especially after receiving a warning from a stranger. Additional challenges like a potential ghost, murder of the family patriarch, so many family secrets, and bizarre messages threaten the family. Can Toby solve the mystery before he or his son become a victim?
This story meanders in a good way. On every page, readers find clues that help them understand the story and solve the mystery. I couldn't wait for the next twisting revelation.
While the book is a mystery, it's also a thriller. Who is the "good" guy? Who is the "bad" guy? No one knows until the very end, and that makes this book exciting.
Note: content includes bigotry, profanity, sexual content and abuse, pedo**lia, and substance abuse.

The last 10% of this book was SO SO GOOD. It was captivating and suspenseful and truly made the surviving characters come to life.

Unfortunately, it didn’t make up for the first 90% dragging so hard core. I normally read 300+ books a year—This one book took me almost four months to drag through. FOUR MONTHS. I would pick it up, read a few chapters, and have to put it down again because I was a) bored out of my mind, b) absolutely did not care about the characters, and c) so turned off by the grift and deception of the evangelicals that I couldn’t stomach any more.

If you love an exceptionally slow burn, love books where the mystery makes no actual sense until the end, enjoy reading books with extensive character lists (that are tough to keep straight)…this is definitely the book for you.

No Road Home by John Fram is a gripping and atmospheric blend of psychological thriller, horror, and crime fiction. Set in a haunting small town, the novel explores themes of identity, isolation, and belonging through complex, deeply flawed characters. Fram's ability to evoke tension and suspense, while also delving into raw emotional depth, keeps readers on edge as the story unfolds. The genre-blending and unpredictable plot make No Road Home a compelling read for fans of dark, chilling narratives.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

No Road Home by John Fram is a masterful blend of Southern Gothic horror and locked-room mystery that grips readers from the very first page. This novel, perfect for fans of Ruth Ware and Paul Tremblay, explores the dark underbelly of wealth, religion, and family secrets in a way that is chilling and thought-provoking.

The story centers around Toby Tucker, a single father who has always tried to protect his sensitive son, Luca, from the harsh realities of the world. When Toby marries Alyssa Wright, the granddaughter of a famous televangelist, he unwittingly steps into a world of opulence and hidden dangers. Their visit to the Wright family’s compound in Texas quickly turns nightmarish when the family patriarch is found murdered, and suspicion falls squarely on Toby. As a freak storm isolates the estate, Toby must navigate a web of deceit and supernatural occurrences to clear his name and protect his son.

Fram’s writing is evocative and suspenseful, drawing readers into the oppressive heat and eerie atmosphere of the Wright family estate. The plot is meticulously crafted, with twists and turns that keep readers guessing.

The author is skilled with character development. Toby is a relatable and sympathetic protagonist, driven by his love for his son and his determination to uncover the truth. The Wright family members are equally well-written, each hiding their own secrets and motivations that slowly unravel as the story progresses. The dynamics between the characters are complex and fraught with tension, adding depth to the narrative.

No Road Home tackles important themes such as prejudice, corruption, and the impact of generational trauma. Frame expertly weaves these aspects into the narrative.

No Road Home is a must-read for fans of gothic horror and psychological thrillers. John Fram’s ability to blend horror with a compelling mystery and rich character development makes this novel a standout.

Wow, John Fram you really got me with this one. But I actually can’t decide if I loved it or just liked it.

With the exception of Luca, I didn’t like these characters too much. We’re not meant to like the Wright family, so that makes sense, but even as the villains they weren’t enjoyable.

I didn’t guess big picture where the story was going, and for that I loved this. But the bigotry was hard to read and I already don’t like televangelist IRL so reading about the Wright family gave me the ick.

Queerness is at the center of this story and I love that, but with this being a thriller, I worry that it does more harm than good. Trans individuals experience hate, violence and danger every day — do we need to read about it in our fiction too?

Thank you to Atria for my copy of NO ROAD HOME. This one is out July 23.

This book started out really great, I loved the atmosphere and the banter between the characters. I started to lose interest when the characters I was just introduced to just completely flipped personalities. I found it hard to care about the characters because they weren't really formed for me. The religious backdrop was really the final straw that left me hating this book. Sadly, it is just not for me.

I read a little more than 40% of the book and decided I would but be finishing it. I really liked the premise, but the execution hasn't been great. The circumstances of the story strain credulity, and I'm not talking about any supernatural elements.

I will not be posting a starred review for this book on any platform.

Many thanks to Netgalley for this arc. I received this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are entirely my own.


Wow, what a book. In this story we are following Toby and Luca who are father and son/daughter. Toby and Luca are going to Texas for his new wife Alyssa’s thirtieth birthday. Toby finds out that Alyssa needs a husband and a child when she turns thirty in order to gain her inheritance a fact that she apparently didn’t share with her new husband. Alyssa’s family doesn’t take to Luca because he’s a boy acting like a girl. Richard, Alyssa’s brother liked both and Jerome the grandfather did too until his death. Jerome was killed with a knife that Toby and Jeremiah brought there because of what Jerome did at a camp he founded many years ago. Jerome takes responsibility for his past actions and takes a knife and kills himself with it. Alyssa and Richard try and frame Toby for Jerome’s murder not knowing that Toby and Jeremiah both wanted to hurt the family because of what happened to Toby’s brother/sister Willow/William who is Luca’s biological father. There’s quite a bit that happens but I won’t spoil it but it was so good.

This is the story of a young father, Toby, his queer 7 year old son, Luca, and his new wife, Alyssa, traveling back to her family home in Texas. The catch of course is that her extravagantly wealthy family was made by her great grandfathers rise a televangelist preaching scripture to anyone that will listen for 4 hours every Sunday.

Once they arrive it's made quite clear that the family does not approve of Alyssa's new husband and son.

This holy house soon becomes a house of horrors.

What this monstrous family didn't count on was a father that will do anything to protect his young son.

This book is highly disturbing. This is one of the most appalling and disgusting families I've read about in a long time. I was pissed off nearly the entire time I read this book.

Nearly.

And I say that because the love between Toby and his son was such a thing of beauty. Their unwavering loyalty to one another truly moved me.

While I did very much enjoy this story I do think it could have been trimmed a little here or there. Also, the phrase "quick and cool like Mercury" was used nine times. It's, to me, an unusual turn of phrase so it really stuck out every time I read it. Those are my only complaints.

John Fram is very talented and I think he has bright writing career ahead of him. Lucky for me I already have a copy of his debut, The Bright Lands, on my kindle and I'm very much looking forward to it. 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for my complimentary copy.

John Fram is a modern master of deliciously uncomfortable stories. Like a terrible accident, it’s hard to turn away from all that goes wrong. If you liked John’s previous novel, than this cannot be recommended enough!

John Fram never fails!

This was such an eerie story and I really enjoyed its inventiveness. Fram does a great job of building the atmosphere of this novel and I am really glad I enjoyed this as much as I did!

I LOVE a locked room mystery. This was tense, thrilling and I loved reading it and trying to piece it all together.

If you like books with some paranormal happenings and religious extremists, No Road Home might be for you.

Toby Tucker has married Alyssa Wright and with her and his son Luca they travel to Alyssa's parents house to stay for for a bit. Alyssa is the granddaughter of an extremely famous televangelist and the majority of her family works for his church.

Upon arriving at the Wright family compound, Toby feels uneasy right off the bat. The family has plans for his son, who seems to be part of the LGBTQIA+ community, but the author doesn't really come out and say that (though LGBT and Queer is listed as genres on goodreads), instead Luca is just referred to as "sensitive", which is extremely offensive and off putting.

The night of arrival culminates in a catastrophic storm that blocks the roads and leaves them without power. During this time Alyssa's grandfather is found murdered and all fingers start to point at Toby. Meanwhile, Luca starts talking about a black figure in a suit that has unfinished business. Not to mention that the family still is trying to use Luca for their gain.

No Road Home was an extremely weird book. I was not expecting the storyline to go the way it went and found most of it to be kind of lackluster. For the most part, there were not many likeable characters except Toby and Luca, but the fact that Toby called his son "sensitive" repeatedly made me like him a bit less.

For the most part, at lot of the background on the religious extremism seems to track. The wealth and manipulation that was mentioned in No Road Home, is definitely what you see happening in the real world. The paranormal aspect to the book was a bit interesting, but didn't fully draw me in. I don't know there was just something missing from the storyline that I can't quite put my finger on.

I must admit that until the climax of the book I was going to give this 2 stars, but the huge reveal drew me in. I didn't see the twists coming and I really loved the way the storyline came to a close, it was extremely satisfying.

Umm…. What the hell did I just read? Why are there still mega churches? Why do people still believe in those preachers when they are obviously after money not your salvation? Why is it acceptable to have preaching and mega churching as family business? It baffles me everyday and I could not imagine marrying into this kind of family. Well.. I don’t need to imagine because this book is here for it.

Imagine Get Out but with televangelists. At this point I don’t know which is more scary: racist people or televangelists. A father fell in love with preacher’s daughter and it was time to meet the family. Father and her his queer son’s introduction to family was awkward, but you might think it would stop at homophobic remarks. Nope! Preacher died; family got locked up in their compound; father and son were cornered. Father was either going to solve the murder mystery until police arrives or going to make a very very important decision.

Definitely fast paced, definitely page turner. I liked how crazy ooze out of these people. I felt validated. Don’t read it if you are going to go meet your significant other’s family if they have compound or crazy ideas. Other wise, go have fun with it.

Starting to read this book I was reminded of The Righteous Gemstones tv series and was ready to settle in for a fun time but this book quickly takes the idea of of a wealthy and influential family of televangelists behaving badly and turns it dark and darker.
Toby Tucker and his son get to know his new wife's family and quickly discover they are caught up in a game they didn't know they were planning ... can they get back out?
No Road Home combines elements of ghost story, family drama, social horror, and psychological thriller in a gothic locked-room mystery with religious themes.
There's a lot going on here, but somehow Fram makes it all work. At its heart, this is a book about a young father who will do anything to protect his son from both physical and emotional harm.
The cast of characters is very well drawn and the locked room mystery at the center is intriguing and does not have a deceptive solution - this was fun to read !

No Road Home is a locked-room mystery-thriller that follows a father and son visiting the father's new wife’s family estate. What begins as a tense family gathering soon takes a darker turn when the family patriarch is found murdered.

The book had a Knives Out vibe with a paranormal twist, which I found intriguing. The beginning drew me in, and I enjoyed the supernatural elements woven into the story. However, I didn’t connect with many of the characters—the wife’s family, in particular, was just awful, and I couldn’t bring myself to like any of them. Despite that, the story delivered plenty of twists and turns, though some developments felt off to me.

Overall, No Road Home is a decent locked-room mystery, and I liked the author’s writing enough to want to read more of their work in the future.

This book just didn't work for me. First there were way to many characters to keep track of. I couldn't connect with any of the characters and the story felt confluted and hard to follow. Just didn't keep my interest I kept putting it down and forcing myself to pick it back up. I dont get a lot of time to read and the time I do get i want to spend with a book that keeps me turning the pages. Unfortunately I wasn't the reader for this book.

It took me a while to gather my thoughts on No Road Home, because what the fuuuu.

This book was tragic. It was a horror story, a thriller, a locked room mystery, and a whodunit all mixed into one. And it was so damn sad. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end more times than I can count, and that was all before we learn what tragedies laid the path for this Agatha Christie-like mystery. It shattered me.

I feel like this is one of those books you need to go into semi blind, so the punches pack that extra heat. Because damn.

The writing was brilliant. The characters were layered and next level. They were like people you have in your own life, and it endeared me to them. I am immediately going to read whatever John Fram has written before, or will write next, because this book blew me away.

I love locked-room thrillers and southern gothic vibes, but somehow I just couldn't wage through all of the characters in the Wright family and get hooked to the plot so this ended up being a DNF for me around 35%. I think it was absolutely a 'me' issue and wrong book at the wrong time.