Leanne Olson

by William Friend

Releasing October 3, 2023 from Poisoned Pen Press

Let Him In’s creepy cover called to me. It captures the vibe of this book so well.  William Friend’s debut is a hazy, spooky slow burn. I stayed up way past my bedtime reading this one.

Alfie’s wife Pippa has died, leaving behind their twin little girls.  The girls casually mention that a man has been watching them sleep, and he can turn into animals, and oh, he’s their new best friend.

Alfie brings in Pippa’s sister Julie, a child psychologist, to figure out what’s going on.

There’s a bunch more weirdness that Alfie and Julia uncover… I loved how it hit many of the spooky kid / imaginary friend tropes without ever feeling cliché or predictable.  The little girls’ dialogue is natural and not written to be cute or precocious.  

I’ve seen some debate online about the end of the book, but it really worked for me.  It was ambiguous and unsettling and will stick with me.

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for my review copy of this book. Let Him In was also published as Black Mamba in the UK.