Well this is dark and very unsettling and at the same time emotional. A story of a dysfunctional family, the father a serial killer and his children having to live with it.

I really liked that we learnt about Nathan Coles kills through his unpublished manuscript, which he says is not a confession but it was in many ways. Nathan was a famous author and beloved in the community. His estranged son, Lucas comes home after his father’s suicide. He learns a whole lot more about his father after his death.

This is a tough book to read, even for me, as the victims are children and there is quite a bit of animal abuse involved. I know that this is part of the genre but it did turn my stomach reading these parts.

This is a much hyped book and I feel that it deserves to be. It was a book that got into my head and there will be parts of it that will stay with me. It is a very dark crime book that may be too. Much for some readers.

Thanks to Serpents Rail and Viper for my early copy of this book to read. Out on April 10th

Scottish author, Tariq Ashkanani’s The Midnight King (2025) is the story of a serial killer’s son, who returns home upon the death of his father. Nathan Cole is back in Nashville seventeen years after he fled from his father - Lucas Cole, a best-selling author. Nathan hasn’t spoken to his sister, as he attends his father’s funeral and reconnects with Issac Holloway, a former boyhood friend. Issac is a former detective, now Private Investigator who is hired by the parents of missing nine-year-old girl, Chole Xi. Nathan finds one of his father’s manuscripts, which is a first-person story of a serial killer. As the police and Issac search for Chole, Nathan wonders if his father was responsible. A powerful narrative alternates between the various investigations and the manuscript with its insights and psychology of a serial killer. It’s a gripping thriller and remarkably enjoyable serial killer tale, with an integrated multifaceted plot that is a four and a half star read rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given. With thanks to Serpent's Tail / Viper and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes.

The challenges of growing up in a dysfunctional family is taken to a whole different level when you grow up knowing that your father is a serial killer. Not that anyone in your town suspects that the unassuming writer, who is a local celebrity, could be guilty of heinous acts.

But returning to their hometown after his father Lucas's death, Nathan Cole realises that the manuscript he has left behind is it thinly veiled fictionalisation of his crimes.

But will it contain the necessary clues to help find his most recent victim, who was taken shortly before Lucas died? And can Nathan even afford to investigate, given the risks of what else might surface in that process?

This is a dark and compelling story, worth checking out for readers of this genre. It gets 3.5 stars.

Nathan Cole has many secrets he is also his fathers son.

Lucas Cole is a best selling author who is well loved and looked upon as a valued member of his community...he is also a serial killer.

Now after his death Nathan has come home.

I loved this book. It is a brilliant read. it is compelling and addictive and is so well written I found myself quite sad for the characters.

Highly recommended

A Dark and Gripping Thriller – 4 Stars!

The Midnight King by Tariq Ashkanani is a compelling and unsettling thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The story follows Nathan Cole, who returns to his childhood home after the death of his father, Lucas – a bestselling author and beloved member of the community who, unbeknownst to most, is also a serial killer.

From the very beginning, Ashkanani’s writing drew me in with its eerie atmosphere and emotional depth. Nathan's return to his past is laced with fear, guilt, and a sense of inevitability, and I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for him. He carries the weight of his father's dark secret, and the discovery of The Midnight King, Lucas’s final manuscript, only intensifies the tension. The manuscript not only reveals Lucas's twisted crimes but also brings Nathan’s own secrets to light.

The pacing of the book is superb, with plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing. Just when I thought I knew where the story was headed, Ashkanani introduced a new layer of mystery, making the journey all the more gripping. The emotional complexity of the characters, particularly Nathan, was well done, and I found myself invested in his quest for the truth, even as he unearthed more dark revelations about his father – and himself.

What really stood out for me was the moral ambiguity throughout the book. The lines between good and evil blur, and I found myself questioning what it really means to keep a secret, to protect a loved one, and to confront a past that can never be undone. The final revelation was both heart-wrenching and thought-provoking, and it left me with a lingering sense of unease.

However, while the story was undeniably engaging, there were moments when the pacing slowed a bit as the backstory of Lucas’s crimes took centre stage. At times, I wished the focus had remained more tightly on Nathan’s emotional journey rather than delving too deeply into the details of the crimes themselves.

That said, The Midnight King is a thoroughly enjoyable thriller with a complex, flawed protagonist and a chilling plot. It’s dark, suspenseful, and full of unexpected twists that make for a thoroughly satisfying read. I’d highly recommend it to fans of crime thrillers with psychological depth and moral complexity. Four stars from me!

The Midnight King is an action packed thriller that kept me guessing until the very last page! As soon as I read the premise of this book, I knew I was going to love it. The plot is like nothing I’ve ever read before, and it did not disappoint!

I don’t want to go too much into the story, because I think it’s better to go into a book like this blind. This book is about a serial killer, Lucas Cole, who was recently found dead in his hotel room. We follow his son, Nathan, who saw all of his fathers crimes when he was a young boy, and is very much carrying all the scars from that. We go back and forth between Nathan’s point of view, as well as private investigator, Isaac (whose character I adored!)

There are also snippets of the serial killer’s eerie novel, that basically documents all of his crimes. I really loved this aspect of the book and I literally sped through this! This is definitely one of the best, most unique serial killer thrillers I’ve read in a while, and I would recommend this to anyone who loves thriller books!

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4+ 🌟


This book has been on my list of most anticipated books of 25 for a while (a list of 2 that also includes the new Beth Lewis 😁) so was pleased to get my hands on it.
It's dark and chilling, and with a little bit of other worldliness about it.
It's also quite thought provoking, on what being brought up in a home like that could do to a person.
There were some good surprises along the way too.
It's definitely lived up to my high expectations,and I'm looking forward to seeing it out in the world.