“‘This is a work of fiction. This is not a confession.’

Lucas Cole is a bestselling writer. He is also a father, a widower, and a beloved celebrity in his small town. He is an unassuming man ­- tall, thin and quietly friendly. Lucas Cole is also a serial killer.

Nathan Cole has known the truth about his father since he was ten years old. Too terrified to go to the police, he ran away from home as soon as he was able, carrying the guilt of leaving his sister behind. But when Lucas is found dead in a dingy motel room, Nathan returns to his childhood home for the first time in seventeen years. It’s there he finds The Midnight King, his father’s final unpublished manuscript, a fictionalised account of his hideous crimes, hidden in a box of trinkets taken from his victims. Trinkets that include a ribbon belonging to a missing eight-year-old girl who disappeared only days before his father’s death.

Now, Nathan must deal with the consequences of keeping his father’s secret. But it may not be as simple as finding a lost child. For The Midnight King holds Nathan’s secrets as well as Lucas’s, and he is not the only one searching for the truth…”

Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to share my review of The Midnight King by Tariq Ashkanani. The Midnight King will be published by Viper Books on 10th April 2025 and will be available in hardcover, audio and digital formats with the paperback to follow. 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 Whilst going through his deceased father’s things, Nathan discovers an unpublished manuscript titled ‘The Midnight King’ hidden inside a box also containing souvenirs from Lucas’s victims.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, 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.

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

The Midnight King by Tariq Ashkanani was published in the UK by Viper Books on 10th April 2025 and is available in hardcover, audio and digital formats with the paperback to follow (please note, the following links are affiliate links which means I receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you): | amazon.co.uk | Waterstones | bookshop.org | Goodreads | damppebbles bookshop.org shop | damppebbles amazon.co.uk shop | damppebbles amazon.com shop |

Tariq Ashkanani is a solicitor and co-host of the writing podcast Page One. His debut novel, Welcome to Cooper, won the Bloody Scotland Debut Award 2022, as well as being shortlisted for both the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger and Capital Crime Fingerprint Award. His second novel, Follow Me to the Edge, was published in 2022. His upcoming novel, The Midnight King, will be published by Viper in 2025. He lives in Edinburgh with his wife and two sons.