This book is very reminiscent of The Haunting of Hill House. This was such a good, creepy way to show just how different each person is affected by grief. I loved the twins, they made me feel so uneasy SO MUCH. This story was wild and the perfect, quick read to start October!

In the beginning, I was really intrigued with this book. The story follows a dad and his two twin daughters who have recently lost their mother. The girls start to see what is portrayed as an imaginary friend. Things start to get really weird when odd things start happening around the house. Eventually they start calling this 'imaginary friend' Black Mamba. They end up treating Black Mamba like a father figure which of course freaks their dad out and he enlists the help of their aunt (who was their mothers twin sister) because she is a therapist and she starts connecting their weird stuff to things that happened with her and her sister when they were young and it gets a little weird.

I was a little disappointed with this book. To me it didn't seem to have a good ending or really much explanation. I feel like the story should have had a descent resolve or gone in a different direction but I don't feel like I got either with this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I recently had the pleasure (and the chills) of reading this psychological thriller that left me breathless and sleepless. It was an absolute rollercoaster of emotions that kept me glued to its pages, finishing it in just two days.
The author masterfully crafts a narrative that delves deep into the darkest corners of the human psyche, leaving you questioning the thin line between sanity and madness.
I really felt for the characters and I found myself empathizing with their struggles, fearing for their well-being, and second-guessing their every move. The suspense in this novel is relentless. It's not just a jump-scare kind of thriller; it's a slow burn that creeps up on you, making every shadow and every creak in your house seem like a potential threat. The psychological twists and turns are mind-bending, leaving me questioning reality alongside the characters.

Okay this book was so creepy. I really wanted to like it but it was just weird and very confusing.
It was like the author was trying too hard. It was almost comical where I think it was supposed to be a thriller.

The characters were one dimension and so unbelievable.

Just didn't work for me.

This had some creepy moments and some real potential. Unfortunately some of the threads didn’t weave into a solid whole. The house is haunted….or not. Religious/cultish/occult ties that did or didn’t factor heavily. Grief, seeking to return those who have passed. Demonic possession….or not. The chilling, yet predictable end twist would have packed more punch if the other plot elements had been more satisfactorily answered.

This is a cracking, creepy story about twin girls and their father who are grieving the death of the girls' mother. Naturally life is hard for the little family but things become even more difficult when the girls (Cassia and Sylvie) start talking about a strange man in their bedroom at night that only they can see. They even give the entity a name 'Black Mamba', and begin to claim that 'he' can change into different animal forms. Is it just an imaginary friend that the girls have conjured up as a way of coping with their mother's death or could it be something more sinister? After all, the family home does have a rather disturbing history...

Not exactly a horror novel, but this book is certainly unnerving at times and the ending is fantastic. Highly recommended.

This one was so good! This was William Friend’s debut novel and I’ll be adding him to my list of must watch horror authors.

Cassia and Sylvie are fraternal twins from a long line of twins. They’ve recently lost their mother and are dealing with terrible grief along with their father, Alfie. Their mother was also a twin, and Julia, their auntie, is trying to help the family as much as possible. But a terrifying, shape shifting imaginary friend, Black Mamba, is making everyone question everything they thought they knew.

This whole book was shrouded in mystery. The mysterious religion that Julia and her dead twin, Pippa were brought up in. The mystery of their father and cousin’s death. Even Pippa’s death. I found the whole thing intriguing and I loved that not all the answers were tied up in a bow at the end.

Sincerely chilling. Fear of the unknown is the greatest fear of all.

Lord this was creepy. Not in an over-the-top, gory movie kind of way, but in a way that makes you look twice at the pile of clothes on the chair in your room. It’s a haunted house/possession flick wrapped in a swaddle of family trauma, with the grip of a suspense thriller. I found it un-put-downable and found myself reading til 4 am simply because I was too creeped out to sleep.

I'll shelve this as horror because that's what it's marketed as, but I think this will need a massive marketing push, for horror, even gothic horror, it struggles to be. It's a character study with dark undertones, and slightly Gothic in nature. But there is where I have issues with what is termed Gothic horror. Is there a spectrum for Gothic horror and, if so, how wide is the range? Because I'm finding quite a few Gothic horrors I read lately struggle to draw in horror elements.

Putting those things aside, the writing style of this book worked well, and it read like a dream. The value of an effortless read can't be underrated. But, the style needs to be backed up by substance that matches the package. And that's where the issue is for me.

One of the things I always look for in a Gothic horror is character reaction to occurrence, setting, or other characters. Reactions need to not only draw you into the scene, but they must also drive the suspense and tension. Of all horror sub-genres, Gothic horror relies on this more than most. And this is where this book failed to deliver. The reactions of Alfie in this story are muddled and dull. Water colour rather than oil painting. It makes you think, so what? But you should be thinking, wow!

The standout in this book is how the twins are written. They're not perfect characters, but they are the highlight and bring some level of creepiness into the story. Still, it's their actions that do this, and this type of horror needed a strong reaction by other characters to really hook me into the story on a deeper level.

A strong debut. Worth a read of you value well-written stories. For those who don't generally enjoy horror, you can still read this since the horror is not strong.

Thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for providing a copy of this story to read for a honest review. All comments are my own

A slow build up of creeping feelings, eyes watching your every move, and two kids who fall for a demon, put that together and you have this masterpiece. Creepy, dark, and scary.

The perfect way to kick off spooky season! Let Him In is a quick read horror story. I would consider it more of a psychological thriller with some scary elements. Think Alex North meets Stephen King.
Creepy twins that are so in sync that it makes the book unpredictable. The twins suddenly have a new presence among them, “Black Mamba” who only they can see and communicate with. -(No we aren’t talking about Kobe here. Even though as a sports fan it was hard not to picture Kobe as a creepy shadow lurking around the house. )- His demands leave their widowed father, Alfie frustrated and scared on what to do as the twins seem to be pushing him away. As the story unfolds we learn the backstory of the house they live in, previously his deceased wife’s childhood home. I do wish it was a little longer so we can get the backstory on Black Mamba and how he originated but I guess that’s part of the unknown that keeps me thinking about the book.
Thank you to Net Galley, Poisoned Pen Press and William Friend for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Alright so this book was definitely creepy, dark and kinda interesting, which I totally liked. Butttt it wasn't for me. It was slow and repetitive and there was just something missing . But it did have a good ending. Don't get me wrong, The author's writing was awesome and the story was good and I will look out for more of his books when they come out. Oh and we can not forget that awesome cover. It's perfect for this story. So this book was just okay for me but perfect for the spooky season for sure.

Such a good creepy book, a perfect spooky season-read.

This book made me feel so creeped out, I just couldn’t stop reading it.
The concept of ”young children talking to imaginary friends that may or may not be ghosts” - is one that really gets to me. I was lying in bed in the dark feeling really freaked out at times!
The setting of the old house gives a slightly gothic vibe to this book, which I really loved.

I requested a copy of the ARC from the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, on NetGalley and was approved in exchange for consideration of a review. All opinions discussed are my own and are subjective to myself as a reader.

"The supernatural, I know, does not exist. But Black Mamba and his intrusion into our lives--this poison flowing through our family's blood--can't be just a product of my daughters' minds.

Someone has gotten into this house."


William Friend combined some of the creepiest elements to create this haunting debut novel that centers around a recently widowed father and his twin daughters.

I don't know about you, but any type of horror or supernatural tale involving children always creeps me out. Kids in general can say things that make your skin crawl. Throw in the extra bonus of featuring twins and you really up the ante. I've been fascinated with twins ever since I was a youngster and I believe there is a phenomena surrounding them and the author really plays into that. To make things even more interesting, I could never decide if the house was haunted itself or it was being haunted. Or was it just the imagination of the characters? Perhaps a manifestation of their grief for the loss of the mother/wife? To really seal the deal, there were even religious/occult elements teased that added a bit of mystique.

Alfie and his daughters, Sylvie and Cassia, struggle to return to normalcy in the months following the death of their mother, Pippa. The twins wake Alfie up one night to tell him there's a man in their room, which sends a jolt of adrenalin through his veins and he searches the home. Night after night, this same thing happens until Alfie no longer even wakes up fully, just lifts the comforter for the girls to crawl into the safety of his bed.

The nightmares fade and give way to something else - an imaginary friend the girls call Black Mamba. Their aunt tells Alfie it's a coping mechanism, Black Mamba is filling the gap left by the death of their mother. I had an imaginary friend as a little girl - I bet you did too. Did yours ever physically hurt you? Refuse to leave? Say they were going to take you away from your home...permanently?

The author did a fantastic job of creating atmosphere and suspense. As I mentioned above, I could never put my finger on what was going on exactly, but I couldn't stop turning pages, trying to find out. This pacing combined with the easy flow of the writing style and its building dread made it possible to get lost in this book - I bet a lot of you will read it cover to cover in one sitting. (I tried, but I'm old and while I'd love to stay up late reading, my body takes that choice away, lol)

I really enjoyed my time spent with this one and look forward to what William Friend creates next!

The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

Creepy and spine tingling, perfect read for “spooky season”! Alfie and his twin daughters have suffered the loss of their wife and mother and all are grieving her absence. Months after Pippa’s death, the girls begin to have nightmares about a “man in their room” at night but then that sinister situation takes a turn when the girls make him into a friend. Pippa’s twin sister, Julia, is a psychotherapist and begins to talk to the girls about this imaginary friend and all the adventures they are manifesting having with him. This story is short at well under 300 pages but it packs a punch as almost an allegory about grief. Truly this book is brilliantly written. Thank you Netgalley, Poisoned Pen Press and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on October 3, 2023

Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the writing style of this author even if the book was really slow and at times repetitive. Following how this family went through grief after losing their loved ones, Alfie's wife, the twin's mother. It felt creepy at times, confusing at other times. But overall an enjoyable read.

Not long after the tragic death of his wife Pippa, Alfie's twin daughters wake him in the middle of the night to tell him that there's a man in their bedroom. Every kid seems to have an imaginary friend at one point or another, and when Alfie inspects the room and sees no evidence of a visitor, that's what he suspects the man in their bedroom must be. But when the visits increase in frequency and the mysterious imaginary man gets a sinister sounding name like the Black Mamba, Alfie grows increasingly concerned. Fortunately, his sister-in-law, Julia, who grew up with her twin sister and Alfie's late wife, Pippa, just happens to be a psychologist. She begins working with Alfie's twin daughters, trying to uncover the truth of their mysterious and possibly malevolent visitor. All the while, Julia has secrets of her own and disturbing memories of her childhood in Hart House, memories that may be connected to Black Mamba.

Told in alternating chapters from the points-of-view of Alfie and Julia, Let Him In is a solid, if unspectacular, horror read. There aren't many scares, but a couple scenes good enough to make a reader's skin crawl, if only a little. The narrative is clear and concise, though I never really felt like I was able to connect with any of the characters, leaving me feeling more like a casual observer to a story happening around me, but not drawing me in enough to really get invested. Overall, I found Let Him In to be a fairly light and breezy haunted house horror story. Not one that I'm sorry to have read, but not one I'd rush out to read a second time.

Please note: I received a pre-publication, complimentary copy of Let Him In by William Friend from netGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Daddy, there's a man in our room..."

Yep I was already creeped out with this line!

After their mother passes away, two twin girls tell their dad, Alfie, about their imaginary friend Black Mamba - a man who can shape shift into a snake/bird/moth/etc. Their Aunt Julia, who is a therapist and is still grieving the loss of her twin sister (so many twins!), comes to help the girls deal with their grief and help Alfie cope with how to handle their imaginary(?) friend.

Creepiness and strangeness and many questions ensue - Are Alfie and Julia starting to see Black Mamba too? What are those noises? Is their house haunted or cursed? Why have so many people in their family died in strange and unexpected ways? Is their Grandma in a religious cult and influencing their thoughts? Why are twins just so creepy? Is this all in their head and just a reaction to their grief? Why did the imaginary friend have to be called Black Mamba (just a personal question from me - started to feel comical when hearing it so often on audio).

This featured alternating chapters of Alfie and Julia and it definitely started off with a bang. I was invested in the story and the creep factor and wanted to know more. It did get a tad slow and repetitive sometimes but overall this was enjoyable and really made me wonder throughout what was real and what was not.

This book ends in a very abrupt way. It is eerie - especially on audio - but very abrupt and I found myself checking my phone to make sure it didn't skip ahead or pause by accident because I expected more. There were just SO many unanswered questions - which maybe was the point, but I found myself wanting more. I wished that the author would have taken out some of the repetitive parts that dragged and used that space to give us more answers or at least more details to come to our own conclusion about parts of the story and characters.

Overall - super enjoyable and good for spooky season. My favorite thing about this book is the COVER! One of the best covers I have seen in awhile - reminds me of one of those Rorschach tests where black blobs make a picture but the picture may be different for everyone or change depending on how you look at it.

I would definitely be interested in what this author writes next.

Rating edit:;4.5 stars.

First thing that attracted my attention was this stunning cover of the book. And then the blurb, of course.

'Daddy, there’s a man in our room.'

This is the story of an old mysterious house ―Hart House, and of course, of the people who live and have lived (and died) in this house. It's about Sylvie and Cassia, 8 yo twin sisters who talk in unison, draw unbelievably similar sketches and who think there's a man (who can change various shapes) in the house. It's about Julia, the girls' aunt (their mother Pippa's twin sister) ―a psychologist; and Alfie, the girls' daddy who is mourning his wife Pippa's death struggling to raise his children alone. It's about unexplained smells, voices and visions.

Sometimes you connect with the narrative (and characters) so well that even slow-paced, descriptive writing style seems soothing. And it is a big plus point for me, as a reader. I connected with the characters, I felt for them.

It's a very well written story, cleverly crafted. The writing is very engaging, very beautiful sometimes. Wonderful blend of paranormal elements and psychology, which makes it unpredictable and even more mysterious.

Certain things felt unnecessary, as they don't add anything to the story. And certain things, especially the backstories seemed unresolved. I wanted to know more. The ending, although unconventional and kind of open ended, is creepy. It's unsettling but very engrossing.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book and I'd like to read William Friend's next book.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself while reading this story. Let Him In is about a widowed father of two twin girls and their new imaginary friend. What starts out as an innocent “game,” results in a twisting nightmare where it is apparent that girls really believe that their friend is real. This was a gripping read that kept me guessing and had a really cool ending in my opinion. Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for my digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.