Seriously creepy and I had to read it with the lights on. Can't wait to see what the author writes next

3.5 stars, rated up.

I really enjoyed this. I admit I was sucked in by the cover to start. The horror elements with the possibility of creepy children really called to me. The story, however, is far less shallow than I am. One of my favorite things in books is the exploration of grief and how it is dealt with so differently from one individual to the next. I thought this was done really well.

The last third of the book I did struggle a bit, finding the direction a little meandering and confusing. That could be a me problem, but I found it a bit unfortunate that I lost some of the momentum when it is a relatively short book. I would definitely still recommend this as a good creepy, gothic read. This is a debut author, and I'm looking forward to what is to come from them. This story and the characters have stuck with me which holds a great deal of weight for me.

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, in exchange for an honest review!

I thought this was enjoyable overall. I read it pretty quickly and the author did a great job with creating a creepy atmosphere. With that being said, some parts felt slow and repetitive. I wish certain aspects were explained more so that the story made more sense. I also expected the ending, so it wasn’t very wowing for me. If you like short horror novels that are able to describe creepy atmospheres within the first few pages, you should give this a try!

Thank you NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for my free and honest review. Wow, this book is a serious heart stopper. What a thriller that takes you in an emotional roller coaster and then kicks you even further at the end. Whew!

I am a big fan of creepy kids and bumps in the night. I definitely wasn't disappointed as the imaginary friend "Black Mamba" makes his presence known and haunts the Hart House.

The story is told through two POVs, Alfie (dad) and Julia (aunt). I loved the Aunt Julia, I loved that she was a psychiatrist and used her education and rationality to challenge the supernatural elements. I felt somewhat indifferent to Alfie... I wasn't a fan of his dream sequences - I don't think they added anything to the sense of foreboding that was already established. My favorite part was the religious/occult aspect.

I am impressed with it being a debut. I will definitely check out anything else William Friend writes in the future.

3.5⭐ (liked it)

*I received an eBook though @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress and am leaving an honest review voluntarily.

"Let Him In" is an atmospheric, slow-burn tale of grief. The story does become a bit repetitive at times, especially during dream sequences. However, the storytelling is masterful and the reader is left guessing again and again while the plot unfolds. The ending — while anticlimactic in comparison to the rest of the novel — is well done.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advance copy!

This is sort of a different genre for me but I wanted to branch out. very unsettling! The atmosphere was creepy and one of those ones that just sticks with you after youre done reading it.

Let Him In is a slow burn family drama with some elements of horror.

A young family of four is beset by tragedy leaving a father to care for his twin daughters. The children attempt to navigate their grief with visions of a mysterious man in their mother’s childhood home. The father and their aunt are left to untangle what is real and what is imaginary.

Reminiscent of The Babadook, this story’s primary villain is grief draped in the trappings of a monster. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the writing and language of the book, I wish there was more horror to pull the reader through into this world faster. Many times I found myself putting the book down in favor of more captivating reads. And when I was ultimately finished, I found it not as satisfying as others in the genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the eGalley to review!

When I saw this book in the Library Reads list and then read its synopsis, I was intrigued. Sadly, I ended up disappointed.

While it's a well-written book in a technical aspect, its story and characters leave much to be desired. The characters are rather bland (though Julia is interesting) and the "horror" aspect wasn't scary nor even creepy. There was only one scene in which I leaned forward in my seat in anticipation. In an attempt to have mind-blowing twists, it became contradictory and ultimately confusing and frustrating. I'm not sure if Friend was trying to lean heavily on people's weird fear of twins for just existing, but I would have liked more of the twin bond as a deep, interpersonal, and profound bond that could ultimately triumph over evil, rather than a MacGuffin for some strange occurrences. It all ultimately ended up going nowhere and the ending was predictable and anticlimactic.

I think this had some great potential, especially since there were scenes that were quite good and could have been better if they had been leveraged differently. For instance, Julia being a psychiatrist and a twin herself was a fascinating aspect that could have been explored more than it was as she worked with her twin nieces. It just sadly felt as though this were a story that Friend was forced to have a "creepy" subplot for but didn't have the heart to put into it. I was struggling to read it to begin with and set it aside to read other books in the meantime. When I picked up the audiobook to help me finish it to write this review, it helped significantly (even though the narrator for Alfie made me cringe often with the child voice). So I would recommend the audiobook if you want to commit to finding out just what is going on.

I would give William Friend's work a chance again though, as like I said, this was technically well written! There is lots of potential here.

Let Him In by William Friend

Published: October 3, 2023
Poisoned Pen Press
Genre: Ghost Thriller
Pages: 240
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

William Friend studied English, French, and Italian at university. He lives in Hertfordshire with his partner. Let Him In is his first novel.

For a debut novel, William Friend is proving to have a beautiful gift. He writes smoothly and can tell a story. He portrayed grief, trauma, and forgiveness reasonably well.

This was more of a slow burn, which, for a horror story, I felt was an unusual choice. The build-up was reminiscent of The Haunting of Hill House. I kept expecting the little things to lead somewhere, much like that show.

The ending was unexpected and a little strange for me. While this is a relatively quick read at 240 pages, sometimes the story moved relatively slow. I did have to read certain chapters over because I felt like I missed something.

The way the story is told is almost like trying to remember the details of a traumatic day. It’s spotty at best and brutally inconsistent. I don’t know if Friend did this intentionally, given a vast portion of the plot, or if that is just my interpretation.

I will read Friend’s next novel, as I did enjoy his writing style. I feel he will only get better with each book he writes.

I was hoping this book would be a creepier when I read the synopsis. I felt like it had a good start however as the story progressed, it dropped off.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press as well as the author for this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

Author: William Friend
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: October 3, 2023
Themes: grief, parent death, imaginary friends, twins, anaphylaxis, psychological horror
Trigger Warnings: grief, death of a mother, daughter/ father relationship, twin relationship
Find other reviews by me at horrorcornerbooks.wordpress,com

So, this book happened. It was neither bad nor great.
This family drama book begins with twin girls and their father reeling from the sudden death of the family matriarch. The girls have begun playing with an imaginary friend that they call Black Mamba”. Imaginary friends are a normal part of childhood. They’re completely harmless, right?

There were a lot of good things happening here. Mr. Friend is a talented writer with a gift for creating a creepy atmosphere. The book maintains a creepy, atmospheric dread throughout which is no easy task for a writer. The grief-themed narrative was raw and infused with an ominous presence in Black Mamba. I really enjoyed reading the twins’ description of the many ways Black Mamba changed shape or the rules he placed on the girls. Very creepy and effective. This book reminded me of the movie “The Babadook” in that the monster is a manifestation of grief as well as the attempt to understand the finality of death.

Unfortunately, the story lacked direction for me. I wanted more to happen. I wanted a more eventful ending. I love a good slow burn but I felt that this book moved too slowly. I also had trouble connecting with the characters. The father is struggling with his grief while trying to manage the grief of his two children as well as learning to be a single parent. I would have expected that to be an emotional situation but I didn’t connect enough for that to be the case.
The ending was unsatisfying and anti-climactic for me.

All in all, while this book wasn’t my favorite, I do look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

I got about halfway through this book before life got in the way and I haven't had time to jump back in but I am thoroughly enjoying what I have read so far! I can't wait to pick it back up and finish it, I need to know what happens! - I will finish this update once I complete the book

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in return for an honest review.

Really enjoyed this book it was different from what I would normally read but I love books where you do t know what’s real and not the ending was very good too

I did not end up reading this due to scheduling issues, but it is still a book I have interest in and will be picking up to read as part of my physical media pile.

Alfie has lost his wife and raising two twin daughters on his own. As time passes, his daughters start talking about an imaginary friend. They say they can see him and hear him. When Alfie becomes frightened, he calls on his sister in law, Julia for help. As she is a psychotherapist, she begins to counsel the girls. Who is this imaginary friend and what do they want? The atmosphere is creepy as all get out! I felt the story of the girl's visions were frightening. There were times where the book was repetitive and slow moving. However, Friend's writing is superb for his first novel and he's a talented writer. I will say I think he has a bright future ahead.

I had high hopes for this one. I went in wanting spooky vibes. It started off strong. We have a dad/widower figuring out how to raise his two daughters alone. All the while dealing with the imaginary friend that has come along. I feel like the story dropped off as it progressed. I wanted more creepiness. I really disliked the dad. I wish he could of been more likeable in his povs.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

A solid work of horror, but it didn't blow me away or particularly scare me. I think the cover ended up being the most interesting part for me,.

I wasn’t too impressed with this one sadly, I had high hopes for it, but I was dragging to the end. The characters were flat.

The cover…..is sooooo CREEPY!! Am I right?

Anyways, just wow - my jaw is still on the floor!! This was an exceptional horror debut that will likely haunt my dreams for a long time to come.

TWINS + ‘IMAGINARY FRIEND’ + OLD HOUSE

yeah…nope- *shudders*





Thank you to William Friend, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for the eARC.