Interesting Paranormal Thriller! A grieving father discovers his twin daughters' strange behaviors. But what he thought as a harmless coping mechanism for the twins became more eerie and disturbing. Could it be the house is haunted? A strange bonds twins do? or maybe he's the one failing to cope and is now losing it? I'd definitely recommend it, It's an easy read, slow burn, intriguing story.

"Let Him In" by William Friend is guaranteed to send shivers down your spine and is the perfect book to read in preparation for the spookiest time of the year-Halloween! Alfie is trying to cope with the tragic loss of his wife and raise his young twin daughters on his own when the girls become fixated on an imaginary friend named Black Mamba. At first shrugging it off as a way for the twins to deal with their grief, Alfie and his psychiatrist sister in law become increasingly concerned when Black Mamba's character turns dark and they are forced to consider whether he is imaginary at all. The atmosphere created by the author's words is tense and claustrophobic, and the setting is perfect to set the scene for some seriously bone chilling moments. The story moves a bit slowly, but this just adds to the tension that boils over into an explosive and satisfying ending. This is definitely one of the creepiest books I have read in quite some time.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and William Friend for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book!

This will send shivers down your spine. Twins that share an imaginary friend can be deemed normal, but their father who is recently widowed has a feeling something is just not quite right.

From beginning to the end as the reader you have no idea if the imaginary friend is real or not. He's trying to find any way to get their father out of the picture and in the end does it actually happen? We may never actually know.

I was pretty satisfied with this debut novel. The premise gives great anticipation that kept me coming back for more. Dual narrators for the main characters helped create a well-rounded expression of typical reactions to the situations described. Although I did struggle to care about the parts of the story that took place outside of the main location, they were brief enough to get the action back on track. The story moves along at a fairly upbeat tempo with twists and turns I didn’t see coming, but the ending held some givens that made sense and a resolution that left me willing for more.

Let Him In is a spine-chilling gothic tale infused with grief and family drama. This sinister story creatively uses horror to show the different ways grief can affect people.

The tale is set within Hart House, a haunted house filled with dark secrets. Alfie, a grieving father, struggles to care for his twin girls, Sylvia and Cassia, after they mother, Pippa tragically died. The twins experience nightly visits from a man in their bedroom, but Alfie never finds any evidence. Eventually, the girls' night terrors die down, replacing the mysterious presence with their new imaginary friend, Black Mamba, a man who can transform into animals and whisk the girls away on fantastical adventures. This concerns Alfie enough to finally bring in Pippa's twin sister and psychiatrist, Julia, who fears something may be threatening the family tied to their own religious beliefs and past.

The disturbing atmosphere and gradual buildup of tension captivated me the entire time, and the ending left my jaw on the floor. It mostly a psychological thriller and leaves a lot of doubt for readers to draw their own conclusions. This is an absolute killer debut novel from William Friend, and the cover for this book is stunning. I recommend this book to anyone who liked The Babadook, Rosemary's Baby, Haunting of Hill House, and/or The Shining.

Ohhh I absolutely loved every second of this book.
I went into Let Him In By William Friend with zero expectations and boy was I pleasantly surprised.
This is the story of a widower and his two young twin daughters. One night he wakes up to find his girls standing by his bed telling him that there's a man in their room.
From there the story goes on a wild, yet subtle, ride that truly scared me. I think this will be a favourite of many this year.
For a more detailed (but still spoiler free review) please check out my youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_C2iOczqy6c

This book is well-written and kept me on the edge of my seat pretty much the entire time I was reading. I just had to know what was going on in Hart House. After finishing, I don’t feel that I’m any closer to knowing what was happening than when I started. While it was a quick read, the plot was slow to come around. I’m glad that the book was as short as it is, because the suspense likely would have gotten annoying had it been much longer. The characters are nearly all mysterious and interesting, none of them particularly unlikeable, so that was refreshing. I think this is a very promising book and I know there is an audience that will absolutely eat this up. The author’s writing style is proper, but easy to follow. I certainly would check out another work by William Friend. I appreciated the opportunity to read a copy of this one before print.

I enjoyed this and would definitely pick up more by the author.

After finishing, I feel I have more questions than answers.

Thanks to Netgally and the author for the ARC!

Talk about a psychological paranormal thriller. The story follows a family that is being haunted by grief and perhaps an evil spirit, or is it? I felt like I was in a labyrinth at times, I did not know what was going to wait for me on the next page and I didn't know how I was supposed to interpret what was happening. One moment I was certain the father was causing everything, the next moment I'm sure it was a demon, the next moment its the twin,s or maybe its the house itself? This was a slow burn written in such a way to guide you through the maze. When you get to the end you realize that just maybe you had the whole picture. I will say that the ending is a bit of cliff hanger but I'm excited to see there is a follow-up! I will definitely be reading that!

Thank you to Netgalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and the author for an ARC of this book.

This looks to be a great selection for an October read. It's a slow burn, creepy and unsettling. A single father, still reeling from the death of his wife, is trying to raise his twin daughters when things start to go sideways. If it's not creepy enough to use children in this novel, the fact that they're twins--who already have their own unique relationship--further makes the reader question everything. Could the girls be doing a "twin thing" when they communicate the way they do? Could the man who visits them in the night be a coping mechanism for them as they deal with the loss of the mother? Or is there really something insidious in this house lurking around the children?

I found this to be compelling and it also scratched that haunted house/haunted kids itch. And I really enjoyed the ending. I don't want to give anything away, but I was totally haunted as I turned the final pages. Oh, and the cover art on this one is fantastic. I'll definitely look for this author's next book!

"Let Him In" by William Friend is an electrifying journey into the depths of ghostly terror and occult horror. Friend expertly crafts a chilling narrative that delves into the sinister intersection of grief, imagination, and the supernatural.

Alfie, a grieving father, is confronted with the unimaginable when his twin daughters claim to have encountered a shadowy figure in their room. What begins as a seemingly harmless manifestation of grief takes a nightmarish turn as the girls' imaginary friend becomes increasingly malevolent. Friend skillfully weaves a tale of escalating dread and psychological tension, leaving readers gripping the edge of their seats.

As Alfie races against time to protect his daughters from the clutches of this insidious presence, he is forced to reckon with his own haunting past and confront the eerie secrets lurking within the walls of Hart House. The atmosphere is thick with foreboding, and the boundary between reality and the supernatural blurs, giving rise to a sense of unease that lingers long after the last page is turned.

Friend's prose is as haunting as the tale itself, drawing readers into a world where the boundaries of the known and the unknown collide. The intricate web of suspense and the gradual unraveling of the mystery keep the reader spellbound, with each revelation sending shivers down the spine. The narrative is underscored by themes of loss, guilt, and the relentless grip of the supernatural—an exploration that adds depth and emotional resonance to the pulse-pounding horror.

"Let Him In" is a tour de force in ghost thriller and occult horror, a tale that transcends the ordinary and plunges readers into a realm of terror and intrigue. William Friend's mastery of suspense and psychological horror make this a must-read for fans of the genre, promising an unforgettable and spine-chilling experience.

Creepy. Creepy. Creepy. What’s creepier than creepy kids?! Creepy twins. This book had me by a hold from the start. Twists and turns slither at every page, in more way than one. Detailed yet to the point without dragging any parts out. Horror movie vibes in all the best ways possible. Love how it’s written with the back and forth point of view between characters. Must read for anyone who loves thrillers.

This was a great book. I loved how the author did just the two povs and it helped keep the story straight. The story follows a dad trying to raise his twins while also grieving for the lost of the girls mother.. One night the girls say daddy there’s a man in the room and the story just takes off from there. This story is unlike one I’ve read before and takes an imaginary friend to whole new levels. Filled with twists and turns with every page this is gonna be one that you want to read!
Special thanks to poisoned pen press and net galley for my early copy of this one!

Absolutely loved every second of this book. My expectations were blown out of the water and I felt myself not putting it down for long before I needed to pick it back up and read more.

Read. This. Book.

A page turner debut that will have you sleeping with your lights on. Creepy with so many “oh sh*t” moments not only from the imaginary friend “Black Mamba” but from the creepy twin girls.

Each character had their own issues and I need a support group to figure out the ending.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press looking forward to more of William’s novels.

First, I want to thank NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy of this book! Let Him In was creepy, but had me on the edge of my seat. It reminded me of The Haunting of Hill House meets The Shining. The story follows Alfie who is struggling with grief in his own way. As I was reading, I found myself captivated by the horrors of the unknown and how to process reality. It was the perfect combination of stillness, solitude and dread that seemed inescapable at times. A definite must read! I was able to devour this book in just several hours!

My thanks to both NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an advance copy of this book dealing the horrors of losing a loved one, the confusion that death leaves behind, and the forces of darkness who try to take advantage.

Grief makes people do strange things. Fixate on things that can't be fixed, try to recreate moments that now only belong to one person. Ruin appetites, ruin sleep, ruin relationships. The worse thing that doubt can do is make a person doubt everything they have every held to. Their faith, their family their sureness of how they go through life, and make families doubt each other. This allows strange things to enter, to be made whole, to be given power, and demand cookies from young children. Let Him In, the debut novel by William Friend tells of a family ripped asunder by grief and secrets, and the strange force that has moved into their house, one the children call a friend.

Alfie is awoken by his twin daughters telling him that there is a man in their room. Alfie checks the room and the house, and finds nothing, thought the twins are pretty adamant about their description. Alfie is a man lost. Pippa his wife was killed ten months earlier, and he and his twins have been suffering in the family house that Pippa grew up in. Alfie allows the girls to sleep in his room, which they do, until suddenly they stop. A trip from Pippa's estranged mother brings cookies into the house, and the twins ask if they can have a cookie for their new friend. Alfie knows his daughters have no friends, having no need to talk to people outside of him and each other. Alfie asks their friend's name. Black Mamba, they reply. Soon the twins friend is talking about taking them away, and in desperation Alfie reaches out to Pippa's sister Julia, a psychiatrist who has been having doubts about her life since her sister died. As the two try to figure out what is happening, strange things start to appear in the house, and Alfie begins to question everything he knows, while trying to keep the secrets he has.

A nice gothic horror story with a mix of haunted house, and lots of trauma. The story is told from both Julia and Alfie's point of view switching off chapters with the name of the characters there to keep people from getting lost. The writing is good, a little florid, but a perfect mix of gothic feeling, with modern sensibility. With two narrators there is a bit of repetition, but the two narrators allow secrets to be shared with the reader, without the other characters knowing, which helps the story. The house is one that has been in the family, which gives a nice atmosphere to the story, and allowing for different plotlines to come together, some red herrings, some important. Readers might not like the detachment that Alfie seems to have in the beginning, giving a little learning curve to the story, but once the book hits, it moves fast grabbing the reader and not letting go.

A good story that kept me wondering as I read. I really liked the ambiance and the atmosphere. The character are interesting and also kept me in the story. A very strong debut, and makes one interested in what Friend might come up with next.

First I want to thank NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read the arc of this book! If you’re a fan of The Haunting of Hill House then Let Him In is the perfect novel for you. Yes it is a horror story but I loved how the author tackled the topic of grief and just how everyone processes it differently. I read this within hours of receiving the arc and it did not disappoint. 4 ⭐️

A promising Gothic tale reminding me of The Haunting at HIll House and The Others. A testament to the suspense, I finished this in three days.

Alfie and his twin girls are going through intense grief after the loss of their wife and mother, Pippa. Joining them in their mourning is Pippa's twin sister, Julia, and Pippa's mother, Marian. Alfie and the girls live in Hart House, Pippa and Julia's childhood home with a haunted past and carrying the trauma of Julia and Pippa's father's death as well as Pippa's. The story kicks off with the twin girls saying they saw a man in their room.

The story spreads out from there. While I found myself wildly guessing what came next, the story got a bit convoluted and lost towards the middle. I grew weary of the breadcrumbs Friend left of what happened in the house and to Pippa and her father. Everytime Alfie or Julia mentioned something they were hiding, I sighed knowing it would be several chapters before I found out what it was. That being said, the overall arc of Alfie and his grief and the twin girls navigating their new life without their mother and the eerie Black Mamba kept me interested.

I thought Friend tried to do too much with a ghost story, a psychological story on trauma and grief and a religious spin on horror. The religious aspects really threw me off as they felt out of nowhere and needed more development and weight. Not everything connected in the end with the religion present. Removing that would have connected more dots for me.

It captured the Gothic feel of an old house with a history and something terrifying in the basement and attic. I questioned what was real and what was fantasy and that's the heart of a horror story to me. That and the people. I enjoyed the characters though the ending with Julia and Alfie gave me pause. I do think there is something sinister about it (no spoilers!) and if my theory is right, then I am more on board.

I absolutely adored the final paragraph of this book. It gave me chills as did many of the lines about Black Mamba and his slow takeover of the family's world. Something is always unnerving about children saying they saw someone in their room. A really solid debut and an author I look forward to reading more from.

Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book seemed to have an interesting storyline and the title did pull me in.
I liked the characters and the way the chapters changed views of the characters.
I feel that the chapters were a little long and I found myself getting a little distracted because of the this, if the chapters had of been a bit shorter I feel as though I would of found I was able to focus more on the story itself and would of enjoyed it more as the story had good potential
Thank you to net galley and William Friend for allowing me to read this