🚨📚 The Midnight Knock by John Fram
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (2.5 rounded up)

Not my usual genre (I’m a romance girl through and through), but I wanted to try something different and wow, this was way more horror than I expected. 🩸 Like… really bloody. Definitely not for the faint of heart (AKA me 😅).

That said, the whodunnit mystery element? Solid. I was hooked in the beginning. I loved the intro with Hunter, Ethan, Kyla, and Fernanda on the road, and the whole setup at the motel was creepy and intriguing in the best way. Locked room vibes, lots of secrets, and that ticking clock tension? All yes. 🔒⏰

But once more characters popped up out of nowhere and things got weird weird, my interest started to fade. Some parts were SO well written and atmospheric, but others left me confused or disconnected.

Would I read another book by this author? Maybe, if it leaned more thriller and less nightmare fuel. 😅 Horror fans, though? Y’all might love this.

🖤 Thank you to Atria Books & NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you, Atria Books, for providing a copy of The Midnight Knock by John Fram. I loved how the book started with road stories of Hunter and Ethan and Kyla and Fernanda, and how they end up at the Motel. Then the other characters showed up without any background, and my interest started to wane. The rest of the book was odd, so it was hard to follow and understand. Every so often, there would be passages with the same great storytelling that the beginning had had, but for the most part, it was tough going. I might try another book by this author if the story sounded more straightforward. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

This was my first John Fram book, so I didn’t have strong expectations going into “The Midnight Knock”. I was drawn to the idea of it being a thriller, suspense, and a “who dun it” story. What I was most surprised about was the amount of death and horror-esque pique. I think that my enjoyment of suspense, secrets, and racing against the clock. I didn’t personally love the death and violence that ensued through it, all that to say that its different than what I’ve previously read, yet I enjoy thoroughly trying new genres, titles, and authors.

The Midnight Knock is a great read if you are interested in the locked-room approach and mystery, to bring in both the past of the place and current challenges, and don’t mind death occurring as you read. The intertwining and discovering what is happening and who is at fault was challenging for me!

Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books, and John Fram for this ARC.

Feeling mixed about this one. I enjoyed the first section of the book very much. It was creepy, spooky, and had me on the edge of my seat. The 2nd and 3rd part kind of lost me. It started to feel a little long. I think this will 100% for many people.

That you NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC.
Having read No Way Home and really liking it, I was looking forward to reading The Midnight Knock. Unfortunately it was very different from what I expected and after reading about half of the story I decided it wasn't for me and skipped through to the end.
I'm not a fan of horror, but fans of the genre will most probably love it!

Such a great blend of western, thriller, and speculative fiction. It's menacing and gory and spooky, with really big ideas about humanity at its core.