Well if you are looking for a dark, disturbing and very uncomfortable crime thriller then The Midnight King is perfect for you.

This is my first book by author Tariq Ashkanani and having read it in one day, I can say, without doubt, that I will be checking out his other books now.

I actually confess that I didn't even read the blurb before starting the book, it was the cover and the text "Husband, Father, Serial Killer" that drew me in and made me read it! Yes, I know, I'm a twisted, dark and disturbed individual.

Anyway, back to the book, the story is told from the view point of Nathan Cole, a damaged man who is returning to his childhood town, having fled 17 years ago when he discovered his father Lucas Cole is a serial killer. Having been found dead in a motel room, Nathan discovers an unpublished manuscript which seems to be a fictional account of all his crimes over the past 30 years, including "trophies" from all his victims. One of the trophies include hair ribbons that belong to a missing 8 year old girl who was abducted only days before his fathers death.

The other main narrator is Isaac, a private detective who has been hired by the missing girls parents to find her and was also a close childhood friend of Nathan when they were growing up and during school.

This is DARK, this is GRUESOME, this is DISTURBING and this is exactly what I LOVE in a crime thriller.

I totally recommend this book and look forward to reading more from this author.

My thanks to Netgalley for my ARC copy.

First book I've read by this author. Enjoyable and engrossing characters. More please. Thank you for the ARC. 4/5

This is a dark tale and definitely not one for the faint hearted. It was, however, a compelling read and I raced through it in a couple of days but I can’t say it was enjoyable. Think “Silence of the Lambs” meets “ The Shining” and you’ll get my meaning.
This is a book about a serial killer and his family. Author, Lucas Cole, dies suddenly and his estranged son, Nathan comes back home to Nashville for the funeral. However Nathan knows all the dark secrets about his father who is a serial child killer. When he finds a semi autobiographical book that Lucas has written about his “career”, Nathan feels compelled to read it, particularly as a young girl has gone missing in the area and might still be alive.
This is an unpleasant story full of unpleasant characters. Even Isaac, the private detective, hired by the missing girl’s family has violent tendencies and a very large skeleton in his cupboard.
Isaac realises early on that all is not as it seems and desperately tries to find the missing child before it is too late, with very little cooperation from the police who regard him with disdain due to his past.
However when he receives information that she might be one of many child abductions and murders, he decides to investigate further and realises that the man in prison, on death row for the previous killings might not be the real “Music City Monster”
There are many twists and turns before the case is resolved and even the last pages reveal a number of dark secrets.
This story certainly made me think of what it must be like to live with such evil and how the families of killers must be seriously affected- obviously “The Midnight King” is an extreme example!
If you like very dark tales of murder, this book will definitely draw you in and hold your attention.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.

Okay. So, first things first - a word of warning. This is quite a dark storyline, so, if stories of child murder will be upsetting for you, then I would probably not recommend this book for you. This is the painful truth at the heart of this book. Whilst the act in itself does not really feature heavily, or gratuitously, within the book, there is no getting away from the fact that one of the characters is a serial killer, and that their story, and that of their family is, therefore, hard to read. If you can move beyond this particular aspect of the book, as abhorrent as it might be, then you will be reading something that is fascinating and grotesque in perhaps equal measure.

The serial killer in this particular novel is the recently deceased Lucas Cole. We are first drawn into his world via his son, Nathan, who has returned to his childhood home following his father's recent suicide. What his father was is not a revelation to Nathan, who has known since his childhood about his father's rather concerning obsession, and it is partly down to this that Nathan fled from his home as soon as he could. What is a surprise is that his father has documented his crimes in a manuscript, a fictionalised account of a serial killer whose hallmark is scarily similar to Lucas' own. Finding this manuscript, and items which belong to a recently missing young girl, lead Nathan in a quest to find out whether or not his father was responsible for one last crime.

I find it very hard to say that I liked or enjoyed this story - it is truly a dark read, even by the author's previous standards. But it is a very clever book. Tariq Ashkanani drew me in from the very opening of the novel, and using the story within a story aspect of Lucas's manuscript allowed him to really explore that nature of both killer and son in a way which was slowly revelatory. There is a clear thread in which we are forced to think about duplicity of character, and how easily a little charm and fame can shape people's opinions of someone, in spite of the fact the very core of their being is so different. This is true not just of Lucas, but of others within the book, but it is easy to understand how events, as they are explored in the fictitious retelling might have shaped the psyche of both Nathan and his sister, Kate.

This is not just Lucas and Nathan's story, and there is another character, Isaac Holloway, Private Investigator and childhood friend of Nathan and kate, who is called upon by the parents of the missing girl to try and find her. He was a very interesting character to spend time with. As troubled as Nathan perhaps, but in very different ways. A former cop, the pressure of his former career, and a particularly harrowing case have clearly affected him, and watching his navigate the difficulties of this new case was really interesting. The author has infused a real sense of authenticity within his character, avoiding the obvious stereotypes that could apply to such a personality, but still being able to draw upon his psychological fragility, and his uncertainty about being able to help the parents. I kind of liked Isaac, even though, much like Nathan he is a hard character to spend a lot of time with. Between them, they made for a very compelling narrative, for very different reasons, and I found I needed to know how things would work out for each of them.

The answer? Not as expected. Despite making the identity of the 'killer' quite evident from the start, Tariq Ashkanani is still able to deliver some very unexpected twists within the book. Revelations and actions that caught me unaware, and scenes that are able to shock even in the midst of an already taught and unsettling storyline. It is almost as though he has captured within this story the kind of morbid fascination that people derive from true crime documentaries. That need to know what really makes a killer tick, and how their actions might impact upon those who are closest to them, both knowingly and not.

A tough read at times perhaps, but still one I would recommend if you are able to take your crime fiction on the darker side of the genre. Murder should never really be pretty, but this one hits particularly hard.

I chose to read a free eARC of The Midnight King but that has in no way influenced my review.

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, that 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.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Midnight King. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

[Review will be published on 8th April 2025]

Up on Goodreads now, live on the blog on 9 April:

The Midnight King, for me, was one of those rare reads you start and just from that first chapter you already know: oooh, I’m going to LOVE this one! And quite possibly hate it a little bit, too. And I was right. On both counts.

The Midnight King is without a doubt one of the darkest books I’ve ever read. And that’s saying something, cos I really do love dark books. I won’t go into detail, I wouldn’t want to spoil anything, suffice it to say that even with just a few explicit scenes but many even darker things referred to and hinted at, The Midnight King is not for the faint-hearted.

Fortunately, I am not faint of heart nor weak of stomach – not when it comes to fiction anyway – and I gobbled it up! I became addicted! I was thinking about it when I wasn’t reading, dying to get back to it whenever life got in the way. And I had to tear myself away whenever duty in some form or other called. I’d been feeling a bit slumpy, sometimes a book just doesn’t work for me and my fatigue and brain fog make it worse, but then a book like The Midnight King comes along and reminds me why I love reading.

The Midnight King is a chillingly dark and twisted serial killer thriller. It is shocking but intelligent and I love how the nature vs nurture theme is woven into it. Suspenseful and engrossing, I hung onto every word and I would definitely recommend it to fans of the genre. Worth the hype!

The Midnight King is out in digital formats, hardcover and audio on 10 April.

Massive thanks to Viper and NetGalley for the DRC. All opinions are my own.

I often say I prefer my crime fiction on the dark and disturbing side, with a dash of gruesomeness. But I don’t think I was quite prepared for the level 'The Midnight King' took me to. This is Dark and Disturbing with a capital D, folks.

Nathan Cole and his sister, Kate, grew up with a serial killer for a father. Seventeen years ago, Nathan ran away as far as he could. But now daddy-of-the-year, Lucas Cole, has been found dead, hanged in a dingy motel bathroom and Nathan retunes home. When he arrives at his childhood home, Nathan finds a manuscript Lucas wrote and a box of trinkets from his victims. The manuscript looks to be a fictionalised account of his crimes.

In a roundabout kind of way, it explains Lucas’s brutal deeds. Obviously, the man is psychologically damaged. But I don’t think it takes the insight of a psychiatrist to figure out where his actions come from. I almost sound like I’m defending him, but I’m really not. Both his somewhat fictional manuscript and the actual story Tariq Ashkanani was telling left me feeling awfully dirty and extremely ill at ease.

At its core, this seems like one of those fascinating nature versus nurture conundrums. Surely living with a serial killer leaves its mark, no matter how far you try to run. Nathan has lived with guilt for many, many years. He’s been keeping his father’s disgusting secret for so long, and now that he realises there may still be a child in danger somewhere, he’s stuck. Can he find her before it’s too late? Will he tell anyone the truth? Even if it means having to admit he was aware of what was happening?

This is without a doubt one of those books that gets under your skin. It definitely makes for some remarkably uncomfortable reading in that whole making-your-skin-crawl kind of way, and I dare say it’s not for everyone. I thought it was incredibly compelling and fascinating. Yet, I also feel in desperate need of a long, hot shower and an extended cuddle session with some cute and fluffy puppies. I can't possibly use the word "enjoy" here, considering the unsettling topic that is tackled here, but 'The Midnight King' is well worth your time if you get a kick out of the decidedly more harrowing and shocking side of crime fiction.

My first book by this author and I enjoyed it. Like other reviewers have said, it is very graphic not for the fainthearted. But the characters kept me reading. Thank you for the ARC. 4.5 rounded up.

Wow what a dark and shocking read ! This is the first novel I’ve read by the author and I was drawn into it from the first page. It’s told from the point of view of Nathan who returns home to Nashville to attend his father’s funeral and Isaac, Nathan’s childhood friend, a private investigator looking into the disappearance of a young girl, Chloe. It is interspersed with extracts from an unpublished novel written by Nathan’s father Lucas Cole which appears to be a fictionalised version of the murders he committed throughout Nathan’s childhood.
This is a very twisty and unsettling novel with lots of unexpected plot twists and I gasped out loud more than once. It’s so well written and the multi layered plot works really well. I loved the atmospheric Nashville setting which the authors describes so well. .
I’d highly recommend this excellent novel which I’m sure will stay with me for a while.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.
4.5 stars.

This is my first book of Tariq's and was super excited to read it.

It's like a book within a book, which was interesting as it feels as though the characters are finding things out at the same time as the reader.

It is very graphic. At first, I meant that in the sense of the descriptions of what has happened as opposed to describing the murders, it was more graphic in the images you create in your head. But as the book goes on, it gets worse and worse in terms of the graphic. Especially as it's child murder, and animal murder. Obviously no murder is easy to read about, but child and animal murder seem to be the two that affect people the most, and so it does do well to have a strong stomach.

On more than one occasion I did let out an audible gasp, as Tariq presented twists and shocks that I never saw coming, which is exactly what I want from a thriller. And by the time you get to the last third, it's twists left, right and centre, and yet it never feels too much.

It's been a while since a book made me feel physically uncomfortable like this one did. It's dark and unsettling and frightening and emotional. And as the reader you feel powerless to help the characters.

If you're a thriller fan, then definitely get this book on your radar. It'll be unlike anything you've read before, and yet will still hit those buttons you expect from the genre.

There has been a lot of hype about this, people saying how it'll be the thriller of the year, and whilst it may only be March (at time of reading), I can definitely see why they're saying it. It's uncomfortable, torturous, horrific, sad, tense, dark, morbid, frightening, mad, horrendous, scary, rabid, thrilling, and absolutely 5-star fantastic! It's so intelligently written, so clever, and has so much depth. I'll definitely be looking up his other books.

A new author for me, and after this read, I'll be looking out for more.
This was a fresh take on the serial killer genre,it was gritty and intriguing filled with dark secrets due to the subject matter it made it unsettling at times but very addictive.
Quick paced and told from the point of view of Nathan, the serial killers son and Issac, an old friend of Nathan who's now a private investigator.
There are chapters from the killers hidden manuscript detailing his crimes, which added something different to the story.
The twist halfway through shocked me but made so much sense.
If you like a real dark thriller, I really recommend this one.
I'll be looking out for more from this author in the future. After this one, I think his going to be around for a long time.
Thanks to Netgalley and Viper Books for the Arc.

I was really looking forward to reading his book and it was…….absolutely brilliant! Lucas Cole, famous crime novelist, father and serial killer. His son and daughter know this and their story unfolds after their father is found dead. The manuscript of his last book, a confession of his crimes forms part of the novel.
It’s a dark and twisted thriller, the dysfunctional family revealing themselves in all their awfulness, and keeping the reader guessing all the time. Clever, gripping writing with a true sense of menace this is a thriller that has it all and more. Definitely one I’ll be recommending.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

This book is a rollercoaster filled with complex, morally ambiguous characters and a plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat. From the very first page, the story pulls you in with dark secrets and unexpected twists that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew. What makes this book truly stand out is the characters—there are no straightforward "good guys" here. I found myself initially forming opinions about who I liked and who I didn’t, only to have those opinions completely flipped as the story unfolded. Just when you think you’ve got a character figured out, they do something that makes you re-evaluate everything.

The pacing of the book is incredibly quick, making it a thrilling read that’s hard to put down. As soon as I thought I could predict what was going to happen next, I was met with yet another twist that blindsided me. The writing is sharp and gripping, making it impossible to look away. If you're someone who enjoys psychological thrillers that dive into the darker sides of human nature, this one will have you hooked.

Tariq Ashkanani is not an author I have heard of before but I know feel like I may have been missing out, so I will now be looking up his previous books.

This is a very taught thriller that wholly captured my attention. Lucus Cole is a killer, one of the worst kinds with his crimes against children. Nathan Cole is his son and as a ten-year-old boy was aware that there was more to his father than meets the eye. Terrified of this man, Nathan runs away, desperate to separate himself from the crimes being committed, but sadly leaving his siter behind and he has carried this guilt with him for many years.

After his fathers’ death Nathan returns to his hometown and in an old family cabin discovers a manuscript written by his father named the Midnight King. Not only does he find the manuscript he also finds trophies from his father’s victims, which if course is absolutely devastating as it makes it seem even more real.

Another child his now missing, only found days before his father’s death but there is also someone else on the hunt, a man named Isaac, a private investigator hired by the young girls family to find out the truth behind their daughters disappearance, a man who will also suffer terribly in his pursuit of the truth.

This is an incredibly dark story but one that had me turning the pages late into the night and one I will remember for quite a while. Incredibly suspenseful and enthralling, followed by an extreme twist, rattles along at the speed of a train and ensures the reader will not regret picking up this book, a fabulous read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy, all opinions expressed are my own.

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!