Y’all, I’m coming in hot with a creepy book. It has twins! Kid twins. You know how kids can be creepy. They are girl twins, which to me is even worse. They have an imaginary friend! His name is Black Mamba. He can turn into all types of animals, but is visible only to the twins.

Let me back up. Because there are heavy grief themes here, too. And religious themes. Alfie’s wife, and the twins’ mother, dies. They are mourning her death. Alfie is now a single dad and he’s struggling with parenting. Then, the twins wake him up to tell them there is a man in their room. Night after night until they just don’t anymore. Instead, they have befriended him and that’s when things really start to get chaotic. They whisper to him and claim he makes them act out.

This is a dark, creepy, gothic, psychological suspense, which is perfect for October.

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 4⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: horror/thriller📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
A creepy read about grief.

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Disturbing imaginary friends
Thought provoking reads
Gothic thrillers
Creepy tiwns
Family drama

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
The cover

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
The ending!
Slow and repetitive at times

“𝙳𝚊𝚍𝚍𝚢, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎‘𝚜 𝚊 𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚗 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚛𝚘𝚘𝚖.“

And, thus begins this delightfully creepy debut novel from William Friend. This story, about grief and ghosts, is one that unfurls slowly & dreadfully until you find yourself unable or unwilling to put it down.

“𝙲𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚛 𝚒𝚗 𝙷𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝙷𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚖𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚔; 𝚢𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚏𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚜 𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚕𝚢 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚏𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚜 𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚕𝚢 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚎.“

Just like all surreal dreams, this gothic tale and its haunted house are built on emotion & pain. We are left wondering if trauma begets guilt or if it’s the other way round. Does guilt beget trauma or are the two forever inexplicably linked?

“𝚃𝚠𝚘 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚗𝚘𝚠. 𝙸 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚜 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚘.“

𝙻𝚎𝚝 𝙷𝚒𝚖 𝙸𝚗 is available now so do yourself a favour and grab it. It’s the perfect spooky season read!

Thanks so much to Poisoned Pen Press for my advanced copy!

Though this book was a bit hard to dive into at first, I completely understand the reasoning for doing so. The author slowly gives the reader puzzle pieces, making them question everything, before the story starts to pick up speed and more info comes, and you’re scrambling to put the pieces together in the right order.

Is the imaginary friend really imaginary, is it a ghost, a family member passed on, some other entity, how did it get there, how long, and so on. The questions I had just kept coming as I got more and more information, even when I thought I figured it out multiple times (didn’t actually until near the end). I was given more and more clues that constantly readjusted what I thought was going on, and I loved every second of it.

It’s rare nowadays to be completely surprised by what’s going to happen, but this book got me. I highly recommend to people wanting a thriller book with only a few terrifying moments. And that ending??? Everything was there for me to see, but I was genuinely surprised by who this imaginary friend was and what they came to be.

Outside of the plot itself, the author also makes you feel the exasperation and desperation of Alfie, the hesitancy and guilt of Julia, and the darkness surrounding the twins. That alone kept me going trudging through until the story picked up.

Recently widowed Alfie is struggling to hold things together while raising his twin girls in his late wifes family home, Hart House.

The girls' nightmares of seeing a man in their room, then the appearance of their new 'friend' the Black Mamba also doesn't help. Julia, his late wife's twin sister, offers to help talk to the girls as she is a psychologist. But as stranger and stranger occurances happen around Hart Housel, the girls behavior gets more violent and aggressive, and Black Mamba's presence continues to grow, Alfie begins to wonder what's real and what's not.

Who or what exactly is Black Mamba? What secrets does his late wifes family still keep locked up within Hart House? Alfie must face all this and more to try to save his girls from the darkness of grief that surrounds them.

This was a fast-paced and creepy story that had mystery and suspense built until the very end! The ending was a bit open-ended, but I have my theories! Definitely recommend it for a quick, creepy read, just maybe not right before bed!

I will note while I love love the cover, I don't see it's connection to the story? Maybe I missed something?

This was a debute novel, and I will be sure to keep an eye out for more from this author! Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press & Netgalley for this ARC!

Let Him In is a debut novel from William Friend. This was a 4 star read and comes out today. Perfect for fall's creepy season!

Alfie is taking care of his seven-year-old twins, Cassia and Sylvie, after his wife Pippa passes away unexpectedly. They live in Hart House, the family home of Pippa for generations. One night, the twins wake Alfie saying there's a man in their room. After searching the entire house, no one is found, but for weeks the girls say there's a man in their room and will sneak into bed with Alfie every night. Eventually, it stops and he thinks that whatever they say is there has gone. But it hasn't. They've just gotten to know it, and now he's their friend, Black Mamba. Thinking Black Mamba is only an imaginary friend, Alfie and the girls' aunt Julia continue to go along with their game. But things are getting progressively worse, not better, and Alfie is falling apart in his grief. Julia does the only thing she thinks she can, and moves back into Hart House. But is that what Black Mamba wanted all along?

This novel was creepy and atmospheric, perfect for spooky season. The story is told from both the point of view of Alfie and Julia, which lends more to the background story. Alfie's grief and inability to keep things together is well-developed and you feel for him in his loss. Julia is a little more secretive, we don't see a ton into her character, but she shows more history of the house and the family. Cassia and Sylvie are well fleshed out, and their twin bond is definitely on display. The way Black Mamba takes over their lives is eerie and slow, drawing the girls in bit by bit.

All in all, a great debut from William Friend. Atmospheric and spooky, this was a fast, short read, perfect for creepy season. If you enjoy a ghost story or one with a possession, this would be perfect for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a digital copy of Let Him In for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.

Rating: 2.83 leaves out of 5
-Characters: 3/5
-Cover: 4.5/5
-Story: 2.5/5
-Writing: 4/5
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Paranormal, Thriller
-Horror: 1.5/5
-Paranormal: 4/5
-Mystery: 2/5
-Thriller: 1/5
Type: Ebook
Worth?: Eh, I guess

Want to thank Netgalley and publishers for giving me the chance to read this book.

You ever just read a book and it feels like you aren't taking anything in? That is how I felt with this book. It was a drag for me, sadly. He got the creepy kids down pretty well but everything else? Julia worked my nerves on more than one occasion.

It was okay in the end. I wouldn't say it was great, but it wasn't all around bad. I gave it a 3 because I felt like it didn't deserve the 2.

Spooky Debut Novel
"Let Him In" by William Friend is a debut novel that immediately caught my attention with its striking cover and held it throughout its spine-tingling narrative. This story delves into the intricate web of family dynamics, presenting a haunting tale that is equal parts unsettling and riveting.

The narrative revolves around Dad, Alfie, and his twin daughters, Cassia and Sylvie, who are grappling with the sudden and unexpected loss of their beloved partner and mother, Pippa. Alfie, overwhelmed by his own grief, finds himself navigating the challenging task of single parenting. Despite the difficulties, he believes they are managing as well as can be expected. However, everything changes when the girls claim to have an imaginary friend named Black Mamba, a shape-shifting man who takes them on adventures and promises protection.

The introduction of Black Mamba sets off a series of events that grow increasingly disturbing, blurring the line between imagination and reality. In search of answers and guidance, Alfie enlists the help of his late partner's sister, Aunt Julia, a psychiatrist with a unique perspective. The story unfolds through the alternating viewpoints of Alfie and Julia, allowing readers to witness the escalating drama with the mysterious Black Mamba.

Friend skillfully weaves a narrative that keeps readers on edge, making us question whether Black Mamba is merely a coping mechanism or something far more sinister. The family dynamics are not only captivating within the central characters but also in the exploration of Pippa and Julia's family history.

The author's ability to create an ominous and haunting atmosphere throughout the story is commendable, effectively immersing readers in a sense of unease. As a debut novelist, William Friend displays an impressive talent for crafting a story that grips the reader's imagination and refuses to let go. I eagerly look forward to more works by this author in the future.

One of the standout elements of "Let Him In" is its use of the creepy kid trope, heightened by the fact that the unsettling imaginary friend is shared by twin sisters. Friend expertly capitalizes on this trope, delivering a truly chilling and spine-tingling experience.

I won't divulge any more details, as I believe this book is best enjoyed with just the basic premise in mind. Prepare to be absorbed into a thrilling and eerie narrative that is perfect for kicking off your October Spooky Season TBR.

I extend my gratitude to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press and Dreamscape Media, for providing me with the opportunity to read and review "Let Him In." If you're in the mood for a spine-tingling read that explores the depths of family and the supernatural, I highly recommend picking up this book.

The premise of the story is quite interesting, and, although the actual book was nothing like what I was expecting, it was a really enjoyable experience. It's basically "The Babadook" meets the twins from "The Shining", and it's amazing.
The story becomes a little bit repetitive at times, but I didn't really care about that. I think it could have used some more scenes where something supernatural happens, but, being a psychological thriller, it was actually quite balanced.
The whole Black Mamba theme was really well executed, and it's a really accurate representation of how grief feels like for some people.
The author manages to maintain the tension throughout the book, making for a really enjoyable and thrilling reading experience.
And that ending was really creepy.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

✨️Will be posting links ✨️
What can I say? I am a sucker for a great paranormal book - especially written by debut authors. I was pumped to read this book. Creepy kids seeing people in their room? I am hooked. I'd give a solid 4 stars as it did meet every expectation I have. I feel it is one of the better paranormal horror books out there. I would recommend to haunting of hill house or the Warren fans. I will update this post with links to my online reviews.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Alfie, a newly widowed dad, wakes to his young twin daughters standing at the end of his bed. "Daddy, there's a man in our room." Alfie calls Julia, his sister in law, and asks for her help because she's a psychiatrist. The twins remain adamant that Black Mamba is a real man who can shape-shift into any form. Alfie and Julia chalk it up to an imaginary friend due to grief from the loss of their mother. Julia agrees to stay in the Hart House for 3 nights to observe the girls.

The Hart House has a sordid past and had been Julia's childhood home, but her sister and Alfie purchased it after the girls were born. After 3 days, it appears something far more sinister than an imaginary friend was afoot.

I feel like although this was an enjoyable read, it could have been a great book. There were elements presented that had they been fully fleshed out, would have filled out the story, and made it much more horrifying. We had glimmers of the Hart House curse and history, the odd religious beliefs of Julia's and Pippa's parents, The Book of Princes, and other artifacts, but they just sort of dropped off. I will be thinking about that ending for a while, though!

Thanks to Netgalley and Poison Pen Press for the opportunity to read and review this spooky season book.

This book had me questioning things throughout, but in a good way!! 👀 Words that come to mind when trying to describe this book: creepy, dark, dread, grief, sadness, loss, depression, unease, demonic, imaginary, tense, atmospheric, haunting, and utterly unsettling. All. Of. That. 🙌

I do have to say that this would have been a 5 star review had it not been for a turn in the plot towards the end that made me literally roll my eyes and ask “why did this even need to go there?”. May have just been a “me” thing, though! 😂

The ending did leave me with some questions, though it may very well have been the author’s intent to leave things up to interpretation! Would love to discuss thoughts with others who read this book!! 🤓

I definitely recommend it as a great creepy read, especially for spooky season!! 🧡

Thank you to @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress for the opportunity to read and review this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

QUICK SUMMARY 🖊️
Grieving widower Alfie wakes up one night with his twin daughters claiming there’s a shadowy man in their room, when no evidence of this is found he assumes it’s just a nightmare.

This becomes a nightly thing, until it’s not anymore, and they introduce their imaginary friend. Chalking this up to grief, Alfie enlists the help of his sister in law and twin of his dead wife


FINAL THOUGHTS 💭
First thank you to @NetGalley & @PoisonedPenPress for this copy of #LetHimIn

I’ll use @curiously.karts famous line but flipped. Loved the journey, hated the destination. But it seems I may be on the minority end of this.

This book gave me literal nightmares that made me want to crawl out of my skin. Not because the book so scary per se but it was written in a way that let my imagination get away from me at bedtime.

I was drinking it all in until the end. Then it lost me, there was a couple things I liked from it but mostly it just lost me. I will definitely recommend this book, even though I didn’t love the ending the journey was worth it.

*As always, please check trigger warnings, if you ever wonder about a book I’ve read feel free to ask me.

First, I would like to thank Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

I will say, I LOVE my slow burns, but I guess not so much when it comes to horror/thrillers.

Alfie is a recent widow and a father to twins. As Alfie and the twins are healing over the loss of their wife/mother, the twins have gained a new friend...who's imaginary. He goes by the name of Black Mamba and only the twins can see him. Alfie becomes concerned and reaches out to his wife's sister Julia, who is a therapist. As we go along both Alfie's and Julia's POV's, we start to learn some history and secrets hidden in the house.

Overall, I thought the story was good. The thing is, I'm a bit confused what happened at the end. When it comes to psychological thrillers or horror stories, I like to understand how the end...ended. I'm not quite sure if I would describe this book more on the thriller/psychological side or paranormal...and I had wished it was more paranormal.

I wish the grandmother was introduced earlier and that we got to know her side a little more. Once I got to the middle of the book, I was certain Black Mamba was the father after he's had a few drinks since his alcohol consumption was brought up a bit. And that was the reason why the twins said Black Mamba looked like their dad but different. I feel like I would have been fine with this outcome. But then the grandma revealed whatever it was she revealed so that's why I'm a bit confused.

I also wish we got more details on the rattle! That was a bit freaky.

But overall, this story was fine.

ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.

The dual narration on this audiobook worked so well with the story! Both the male and female narrators brought their characters to life and made the story so much more enjoyable for me! This book is about a father coping with the loss of his wife while trying to navigate becoming a single father to twin daughters. There were certain aspects I found absolutely chilling, especially as a parent with daughters, if they told me there was a man in their room at night I would probably pack their things and sell the house! It was all a very interesting story and I really like how the book concluded.

What a fun spooky start to October, I really enjoyed the Whisper Man type vibes this book has.

Let Him In, by William Friend, tells the story of Alfie, a man who is trying to do his best at raising his twin daughters after the unexpected passing of his wife. When the girls start talking about their new imaginary friend, Black Mamba, he at first brushes it off as a coping mechanism to deal with their grief. It isn’t until unexplained things start to happen, and physical proof of Black Mamba’s presence start to appear, that Alfie starts questioning if maybe something sinister is really in his house after all.


Thank you NetGalley, and Poisoned Press for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

LET HIM IN

A psychological suspense about a young, newly widowed father struggling to raise twin daughters obsessed with an imaginary friend.

First off, I'm obsessed with this cover!

This book has an interesting concept and I appreciate how smart it is that grief is the main focus here. There's something so terrifying about horror meeting grief, intertwining, and tapping straight into a reader's brain.

Envision you have an imaginary friend to help cope with the death of a loved one, only this "friend" is mysteriously frightening. Black Mamba, lurks in the twin's room, watches them while they sleep, and even wants a place setting at the dinner table. *Excuse me while I go sage off my Kindle*

It sounds promising, right?
Well, while it was an eerie thought-provoking read, something didn't fully connect. I can appreciate a slow-moving horror story, but there were several things I would have liked to get more background information on. Its pacing was off-putting at times. Also, dare say I wanted more...sinister?

This is the kind of horror novel that is open for interpretation, so it won't be for everyone.

Thank you @poisonedpenpress @netgalley for this e-arc.

Out tomorrow, 10/3/23

3.5-3.75 stars

If you love books about houses that give people the creeps, then this one's for you.

This is a story where the creepiness is in the air, in the walls, on top of stairs, around the corner, and in the corner of your eye. That is to say, it may not always be obvious, but it's always THERE.

What you have is one such creepy house, that earlier belonged to Pippa's parents, and now belong to the family consisting of Alfie (Dad), Pippa (now deceased) and their 'The Shining'-esque twins, Sylvie and Cassia.

Alfie is having trouble coping with life and its demands since his wife has passed away fairly recently, and now it's on him to raise his daughters. It doesn't help that his twins come to him every night and ask to sleep in his room because there's a man in their room (which upon checking, of course there isn't).

Then the girls befriend an imaginary person called 'Black Mamba', who can transform into any animal or bird he desires and takes them on adventures to the sun, and through the city, and under the sea.

At first, Alfie plays along, because a lot of kids have imaginary friends, right? Then it starts to get more serious, and the twins start acting out and blaming it on their friend. This causes Alfie to turn to Pippa's twin sister Julia, who (very conveniently) is a psychiatrist. Julia also has a little secret of her own, namely, that she and Pippa also used to have an imaginary friend when they were little. To top it off, their parents used to dabble in the occult/metaphysical, and she's afraid that it has unleashed something sinister into this house, and onto their family.

The question that you are faced with throughout the book is-do paranormal entities really exist, or do we bring them into existence ourselves? Our minds are weird, and how do we tell the difference between real and imaginary?

I could feel the darkness and heaviness of the house, which was a good thing, because I think that's what the author intended...to give the house a life and entity of its own. The twins are every bit as weird and spooky as you would imagine twins to be in a horror story. I almost felt sorry for Alfie at times, because he was their Dad and couldn't just ditch them or run away from them (lol).

There is a romance(?) angle towards the end that didn't sit quite right with me, and seemed altogether a too-easy way to give the girls a substitute mom. Is a single Dad raising his daughters not still acceptable? It seemed unnecessary, especially since Alfie was still grieving so deeply, and didn't really need to be in a relationship at that time, especially with the person he decided to be with.

I personally did not feel that the character of Julia did not contribute to the understanding or resolution of the issue with the twins as a psychiatrist, any more than any lay person with a basic understanding of psychology could have done.

The name 'Black Mamba' seemed a bit jarring to me. Maybe because he could turn himself into a snake as well? I don't know, but an innocuous name such as 'Pennywise' or 'Mr. Rogers', for example, sounds much more creepy than a more obvious name like that, at least to me.

Overall, I did enjoy the book, and would recommend that you put it on your TBR for the spooky season, as it will not disappoint.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

This was not for me. It was extremely slow and the ending had me underwhelmed. I did enjoy that elements and the creepy horror vibes. Also, the audiobook narrators were good!

3.5 ⭐️ This book was so creepy , from the picture on the book you know it’s going to be good and scary lol . It was different style than what I read , felt like a scary movie , I enjoyed the plot .


Thank you to Poisened Pen Press and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest revie