I haven't been gripped by a novel like this for a very long time. It is creepy, disturbing and all-consuming, and reaches the pit of the most visceral of emotions.

It is a simple story and immediately identifiable. A newly widowed man struggles to deal with his grief and then his seven-year-old twin daughters tell him that there is a man in their room. Is this man an intruder or an imaginary friend? They say his name is Black Mamba and he begins to take control of the children with dangerous consequences. Professional help is required, especially as the influence of Black Mamba has now infiltrated their children at school.

This book is about grief, life and death, religious belief and the afterlife. It looks at power and control, reality and imagination, science and faith. Above all are the gothic aspects of the past, of buildings and places that are so integral to essence of life. Very atmospheric.

Tensely written in the first person, the story is told by two characters, alternating between the widowed father and his sister-in-law, who is also a psychotherapist, (so somewhere between a psychologist and a counsellor). She represents the science and logic although, through her upbringing, understands both sides, while the father spirals into a depression.

A powerful book expertly written. For those who like psychological fiction or anyone who has to deal with imaginary friends. Absolutely brilliant.

I wanted so badly to love this but if I’m being perfectly honest with you…I have no idea what I just read. I thought this would be a good book for October since it’s spooky season but I didn’t find this to be riveting or scary or thrilling at all. It was hard to force myself to keep going but I wanted to give it a chance & I wanted to be able to review it.

It's officially Fall now, and once my Halloween decor comes out, I'm ready for all the spooky books. Let Him In was just what I was in the mood for, with several creepy elements: twins with an imaginary friend, a big old haunted house, a grieving husband dealing with dark dreams, and his deceased wife's twin who has many secrets of her own. The writing was good (I'm impressed that it's a debut!), and it was such a quick read that I literally read it all in one evening. I enjoyed the backstory of the main characters, and the slow reveals of what exactly had happened in the house, and who the imaginary friend (Black Mamba) might be. It's a mix of horror, psychological thriller, family drama, and suspense, and was just the right amount of each for me. The ending had a few things that felt unlikely, and ultimately left me wondering if I really knew what had happened at all, but I think that's how it was meant to end. If you enjoy slightly open endings, this will be right up your alley. 4 stars for this solid debut. Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Adding kids into a horror story usually will do one of two things: up the creepiness factor if they are evil or highten the tension if they are in danger. In the case of the twins in William Friend’s Let Him In its actually a bit of both. When they first announce ‘there’s a man in our room’ you’re immediately concerned for them, but then the creepiness starts in when they begin embracing this mysterious entity they call Black Mamba, choosing him over their father. This is a wonderfully disturbing tale. Alfie is struggling, having lost his wife (partner), he is now a single father of twins who are starting act out, claiming there is a magical man in living in their house. Of course Alfie doesn’t believe them or even know the twisted history of the house he is living in, the evil that may still reside there, and enlists the help of his deceased wife’s sister, who happens to be a therapist. It’s a gripping story of loss and grief, taking numerous twists. And while I anticipated the final twist, it was still completely satisfying. I’ve actually gone through this book twice in the last two months. Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press I was able to read an eARC and thanks to Dreamscape Media I had the chance to listen to the audio version which features two excellent narrators: Jodie Harris and Jonathan Johns. Whether you choose to read or listen, you’re in for a solidly creepy haunted tale.

https://www.amazon.com/review/RKLRXQ2YCAJIY/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Wow! This gothic horror novel reeled me in early on and kept me guessing for the duration! I adore a creepy, well-written ghost story, and Mr. Friend has delivered that with his debut…..debut!!!!….novel. You must keep that in mind as you read. What the author has accomplished in his debut novel is impressive. His writing style is descriptive and engaging, with an excellent balance between plot advancement and character development.
The tale of Alfie, Julia, Sylvie, and Cassia’s journey through the grief of losing their wife, sister, and mother captivated me. Add in the underlying creep factor provided by a cult-like religion, a possible demon/ghost (or two?), and a house hiding many secrets, and you have the perfectly atmospheric book to read on a cool October evening. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and will definitely watch for more of this author’s work!

Thank you to Netgalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and William Friend for allowing me to read Let Him In.
From the very first page, I was hooked. I didn't want to put it down, but as I was reading this well into the night, in the pitch-black dark, I had to finish it the next morning! I was completely spooked, feeling as though I was being watched from the dark corners of my room!
The entire plot made me want to know more and more about the backgrounds of not only the characters, but of the house and the "religion" of A Church of Christ!
If you are getting ready for spooky season or just want a book that will scare you and have you leaving the lights on at night, I highly recommend Let Him In!!

I am always excited for a debut, especially a horror debut, but unfortunately this wasn’t the one for me…

We know from the synopsis that Alfie’s wife, Pippa, died suddenly nine months before this book begins. She left behind twin daughters, Sylvie and Cassia, and Alfie is now struggling to raise them while coping with his grief. Pippa was also a twin, and Julia is around to help Alfie and her nieces.

Being a psychotherapist comes in handy for Julia, because the twins are having a rough time with their mother’s death. Hart House has been in the family for decades, and the twins are suffering from sleepwalking and seeing things in their room. Well, not things - a man they call Black Mamba.

This was beautifully written, and most horror readers will probably enjoy this one. I’m really particular about the kind of horror genres that I like, and this leaned a little heavy on religion/demonology/ghosts. I also had a few unanswered questions about the house, and this followed the normal (and slightly boring) pattern of a house producing evil. I’m giving this one 2.5 stars, rounded up for being a debut and being a victim of my personal horror preferences.

(Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press, William Friend and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)

This one started out a bit slow for me, but I pushed through and got really into it about 40% in. At that point, I couldn’t put it down. The story was extremely well written and really explored grief and depression, with a paranormal aspect that kept me wondering what was actually going on all the way to the end. The ending left some room for interpretation, which left me thinking about it long after I had finished reading. Overall, a good read!

I just reviewed Let Him In by William Friend. #lethimin #NetGalley
It was okay-maybe just not really my cup of tea. It's like the author was trying to tell us something but just beats around the bush too much. Still not sure if I am supposed to believe if the story was actually happening or just manipulation.

This book was great at building the suspense and the dread and the fear. I kept turning the pages to find out, are the girls making it up, are they having a shared hallucination, is it some kind of evil presence? The girls have bruises, they’re not sleeping at night, clearly something is happening. And Alfie is getting more and more upset by their “imaginary” friend. You also get the back story of the past history of the house and what really happened the day their mom died and all that suspense is so delicious and so well executed.

And while I realize that the book is only 240 pages, the ending just boom, came out of nowhere. All this really important stuff happens and it gets a one sentence mention. It happened so fast and I feel like it didn’t get resolved and left me with more questions because I have no idea what happened.

Like I said, it had so much potential to be this epic scary book but the ending wasn't for me. I still gave it 4 stars because everything up to that point was spectacular.

To say this book had me up late reading would be an understatement. I was captivated and scared out of my skin the entire way. This story will be a recommendation for those who enjoy reading literary horror for sure!

Dark, atmospheric read that explores the effects of grief and loss in a unique way. I would have loved it if the author explored more of Julia's childhood as I think it would have helped further develop some of the narrative, but definitely worth a read.

I am happy to announce that this book is genuinely scary! I was reading this at night so I even had to turn on a light lol! I enjoyed this even more than I was expecting to. This book feels familiar but that’s part of why I loved it, because I happen to love the imaginary friend (that’s actually a spirit or entity) trope. It reminded me of The Boogeyman or Don’t Look Under the Bed. Sure, everything in here has been done before a lot in horror, but it’s a trope that works and has proven time and time again to be scary. In the first couple chapters, you learn that two twin girls have an “imaginary” friend they call Black Mamba that their dad and aunt can’t see because “he doesn’t want them to”. Julia, the girls’ aunt, happens to be a psychiatrist, so their father seeks her professional advice when this Black Mamba stuff continues.

The setting is perfect, in a falling down house called Hart House with peeling walls and a winding staircase. It’s just the type of house you’d picture a horror movie would take place in. Whatever is happening, you sense that it is tied to the house, because Julia’s now dead sister also claimed to see a man in her room in that house when she was a child. But surely, it isn’t the same man, right?

Reading this felt like the nostalgia of watching scary movies with your friends in a crowded theatre with that feeling of camaraderie that comes from watching a horror movie, where you’re the fun kind of scared in a controlled, safe environment. The story, the setup, the familiarity of it all felt nostalgic to horror movies I’ve seen before. It’s perfectly paced and never lags. This book also has you questioning what’s real and what isn’t. You keep going back and forth and changing your mind. It keeps you on your toes and is so unpredictable in that sense! This was almost 5 stars but I took away 1 because I felt like the ending was a bit anticlimactic. But, this was written so well and was so gripping that I will most definitely be reading whatever this author writes next.

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

I'll start by saying how captivating the cover of this book is. It is what drew me in and the blurb sealed the deal. A creepy gothic literary about twin girls struggling with the grief of losing their mother and suddenly start talking about a strange man in their room. A man who later becomes their new imaginary friend called 'Black Mamba.' sounds great! But, unfortunately, it just didn't hit the mark for me. The story became slow and repetitive and while I agree that the different variations of grief were written well for each character, I didn't find myself caring about any of them enough to keep me invested. It wasn't unnerving or as scary as anticipated and ultimately I DNF this one.

**also released as Black Mamba in 2022**

People sometimes cope with death by using whatever techniques they can. This family had several. The twins were adamant that Black Mamba existed. He supposedly lived in the house and demanded the girls’ attention. The father drank to cope with his loss. Other family members acted as if the whole thing never happened. This book implied the house was haunted. Mental health was also addressed in this book. The deceased sister was a therapist and she coped by trying to rationalize everyone else reaction to her sister’s death. The book ended with an uneventful scene and I was left with questions.

"Let Him In" by William Friend is a gripping and unsettling debut novel that weaves a haunting tale of psychological suspense and family dynamics. With a creeping sense of dread, the author explores the impact of grief, the fragility of sanity, and the eerie presence of an imaginary friend that takes a sinister turn.

The story centers around Alfie, a young widowed father who is trying to navigate the challenges of raising his twin daughters, who are deeply affected by the loss of their mother, Pippa. When the girls start talking about an imaginary friend and claiming there's a mysterious figure in their room, Alfie dismisses it as childhood imagination initially. However, as their obsession with this friend intensifies, Alfie becomes increasingly alarmed, suspecting that something far more sinister is at play.

Friend skillfully creates an atmosphere of unease and tension that permeates every page of the novel. The narrative is both unsettling and thought-provoking, as it delves into the psychological complexities of grief and the blurred line between reality and imagination. The author expertly builds suspense by gradually revealing dark secrets and unsettling events in Hart House, where Alfie and his family reside.

The characters in the story are well-drawn, and readers will find themselves empathizing with Alfie's struggles as he tries to protect his daughters and unravel the mystery of the malevolent imaginary friend. Julia, Pippa's sister and a psychiatrist, plays a crucial role in the story as she attempts to unravel the psychological turmoil within the family.

"Let Him In" keeps readers on edge as it explores themes of loss, guilt, and the haunting power of the past. While the novel is a compelling psychological thriller, some readers may find that the pacing is uneven, with moments of intense suspense followed by slower narrative sections.

In conclusion, "Let Him In" is a chilling and atmospheric novel that delves into the darkest corners of the human psyche. William Friend's debut is a testament to his ability to craft a psychological thriller that lingers in the reader's mind long after the final page is turned. If you enjoy psychological suspense with a supernatural twist and complex family dynamics, this novel is a hauntingly good read.

I was drawn to this book by the spooky cover.I will say this was unlike any other book I have ever read, it definitely was creepy and kept me up at night but it also takes you on a psychological experience. I really liked this author’s eerie writing style to keep you wanting more. I would rush home to try and get to the bottom of what the heck was going on at the Hart House. The twins in this book were amazing creepy characters! This story gave off a modern day version of The Shining. The only issue I have with this book is that I still have so many unanswered questions and wish there would be more. Perhaps a prequel? I am still processing what I finished reading. The ending will leave you with your mouth hanging open.

This isn't my normal genre but the creepy twin-mind thing really pulled me in. Friend has done a great job of letting the reader in on the atmosphere of the house, one of those old places where the scent of the ages permeates the floors, walls and furniture, where creaks and moans of the stairs are unavoidable, and where you just know things have happened in the basement and the attic.

I would have liked the story to move along a little faster. Mostly because I didn't like the creepiness of Black Mamba and I wanted the story to resolve quickly so I didn't have to have that image in my head <grin>.

So 3.5 stars for a debut author who manages to tell a story that succeeds in combining a bunch of tropes to make an original story that was both mysterious and creepy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an advance reader's copy.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my opinion.

One of my unexpected favorite books is a novel called The Little Stranger. It features a big, creepy house which may or may not be haunted. When I picked up Let Him In by William Friend, I suppose I was hoping to have a similar experience reading this book.

There were things I liked about Let Him In. The first quarter of the book was quite promising. It was well written, atmospheric, and heavily shaded with the grief of a recently widowed husband and his two young children, along with the grief of the deceased wife’s surviving twin. The novel was very slow to unfold, and the setup to the story seemed quite promising.

But by the last act of the novel, it unfortunately felt to me as though it fell apart. There were so many different aspects to the story which were introduced, but never expanded on or explained. The question of whether or not the house was haunted was really almost the least of the questions by the end. I felt like the author did an admirable job of creating his characters, and the unrelenting grief in the aftermath of a tragedy. But there needed to be at least some explanations to the numerous questions that were raised in order to feel the book overall was truly satisfying. The lack of ANY answers to most of those questions left me with a bad taste in my mouth.

I give this 3 stars.

The beginning of the book hooked me. I enjoyed the writing style, the story, the pace etc, but then so many sub plots were introduced and not wrapped up. I was left with way too many questions and no answers. Considering the synopsis talks about the twins and their imaginary friend, I feel like that was not the main focus of the book either and I wish it was.
I think the book either needed to be much longer to wrap everything up or much shorter. Cut out all the subplots and just make it about the twins.