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William Friend’s "Let Him In” is quite possibly one of the creepiest slow-burns I’ve read in a long time. Told from shifting perspectives, it has the reader constantly questioning what exactly is happening and who is to blame.  

Widower Alfie is trying to raise his twin daughters after their mother’s odd and tragic death. Of course they are going through some stuff processing their grief. And luckily, their mother’s twin, Julia, is a psychiatrist who is more than capable of treating them. When an imaginary friend joins the girls, Julia dismisses it at a as coping mechanism at first. Then the imaginary friend, Black Mamba, starts causing problems. Is Julia going to be able to help the girls with their psychological issues, or is something deeper and darker afoot? 

Twins, an old manor house, a mysterious death... “Let Him In” gives us plenty of tropes we know and love from the horror genre. This is more than just a plain rehashing of old ideas, however. The tropes work to draw the reader in, but the author creates a fresh and dark take that keeps the reader involved. While reading this, I had a new puppy. I’d get up to put him out in the middle of the night. Normally, I’d want to go right back to sleep. With “Let Him In,” however, I found myself opening my Kindle and reading for another half-hour or more! I really wanted to see where the story was going, and it kept me engaged. 

I definitely recommend this book to horror fans, and I look forward to the next story from William Friend. I received this book from NetGalley.  

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