en-US Thu, 10 Apr 2025 14:16:19 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg ReadStatus9294383371 Thu, 10 Apr 2025 14:16:19 -0700 /review/show/7450114609 Emma finished reading The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey
]]> ReadStatus9292514114 Thu, 10 Apr 2025 02:46:20 -0700 /review/show/7477305235 Emma wants to read Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson
]]> Review7269498748 Thu, 10 Apr 2025 02:40:28 -0700 /review/show/7269498748 Emma gave 5 stars to The Midnight King (Kindle Edition) by Tariq Ashkanani
All my reviews can be found at

Nathan Cole returns to the small town he grew up in following his father’s sudden death. Nathan didn’t have the easiest childhood. Lucas, his father, was a well-loved, much-admired, bestselling writer on the outside. But at home he was a cruel and unloving father. Lucas was also a serial killer. Nathan and his sister, Kate, were always aware of what their father was. But they did nothing about it. Whilst going through his deceased father’s things, Nathan discovers an unpublished manuscript titled ‘The Midnight King� hidden inside a box also containing souvenirs from Lucas’s victims. The book claims to be fiction, not a confession. But Nathan knows the truth�

This is the third book I’ve read by this author and oh my goodness, the future of crime fiction is looking very, very bright with Tariq Ashkanani in it! Ashkanani’s award-winning debut, Welcome to Cooper, took readers on a dark journey to the heart of Nebraska. With this latest book, The Midnight King, the author has ramped that darkness level up tenfold. Where to begin with this twisty read? I’ve seen a couple of reviews that say, ‘the less you know about this book before making a start, the better�. As someone who automatically downloaded it without actually reading the blurb (knew it would be great!), I can wholeheartedly agree with that. I didn’t know what to expect and that, for me, heightened the entire reading experience.

Just know that this is a multi-layered, multifaceted exploration of how a traumatic past can influence our present selves. Not only does Nathan discover the manuscript when he’s looking through his father’s belongings, he also finds souvenirs from his father’s victims. One of which is a red ribbon. Nathan immediately knows who the ribbon belongs to; an 8-year-old girl who went missing a few days before Nathan’s father died. Was Lucas still up to his old tricks in the days before his death? Tasked by the child’s parents to find their missing daughter, disgraced cop, now private investigator and childhood friend of Nathan, Isaac Holloway starts to investigate the disappearance. Isaac is such a brilliant character. His connection to Nathan and the Cole family increases the already palpable tension throughout the book. Bloody marvellous!

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. The Midnight King is like nothing I have ever read before. It takes the serial killer trope and adds multiple new dimensions. As a lover of the serial killer thriller (I’ve read quite a few over the years), I applaud Ashkanani for taking the story in a different direction. Those twists�*chefs kiss*. Absolutely shocking! I loved the characterisation. I’ve already mentioned how much I loved Isaac in particular. I loved how gripping the story is, how the reader can’t predict how things are going to pan out. I loved the pace of the story with peaks and troughs to keep you thoroughly immersed from page one to the end. I loved the Nashville setting (Nashville!). All in all, I very much enjoyed the time I spent with The Midnight King, and I cannot wait to see what the author has in store for us next. Hugely tense, highly unsettling, totally irresistible and all-consuming. Skilled storytelling from an author to watch. Highly recommended. ]]> ReadStatus9274937857 Sat, 05 Apr 2025 14:52:19 -0700 /review/show/7450114609 Emma started reading The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey
]]> ReadStatus9273884030 Sat, 05 Apr 2025 09:25:51 -0700 /review/show/7369204868 Emma finished reading The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North
]]> ReadStatus9253538325 Mon, 31 Mar 2025 05:40:03 -0700 /review/show/7450114609 Emma wants to read The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey
]]> ReadStatus9253527363 Mon, 31 Mar 2025 05:35:41 -0700 /review/show/7369204868 Emma started reading The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North
]]> ReadStatus9253525685 Mon, 31 Mar 2025 05:35:04 -0700 /review/show/7450105291 Emma wants to read This Stays Between Us by Sara Ochs
]]> ReadStatus9253522369 Mon, 31 Mar 2025 05:33:47 -0700 /review/show/7450102839 Emma wants to read The Break-In by Katherine Faulkner
]]> ReadStatus9253520981 Mon, 31 Mar 2025 05:33:14 -0700 /review/show/7450101831 Emma wants to read The Compound by Aisling Rawle
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