I honestly didn't know what to expect going into this book, but what I got was 100% nothing that I could've never of thought of!
This book was the perfect thriller, one that truly messed with my head. There was horror elements and tons of gore filled deaths that I enjoyed. The one thing that I wasn't expecting though was how the supernatural element fit in, it was fun trying to unravel that mystery.
Every character had such a wonderful development and honestly the entire time I was trying to see if I could figure out Sarah or what each person's secret was but I couldn't.
I don't want to spoil the book, but there's a huge element that really added to the book that became confusing at first, but this book wouldn't of been as interesting without it :)
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

many thanks to atria and the author for gifting me a netgalley widget

i am still so confused by this book and if that was the point then job well done. i loved all the povs and the format was really cool. to keep living the same day with the characters was just fascinating. it was so interesting to see what choices would be made after more information was revealed and how all the characters ended up intersecting. i don't think i could've ever guessed the ending with all the twists and turns the story took. this was a lot of genres wrapped into one but it somehow worked. i was intrigued the entire time and the bittersweet ending left me aching for people i could never know. i'll be thinking about this one for awhile.

The Midnight Knock was not your traditional locked room mystery. It successfully weaved so many genres together - horror, sci-fi, mystery and even some folklore. It was a strange one, but definitely worth the read. A wild ride that I’m glad I took.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

So if you're familiar with the Wayward Pines Trilogy, that's the best comparison I can make for this unusual story. Elements of Twin Peaks with the overtly strange and quirky characters. Maybe throw in a dash of Kill Bill while you're at it. Several strangers end up at the same desolate motel in the west Texas desert and find themselves trapped. Literally, figuratively, basically every which way. There's a lot more supernatural than I was expecting, especially since it wasn't labeled as supernatural, science fiction, or horror. Yet the reader needs to be warned of that ahead of time. If that's not your thing, you won't enjoy this story. I was hoping the mysteries would have realistic and scientific explanations, but no, not at all. Which is fine if you know that going in.

The characters were just too much for me, almost to the point of being campy. The gay tough guys, the oddly short black girl whose height is supposedly 4'9", yet no one ever says a thing about it?? It's only mentioned when she's trying to find a hiding place, I guess because the author really wants to convince you that she'd fit in there. But to have no one reference her ridiculously short stature anywhere else is just lazy. And there's nothing ignorant about that statement, I'm 5'2" and the shortest person most everywhere, so for some woman to be that much shorter than me and NOT stand out is just absurd. Got on a tangent there, but then you have the odd Mexican girl who speaks disjointedly and with no contractions, the Asian biker, and the part Native American woman at the heart of the mystery. It's like every character is defined by their ethnicity, but for real, not the author poking fun at stereotypes.

The whole story is just bizarre and would make a much better movie than a book, I think. There's so much description of noises and colors that it almost reads as a screenplay, creating something dazzling to behold but just confusing to read. Still, it's definitely not your typical story, and if you want something unique, this is it.

Thank you to #netgalley, #johnfram, #atriabooks for the ARC of #themidnightknock

I took a chance on this book and didn't quite know what a "locked room thriller" was. It's listed as a thriller and a horror novel. I found it to be neither or those. Even the "gruesome" parts were mild compared to what I have read in the past. There was a lot of dialogue that really didn't make any sense. The run on sentences using and, and, and were driving me batty. I skimmed through a lot because it was was a bunch of words with no substance. The many characters had no background development. This one was a miss for me.

This book was fantastic. I loved every minute of it. I am so thankful I had the pleasure of reading it. I will be recommending to everyone!

So this started off very slow for me but I’m glad I kept reading because it was really a great mystery / supernatural story. The author spent a lot of time building his characters and the worlds and it never came across as cheesy. I won’t give spoilers so go in blind because nobody is who or what you think they are. I really enjoyed it and found a new author I like! Thanks NetGalley.

The Midnight Knock started off strong with a chilling premise and an eerie tone that had me curious about what was coming. John Fran does a good job building suspense in the early chapters, and there were moments that genuinely gave me goosebumps. However, the pacing felt uneven, and some parts dragged more than I expected. While the mystery was interesting, I found myself wanting a bit more character depth and a tighter plot. That said, the ending had a satisfying twist, and fans of slow-burning psychological suspense might still enjoy it. Not my favorite, but definitely not a bad read either.

In the frigid west Texas desert, seven weary travelers converge on a lonely motel at the foot of a massive mountain. Ethan and Hunter have left behind a corpse, an arson, and a horrific act of violence. Kyla and Fernanda are making a desperate escape to the border. Stanley and his granddaughter are on their way back from Mexico with a mysterious man pursuing them on a motorcycle. All of them are on the run from something. All of them have something to hide.

I love that this book. It was a very unique read. The characters were great and the story was very interesting.

3.5 stars rounded up. The description for this book sounded amazing, but the book fell short for me.
If you liked the movie knock at the cabin, this has some similar vibes.

This was a hard book to put down. I was enthralled by the story from the beginning and I loved all the twists. This author is new to me, but I absolutely loved the way the book was written. I fell in love with the characters and wanted to find out the answers to the mysteries with them.

Unfortunately, this was really not what I was expecting. It was way more horror than mystery. I feel like the blurb is a little misleading as this has fantasy aspects and unrealistic things which I am not the audience for. If I would've known this prior I would not have picked up this book. I had to DNF.

Wow! First time reading something from John Fram and I know it won't be my last! I love how twisty it was! I was not expecting that ending!

I have read a previous novel by this author so I requested this one, hoping for a similar experience. However I found that this novel fell flat. I didn't find it objectively bad but I was disengage from the story and not invested enough to see it through to the end because I honestly didn't care enough about the characters.

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

What initially presents itself as a conventional locked-room thriller swiftly evolves into a complex and genre-blending narrative that defies easy categorization. The novel follows Ethan, a man mired in stagnation in a failing western town, burdened by the weight of familial loss and economic despair. The death of his mother has left him a struggling garage business, and his brother is grappling with substance abuse and severe depression. Into this bleak landscape enters Hunter, a mysterious drifter whose arrival catalyzes a series of events that lead Ethan away from his static existence and into a harrowing journey.

Following a family tragedy, Ethan and Hunter embark westward in pursuit of reinvention. A surreal and violent episode at a roadside diner, followed by a breakdown en route, strands them at a remote motel operated by the enigmatic twins Thomas and Tabitha. As additional guests arrive—each distinct in personality and backstory, including a child, a grieving woman, and several troubled strangers—the narrative shifts tone dramatically. The hotel quickly reveals itself as a locus of supernatural and existential menace. What began as a thriller becomes a tense, reality-bending mystery infused with cosmic horror and speculative elements.

The plot is notable for its structural unpredictability and tonal shifts, oscillating between psychological suspense, grotesque horror, and eerie science fiction. The pacing is brisk and unrelenting, with narrative developments that are both disorienting and deeply engaging. The author’s ability to sustain a sense of dread while introducing increasingly surreal developments is commendable. The thematic breadth is wide, encompassing not only traditional horror motifs such as murder and supernatural threats, but also contemporary issues such as drug addiction, human trafficking, and moral ambiguity.

Stylistically, the novel plays with genre conventions, using the locked-room setting not merely as a narrative constraint but as a crucible in which the characters’ true natures are revealed. The characters themselves are often morally compromised and emotionally fractured, yet rendered with enough nuance to evoke sympathy. Their backstories unfold organically, often in disturbing ways, contributing to an overarching sense of unease and inevitability.

The climactic revelations—while deliberately ambiguous—succeed in reinforcing the novel’s existential and cosmic themes. The resolution is neither neat nor entirely explicable, but it aligns with the novel’s larger ambitions: to unsettle, provoke, and disorient. The horror here is not only external but philosophical, raising questions about fate, agency, and the unknowable forces that govern existence.

Readers who prefer tightly constructed, linear narratives may find the novel’s shifting structure and thematic sprawl challenging. However, for those open to a more experimental approach, this work offers a rich and disturbing tapestry that rewards close reading. It is a novel that deliberately eschews comfort in favor of confrontation—both with the uncanny and with the darkest recesses of human behavior.

In sum, this is a clever, unsettling, and genre-subversive work that will appeal to fans of horror, speculative fiction, and psychological thrillers alike. Its darkness is unrelenting, but never gratuitous; its surprises are numerous, but never cheap. It is a bold and imaginative contribution to contemporary horror literature.

The author of The Midnight Knock, John Fram is new to me. I went into this book not knowing what was in store. I would give this a 3.5 / 4 stars at the most. Not because the storyline was bad. It was different in every way. Intriguing and a bit captivating. However, some of the dialog with the characters background was repetitive and lacking in some areas. Overall, not bad. Definitely different.

This book had me hooked from beginning to end! I was captivated by the plot, the characters, and the suspense. I loved the characters and how diverse their stories were, but it wasn't overkill. The suspense and twists and turns were very well done and didn't feel cliche whatsoever.

The one thing that got me was how gruesome and gory this book was. I wasn't expecting it to be, so it took a little while to get used to. However, for fans of true horror, this would be an interesting read!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria books for this opportunity!

this was a really big anticipated release for me but i just didn't vibe with the deja vu aspect. the first 30% was so good. :/

This was a very clever book.

I'll say that it never quite goes where you expect. It's chilling, violent and very, very dark. Our characters have some unexpected backgrounds and are mostly rather unsavory. Yet, you still like to read them.

The truth behind everything is unexpected, somewhat nebulous, and rounds out a plot that is intelligent, yet horrific.

While I personally prefer a story that is more linear and concrete, the book pleased me.

* ARC via Publisher

From start to finish this book is absolutely captivating. The premise, the format, the style - all of it adds to the overall mystery and suspense which makes for an incredible reading experience. The twists and turns are not overly excessive and they tie together perfectly to make for a great read. While this story was heavier than I had anticipated, it was still pretty hard to put down and I found myself constantly thinking about it. Definitely worth the read.