I really found this book intriguing and enjoyed it. It is laid out in the format of interviews with different characters, discord posts, and reddit posts. I do agree with some other reviews that several of the interviews feel like they could have been given by the same character. This book builds is a great portrayal of mass hysteria and that feeling of dread when you know a situation is slowly culminating into what turns out to be a mass casualty event.

I was very impressed with Mike Bockoven’s previous horror novel Fantasticland, so when I saw that he wrote a book in the same format but based on the interactive theatre show Sleep No More, I was sold. As someone who saw and had a panic attack at Sleep No More, I thought it made for a unique and very probable setting for a horror story. Bockoven does a fantastic job writing about groups of people who turn animalistic- he’s a great commentator on the human condition.

Longer review to come in Rue Morgue magazine!

I ate this up! What a compulsive and sadly compelling read. Great pacing and chilling writing, this story smartly conveys its message, and I especially appreciate the focus on the tragedy's preventable yet inevitable nature.

I do wish the interviews were a bit more distinct from one another. It doesn't feel like interviews with different characters, as they all had the same "voice". Still worth the read.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

After reading fantasticland, I knew I was in for a treat with this book, and I wasn't let down. The writing style of interviews, spliced into different formats and pacing really made you feel like you were uncovering the events along with the writer. The pacing was great, the premise engaging and unique, and all in all it was so fun to read through. I loved it!

I really enjoyed this. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys horror, especially if you appreciate epistolary style.

Come Knocking unfolds through a series of interviews with crew members, performers, attendees, and others, in the aftermath of a disastrous night at a multi-floor, interactive theater experience in LA. As each person recounts their own piece of the puzzle—ranging from seemingly innocuous production hiccups to ominous signs in the environment—a full portrait of the tragic events of the final performance begin to emerge.

⸻

I came to Come Knocking cold, having never read anything else by Mike Bockoven, and was pleasantly surprised by the author’s patient build‑up. The first half of the book moves deliberately, laying groundwork through detailed, interview‑style perspectives which mainly focus on the production itself. I appreciated how different personalities were clearly depicted in different interviews, although at times these characterizations seemed over the top. While it may feel slow at first, that careful pacing pays off when the first truly gruesome description lands (no pun intended)—its impact is all the more powerful because you’ve spent time inhabiting the world and perspectives of these characters.

Because the narrative is structured around many short interviews, character development is necessarily limited a bit, but Bockoven compensates by offering a broad mosaic of experiences. Each voice contributes a different shard of insight, and together they form a haunting portrait of how small lapses, hidden resentments, environmental hazards, and mounting tensions between performers and audience, align to form a perfect storm.

The real strength of Come Knocking is its page‑turning tension. Once the backstory is in place, I was anxious to know how the fateful night itself unraveled. Rather than guessing who the villain might be, the reader is left grappling with a more unsettling truth: that the true “evil” here is the growing trend in humanity toward anger, selfishness, and a willingness to exploit danger for entertainment’s sake.

Overall, Come Knocking is a thoughtful horror novel—one that uses a slow burn to heighten its impact and leaves you reflecting on what it says about our collective darker impulses.

*Thank you to Skyhorse Publishing & NetGalley for access to the eARC. All opinions are my own.*

When the immersive theater production *Come Knocking* premieres in Los Angeles, it's hailed as a groundbreaking experience, taking over six floors of an abandoned building. Audiences are thrilled—until one night, when the performance spirals into real-life horror, leaving dozens dead and hundreds injured. In the aftermath, investigative reporter Adam Jakes embarks on a quest to unravel the truth behind the tragedy. Through interviews with survivors, cast members, and witnesses, Jakes pieces together a chilling narrative that blurs the lines between performance and reality.

Reading this felt like diving into a true crime documentary, complete with suspense, unreliable narrators, and a haunting atmosphere. Bockoven masterfully crafts a narrative that examines the dark side of immersive entertainment and the human psyche under extreme conditions. The story's structure, reminiscent of an investigative report, adds a layer of realism that makes the horror all the more palpable. It's a gripping, unsettling read that lingers long after the final page.

This book was written for you if:
- You're intrigued by stories that explore the intersection of art and reality.
- You appreciate narratives that delve into the psychology of group dynamics and mass hysteria.
- You're looking for a horror novel that offers both thrills and thought-provoking commentary.

I have to say that this is better than FantasticLand but there’s still some work that needs to be done.

This follows the same shtick that FantasticLand did. A terrible event has happened and a fictional author has set out to interview the people who were witnesses/related to this event. It’s comprised of interviews, Reddit posts, letters, and voice memos.

In Come Knocking, the book is about a play with the same title that’s an interactive experience in a six story building inspired by Canterbury Tale’s and Dante’s Inferno. On March 14th, 56 people died during a hostile takeover of the play. The novel sets out to hear many sides of the events of that day.

Similar to FantasticLand, I felt like this was also so slow to start. The titular play is very elaborate so a lot of the early chapters are setting us up with the structure of the play, what’s happening at any given moment, the actual “story” of the play, etc… The early interviews are comprised of set designers and hardcore fans to help us set the stage. Which is fine, but I felt like it would’ve been easier to digest the complexity of the play if the details were spread out a little more.

I also felt like the interviews themselves lacked distinctive voices. I separated the interviews into two sections “Filler” and “Main Characters”. The “Filler” characters all had the same voice, so it was hard to differentiate them from one another. Some of the early, less memorable, interviews could’ve been shorten considerably.

I did really enjoy the discussions here though with how anonymity has caused some people to become absolutely vicious—with the main focus here being anonymity when using online platforms and engaging in communities filled with hate. All of it expressed here felt so realistic and was one of the more interesting aspects of this novel. Seeing the tension ramp up was very well written but I wished it started a little earlier on in the novel.

I am so excited for this book to get published and for everyone else to read it. Anything with mixed media is my jam and this book is filled with it. Fantastic land also was an amazing book and it’s great to see that the author continues to deliver.

I read Bockoven’s previous offering, Fantastic Land last year and I enjoyed it which is why I was eager to try Come Knocking. The structure is similar to his previous book, the narrative is told via interviews and online postings. I think that style was adequate to paint the story, but Bockoven’s writing style seems a bit one dimensional.

Overall, the pacing worked in most areas, though some of the interviews could have been shorter without damaging the plot in any significant way.

This book is gruesome and drips with social relevance. This read felt claustrophobic and I credit the author for cultivating that atmosphere despite having so many characters and viewpoints. The tension in this novel is palpable and at times I had to stop to look around to make sure I wasn’t about to be trampled.

If you are looking for character development or beautiful prose, you won’t get it here. But, you will get a bloody good time with just the right amount of depravity.

Avevo adocchiato Fantasticland, anche se non sono mai arrivata a prenderlo in mano, ma lo spunto di Come Knocking mi ha intrigato ancora di più: uno spettacolo di teatro immersivo che si trasforma in una carneficina.
Come la tensione sale sale sale al punto da rendere gli artisti capaci di tutto, perché qualcuno odia lo spettacolo al punto di progettarne la distruzione, al costo di decine di vite?
La vicenda viene ricostruita tramite documenti, interviste, messaggi raccolti da un giornalista - ed è una forma che a me piace molto, e che rende bene le varie voci, i punti di vista, le infinite sfaccettature della verità.
Una bella sorpresa, recupererò i romanzi precedenti dell’autore.

I absolutely loved Fantasticland, so I was really excited to see a new novel from Mike Bockoven. While Come Knocking didn’t quite pull me in the same way, it was still a chilling and highly entertaining read. (I listened to Fantasticland on audio, which was brilliantly narrated, so that might be why I enjoyed the experience slightly more).

The story centres around an immersive, interactive theatre production called Come Knocking, which explores the inevitability of death. While initially successful, the show faced intense online backlash, with critics calling it disturbing, evil, and worse. That outrage snowballed into a horrific night on 14th March, where dozens of people were killed and hundreds more injured.

Told through a mix of interviews, Reddit threads, letters, voice memos, and transcripts, the book presents a fictional reporter’s account of the tragedy. This mixed media approach (which Bockoven excels at!) gives the story a sense of realism that is almost too convincing. It truly feels like something that could have been ripped straight from the headlines.

I did enjoy this one overall, but I found the first half to be a bit slow. Much of it is dedicated to explaining the concept of the theatre production, its rise in popularity, and the controversy surrounding it. While that setup is necessary, it became a bit repetitive, and I kept waiting for the narrative to move on to the events of 14th March. At times, a few points of view felt too similar, with different characters essentially saying the same thing in slightly different words. That said, the social commentary stands out, and I appreciated the exploration of how the internet fuels fear, outrage, and misinformation, and how quickly humanity can unravel when thrust into chaos and danger.

Where Come Knocking truly excels is in its emotional depth and realism. Mike Bockoven has a gift for creating authentic, heartbreaking characters whose voices feel all too real. The horror doesn’t just come from the violence – it comes from the raw fear, the heartbreak, and the way everything spirals so fast and so believably. The sense of panic is palpable and the fear is all consuming. This is one of those stories that is deeply disturbing but you can’t stop reading, even when you want to look away.

Thank you to Mike Bockoven, Skyhorse Publishing, and NetGalley for the early access.

3.75 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

One of my top reads of the year so far!
Though perhaps not one for the faint of heart…

Told from the different perspectives of those who were in some way entangled in a now infamous interactive theatre production, through interviews and reddit posts we slowly piece together the events that lead up to the night in question, before chaos erupts and the gory and gruesome night itself unfolds.

Initially I worried that the different POVs might get confusing or repetitive, but even when different characters were describing the same event, you could hear the individual voices so clearly that it never felt that way. Each character shared their own experience and I loved hearing new snippets and slowly unfurling what had happened through their eyes.

Another of Mike Bockovens books, FantasticLand, which has been on my radar for a long time gets a mention in Come Knocking, and I will definitely be bumping it up to the top of my list and picking it up ASAP after having read this!

4.5 rounding down - solely because one chapter felt like it didn't fit.

Overall what a RIDE. If Come Knocking were a real show I would 100% be vying for tickets based on the picture Bockoven painted. I'm enthralled by the premise and that made the downfall of the show all the more delicious to read. The pacing of this was exquisite. The style was exquisite. It's been a long time since I read something like this and it will be sitting in my brain for quite some time to come.

I loved Fantasticland so I was very excited when I saw this new novel! If is difficult not to compare the two, but I wasn't as pulled in for Come Knocking as I was for Fantasticland. The "author" interviews people associated with a tragedy that takes place at a theater show called "Come Knocking" about how death will take us all eventually. There is also an internet group called "Who's There" who actively hate and try to sabotage the show. You can guess what happens when the two collide.
The beginning felt too slow/long on describing the play and all of its elements, and most of the characters sounded the same. It felt like a few POVs were different characters saying the same thing in different words.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Rating: 3.5

I absolutely loved FantasticLand so couldn't wait to request the arc for Come Knocking as it sounded like a similar premise.

Come Knocking is an interactive theatre production which endures a night of horror on March 14th. The story is told through interviews, Reddit posts and call/voice memo transcripts.

I feel the first half of the book was quite slow and mostly focused on what the theatre show was about how successful it was and why it was popular etc... It became a bit repetitive and I wanted it to hurry up and discuss what actually happened on March 14th.

There was madness and violence and the accounts were told by theatre goers, staff, and emergency services. Where it lost me is I felt their were too many voices and it was hard to keep up with who was who, especially when some staff accounts were split into two.

Whilst it touches upon the social commentary of the dangers of the internet and the downfall of humanity when it comes to being trapped in a dangerous situation, I do feel like it felt more ominous and suffocating in FantasticLand.

The ending left more desired and felt a bit rushed to me.

This book serves as an allegory of the post truth world we live in, where masks are both real and socially constructed.

The narrative jumps from person to person, in sort of a 'found footage' technique that records individual testimony, interspersed with reddit threads, online comments and threads which together, piece a picture of the some what truth of what happened on March 14th at an immersive theatre event.

I say somewhat, as each perspective is subjective and personal by nature and we, as the readers, have come to this novel masquerading as a true life investigation into an event where nearly 100 people died.

What is so very clever, and which is similar to 'Fantastic Land' where the scene is, quite literally set, and by the time things go horribly, horribly wrong, you are emotionally attached to the characters and feel their loss keenly.

Here, an immersive theatre experience has moved from New York, to L.A , taken over a derelict building in an salubrious part of that city, depicting across the several floors of this building various visions of hell and heaven, taken from medieval literature.

Scenes are created by actors and dancers, with feedback from the technical crew really establishing just how select it was to get tickets and intricate details of just how certain visual effects are achieved.

Their control room which is in overall charge of high flying , flame and smoke effects is a locked room behind the bar on the ground floor, each experience is individual to that person as no two nights are the same. The dancers and actors act in response to those in the audience, and the energy generated by them, so apart from tickets being so hard to get hold of, the drive to go to 'Come Knocking' is from this level of exclusivity.

Run by a company called 'Dumb Willie', and early foreshadowing of a disastrous tour ending event are given at the beginning of the book so as a reader, my heckles were rising before anything even happened.

As with a social movement which relies on social media and word of mouth to create demand, the actors and technicians describe in detail how they interact with the audience and the change in mood on moving from East Coast to West, their reflections on how rabid some of the fans are, and in response, the trolls which dog the production's every move.

'Who's There' is the online response to 'Come Knocking' who feel this ensemble represents every moral vacuum in modern society so when the final performance happens, you know that things are about to go catastrophically wrong. The aim of disruption of the performance goes from online trolling to in real life interference which when it kicks off, you have a performance troup on edge from weeks of microaggressions, and aggressors intent on bringing the curtain down.

And in between both camps, the 300 strong audience trapped in a building where truth and artifice overlap and are visually interrupted by the masks all attendees have to wear.

What you see and believe you see is part of a narrative which is bigger than yourself and even the evidence of your eyes is open to interpretation...just what on earth is going on?

The sense of panic and fear that is engendered in this reader is claustrophobic and all consuming, the story is intense and deeply disturbing in all the best ways where you cannot stop reading until you have finisihed the book.

And then, here comes the book hangover...

This is one hell of a journey that you feel completely immersed in, it is deeply impressive how Mike manages to create such a disarming, believable and heart breaking story that could be ripped from the headlines, it is all too authentic from the character perspectives which is where the real horror enters the room.

Highlym, highly recommended and not for the faint of heart, if you weren't already a fan of Mike Bockoven this novel will make you one.

3 stars….I wish it had been better. It had promise, but just didn’t get there.

“Come Knocking” was an interactive theatre experience, which, as described, both really made me want to go to an interactive theatre experience and made me think I might run in the other direction if anyone ever mentions one to me.

So, “Come Knocking,” first in New York, then in L.A. was loosely based on the Canterbury Tales. The L.A. version was held in a six story building and was originally met with raves; people were anxious to get tickets and reviews were great.

However, there was some backlash, generally centered online with people who thought the show was bad, evil and more. That gradually escalated into a deadly night where dozens of people died and hundreds were injured during a performance.

To find out what really happened, the “author” of this book interviews many people who were there, actors, staff and witnesses and pulls some information from the internet to gather all the facts.

Oddly, I happened to be reading two books at one time which use the “interview” format, and both involved the performing arts and I think I sometimes got a little confused, but that’s on me. This book was nice in that it’s refreshing to read a good horror book that doesn’t include a supernatural component, this is just the evil that men do. The whole thing is a little meta, in that a real author is writing as a fake author created a fake book called COME KNOCKING, and, in it, I believe there’s a reference to one of the real/fake author’s other books which MAY be written in the same format…if it is, I’m much more interested in it than I was when I heard about it previously.

Anyway, if the premise sounds good to you, you are probably going to like it. This might have gone up to four stars, but I thought there was a bit of, not quite repetition, but a bit of sameness to many of the voices presented…I wish Bockoven had done a better job at making them not sound like different versions of Bockoven, but overall he does a good job with making the interviews short enough that I never got tired of o e particular point of view. And a small safety quibble that I won’t mention as it would be a minor spoiler, but I’m thinking their insurance would have required (how I wish I could turn off the lawyer in me. She never. Shuts. Up.) Some good stuff here.

I loved Fantasticland and I loved Sleep No More and apparently I love the crossover of the two!

This novel is a fictional reporter’s account of a murderous interactive theater event in which things got far too interactive. We read through numerous interviews and other forms of mixed media including letters, Reddit posts, and phone messages.

I adored this and cannot wait to pick up a physical copy. The story is slowly unveiled and we see what led up to the disastrous events of March 14th. Each character’s voice felt unique and added to the story. The writing was enthralling, thrilling, and visceral. Highly recommend to all thriller readers!

Thank you to NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing for access to this work. All opinions are my own

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

As soon as I saw “Come Knocking”, I immediately requested a copy, as I really enjoyed “Fantasticland” by Mike Bockoven. This story was told in the same way, in a pseudo-interview style with questions omitted. I am a huge fan of this form of storytelling, as it provides the perspectives of a multitude of characters without compromising the integrity of the story or excessively muddling the narrative. It is enjoyable to attempt to put together the pieces of the events before the ultimate reveal, and “Come Knocking” absolutely gave me that experience. Concluding with secondhand testimony from someone who could be considered a mastermind or antagonist was a great touch that gives perspective. I think the inclusion of the internet element, and how different people can come together for a singular purpose, nefarious or otherwise, was a chilling reminder of information accessibility and how relative anonymity can empower people to be despicable. An excellent read.