If you love a slow building, unsettling and gothic story, this book is right up your alley.
What a debut! I love spooky children in stories and the twins in this book did not disappoint. This book takes creepy imaginary friends to another level, and it in some ways reminded me of “The Whisper Man” by Alex North.
I’m rarely scared when reading a book, but this one definitely gave me goosebumps towards the end, and that ending??? Do yourself a favor and pick this book up.
A big thanks to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and the author, William Friend for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alfie is a newly widowed father to twin daughters. One night the twins wake him up to tell him “Daddy there’s a man in our room”. Turns out this is the twins new imaginary friend, Black mamba. At first this seems like a normal coping mechanism, but soon things get more sinister. Alfie enlists the help of his late wife’s twin, a psychiatrist to help him out. There was a lot of potential in this book and I would be interested in reading William Friend’s new book. The book incorporated a lot of the horror tropes that I enjoy: twins, imaginary friends, creepy houses with dark past and psychological vs supernatural. I do feel like some of the plot points didn’t come together, and that it was rushed in the end. But nevertheless this will be a good read for any horror reads this October. Thank you so much for NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for a fair review

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸.

Okay, so who do we have here in this Book? Let's mention the most important ones.

-Alfie Marvell is a young, newly widowed father living with his 'non-identical' twin Daughters Cassia & Sylvie at Hart House, No. 4 Allington Square, London.
-His late wife, Pippa, was an 'identical' Twin. It is something passed on from her mother's side of the family.
-His sister-in-law is Julia Harris a Psychotherapist and his mother-in-law is the religious Marian Harris.

Alfie and his girls live in an old gothic house across from Peter's Park, life has changed since the passing of his young wife. One night his daughters wake him and tell Alfie about their new guest.

At first he thinks nothing of it, but after some pondering a helpless Alfie asks for their Aunt's advice. Through her expertise Julia should be able to help the girls, right?
But what if the children do not need her kind of help?

And how exatly might "A Church of Christ", the congregation of which the Harris family is part of, help the children?

¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦ · ¦ ߹ ¦

Let me preface this by saying, WOW!
If this is William Friend's debut? Well done!!

I have always been wary of twins, even though we have a few on my father's side of the Family. So this was a nice element in the Book.

The writing was <s>nearly</s> perfectly wel-diddly-ell diddily ding dong done!

About half the time I didn't know if I was reading a psycho-thriller or suspense… OR if this was after all a horror story.
Don't get me wrong, the Book was awesome! It was just the right amount of creepy and eerie at moments.
Quite the way I like it.

Friend did an amazing job of making me mistrust my own conclussions while reading. <spoiler>IS Back Mamba real or not?
Are the Twins just going crazy after their mother died?
Is Hart House safe or should they get out of it asap?
OR is it just that Alfie and his Girls need counselling to overcome the grieve?</spoiler>

The End had me feeling light headed and in love with this Book! The characters were quite human and step by step most of them did show us, that they were not as flawless as they might have seemed at the beginning.

𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝗴𝐨𝐨𝐝, 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫… 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠!

I want to first appreciate the art on the cover. It really enticed me and also it is so creative, so huge shoutout to the cover designer. Now onto the book, I really liked the way the author showed how grief affects us all differently. The book setting did give me the chills and I liked that the book was set to release in October just in time for Halloween. Personally, I found the pace a bit odd. It was slow at times and then would suddenly speed up making it a bit choppy. I did find out that this was a debut novel so that made me excited for the author's future works. Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.

Title: A Promising Thriller with Room for Improvement: "Let Him In" by William Friend

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review:

"Let Him In" by William Friend is a psychological thriller that presents an intriguing premise and explores the depths of human darkness. While the novel had its gripping moments, it fell short of fully capturing my attention and left me wanting more.

The story follows a complex protagonist, and Friend's writing effectively conveys the protagonist's inner turmoil and descent into obsession. The psychological elements were well-crafted, adding depth to the narrative and creating an atmosphere of suspense.

However, the pacing of the book felt uneven at times. Some sections dragged on, while others rushed through crucial plot points, leaving me wanting a more balanced and consistent flow. Additionally, certain aspects of the story could have been further developed and explored to enhance the overall depth and impact.

While the characterization showed potential, I struggled to fully connect with the characters on an emotional level. The motivations and actions of some individuals felt lacking in depth and believability. I yearned for more complexity and nuance in their development to fully invest in their journeys.

Despite its flaws, "Let Him In" offers a glimpse into the darker aspects of the human psyche and the destructive power of obsession. The exploration of psychological themes adds depth to the story, and there were moments of genuine suspense that kept me engaged.

I would recommend "Let Him In" to readers who enjoy psychological thrillers and are intrigued by narratives that delve into the complexities of the human mind. William Friend's novel offers a promising premise, although it may leave some readers wanting a more refined execution.

Note: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author and publisher for this opportunity.

#BookReview #LetHimIn #WilliamFriend #PsychologicalThriller #ThrillerReads #NetgalleyARC #Netgalley

THE TENSION. The creep factor in this book was incredible and the way the tension built up was impeccable,

I did find this one a little bit on the slower side (but that may have been more of a me issue rather than a book issue) but still enjoyed the story. This would make a perfect spooky season read. The atmosphere throughout the book sets the perfect tone for a hot cup of tea, a cozy blanket and maybe a thunderstorm on a chilly fall evening,

Will definitely be recommending this one to fellow horror readers!

3.5/5

I think feedback has to be in tonight and I didn’t have time today to write a whole review.

However-
I REALLY enjoyed this. Novella length but none of the writing was for the sake of the length. It was a lovely, original haunted house story kind of like Haunting of Hill House or The Shining.

The characters of Alfie and Julia are both strong and fully fledged. The twin girls were described so creepily as if they’d been creepy dolls.

I could see this made into a film or miniseries and it could be very popular. The ending where the reader really doesn’t know if Alfie is really Black Mamba is so well done that I was really 50/50 on that issue.

I really hope the author goes on writing because I’m quite a fan.

After reading 'Black Mamba' late last year, I was very excited to see another book by William Friend. Unfortunately, I realised that this is the same book but published under a different title. But all the same, I absolutely adored the story when I first read it and will definitely be reading anything else William Friend writes! My original review for Black Mamba is as follows:

Beautiful slow build of unease and terror, absolutely gripping read. The focus on family and intergenerational trauma tied in with the presence of Black Mamba was brilliant. All round fantastic as a horror novel that relies on growing dread rather than cheap scares.

I'm not sure why they changed the title but I must admit, I like the updated cover a lot!

This book was, ok. It wasn’t scary, it focused more on how grief effects us all differently. Which is great, but I went into it thinking it was going to be a terrifying, but alas.

There were hints of cultish behavior within the book as well, but I felt it was all unnecessary. All and all this was an okay book. Even though it wasn’t for me, it may be for you. Make sure you read Goodreads reviews before making a decision to read or not read.

Absolutely spectacular and fixating horror starring twins who begin seeing a man in their room. Creepy cellars, haunting histories, and dysfunctional families along with grief and other complex emotions encase this story in an unputdownable thriller. I read it in one sitting. This is an author to watch!

“I see things more clearly now but that doesn’t mean I understand them.”

Let Him In
by William Friend
Pub Date: 03 Oct 2023
Ok, this one was creeeeeeeeepy!
Twin girls, several deaths, nightmares, and a man only the twins can see...it has all the makings of a truly creepy read.
Alfie is doing is best raising his twin girls while mourning the tragic loss of love of his life. Then the girls start having nightmares. "There's a man in our bedroom" they tell him one night. He searches their room and the house in terror as one would, but find no such man. This happens repeatedly night after night, but it's not unusual for children who've lost a parent to have bad dreams. Alfie is relieved when they quit having this bad dream and things somewhat go back to normal, until they start talking about how Black Mamba is now their friend and they are no longer afraid of him. It's normal for kids to have imaginary friends, but Black Mamba becomes more and more demanding. Alfie turns to his sister-in-law Julia, a psychotherapist and his dead partner's twin, to help him get to the bottom of the girls' "friend".
This is a quick read that will keep you turning the pages for sure.
#LetHimIn #WilliamFriend #Netgalley

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, this book starts off a little shaky. While intriguing, most of the synopsis happens within the first chapter, making the beginning feel rushed where it could have been drawn out more to help build up some suspense.

This novel was a quick read and the only thing that kept me reading was wanting to know WHAT Black Mamba was. The tones of grief touched on throughout the book felt authentic and yet it wasn’t the most compelling.

I feel like I would have enjoyed this more if it stuck to a singular POV and went more in depth into some aspects of the story and background. Some more pages wouldn’t have hurt in this case.

That being said, knowing that this is a debut novel, I would absolutely check out what William Friend does next and I’m interested in his growth as an author.

This book was a disappointment for me. The storyline was choppy and creepy (not in a good way; a husband sleeping with his dead wife’s twin way). The spooks weren’t clear or interesting enough.

The dead are never gone. You should know that better than anyone.

Daddy, there's a man in our room...

Let Him In by William Friend is a moody and gothic novel that is heavy with grief but also creepy fun. This was originally released in the UK under the title Black Mamba.

Alfie's wife has recently passed away, leaving him to live through the grief while parenting their young twin girls. The girls start engaging with an imaginary friend that envelopes all of their lives. There are two POV's throughout and I thought they were used well. The book starts with Alfie and trades with Julia, Alfie's sister-in-law, who is also a psychologist.

The twins were written well and I had empathy for them even though they created images of The Shining twins in my head. The writing has a subtle style and a couple of times I would be caught off guard by a nonchalant plot reveal in a sentence. The pace is slow but still kept my attention and found the interaction with the twins to be my favorite parts. There is a mysterious aspect to the plot that also was engaging and causes a real vs. psychical element.

Overall, this is a slow-burn book with a spooky house, unnerving twins, occult undertones, a mystery, and an unreliable reality. This isn't a story that re-invents the wheel, but definitely scratches the spooky itch. This is perfect for autumn people.

Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Alfie is a widower to twin girls who are going through a traumatic experience of losing their mother and wife. Grief is ripping this family apart when the girls start talking about an imaginary friend named Black Mamba.

At first, Alfie is okay, but hesitant, about this new presence in the girls' lives, but it slowly becomes a more prevalent part of their life that starts having drastic consequences for everybody - especially when Black Mamba makes it known that he does not want to leave.

What originally drew me to this book was the cover, it is beautiful and creepy. But I found this book to be lacking.

The beginning was great with how disturbing everything was described about Black Mamba, and the house they live in. You didn’t know if it was grief playing into everybody’s experiences, or if it was the paranormal. I really enjoy books where the lines are blurred.

What disappointed me with this book was that the reveals weren’t that climatic. To me, it felt lacking and rushed.

Imaginary friend that may not be imaginary?! Sign me up. I love a good horror novel that lays out all the tropes, creepy twins, potentially cursed house, and grieving single parent. A slow burn but with maximum creepiness. The story is told from multiple POV between our main characters, Alfie, a recently widowed single dad of eight-year-old twins and Julia, the girls’ aunt and twin sister of Alfie’s late wife. I enjoyed the dual POV and the insight into Julie and Pippa’s childhood. I’d have liked to know more about this and felt the book would have benefited from some additional flashback chapters but understand why the author focused on the present. Overall this was a fun, quick and easy to read horror debut from an author to watch.

*NO SPOILERS*

Thank you #NetGalley for this advance reader copy of #LetHimIn (formerly titled/published as #BlackMamba) for it's re-release in the US (from what I'm gathering, but that's an impression). This is definitely a creepy novel in which the house - Hart House - plays a character in its very presence. It evoked memories of The Amityville Horror (but not via imitation, just feel). The novel is legit creepy -- for perspective my two "scariest" recommendations for others are The Ruins (Scott Smith) and The Loney (Andrew Michael Hurley). If you're a fan of creepy images that will stay with you, you'll dig this book. I read it in conjunction with watching The Devil's Hour on Prime (coincidence) and had one or two evenings worth of nightmares (one for which my poor little bed-dwelling dog was mistaken for a Black Mamba, perhaps). PS she's fine!!! I dropped one star because I was not wild about the ending, but this is a DIFFICULT thing to land well -- and it's all subjective, isn't it? The cover simply kills. CHEERS to its creator -- one of my favorite aspects of the book and definitely what first pulled my attention toward the galley. AND good on the retitle as well.

2.5⭐️
This was a creative and creepy way to show how grief affects us all differently. The writing was a bit repetitive and slow at times but pushing through I found the ending to be quite satisfying! I loved the twins they made me feel so uneasy, black mamba was written perfect in my opinion and Alfies development throughout the book was great! Although I do understand why the religious aspects were there, I did find it quite dragging, I did however enjoy this and I'm still obsessed with the cover!

•eARC provided by NetGalley, and Poisoned Pen Press in exchange for an honest review.

This was a quick and easy read if you’re looking for something to start you in this genre or even something to help out of a reading slump. It has an interesting premise and you immediately are met with supernatural vibes. I think I expected more than I was given but it still was a refreshing original storyline. All in all I was able to finish it and didn’t think I wasted my time! I’d say give it a read and see if it creeps you out like it did me at certain points.

I adore the way this book was written. Me. Friend has a way of writing this gorgeous prose that brings feelings and dialogue to life. I have not previously found this style of writing in what I would consider to be the thriller/suspense/horror genre. The author doesn’t just hand you the answer to a question and instead makes you think and re-examine information given to come to your own conclusion. The creepy vibe of this book was consistent throughout (easy to do when you’ve got creepy kids involved!). I highly recommend this book and will absolutely be searching out more books from William Friend.