Let Him In by William Friend is a creepy, slow-burn horror novel that’s perfect for anyone who loves a good, unsettling mystery. The story follows a guy named Jacob, who’s struggling with his own dark past, and then he meets this mysterious stranger who might be hiding something... or someone. As Jacob’s life starts to spiral out of control, you can’t help but wonder if he’s just losing his mind or if something much darker is at play.

What I really liked about this book is how tense it is. The atmosphere is seriously eerie, and Friend does an amazing job of building suspense. It’s not full of jump scares, but the tension slowly creeps up on you until you’re hooked. The mystery keeps you guessing, and you’re constantly trying to figure out what’s really going on.

The pacing is a bit slower at times, but it works because it lets you really get inside Jacob’s head and feel the anxiety and paranoia building up. The ending is pretty satisfying and will definitely leave you thinking.

Thank you so much @poisonpenpress and @netgalley for the copy of this eARC!

Let Him In by William Friend
Pub Date: OUT NOW
231 pages

QOTD: Do you believe in ghosts?

Okay, let me start by saying don't read this book at night. It was very creepy! I have never read anything like this before, but I really enjoyed it. It gave me the chills.

This creepy, chilling horror novel was so good. It starts slow, but once you meet the twins and their dad Alfie, this book will have you turning pages to find out what really happened in the Hart house and who is Black mamba, and why the twins are the only ones who could see him.

I enjoyed that the book was written between two characters, as the narration shifts between their two perspectives. Both Characters have their own secrets and mysteries.

The ending was really good it made me think. Were the twins kidding or is Black Mamba still around?? Who knows!

Definitely recommend it to all the lovers of horror and who like creepy stories based on spooky twins, imaginary friends, and haunted houses. I will definitely be reading more books by William friend. I enjoyed his writing. Don't forget your nightlight when you start reading Let Him In. Thank me later!

Spooky, grief horror with a gothic overtone. Perfect book to curl up with in the fall or winter. Just don’t read it at night!

Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. Such an eerie read it was hard to put down once I started it. Set within a haunted house harbouring dark secrets within its walls, the sense of foreboding I felt with each page turn was captivating. Alfie is a grieving father. raising his twin daughters after their mother's sudden death. The girls start telling their father they are seeing a scary man in their bedroom at night, he lets the girls sleep in his bed thinking this will help them through their obvious grief. This seems to work and the night visiting man stops visiting the girls. But he is soon replaced by an imaginary friend they call Black Mamba, a man who can transform into any animal he desires. Black Mamba takes them on incredible journeys, from soaring through the city as a shapeshifting black bird to diving into the depths of the sea, where they encounter magnificent creatures. Alfie becomes concerned about his twins and how they are coping with things ands seeks guidance from Julia, Pippa's twin sister and a psychiatrist. Unbeknownst to Alfie, Julia and Pippa also had an imaginary friend similar to the one the girls describe. Julia fears that something sinister may threaten the entire family, connected to their own religious rituals and a dark past. A chilling read that will haunt you long after you have reached the final page. #lethimin #williamfriend #netgalley #tea_sipping_bookworm #goodreads #poisonedpenpress #bookqueen #bookstagram #getlitsy #thestorygraph

It took me a bit to get through this book because I found it a little depressing which I think means I felt connected to the characters. Erie and creepy slow burn grief horror.
Thanks to NetGallery and the author for letting me read it!

This psychological thriller was deliciously creepy. I was spooked and that feeling even carried with me and had me looking over my shoulder. The ending had me shocked and reeling.

So unsettling and very much worth the read! This book is about grief and how mine handle things. I loved the psychological tires between the twins and the questioning of what's real and what's make believe.

The ending itself was so creepy and so good!

Freaking fantastic supernatural horror that was a perfect October read. This was my first William Friend book but certainly won't be my last.

Let Him In by William Friend is a suspenseful thriller that delves into themes of trust, betrayal, and the complexities of human relationships. The narrative centers around a seemingly ordinary man whose life spirals into chaos when he opens his door to a stranger, setting off a chain of events that reveals dark secrets and hidden motives.

Friend’s writing is sharp and atmospheric, creating a palpable sense of tension throughout the story. The pacing is generally strong, with intriguing twists that keep readers engaged. The characters are well-developed, each bringing their own unique perspectives and flaws to the unfolding drama, which adds depth to the narrative.

However, the plot occasionally veers into predictability, and some twists may feel contrived or overly familiar to seasoned thriller readers. Additionally, certain character motivations could have been explored more thoroughly to enhance the overall impact of the story.

Overall, Let Him In is an entertaining read that offers moments of suspense and intrigue, but it may not fully deliver the originality or depth that some readers seek in a thriller. It’s a solid choice for fans of the genre looking for a quick, engaging story.

I saved this one to read during spooky season and am very glad I did! Read this one with the lights on if you decide to read it at night like I did!

Thank you Poisoned Pens Press, William Friend, & NetGalley for this opportunity to read Let Him In.

Let Him In by William Friend is a creepy, haunted house story with lots of religious undertones. The book basically revolves around twin girls who are growing up in Hart House with their father, Alfie, in the aftermath of losing their mother. They are dealing with their grief when the twins start becoming obsessed with an imaginary friend they call Black Mamba.

I love the ideas surrounding this book with the twins because for whatever reason children characters are so easy to make very unsettling. Then there's the weirdness of Hart House itself, & imaginary friends are such a fun trope if you will because the possibilities are endless in what to do with them. So the imagery was really well done, I didn't really like a lot of the characters but I did find them interesting, & the tone of the book was definitely hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

Where I do find that this book fell flat was it seemed to be far too long of a book for the story that ended up being told. It got to the point where it just felt repetitive. Or for a bit it felt like we were moving forward in the story but then it didn't really go anywhere. At times the plot felt like it was much too all over the place. There were many times were I was forgetting certain characters because of the length of the book & also because it was hard to relate to something that happened 4 chapters ago & then is being brought back up again.

This book took me ridiculously long time to finish because it just felt daunting every time I went to read it & that's unfortunate.

I really enjoyed this book. It didn't make me as uneasy as I thought it would, but the story and characters were really compelling. I enjoyed the narrative journey we went on, and I love the end being a tad bit open (but maybe not really). It feels like a story you have heard before, while also being something I haven't read. Nice book for low-key spooky season vibes!

The premise really interested me but when I finally got a chance to read it, it wasn't what I was expecting. I wanted to push through and see to the end but it wasn't worth it for me. It was too slow-paced and dry. There wasn't much of a unique voice to differentiate between the two points of view (the dad in the story, Alfie, and his sister-in-law, Julia). It felt like the same narrator was speaking. Also, I think the author was trying to make the twin daughters in the story seem kind of creepy. Otherworldly? But they just came off as flat characters. And because they're twins the author was really playing on the trope of "they're identical inside and out and finish each other's sentences and everything." Instead of them coming off as being one person, they just felt like a one-dimensional blob. Certainly a creepy book with many unsettling and dark moments. It lost a couple of stars for me as I kept waiting for a big twist or something that never came. The ending also wasn’t overly satisfying.

This story focused on grief and specifically the relationship between twins in this high pace thriller. The tension built throughout the story seamlessly and the atmosphere got creepier and creepier. The dual POVs and the creepy imaginary friend are my favorite parts of this story.

I’d seen such mixed reviews for this ! It did not put me off ! Loved it love a horror supernatural read and it’s coming up that time of year for me ! Can’t wait to read more like this !!!

Love, love, love, loved this book!! I wanted something twisty and psychological, the cover pulled me in and I got just what I was hoping for!!

An amazing supernatural horror book, that deals with loss and grief.

In the beginning it gave me Haunting on Hill House vibes, but then it became its own book.

For me this book gelled really well and it became a super fast read for me.

Don't let the Goodreads rating put you off! This was a fantastic horror debut! It's so creepy and atmospheric and I really enjoyed it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Let Him In by William Friend offers an intriguing premise with eerie atmosphere, blending psychological horror and supernatural elements. The story of Tom, a grieving father, grappling with strange occurrences after moving to a remote house, starts strong, building tension effectively. However, the novel struggles with pacing, and some plot points feel underdeveloped, leaving more questions than answers. The characters, while relatable, lack depth, making it hard to fully connect with their plight. Despite its flaws, Let Him In delivers enough chills to keep horror fans engaged, though it falls short of its full potential.

Grief horror is very hit or miss for me and this book was just really.... boring.
There was a potential creepiness factor here with "black mamba" This was an extremely slow burn of a story that just, unfortunately, never got interesting. I figured early on that there was going to be some sort of culty/religious aspect and even that was disappointingly dull. I didn't really like any of the characters at all, and I'm not sure any of them even lied each other... I was just very underwhelmed with this story and the relationship between the MC and his dead wife's sister was just uncomfortably bizarre. This was a big no from me.