The Midnight Knock - by John Fram (Hardcover)

About the Book

"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. And somehow, they're all connected to the motel's eighth guest, an enigmatic woman named Sarah Powers. Within hours, Sarah is dead. The strange twins who run the motel inform the surviving guests that her murder demands justice. The guests are given an ultimatum: bring proof of who killed Sarah Powers by midnight or die when the protective lights around the motel go out. Because something very old and very dangerous lurks in this corner of the desert. And it's hungry. But nothing at the Brake Inn Motel is quite as it seems. As time ticks away, alliances fracture, and secrets unravel, the guests will have to confront not just the violence of the past-they will need to face the darkness within themselves. A masterful blend of psychological tension, supernatural horror, and intricate storytelling, The Midnight Knock pushes the boundaries of what a mystery can be. And with its unforgettable climax, this novel cements John Fram as a contemporary master of thrillers"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

"David Lynch meets Agatha Christie in this razor-sharp, nightmare of a thriller." --Brad Thor, #1 New York Times bestselling author

For fans of Stuart Turton and Blake Crouch, a mind-bending locked-room thriller about eight strangers trapped in a remote Texas motel as they race against time to save their lives--from the acclaimed author of the "compelling, thought-provoking, page-turning" (Paul Tremblay, author of The Cabin at the End of the World) No Road Home.

In the frigid west Texas desert, weary travelers converge at a lonely roadside motel nestled at the foot of a massive mountain. Ethan and Hunter have left behind a corpse and a horrific act of violence. Kyla and Fernanda are fleeing for the border. Stanley and his granddaughter are returning from Mexico with a mysterious man in hot pursuit. All of them are on the run from something. All of them are hiding something.

And somehow, they're all connected to the motel's other guest, an enigmatic woman named Sarah Powers.

Within hours, Sarah is dead. The strange twins who run the Brake Inn Motel offer the guests an ultimatum: uncover the killer by midnight--or die when the protective lights around the motel go out. Because something very old and very dangerous lurks in this corner of the desert. And it's hungry.

As time ticks away, alliances fracture, secrets unravel, and the guests will not only have to confront the violence of the past but also face the darkness within themselves.

A masterful blend of psychological tension, supernatural horror, and layered storytelling, The Midnight Knock "takes you on an eerie journey through the wide open and desolate landscape of Texas where everyone is a suspect. All the thrills of an escape room, all the chills of a Stephen King novel. You will be left guessing until the very last page" (Ashley Elston, #1 New York Times bestselling author).

Review Quotes

"And Then There Were None meets The Twilight Zone in Fram's inventive latest. Fram keeps even savvy readers guessing about where he's headed next and manages to flesh out each member of the book's large cast. The result is wickedly satisfying." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"The Midnight Knock is a brilliant, trippy, gore-drenched western where everything is queer, including time and space. Like S.A. Cosby, Fram writes gorgeously about the tragedies and triumphs of Southern culture and masculinity (in Fram's case, Southwestern); like Blake Crouch, he bends the laws of nature to explore big ideas. But The Midnight Knock is inventive and provocative in a way only Fram's brain can produce, marking him as a horror-thriller writer par excellence." --Ashley Winstead, USA Today-bestselling author of This Book Will Bury Me

"The Midnight Knock takes you on an eerie journey through the wide open and desolate landscape of Texas where everyone is a suspect. All the thrills of an escape room, all the chills of a Stephen King novel. You will be left guessing until the very last page!" --Ashley Elston, #1 New York Times bestselling author of First Lie Wins

"David Lynch meets Agatha Christie in this razor-sharp, nightmare of a thriller. John Fram delivers a diabolically smart, high-stakes puzzle wrapped in dread and accompanied by a ticking clock that ratchets the tension to unbearable levels! It's creepy, clever, and cinematic as hell. Hollywood won't be far behind." --Brad Thor, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Edge Of Honor

Praise for No Road Home

"A tinge of gothic chill adds a frightening layer to Fram's suspenseful thriller."--Washington Post

"No Road Home is a grand gothic story as enthralling as it is terrifying. John Fram swings for the fences and does not miss." --S. A. Cosby, New York Times bestselling author

"By turns searing, soapy, and spine-tingling, Fram's latest pays homage to Southern Gothic icons Michael McDowell and V.C. Andrews while also tipping its cap to modern horror great Jordan Peele...exquisitely rendered, realistically damaged characters lend credence to myriad mad twists, propelling the tale from portentous start to pulse-pounding finish. Trenchant, terrifying fun."--Kirkus Review

"In the darkly spellbinding No Road Home, John Fram expertly mixes the Fall of the House of Usher and a twisty closed-room mystery into a unique kind of Texas gothic epic. A compelling, thought-provoking, page-turning read." --Paul Tremblay, author of The Cabin at the End of the World and most recently, The Pallbearers Club

"Trapped in an opulent estate during a storm, a man must solve the murder of a Jerry Fallwell-esque patriarch before his new wife's family pins it on him. No Road Home is a whip-smart, horror-tinged whodunnit in the style of early Stephen King. Fram explores important themes of religion, family, wealth, race, and class--all within the confines of a fast-paced, locked room thriller."--Julia Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of The Writing Retreat

About the Author

John Fram is an author from Texas. His critically acclaimed debut, The Bright Lands, was named a Best Book of 2020 by CrimeReads, BookPage, and elsewhere. He lives between Waco and Austin.