No Road Home by John fram is about Toby and his son Luca Tucker until recently they lived in LA but because he married Alyssa right they’re moving to Texas to live closer to her family. He is also from Texas and growing up has definitely heard of her grandfather Jerome Jeremiah Wright the pastor they call the prophet. Right before they reached her families palatial mansion they stop at the local Cracker Barrel where the cashier Lotty sees the hook shaped scar on Toby‘s arm and immediately tells him the profit told her to warn the man with that scar that he was heading into a nest of vipers but that right when she starts to mention his son his wife walks up and seems reluctant to leave him alone with the seemingly harmless cashier. When they first arrive at the Homestead Toby is met with a lot of new relatives and not all of them can wipe the shock off of their face when meeting seven-year-old Luca who has his hair in braids with beads. Despite growing up in Texas with his religious uncle after the death of his parents Toby as an adult isn’t religious at all but before the weekend is over he will definitely be asking the Lord for strength and praying that he and Luca make it out alive. This book was so good and there is way too much in it to give a good summary just know before the end of the first night there they already discussed sending Luca to get his hair cut short and to their camp to man him up there was so much I loved about this book they have so much in at a haunted house family secrets just know there’s talk of abuse and incest murder this book was so good! I do want to say though
Luca was seven years old and they kept referring to him as queer and I think that’s a distinction that should be left for him to decide just because he likes pink and his hair in braids doesn’t exactly mean he’s going to grow up and be queer. He may be but I think they should leave that for him to know and seven is way too young to be making such life decisions. There is nothing wrong with being queer I just think seven is a tad bit young they should leave it open until he at least hits his teens. Having said that however I also want to say I thought when Maria and Toby were questioning Matalia and he was in severe pain after having a tumor removed and he was only 12 but they wouldn’t give him anything for pain until he told them everything they wanted to know… I mean the boy was 12 and was in severe pain. I just thought that was wrong of Maria and Toby and also the way Toby had no problem going to potential killers everything someone else told him. Now that I have got the negatives out the way just know this is an awesome awesome book, it had real ghost I did get tired of hearing about Toby‘s labyrinth in memory palace that got super old super quick but I still absolutely recommend this book and still gave it five stars despite all the negative points because the rest was all awesome.#AtriaBooks, #NetGalley, #JohnFram, #NoRoadHome,

I was just complaining about reading too many ‘locked room’ mysteries and ironically here’s my second one in a row after just finishing Jamie Day’s One Big Happy Family. This one too is about a big and extremely dysfunctional family whose patriarch, the Prophet Jerome Jeremiah Wright, has made a fortune from televangelism and has used part of the money to build a mansion for the family in backwater Texas. This story though is creepily atmospheric and gothic with even some supernatural elements to it and I enjoyed it quite a lot.

Tobias Tucker, the father of a non-binary kid named Luca, has just married into the Wright family and they have traveled to her family’s homestead to celebrate his wife Alyssa’s 30th birthday. The family includes the patriarch and prophet, his crazy old sister, two daughters, one son-in-law, and various grandchildren, including two who serve as servants in this vast mansion. It doesn’t take Toby long to figure out he’s made a big mistake by marrying Alyssa and bringing his young son into this viper’s nest. Then of course, a torrential rainstorm hits which washes out roads and cell phone service and traps them all in this weird mansion where it seems a murder has been committed. Meanwhile, Luca is seeing someone no one else can see…

The story is very spooky and atmospheric, with lots of twists, turns and surprises. This would make a terrific horror-suspense movie—hope someone has snapped up the movie rights! The author absolutely skewers this fundamentalist Christian family and lays bare their hypocrisy.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this exciting new thriller via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

I do not read much LGBTQ+ horror/mystery but found this novel intrigu9ing. Our hero, Toby Tucker, marries into a truly detestable family of televangelists and ends up having to protect his young son from their machinations. Toby will do anything to secure his son's safety. I did not anticipate the clever twists at the end There is alot of violence both in the present and in the past culminating in an apocalyptic finish. There is even a ghost.

Overall the story is well-written and very touching by the time we reach the end. This is a complex mystery in which everyone has secrets and nearly everyone lies. A family tree for the Wrights would have been of help! The book seems to have fewer layers initially than it ends up having by the end. The result of this is that you don't care as much for the characters in the first three quarters of the book as you do by the final quarter. They start out as fairly one dimensional and but then develop more and more complexity as the novel continues. I found the ending quite moving and the metaphor of the memory palace was powerful.

The writing is excellent; the plot is propulsive. I'm going back to a cozy MM romance now!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Toby visits his new wife’s estate. He’s familiar with the patriarch, as he’s a famous televangelist. When the televangelist is found murdered on their first night, Toby becomes the main suspect.

I really started off liking this one. For a locked room mystery in an estate with a storm, it was very uniquely done! I liked the concept, the plot, and the way the chapters were structured. It became too long for me and I got really tired of all the characters’ horrible behavior. They were all just so awful. I started not caring who killed who and wished they’d all just die.

“This family is so black with sin you couldn’t find it in the dark.”

No Road Home comes out 7/23.

Wowzer! This book has so much going on and it captures you in the beginning and the dark, gothic atmosphere keeps you mesmerized until the end. You will find LGBTQ rep, incest, homophobia, bigotry, mental health issues, supernatural elements, murder, revenge all combined to make a great locked room mystery/thriller with a bit of horror tossed in.

Toby Tucker is a single dad trying to provide and protect his sensitive son Luca. He lost his sister Willow and he saw how things effected her and doesn't want that to happen his son. He marries Alyssa Wright and she is granddaughter of televangelist. They go to Texas so he can meet the family.

This is one disturbed, creepy, bizarre family and the house has some mysterious things going on which adds to the mystery of what is going on?. The family will lie, backstab, and manipulate to try and make sure they keep the money they think they deserve.

The patriarch of the family gets killed. A storm comes and everyone is stuck on the estate until the roads are clear to travel. Things escalate quickly and Toby has gotten in way over his head. The family is trying to pin the murder on Toby as he tries to play sleuth and figure out who did it.

This book is fantastic in so many ways and you need to read it to fully appreciate it.

Rating: 4 ⭐️

Wow. A suspenseful thriller with so many moving pieces. I had a lot of theories reading this book but with the twists and turns was continuously surprised!

A good read that kept me on the edge of my seat. Definitely a solid 4 stars and worth the time/read in my opinion!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for my honest review.

What happens when you marry the granddaughter of a mega church televangelist? You'd think you found the perfect wife and a great family to help raise your son. But, on a visit to the family compound secrets are everywhere, no-one seems to be without sin, and the this family is anything but perfect. No Road Home was a quick read for me, it is a fast-paced whodunit with a horror twist. It is very much in John Fram's style for those whom enjoyed his previous book, The Bright Lands.

Please note, I received an ARC copy of this book for review from NetGalley, but that never influences my honest reviews of books or authors.

I accidentally submitted the wrong feedback. Working on review and will come before due date. Thank you for understanding!

Thank you Atria Books for the gifted digital ARC!

The first 85% of this book was delightfully creepy, super fast-paced, and really interesting. I just kept thinking it would make such a good limited TV series!

And then.... the last 15%. I'm so bummed to say the ending just did *not* work for me at all. I won't say why since it's a very big spoiler but it was just... too much. There was one particular plot point that I really don't enjoy in thrillers as far as narrators are concerned.

Nevertheless, I won't hesitate to read whatever Fram comes up with next!

No Road Home pub date is July 23.

Trigger warnings all over the place!! Everything pretty much except no animals were injured (that I can recall).

Toby thinks he has finally caught a break when he marries Alyssa, a granddaughter of a wealthy and famous televangelist. But, like many of us assume about these families, they aren't quite so darn Christian! There are so many darn twists and secrets that even those have their own twists and secrets! While many readers have tagged this book as "paranormal" I think it fell much more into the "gothic" category with the house being its own character. Needless to say, while I am not a paranormal fan, it really worked for me here! And if any family and house are going to be haunted, I think an wicked evangelical family is the perfect victim!

A creepy mansion, a giant storm that cuts off access to the outside world, a family full of secrets and bigots, and a murder that the main character must solve before he is blamed for the crime. I was totally invested with this story from the beginning. John Fram did such a great job at conveying the eerie feeling of the house and the hateful nature of the family members.

The overall Southern Gothic atmosphere with this large compound in Texas that houses an extremely rich televangelist family definitely worked for me. Seeing the ways that Toby and his son Luca are introduced to the location and various family members through Toby’s new wife Alyssa worked really well in the narrative. I enjoyed seeing Toby’s love for his son Luca and wanting to make sure that he protected him from the bigots in the family that want to make Luca “like a man” instead of the sweet, queer child he was.

The majority of the book is told from Toby’s POV, but there are some sections throughout that jump to other characters. I think that Fram did a great job at differentiating between the voices of the characters. I do think that at times the book feels a bit repetitive and like some things could’ve been trimmed down some. Also, I do think that some of the reveals felt a bit obvious. But then there were some that really surprised me.

Overall I had a great time reading this book. I enjoy how John Fram writes horror/thriller books that portray the evils of homophobia and other sorts of bigotry within the stories. Definitely check this one out if it sounds interesting to you. Especially if you’re a fan of Michael McDowell’s books, I feel like there’s a lot of crossover in the overall atmosphere of the stories.

No Road Home

WOW. Fram is such an ambitious writer, and I am so thankful for his mastery.

No Road Home is an instant classic. It has all the hallmarks I’ve come to associate with Fram: a large cast of dynamic characters (who aren’t always what they seem), queer rep, a slow, suspenseful build, a setting that is as much a character in the story as its cast, and an explosive (maybe supernatural?!) ending sure to blow you away.

SYNOPSIS (courtesy of Simon & Schuster Canada): “a young father must clear his name and protect his queer son when his wealthy new wife's televangelist grandfather is found murdered”.

From the first chapter I was drawn into this world and the mystery behind it all. I loved the pacing because it allowed little bits to be revealed slowly over the course of the narrative, the way that small details were dropped and left for the readers to consider and reflect upon.

Plus: I absolutely love reading about religious families (in this case: a televangelist, cult-like group that I couldn’t help but relate to Righteous Gemstones at times, but for their deeply nefarious and scary history) and houses as characters (this massive gothic manse is sure to get under your skin).

The books biggest win is its portrayal of authentic characters. A tender, gorgeous father-son relationship. Toby might be my new favourite literary dad? Didn’t see that coming.

In short: my guy came through and delivered a compelling locked room gothic mystery that folks are going to love.

I tried, I really did. But I just couldn’t get into it. I tried to soft DNF it and pick it up again later when I was in a different reading mood, but I still just wasn’t having a good time, and the longer I went without picking it back up, the less I wanted to. It was slow, there were a lot of characters, I wasn’t totally vibing with the writing style/tone, and I was struggling to enjoy reading about some of the themes/topics. I believe I’m in the minority here, so there’s clearly an audience for it out there. I don’t think it was bad, I just don’t think it’s for me and that’s okay.

Super fun who-dun-it and I loved the LGBTQ+ vibes! There is so much happening all the time so you definitely have to pay close attention if you’re into figuring things out but the atmosphere and over all feel makes it totally worth it⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The book offers a slow yet intriguing narrative—a claustrophobic locked-room mystery with commendable LGBTQ representation. It's worth giving a try for those interested in a mix of suspense, mystery, and positive representation.

This thriller explores how a family is destroyed by the secrets they tried to hide.

The Wright family is so very wrong (yes, I had to go there). While they may be tied to a ministry, they are far from sinless. In fact, I'd go as far to say that this family has committed more sins than the average family. Newly married to Alyssa Wright, Toby Tucker and his son, Luca, meet the family for the first time, and it is clear early on that they are not welcome. This is all the more evident when Jerome, the patriarch, dies (possibly murdered) and Alyssa immediately claims Toby must have done it. Yikes! Way to run a marriage really quick. I came to loathe Alyssa for many reasons.

Although the cards are stacked against him, I liked how Toby tried to investigate what really happened to Jerome. There seems to be plenty of suspects, especially when the dark secrets this family has tried to keep are revealed. This family is truly disturbing.

While I felt the book dragged on at times, the last quarter of the book had plenty of shocking revelations that kept me entertained. I especially like the twist involving Toby. Didn't see that coming.

Overall, this was a good thriller with surprisingly good LGBTQ representation.

"No Road Home" is a fascinating novel set in Texas featuring a family dealing with secrets and a mysterious locked room. Filled with unexpected twists, this suspenseful thriller explores family conflicts and hidden truths in a modern narrative. The story revolves around Toby Tucker and his son, Luca, as they get involved in family drama and mysterious events at the Wright family estate. Despite its length, the novel maintains a good pace and offers a satisfying ending. However, it's important to note that the story includes disturbing themes such as incest and physical and emotional abuse. Overall, "No Road Home" is a moving and emotional story that investigates the impact of past traumas and the journey toward self-forgiveness and healing while reminding us of the importance of shaping a better world for future generations.

a bizarre and twisty book full of strange characters. This is my first Fram novel, and i will look for more of his work in the future. Thank you to the author and publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I have been lost in the Maasverse, and I decided to walk away from the Fae to a thriller. And boy did I…a televangelist family in Texas that has a murder of the patriarch. A “new” husband with a queer son seems the perfect suspects. There was nothing light in this plot line. John Fram set a gothic horror vibe from the very first chapter, and I adored his descriptions of the house. The plot moved a little slow for me, but it kept me engaged and I definitely wanted to finish the book. I had suspicions about the twist and I was glad that I was correct. But even my suspicions were not 100% right. Which is good because it kept me guessing.

* I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*

Well that was a twisty ride that I kept frantically turning the pages through! Just when you think it can’t get crazier, the author throws another surprise your way. I was getting some (modern) VC Andrews vibes during a couple parts, so normally I’d think it was verging on gothic soap opera but…no, I can actually believe this insanity would happen! I did let out a big gasp at the climactic reveal though. Really nice job by John Fram.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing this arc in exchange for my honest review.