Horror novels just aren’t my genre. I tried to follow the plot, but I kept getting confused. By the time I reached the ending and figured out “the shocker”, I really didn’t care. This was well written, but just not my cup of tea.

3.5 stars! I loved the cover of this book and I just had to read it. The story kept my interest enough to keep me reading to find out the answers, The story jumped around a lot, so it made it a little hard to follow. I still have questions about the ending, which frustrates me, but I am assuming that was what the author wanted? If so, he succeeded! #NetGalley

This book starts off strong with an underlying sense of eeriness that mounts with each page. The relationship between the girls and the portrayals of grief are authentic and relatable. As the book progresses though and new elements are added it slowly becomes disjointed. While each individual story aspect such as the houses history, the religious trauma, and the relationships are interesting on their own they are never fully explored or resolved. Their is never any a satisfying summary of how all the different directions the book takes actually connect or what the significance was. I think this book had great potential and an interesting concept but ultimately falls flat and has too many plot holes.

What a creepy book! It was great. Not one to read alone at night. I just wish the ending was explained a little better.

As always, thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. I finished a few days ago, but still trying to figure out my review because I'm confused about a few things. Overall, I did enjoy the book and definitely felt creeped out at times. I wish the ending was explained a little better. However, still a solid 3.5 stars for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC in return for my honest review

A newly widowed father, Alfie, and his twin daughters live in a family home with a very storied history. His wife, Pippa, was also a twin. Naturally a family who has suffeeed such a loss will struggle in a variety of ways and he believes that his daughters have an imaginary friend, Black Mamba.

First of all let me say that I would not read this book alone and maybe not in the dark if I was super afraid. I could feel the creepiness in every single sentence. It was all over the pages and the characters and the descriptions of everything was ummmmm …. Dark. For example how Alfie notices that that colors of the walls in Hart House have been like sucked out of the walls. You have to read it to understand. But it’s there I promise.

Now - read no further if you don’t want a spoiler - the rattle (give me more). The father and mother and whatever cult they appeared to be a part of that has to do with twins (explain) - the Aunt Sue and her part in this needs more - the ending was abrupt and I think that sells the book short. I would have easily kept reading to get these things figured out. But overall super spooky. This is the authors first book and I hope to see more !!

Just when you thought you may have figured out the situation with the twins and there "friend" boom something comes out of left field and has you rethinking everything that you had previously read. I overall loved this book as it kept me on my feet the whole time and kept me guessing with each page I turned. I highly recommend you read this book and let William take you on a journey as only he can in this book.

I couldn’t put the book down! A few parts were slightly confusing and required a reread to figure out the premise of what was happening, but overall really enjoyed the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

With that cover, I really wanted to love this book more than I actually did. It seems to me the author had potential and a lot more to say, but wasn't able to complete it as it was all over the place. Grief, loss, and family issues tied together to make a story that feel left undone and unfinished to me. The book was a decent short read, but left a lot to be desired in my opinion.

I read this book and finished earlier today, but I can barely remember the details. I don’t think that’s because the author had a bad idea; I think it was because he had a bit of a difficult time pulling it all together.

Of course, I remember the big things that happened such as Black Mambo. It would have been helpful to learn a bit more about the “religion” (cult) that the older twins had been exposed to. It also would have been better if things hadn’t turned off in a snap, too.

All in all, I enjoyed this book, but only to a point.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

Following the tragic loss of his wife, Alfie is left feeling disoriented, desperately attempting to support his twin daughters who have become fixated on a mysterious imaginary friend - Black Mamba...

This book is hauntingly dark; riddled with roots of grief and loss. I loved the characters, and really felt the raw emotion the family go through after loosing the woman that holds them all together.

This is a really eerie read. It doesn't have a lot of gore, and isn't a fast paced horror, but thats what makes it a gem. There's something about a figure lurking in the darkness, always just out if sight, which will forever chill me to the core. I always find the best horror movies are the ones where you never fully see the monster, and this book does that perfectly.

Thank you to NetGalley, Poison Pen Press, and William Friend for a ARC in exchange for an honest review. I really can't wait to see more from this author!

I am so thankful that my child is older and past the imaginary friend stage because this book gave me absolute chills! I loved how the author made us wait for clues, all the while giving us this sad backstory and scaring us left and right. Great book for spooky season!!

A creepy suspense novel surrounding a recently widowed father and his twin daughters... who just happen to live in a creepy old house where history tends to repeat itself.

The good:
- The precise: twins, folie e deux, aunt that lives in a church and is kind of cryptic, but maybe it's dementia.
- development of the twins and Alfie

The not so good:
- The ending. No spoilers, but it felt unsatisfying. For example, Marian - why and what does it mean?
- It just felt a little underdeveloped overall. I often found myself asking why, thinking it would unravel and make sense later, and then it didn't. Or it was kind of, but not in a way that made it feel worth it.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC! I had no idea what this book was going to end up being, but wow. I had goose bumps 90% of the time. There were times I was confused by the storyline, but otherwise a good book!

Warning: don't read this at night if you're prone to nightmares!

I feel like I'm left with some questions, but I also don't want to know the answers! This book was so creepy! Twin children in a horror story are automatically a little eerie, then add in "a man in my room", a possibly cursed home, and a crazy old lady, and you've created one terrifying story! I wouldn't be mad if this became a movie....it is unlike anything else! The author is very talented!

I'm so thankful to be chosen as an arc reader for this masterpiece by William Friend, published by Poisoned Pen Press, and gifted through Net Galley.

First I want to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me to read this book in advance. I love the cover of the book; it gives creepy spooky vibes. The synopsis of this book is spooky...that's where the spookiness ends. This could have been a great book; a spooky, creepy book. The author hints at Pippa's parents' mysterious past, possibly messing with the occult. But the author doesn't go into any details. The author hints that Pippa's and Julia's parents moved to that particular house for a reason; something dark happened in the past. But the author doesn't go into any details. There is a mysterious "friend" but we never really find out from where he came, or why he is there. This book had so much potential but unfortunately, in my opinion, fell flat. I did like the ending; although it was pretty predictable.

I enjoyed this book but thought from the cover and description that it would be more intense. The ending was anti-climactic and abrupt.

I really enjoyed this book! It was a great psychological thriller! Alfie is raising two twin girls who end up seeing a man in their room. We get to read different representations of guilt and grief which made the characters more relatable. I really enjoyed the characters and the writing style of this book.

This was a nice quick read. I would definitely recommend this book! Thank you NetGalley, William and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC!

A single POV would have made this horror novel great, but it is still very good, I think I read to many of them now and am looking for something totally original.

Alfie Hart is dealing with the grief of losing his wife and mother of their twin daughters when an imaginary friend complicates matters further. We are led down a path of atmospheric horror and suspense from the beginning. As in all true “Horror Stories”, sometimes the scariest thing is human nature. Alfie’s grief is complicated by his drinking and unintentional neglect of the children. We are also introduced to his mother in law and her overbearing nature. Julia, the deceased’s sister, is a therapist and tries to help the girls as they become more reliant upon “Black Mamba”. Is “Black Mamba” a figure of their imagination; a tool to cope with grief; or worse a sinister spirit that is tearing the family apart? This novel is great until the end. I feel like there is a real lack of resolution for the parties involved. I feel like this was a great novel for Friend’s first and I think there will be more to follow. At the end of the day, I would still recommend reading this, but know the end is a little lackluster.