ARC provided for an Honest Review
It took awhile to wrap my head around all the characters in this book. After the introductions to the characters, the murder occurs right off the bat and everyone is a suspect. The writing style made for an engaging read that kept me guessing. The bar is set very low for every character given their lies and cocky attitudes aside from MC Toby and his son-also the only newcomers and least likely suspects. Their wicked ways come to light soon after they are introduced and not only does every one have an agenda of their own, each would stab the other in the back (relation or not) in a moments notice. Given the matriarch lies dead, someone is to blame and Toby takes it upon himself to find the killer. Essentially stranded on an island of mother natures making, the Wright family has so many secrets in every closet of the household. Using religion as a ruse for all their misdeeds, it’s about time their wealth no longer covers their asses and I’ll be damned by all the drama that unravels in the end. One revelation after the next. This book stretches barriers from thriller one second to a spooky ghost story in the next.

5⭐️

Toby Tucker has worked for years to to provide for and protect his young son, Luca, from a world full of bigotry. As a single father of a sensitive, possibly queer son, Toby is aware of how easily the world can break someone. So when he meets and quickly marries Alyssa Wright, the wealthy granddaughter of a famed televangelist, he thinks they may have found a comfortable for Luca. But he quickly finds that the families godly persona is only for show and that he and his son are in more danger than they could ever have expected.

I went into this expecting nothing and was completely blown away. There were so many twist and turns that I didn't expect at all but were so well done. I really appreciate that looking back, I can follow the threads that lead to the twist and that it didn't come out of no where. The locked room/secluded locale of the mansion being cut off during a storm really played into the creepy atmosphere of the story. The house having hidden rooms or passageways made for a bigger guessing game since everyone could move around on their own.

Each of the characters were well thought out and their underlying histories made for such an interesting story. Alyssa's refrain of 'this family is too rich to be bigoted' was a perfect way to put things. I've read many stories of someone marrying into a stupidly rich family only to find out that their all evil. With this book, the Wright's aren't only stupidly rich but have made their fortune off the patriarch of the family being a fire and brimstone televangelist preaching about sins and that made the family that much more evil and that much more hypocritical. Stories of homophobia, scared straight wilderness camps, interracial relationships, children out of wedlock and affairs are abundant and it makes it hard to root for anyone. I did really like Toby and how protective and understanding he was of Luca. I also really liked Marie and Julian and how they fit into the story.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for providing this ARC to me!

This book was NOTHING like I thought it would be. I was sold by famous preacher aspect of it and the fact that it was a mystery read, I KNEW I was going to love it, but not this much. Not only does this family have a ton of secrets and it was soooo twisty and straight NASTY., Tobias also surprised me at the end…. This book reminded me a lot of Greenleaf which is a show that I believe I saw on Netflix but times a MILLION because of the very dark secrets and the poison thats imbedded in the characters…. Most def a must read.

Where to even start? This book has a ton going on and is reminiscent of the movie “Get Out”. Tobia has always just wanted to keep his son Luca safe and provide for him. When he meets Alyssa, a wealthy women who seems to good to be true, he thinks he finally can provide everything his son needs. When they go visit Alyssa’s family estate for her 30th birthday things go from bad to incredibly creepy almost immediately. No one in the family seems sane and all seem to be hiding secrets. Tobias quickly gets to the point his just wants to take his son and leave but the family and Mother Nature herself makes that impossible.

This book was a wild ride with so many disturbing components to it but nothing that made me personally want to stop reading. I do think there are some triggers in there that can upset some people but otherwise I really enjoyed this book. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publishers for allowing me to read this advanced copy.

I picked this one up because I like murder mysteries and I had heard of John Fram but missed his earlier book, [book:The Bright Lands|52703177]. This one is chilling!

Description:
A young father must clear his name and protect his queer son when his wealthy new wife’s televangelist grandfather is found murdered in this binge-worthy locked-room thriller from the acclaimed author of The Bright Lands—perfect for fans of Ruth Ware, Paul Tremblay, and Alex North.

For years, single father Toby Tucker has done his best to keep his sensitive young son, Luca, safe from the bigotry of the world. But when Toby marries Alyssa Wright—the granddaughter of a famed televangelist known for his grandiose, Old Testament preaching—he can’t imagine the world of religion, wealth, and hate that he and Luca are about to enter.

A trip to the Wright family’s compound in sun-scorched Texas soon turns hellish when Toby realizes that Alyssa and the rest of her brood might have some very strange plans for Toby and his son. The situation only grows worse when a freak storm cuts off the roads and the family patriarch is found murdered, stabbed through the heart on the roof of the family’s mansion.

Suspicion immediately turns to Toby, but when his son starts describing a spectral figure in a black suit lurking around the house with unfinished business in mind, Toby realizes this family has more than murder to be afraid of. And as the Wrights close in on Luca, no one is prepared for the lengths Toby will go in the fight to clear his name and protect his son.

My Thoughts:
This book gives off a gothic atmosphere in the Texas family compound of the Wrights. The Wright family is horrible and I disliked all the characters except Tobias and his son Luca. I felt sorry for Tobias throughout as he tried to shield his son and extricate them from this terrible situation. His determination to shield his son from bigotry and hatred was admirable. As the storm left them cut off from the world with roads blocked and the unpredictable family schemes, the book held me in its grip throughout. A good pace and lots of tense moments made this a worthwhile read. The initial murder was the most difficult to solve and I would never have guessed. I would recommend to anyone who likes murder mysteries.

Thanks to Atria Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.

My thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books/Simon & Schuster for the ARC of 'No Road Home in exchange for an honest review.
What a twelve course meal this book serves up......
'No Road Home' operates on so many multiple levels, my head was spinning. There's grand Gothic horror, there's an intricate 'locked room' whodunit that's enough to a make a Dame Agatha book read like "Goodnight Moon'. And finally, there's a torrential rain storm hovering over the Versailles-sized mansion of the televangelist Wrignt family dynasty..........a poisonous Addams Family collection of grifters, lunatics and psychotic pederasts. The horrorshow Wrights are nothing but a litany of wrongs
Hurled into this cauldron is Toby Tucker, who unwisely entered into a marriage of convenience with one of the Wrights to assure a financially comfortable future for Luca, his sensitive queer little boy. After the murder of the family Patriarch, it doesn't take long for Toby to realize how much danger he's placed himself and Luca in. He's overwhelmed by the depths of the family's crimes and perversions and this hissing nest of vipers has ominous plans for Luca that Toby realizes will destroy the child.
If that isn't enough going on, somebody (human or other-worldly) . is using red paint to smear foul, threatening messages that promise bloody, Biblical revenge and retribution on the Wrights for their multitude of sins.
The rain keeps pounding as Toby and Luca try to desperately find their way out of both labyrinth of the vast house itself and the tangled web of the family's schemes they're trapped in.
Quite a wild ride from beginning to end, with a climax that rivals Stephen King in finishing off things with a bizarre satisfying spectacle. I love how this book just went for it fully, throwing everything in one huge package. Definitely a 'Don't Miss for this year's thrillers.

This book was WILD! WOW. I loved every single last moment. It's gothic. It's locked room murdder mystery. It's family secrets. It's a ghost story and a story about the love of a father and son.

For years, single father Toby Tucker has done his best to keep his sensitive young son, Luca, safe from the bigotry of the world. But when Toby marries Alyssa Wright—the granddaughter of a famed televangelist known for his grandiose Old Testament preaching—he can’t imagine the world of religion, wealth, and hate that he and Luca are about to enter.

A trip to the Wright family’s compound in sun-scorched Texas soon turns hellish when Toby realizes that Alyssa and the rest of her brood have dangerous plans for him and his son. The situation only grows worse when a freak storm cuts off the roads and the family patriarch is found murdered, stabbed in the chest on the roof of their sprawling mansion.

Suspicion immediately turns to Toby, but when his son starts describing a spectral figure in a black suit lurking around the house with unfinished business in mind, Toby realizes this family has more than murderer to conceal—and to fear.

As the Wrights close in on Luca, no one is prepared for the lengths Toby will go in the fight to clear his name and protect his son in this “grand gothic story as enthralling as it is terrifying” (S.A. Cosby, New York Times bestselling author).

Totally bonkers. Definitely giving The Fall of the House of Usher Vibes. Totally engrossing, I read it mostly in one sitting. Could not put it down. Loved the pacing, loved the characters. This book is a winner.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books Publishing for the advanced digital copy. The novel will be released this week on July 23, 2024. Go for it!

A gothic horror locked mansion murder mystery thriller that might baffle and frustrate you, like me, but which will keep you reading because it's just so.....twisty. There's a lot Alyssa didn't tell Toby when they married- and now he's deep in the heart of the darkness of their family and desperately worried about his young son Luca. Her grandfather is a mega evangelist and the family runs the business from their huge mansion. As far as Toby had known, she is a pediatrician sympathetic to the LGBTQ community. The first indication that all isn't right comes when they stop at a local store and are cautioned by a woman who spouts three warnings. And then it starts. There's a murder, there are torrential rains that knock out the roads and communications, and someone is painting horrible things on doors and desks. What's Toby's back story anyway? It comes out in dribbles until almost the end-and it's relevant. No spoilers from me. Fram does a nice job with the tension. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. An interesting read.

This review will be posted on July 23, 2024 to: https://instagram.com/amandas.bookshelf

I'm not sure if neo-Gothic is a genre, but if it is, this novel absolutely belongs in its classification. This was dark and creepy and unsettling. Imagine the family from Knives Out, but scarier. Fans of social horror and Gothic tales will appreciate the layers of complexity explored in this, such as Old Testament religion, prophecy, greed, and queer identity. I absolutely couldn't put this down! #NoRoadHome Rating: 😊 / really liked it
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This book is scheduled for publication on July 23, 2024. Thank you @atriabooks for providing me this digital ARC via @NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

“The knife slides free, the door clicks closed and here, at last, is the rain. ”
Here are reasons to read the Thriller book:

Marriage - Newly married Toby and Alyssa, along with Toby’s son Luca
Family Compound - are traveling to Alyssa’s family compound for her 30th birthday party.
Head of Family - When the head of the family is found dead
Storm - and a storm is brewing, suspicions turns to the new comers, and Toby believes his son could be in terrible danger

If you have seen the movie Ready or Not, this book is like that. Except in this case, the family is part of a church cult and what they want him for is not to kill him. This family is truly despicable, and definitely make sure you check your triggers because there is quite a bit of really questionable things in this book. However, I give the author props for his handling of them without a lot of graphic details. This book was intense and absolutely action packed. Although a lot of times while the main character is trying to solve the mystery, you really want to yell at what he is missing. But follow it along, and I promise everything has a purpose.

4.5 Stars. Wow! This was memorable, gripping, twisted and twisty. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. My rating is nearer 5 stars. The character development is strong and there is a huge cast to sort out. Who is basically good with positive intentions? Others may be fanatical, evil, deluded, of unstable or drug addled. Many seem to have secret agendas. The tension and sense of foreboding are tangible in this gothic tale of an immensely wealthy dysfunctional family living in a poorly maintained mansion, so huge that it is easy to lose one’s way in it. The wealth was accumulated from donations to a religious TV series lead by Jerome Wright which has become increasingly focused on Old Testament retribution and prophecy.

Millions of dollars have been hidden in offshore accounts but siphoned off by a family member, placing the ministry on the verge of bankruptcy.

This is a story of bigotry under the pretense of religious extremism, murder, revenge,betrayal, predatory sexual secrets,incest and deception amidst a raging storm and deadly flood. It asks how far a person would go to protect their child and how far a family would go to protect their family business based on wealth derived from religious broadcasts

Tobias Tucker is fiercely protective of his seven-year-old son. Luca. Luca wears his hair in braids decorated with beads, likes colourful clothes and sparkly socks. As a hobby he constructs origami flowers from paper found in trash. Toby is determined that Luca will grow up without prejudice for his differences. A ghostly spectre is visible to Luca.

Toby feels the loss of his sister Willow. He has locked away tragic memories in an imaginary ‘mind castle’ he learned to create. He has been unable to retrieve the most disturbing ones. After a short acquaintance, he marries the beautiful, wealthy Alyssa Wright. She persuades Toby to visit her family home built on the profits from the religious telecasts and meet her many relatives.

Once Toby, Luca, and Alyssa arrive at the estate, there is an eerie, sinister atmosphere and he learns Luca is part of a nefarious plot to change him and make him one of their own. Shorty after arrival, Alyssa’s grandfather Jerome is found stabbed to death on the roof. The key to enter the roof is missing and also the blood soaked murder weapon. Most of the family members may have a motive but Toby is targeted for blame. The family delays calling the police and evidence is placed to make Toby look guilty. He never had time to find his way to the roof or the key to gain access. This was a way to get rid of Toby and claim Luca.

This so-called religious family is far from God-like. They plan to continue the religious TV series without Jerome to build up
a greater fortune. They are prejudiced against those with homosexual or transsexual lifestyles and run a camp to rid members of alternative sexual orientations. Once at a the camp they are subjected to emotional and sexual abuse by predators Jerome and Alyssa ‘s brother Richard. There is also bigotry based on racial factors. Two cousins , Jules and Marie are of mixed race and employed as servants without hopes for any inheritance.

There is a list at the beginning identifying members of the family in this complex and tangled tale. The reader should pay attention to enjoy all the twists and turns and the final revelations.

There is a raging storm at the beginning. My mind kept shouting at Toby to grab his son and run, but the road is washed out and internet and phone service is down. There is no way out. Later there is a massive flood with more deaths as the house crumbles into the water. At the same time, Toby’s hidden memories are surfacing.
How supportive has his new wife been in Toby’s time of trouble? Despite this dark, disturbing story, I found the outcome very satisfying. Publication date is July 23.

This book sucked me in right away with the short chapters and it's old school feel of televangelist. When I was young my own grandpa used to watch them. It kept getting more foreboding with the family showing their greed and disrespect. It reminded me then of the movie "ready or not" which I loved. The challenge was on. However, the story twisted a little for me mid way through the book where it very much felt like an "agatha cristie" who done it. I did enjoy following the story and found some to be very unique story. What I felt would have made the story better for me. The foreshadowing kept ruining part of the story for me. I would have preferred to be shown and not told with surprise. I would have liked to meet each character instead of them being explained in the beginning. I loved little Luca and wish they would have done even more with that character and the plot. I think readers will have very differing opinions on this story. I look forward to seeing how they like it or not.
3.8 stars

After Toby marries into the very religious, wealthy, televangelist Wright Family, he isn’t sure what he or his son, Luca are up against. When he ventures out to their estate to meet them all in one place for the first time, the bigotry and ghosts come out in full force.

NO ROAD HOME by John Fram is a hugely character-driven, anger-fueled family drama with some supernatural thrown in.

I loved the characters of Toby, Luca, and Julian so so much and I wish we got more characterization and a detailed backstory of Willow as well. With that being said, the character list in this book is STACKED, so be prepared to memorize that family tree (there’s a nice little key at the beginning that was extremely helpful!), but if you’ve been around here a while, you know I love when books have a long character list!

I found the televangelist aspect to be extremely unique and made this book even more uneasy when it came to the secrets that were slowly revealed, and almost wish that aspect were built up in an even wilder way.

This is my first read from John Fram and won’t be my last!

*triggers will be posted on Storygraph - but major bigotry all-around*

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Publication Date: July 23

This is a well-crafted, well-told, super scary Gothic story. I was rapt from the opening and I was rewarded for my attention. Each character is flushed out, there's no blending of characters nor was I left wondering over who is speaking or being spoken of. Fram writes his characters like they are people he's known forever. This is no small feat for a book with multiple characters, but Fram executes it marvelously! This tale is atmospheric and dark with supernatural elements that give a nice scare, and other times the fright comes from considering the trauma, pain, and fear of those who were hurt. This is definitely a book for the Gothic horror fan, and also for those who enjoy a good mystery. I read this book a few months ago and I've been telling everyone I know to check it out this summer. Go read it! You won't be disappointed.

Also, in the back matter Fram wrote that he felt he'd lost confidence in his writing at some point - if I remember correctly. I can only hope that he realizes what an amazing book he's created here, and what a talent he has. Fram is an awesome storyteller and this story was a worthy read.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC!

I really enjoyed this book: it was absolutely wild at times. There was so much going on with all of these characters, I truly didn’t know what to expect or where the story would go.

When I started the book, I don’t think I was immediately sold on it. I found the first few chapters the story was almost trying to find its footing, which could be due to the many names you’re immediately introduced to, but once it picked up - it really just kept on going.

The religious components of this book definitely threw me off, because I don’t think I’ve read one like this before. There were so many more twists than I expected, and I think I maybe only guessed one or two of them correctly.

Overall, a super fun read and I’m definitely interested in reading more from John Fram!

Absolutely loved this book. At over 400 pages it’s almost considered an epic in my book! Man, you really love to hate the Wrights! Because they’re awful AWFUL horrible people but also because they’re parading as Christians and of course horrible people and fleecing their “flock” for all their money. And you also love to love Toby and Luca too. It’s just such well written characters and the twist is *mind blowing* and I quite love the ending as well. All the stars

Thank you to Atria, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley, for the free E-copy for review.

No Road Home by John Fram is a creepy and claustrophobic read that takes the reader on a gripping journey. From the outset, we are introduced to Toby Tucker, a single father who has dedicated himself to shielding his sensitive son Luca from the bigotry of the world. However, when Toby marries Alyssa Wright, the granddaughter of a renowned televangelist, they find themselves plunged into a realm of religion, wealth, and hate.

As the story unfolds, a trip to the Wright family's Texas compound takes a perilous turn when Toby's father-in-law is found murdered, and suspicion immediately falls on Toby. Adding to the unease, Luca's descriptions of a spectral figure lurking around the house suggest that this family harbors more than just the crime at hand.

Initially, I found myself questioning Toby's decisions, wondering what he could have been thinking in getting himself and his son into such a precarious situation. However, as the narrative progresses, it becomes clear that Toby is carrying his own set of personal traumas and struggles, including the experiences of his sister. This added depth and complexity to the character, making me root for him even more as he fights to clear his name and protect his son.

The book takes an unexpected turn, veering in a direction I did not anticipate. My initial impressions of questioning Toby's actions gave way to a deeper understanding of the challenges he faces, and I found myself invested in his journey, hoping for the hero and his son to find a way out of the perilous predicament.

Ultimately, No Road Home emerges as a powerful exploration of a father's love, a brother's devotion, and the dark undercurrents of poverty, bigotry, and the abuse of power within the realm of religious institutions. It is a thought-provoking and immersive read that leaves a lasting impression.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own

Wow.

Crazy dysfunctional Texas families that lean heavily on preaching are some of my favorite tropes. When newlyweds Tobias(Toby) and Alyson and Toby's son, Luca head to Texas to celebrate Alyson's birthday with her family, the weekend goes from polite to crazy in a matter of seconds.

Short punchy chapters and a reasonably paced plot kept me engaged and I ended up finishing this in one sitting. If you like a murder mystery, add this to your beach bag!


Expected Publication Date 23/07/24
Goodreads Review 18/07/24

If you like rich messy family drama, closed room mystery, trapped during a storm trope, unreliable narrators, and action then this is for you.

We are following Toby Tucker and his son Luca who are going to Texas to meet his new wife’s wealthy family. Toby’s wife, Alyssa Wright—the granddaughter of a famed televangelist known for his grandiose Old Testament preaching—he can’t imagine the world of religion, wealth, and hate that he and Luca are about to enter. As soon as they arrive at the mansion trouble starts brewing. Someone is leaving terrible threatening written messages on doors, a storm rolls in and the murders began.

I enjoyed this thriller. I never read anything from John Fram before and I really enjoyed his writing style. The chapters were short and kept you wanting to read more. This had many tropes that I enjoy: locked room mystery, isolation, and a destructive storm. The story had a good atmosphere and the cast of characters were all pretty terrible humans, but that made the story more interesting. I would read from John Fram again and would recommend this book to thriller lovers.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Meeting your in-laws for the first time is always a nerve-wracking event.

Toby and his son, Luca, are headed to Texas with Toby’s wife, a pediatrician and heiress named Alyssa. Alyssa has given Toby every reassurance she can muster about her family, because Luca is starting to show signs of being queer and Toby doesn’t want him around bigots; and, well, Alyssa’s grandfather is a famous televangelist. Alyssa tells him her family is too rich to be bigoted. Well, you can see how well this is going to go.

I liked the idea of this book much more than I liked the book itself. I liked the individual story components more than the whole. I liked the tropes, but not how they were assembled. Does that all make sense? It was like the ingredients were all there but the measurements were wrong and it was baked wrong.

For one, it was baked too long. This book was too long by far. The third act of a thriller should be where you kick it up a notch, but I honestly thought the third act was the slowest of the entire book. I kept saying, “We’re not done yet?”

Second, the repetitiveness. By the end of the second act my eyes were starting to glaze over every time I read the term “mind palace”.

Third, the ending. I’m sorry, but I can’t vibe with the ending. It wasn’t good.

I am going to list off a few TWs for you: incest, “wilderness” camp, homophobia, internalized homophobia, transphobia, CSA, suicide. Those are the big ones.

In the end, it was a very average novel that was well-written for the most part but just didn’t vibe as a whole.

I was provided with a copy of this title by Netgalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Since this review is rated three stars or lower it will not be appearing on my social media. Thank you.

File Under: Gothic Fiction/LGBTQ Fiction/Murder Thriller/Psychological Thriller