Let Him In by William Friend was utterly creepy and superbly mysterious! Told from multiple perspectives, this book is creepy and will keep you guessing.

I received a review copy of this book from the author/publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #PoisonedPenPress for the ARC #LetHimIn by #WilliamFriend. This is a very interesting and dark book that contains a lot of grief and mourning for loved ones.

I was so excited for this book. I saw the cover and I requested right away. I really wanted to like it, but unfortunately this book wasn't it for me. I felt like the plot had holes and failed to grasp my attention. There were a few chapters that did grasp my attention, but it wasn't until I was 40% in, and thats no fun! I had lots of questions at the end that I needed clarification on and I still couldn't figure it out. With that being said, I don't know if I would recommend this book to my friends. Thank you Netgalley for this early ARC.

✨ BOOK REVIEW ✨

ʟᴇᴛ ʜɪᴍ ɪɴ ʙʏ ᴡɪʟʟɪᴀᴍ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅ

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️// 5

I talk a big talk when it comes to horror/mystery books. I can handle serial killers, domestic thrillers, and even the paranormal books.. but when it comes to creepy kids (or 2 of them 🫠) that is where I just start to lose it.

It’s rare when it happens, but this book gave me nightmares. I was hearing things and making sure my nightlight was on lol.

Even though it is creepy af, this book was one of the best I’ve read this year. Highly recommend to anyone! (Unless you have small children that wake you up in the middle of the night. In that case, hold off 😅)

Thank you @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress . This book was an amazing debut and I can’t wait to read more from William Friend!

Another debut novel on this list, Let Him In is the store of Alfie, raising his twin girls after the death of his wife Pippa. When the twins start showing strange behavior, he enlists the help of Pippa’s sister, Julia.

Working with the twins forces Julia to confront parts of her own past, and the history of her childhood home, where Alfie and the girls now live.

This was an atmospheric slow burn, perfect for the Halloween season.

A review of Let Him In by William Friend. His novel will be released this Tuesday, October 3. Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Penn Press for the advanced Kindle version of the novel for an honest review.
3 out of 5 stars.


In this creepy and suspenseful novel a family endures a tragedy that the young twin girls are having a difficult time coping with. Their dad isn’t handling life and fatherhood very well after the family’s tragic event. Aunt Julia tries to help the twins and her brother in-law Alfie work through their grief in hopes of healing and moving on. Grandma, Julia’s mother, unfortunately has a foot dipped into the plot by always interjecting her opinion and viewpoints that Julia and Alfie alike tolerate, but don’t agree with.

There are supernatural forces at play that keep the plot moving, albeit slow in some areas. This novel is definitely creepy and suspenseful up to a point. I felt like at times the climax of the story was about to happen, and then it didn’t and fell flat for me. I honestly expected something truly jaw dropping or wanting to throw my Kindle across the room with an unexpected twist, but it didn’t happen. That’s not to say, I didn’t enjoy the novel, I did. The author's style of writing was quite good and he is a talented writer. His character development was well done, and he had several suspenseful moments that kept me reading. I grew to dislike the grandma in the story, and great writing will elicit feelings towards a character whether you strongly connect with a character or despise them.

I will definitely read other works by William Friend in the future. I feel his stories that he has yet told, will evolve and only grow and become better with time.

This book kept me curious till the very end.

I was wondering if it is a psychological thriller or if there are some paranormal things. Well, you won’t know until the last pages!

Something happens and then you have a really good logical explanation. But then something happens again. And again and again.

The book has a lot of twists and I liked them all! The ending was a little bit predictable but still shocking.

Funny, but the character who shocked me the most was not the one of main characters but the twins’ grandma. Oh, this lady has her secrets and knows much more than she shows!

I enjoyed “Let Him In” a lot! Can’t wait to read other books by William Friend.

Thank you, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

A recently widowed father of twin girls is trying to get things under control. Until the girls tell him a man is in their room. This nightmare goes away soon, but now the twins have an imaginary adult male friend who becomes more and more a part of this family's life—finally giving orders and working to take over the Dad's place.

This was a decent tale of an evil imaginary friend who turns out to be much more. I didn't connect with the characters, not really liking them, even the kids. It was however a sometimes creepy little book.

Before I even opened this I was creeped out from the cover .
Then add creepy twins ... I need a nightlight 😂

Overall though I was disappointed in this book . Although yes it was creepy at times , overall it fell flat for me . Maybe because imo it was a slow burn .. also I'm not a fan of the ending. ... it was weird & rushed & a bit confusing.

#lethimin was a creepy read at times but overall not for me I guess.
Regardless thanks for the Arc #NetGalley 🖤

This book started off with serious creepy vibes but I ended up having a hard time getting into it. The ending was also a little confusing.

Thank you, Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Let Him In" was a very slow start for me. The concept is there, the storytelling skills are there. There's just not a lot there. Character development is lacking tremendously. This seems like it has the basic start to something really cool, but it needs more structure. It also seemed like it was hard choosing a genre. I like when authors mix genres, but it has to be done well.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

With a cover that immediately grabbed by attention, Let Him In impressed me with its exploration of some really complicated family dynamics.

In this story, we meet Dad, Alfie, and his twin daughters, Cassia and Sylvie. Nine months ago, the girls' Mum, and Alfie's long-time partner, Pippa, died suddenly and unexpectedly in their home.

Alfie, battling his own grief, is struggling to parent the girls alone. In spite of the challenges, Alfie feels like overall, they're doing okay. At least as well as could be expected. Things take a turn though when the girls wake Alfie one night stating, 'Daddy, there's a man in our room...'

Cue eyebrow raise, jaw drop and shiver running up spine.

That starts the girls' new found obsession with their imaginary friend, Black Mamba, who they describe as a man who can shape-shift into any animal. He protects them and also takes them on fabulous adventures.
Alfie calls in Pippa's sister, the girls' Aunt Julia, for help with the Black Mamba situation. As a psychiatrist, he feels Julia is probably much more qualified to navigate this situation than he is.

The Reader gets both Alfie and Julia's perspectives as the drama with the girls' new friend escalates. What they both assume is just a coping mechanism following Pippa's untimely death begins to feel like more, however, as a series of increasingly disturbing events occurs. This includes both Alfie and Julia having visions that could possibly be linked to the mysterious Black Mamba.

Will Julia and Alfie be able to exorcise this hostile presence from their lives? Their family has already been shattered by tragedy, but it seems this being, the hold he has over the girls, could end up causing even further irreparable harm.

I really enjoyed my time with this story. I did end up listening to the audiobook and appreciate that it included the use of dual narration. Having a different voice for both Alfie and Julia helped to bring the story to life.
I thought the family dynamics were fascinating, not just amongst our main characters, but the backstory of Pippa and Julia's family as well.

This is a debut novel for William Friend and I feel like it's definitely impressive in that regard. The story has a ominous, haunting feel throughout that succeeded in getting under my skin. There were a couple places towards the end where I got a little lost, but that could totally just be my own issue. Wandering mind and all that. Besides those couple of spots though, overall, I was extremely invested in this.

One of my favorite Horror tropes is the creepy kid trope. Friend definitely nailed that. Bonus points for them being twins and for the super-disturbing imaginary friend. I'm not going to say anything else about this one, because I feel it's best served if you go in knowing just the basics. Settle in and go along for the ride. This is the perfect read to kick off your October Spooky Season TBR.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press and Dreamscape Media, for providing me with copies to read and review. I'm looking forward to more from William Friend!

Let Him In is both terrifying and heartrending. It explores the terrible impact of a mother's sudden death on her husband, twin daughters, elderly and medically fragile mother, and her twin sister. What begins as a creepy story about grieving little girls making an imaginary friend is a complex exploration of perspectives on loss, love, envy, faith, and family dynamics. You will cower, question, and commiserate.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was an absolutely FANTASTIC book. I didn’t even make notes for a review throughout my read as I didn’t want anything to take me out of it.

I don’t think that anything I say will do it justice, so this is a short but sweet review. This was truly one of the most eerie & captivating books I have ever read. Do yourself a favour & buy this IMMEDIATELY on its publication date!

Friend’s debut novel is a horror/mystery-thriller by category but I found it more psychological thriller. Well written and entertaining, I found the character development a bit lacking; especially the grandmother and aunt, the nephew/cousin is nothing more than a device to further the plot. The story is slow moving with information dropped as you need it but at times feels like it is being withheld too long. The basic plot line and story idea is very intriguing and worth the read.

In Friend’s debut novel Alfie, his twin daughters Sylvie and Cassia and his sister-in-law, psychotherapist Julia are all reeling from the unexpected death of Pippa, Allie’s partner, mother of the twins and Julia’s own twin. Alfie, Sylvia and Cassia reside at Hart House which was Julia and Pippa’s childhood home and where their father died. The novel begins with the girls saying that they see a man in their room at night. This man becomes Black Mamba, an imaginary friend who seemingly makes the girls act out in destructive ways. Julia attempts to counsel them, but what is really going on at Hart House and is it related to Julia and Pippa’s unconventional upbringing?

This was originally published in the UK as BLACK MAMBA and it’s a good thing the publishers changed the title or I would have dismissed this as a book about Kobe Bryant (rest well, Kobe). As it was I couldn’t help thinking of him throughout and how odd it was that the twins were haunted by the ghost of Kobe. This wasn’t really a BAD book, per se, but the ending was really so much….nothing that I was quite disappointed, hence my low rating. A psychotherapist and those really interested in twins might find more to like, I don’t know. I was just really sad it wasn’t more. Sorry to say I can’t recommend this one. Too little payoff in the end.

This debut horror novel is a study in grief and how it can effect everyone differently. Twins, Sylvie and Cassia unexpectedly lost their mother, Pippa, to a freak accident. Their father, Alfie, is not coping well and is overwhelmed by his responsibilities as a single parent. Pippa's twin sister, Julia, a psychiatrist, is also not coping well but dealing with her grief very differently.
One night, the girls tell Alfie there is a man in their room. But there isn't. Suddenly, "Black Mamba" is all they talk about, set places for him at dinner, blame him for accidents and injuries, and even start calling him "daddy". Alfie is beside himself and Julia is perplexed. Told from both POVs, this one will have you guessing until the very end.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this e-arc.*

💀 Book Review 💀

Let Him In by William Friendd

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Let Him In is an atmospheric read. It centers on a father with two twins girls. They lost their mother nearly a year ago in a tragic accident.

One night the girls come to their father, saying that there’s a man in their room. He checks out the room and finds nothing there. This happened several more times until the girls finally announce, they have a new friend named Black Mamba. At first, this imaginary friend seems innocent enough, but things quickly take a turn to the sinister side.

Things I liked:

🍁Creepy Imaginary Friend
🍁Slow burn, spooky atmosphere
🍁Dual POVs

What didn’t work for me:

🍁The ending: The ending left me with more questions than answers. If felt a bit rushed to me.

🍁The Characters: Don’t get me wrong, I like the characters overall. But without spoiling anything I was not a fan of two characters and the choice they made together. It felt wrong.

Overall, it’s a short read that has some creepy moments sprinkled in here or there. It’s a book that makes you think… what if my imaginary friend was real?

While looking for a spooky read for fall, this cover drew me in.

Allie is still mourning the loss of his wife when their twin girls tell him there has been a man in their room at night. Oh, and sometimes he is a snake. And sometimes a bird. Alfie’s sister in law is a therapist, and she tells Alfie imaginary friends are normal. But something strange is definitely happening in this house….

Without giving any spoilers, the way things played out in this story just wasn’t for me. There weren’t very many creepy or chilling moments the way you’d expect from the cover, and the ending is left very open to interpretation. I also couldn’t stand something that happened with the main characters towards the end. The writing could be repetitive at times and was very slow paced.

I did think the twins were well written and found them to be the best characters in the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Demonic imaginary friend that shape shifts? Oh yeah, this book is creepy.

Alfie is dealing with the loss of his wife while trying to stay strong for their twin girls. When the girls start talking about their new imaginary friend called “Dark Mamba” he thinks it’s just the grief. It isn’t.

I really like a horror story that deals with the rippling effects of grief, kind of along the lines of The Babadook. There’s something so scary and real about losing a loved one and the way humanity deals with that weight.

I read this all in one sitting. It is completely consuming and I think I’ll be thinking about that ending for a while!