This book was the perfect way to start off spooky season (though I read spooky all year). You’ve got twins and their imaginary friend and you’ve got dad dealing with the death of his wife and auntie dealing with the death of her twin sister. Dark and very creepy. Are you dealing with a haunted house, ghosts, demons, over active imaginations? I guess you will need to read to see.

What a chillingly amazing read! First off, the cover to this book is so eye catching- I love it!

This book follows the life of twins, Cassia and Slyvie, their widowed father, and another… being? Person? Creature? I’ll leave that for you to discover. I found this story to be very bingeable, I did not want to put it down. I wanted to find out more of Hart House and- who is this Black Mamba the girls insist is real? At times this book did feel a bit confusing, but the pieces definitely come together. And by the end I had chills!

“Maybe you’re right. Maybe they are hallucinating. Maybe they do think Black Mamba’s real.”

“Maybe he is.”

Let Him In is a haunting gothic psychological suspense novel that delves deep into the complexities of grief, imagination, and the blurred lines between reality and the supernatural. From the moment you start reading, you are drawn into a world where the eerie and unsettling are interwoven with the emotional turmoil of a young widowed father trying to navigate the challenges of raising twin daughters.

The author's ability to convey the overwhelming grief and loss that Alfie experiences is truly remarkable. It's as if you can feel the weight of his sorrow seeping through the pages. The central theme of grief is not just a backdrop; it's an integral part of the story, and it lends depth to the characters and their struggles.

The plot takes a chilling turn when the twin daughters begin to interact with an imaginary friend, who slowly transforms from being a harmless creation into something malevolent. The suspense builds steadily, keeping you on edge throughout the narrative.

The ending of the book leaves you with more questions than answers, prompting you to ponder the true nature of the supernatural force that haunts the characters. While some may find the end frustrating, it serves to enhance the overall sense of mystery and intrigue.

Let Him In is a beautifully haunting tale that explores the depths of human emotion and the supernatural. It's a story that lingers in your mind long after you've finished reading. If you're looking for a psychological thriller with a strong emotional core, this book is well worth your time. While not a conventional horror novel, it will certainly send shivers down your spine and leave you pondering its enigmatic conclusion. I would rate it 4 stars and highly recommend it to readers who enjoy thought-provoking and atmospheric suspense novels. I personally will definitely a physical book to highlight and add to my shelf!

"While Michaels death has been shrouded in silence all these years, my sisters is a scab at which mum just can't help but pick"

Sending a very big thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for giving me an opportunity to read and offer an honest review!

Let Him In was available as a read now title. And because of the novel's description, I jumped at the chance to read it. Needless to say I was disappointed.

I expected an adrenaline-filled horror novel that would be unputdownable. Instead, it turned out to be pretty boring for me. I couldn't connect with any of the characters. And naming the paranormal villain Black Mamba was a little off-putting. Maybe there was some symbolism to naming the villain after a poisonous snake. But I just couldn't appreciate that.

I felt that there needed to be some back story about the house. It seemed as though the paranormal activity just popped in out of nowhere. Surely there had to have been some history. But it wasn't made clear at the beginning.

With a lackluster storyline, I gave up reading at 34% Perhaps I'll attempt reading it again so see if my assessment changes. But for now, it's an unfortunate one star DNF.

I received a DRC from Poisoned Pen Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

A great spooky and thrilling read. I got sucked into this story for the very beginning and found myself not only wanting to keep going, but needing to see what was going to happen next. I loved all the dark and supernatural vibes of this one and found it perfect for spooky season!

The story was well written with very subtle hints dropped along the way. I was kept engaged throughout, but at the end I was still left wondering. A novel that definitely makes you think.

This was creepy. While being deliberately scary, this story has a very strong psychological aspect to it, particularly about grief, that just hit different.

Twins have an imaginary friend. A very strange and creepy imaginary friend. Their family is trying to get to the bottom of what exactly is going on, and this leads to some dark and intense revelations.

I really enjoyed this. It is a good, sometimes intense, spooky read.

Out October 3, 2023!

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!

This was a great atmospheric, spooky read!! Perfect for fall, it really got me in the mood for the season. The writing was better than expected and the plot was interesting!

This was a great creepy debut! I definitely felt the chilly goosebumps and the mystery vibe. It did fall slower than I thought it would read and just a bit flat at moments. Other than that it really kept me intrigued to find out if the twins had an imaginary friend or a real life boogie man.

SHORT SUMMARY
A Father (Alfie) is now taking care of his distraught twin daughters after his wife, their mother, was killed in an accident in the cellar of their house. Their dead mother Pipa is a twin as well and her living twin Julia (psychiatrist) steps in to help Alfie with the twins. The twins are experiencing disturbing haunting interactions with a man after their mother has passed, but is he real or not?

I will start by saying this book cover is one of the main reasons I had high hopes for this book. The art followed by the depictions of the story had me sold. This book was very well written. I loved the characters, all of them and that is rare. I found myself rooting for all of them and wanting them to find peace. I will say my interests in the book dropped off towards the end. I felt the final product of what was going on was sloppily handled and did not feel complete. I understand that some mysteries leave you wanting more but this one simply left me with questions and honestly, I don’t care to find out more. This book had great potential and really let me down.
Thank you to William Friend for providing me with an ARC on Netgalley.

I really really wanted to love this one. The premise was perfect and spooky. However, the pacing of the book felt very slow. It just didn’t keep my interest like I thought. It also wasn’t as spooky either. Black Mamba was an interesting character and had tons of potential to be creepy. It felt like it was just in the background of the story. I also didn’t like the ending with Alfie and the sister.

Um. Oh my god. Yes.
Creepy af.

9 months after Alfie’s wife dies his twin 7 year olds start talking about seeing a man in their bedroom. He’s freaked out but chalks it up to grief until they keep talking about this man as if he is their invisible friend. Alfie seeks help from his wife’s twin Julia who is a therapist.

This was wild. I loved the mystery of the whole thing and questioning reality/ reliability of the narrators.
The ending had me shook.
Absolutely haunting.
I loved it.
The audio was great.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an advanced listening copy.

Let him in focuses on a young widow and the father of two young twins who are starting to engage with a new imaginary friend. As the girls engage deeper with the new friend, behaviors are changing, and the father engages the help of his wife's twin sister to help counsel the girls.

The book does a great job building up suspense as you learn more about the mother's death, the history of the house and the strange religion that the family is a part of. The twins were a little creepy with finishing each other's thoughts and the imaginary friend could have been imaginary, real or supernatural - seems all these choices were possible. Also seemed like there were odd details that did not add to the story or were not explained. I also think the ending fell a little short, after the reveal, the situation was quickly cleared up. I did give 3 stars for the good story as it was captivating until that end.

Was interesting to know there is a version of the book already I publication in England, and this is the US version.

After Alfie’s wife dies, it’s up to him to raise their twin girls. When the girls start seeing a new imaginary friend, it’s seen as a harmless coping mechanism. Until it begins taking over their lives.

While I already said The September House was my Halloween season recommendation, now I have a second. September was humorous, Let Him In is straight creepy. I could not put it down. I love any type of spooky entity, especially with kids involved and the hint of a possible demon. The author did a great job of escalating the creepiness page by page. You won’t want to read this one at night. I need to discuss the ending with someone!

“Demons are our servants, and we are their masters. We can control them. Command them.”

Let Him In comes out 10/3.

I did not like this book at all. The characters, the plot twist. I thought it was supernatural and it turned out differently.

I got 1/4 of the way through and just gave up. I did not like the style of writing and thw story just didnt grab me. I tried to keep going but I found myself skipping large chunks just to get through it.

Thanks to netgalley for the prerelease ebook,but I just can't recommend it.

I've given this book a 4 star rating as it had a great premise and the ending pulled everything together.
This is a good start for debut author William Friend Really enjoyed his writing style and would definitely read another story by him. He is British and there were some new words that pertained to the country he was from.
The book is written from two perspectives, Julia and Alfie, and bounces between the now time and the past building a foundation for what is going on in the present. The characters all of them engage in very detailed and repetitive dreams. The first 70% of the book is really a slow burn.
Was this book scary - no, creepy -no. Mind you I have a very high tolerance to scary, but honestly I did not find it as a true horror. The story is based on the premise of grief. Alfie and his twin daughters, Cassia and Sylvia, had recently lost their mom, Pippa, to anaphylactic shock. They are all dealing with their grief in different ways including Pippas twin sister, Julia. The twins begin seeing a person they call Black Mamba that can turn into any form of animal and take them to faraway places. To their fathers and Julia’s bewilderment at this revelation, the two make an attempt to dissuade the twins from their vivid illusions of Black Mamba, and specially when it begins to have negative affects on everyone.
The story is steeped in religious undertones pertaining to spirits and demons but not to the point of being distracting from the story. It’s based on the parents of the older characters beliefs, but not the beliefs of the older children. Matter of fact Pippa had discouraged any contact with her twins by her mom due to the stories she would tell the twins. If the religious aspect was over the top, I would not have finished this book as I do not enjoy any book that is reaped in religion.
All in all it is a good thing bought ghost story by an author who clearly has a flare for words and story telling
Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC copy on exchange for my honest review

Meet Sylvia and Cassia. They are twin girls bonded by genetics and isolated through tragedy. All they need is each other; until they make a most dangerous. Discover the power of truth, belief, and love in this dark, gothic psychological horror story. The tone of the book was dismal and desperate, suspending the reader in a spiritual limbo as the truth is revealed. Let him in was provocative and creepy, unique and anxiety-inducing. I am left with many questions and a feeling of unease. Thank you to NetGalley and the Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review .

Let Him In is my first book by author William Friend. I selected this book solely for the cover art. It looked eerie and a bit spooky. Perfect for the beginning of the spooky season. Being a big horror fan, I was all in!

The setting of the book was the creepy haunted house, Hart House. The story follows a grieving father, Alfie, and his twin girls after the death of his wife, Pippa. The twins reveal they have been experiencing visits from an imaginary friend called Black Mamba. Mysterious and sinister things begin to happen that put Alfie on guard, fearing his family is at risk.

While there was a slow buildup of tension, it lacked something for me. This was not a jump scare type of book; it was more psychological suspense. A family dealing with grief and trauma. The book was a bit too slow for me. The book's vibe was pretty good, and I enjoyed it.

Thank you to Netgalley, William Friend, and Poisoned Pen Press for gifting me an eARC of Let Him In. I am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Let Him In was a creepy story that I mostly enjoyed reading. It's perfect for the upcoming spooky season!

The pacing of the book felt a little off to me and seemed to drag in the beginning. I thought the storyline was interesting but I didn't find myself constantly wanting to pick up the book and continue. This did get better in the last quarter of the book when the story gains speed. While it definitely did have creepy moments, there were definitely some underwhelming moments for me as well.

I think this read really depends on the reader. While I did like it I was left wanting more. I have seen many others absolutely love every bit of this book, so I still do recommend for others to check it out! Especially with October coming up soon.

Thank you to William Friend, Poisoned Pen Press, and Netgalley for providing me with a free ARC of this book to read and review.