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I Will Kill Your Imaginary Friend for $200
Not yet published
Expected 27 Jan 26To bright and anxious eight-year-old Kay Washington, the worst thing in the world is being alone with the quiet. That’s why Eddie Video makes the perfect imaginary He’s smart, he’s loud, he loves pulling pranks, and he’s always there to chase away the silence.
To mid-forties, down-on-his-luck Ivan, the worst thing in the world happened when he lost his imaginary friend. Now cursed with the ability to see everyone else’s, Ivan makes a living by killing the imaginary friends of adults who couldn’t let go. But when one of Eddie Video’s “pranks” goes too far, Ivan agrees to make an exception and help Kay.
Only Ivan will soon learn that Eddie Video is nothing like the talking ostriches, star bears, and goblin princesses he’s encountered in the past, and it’s going to take a lot more than clumsy haymakers and steak knives to bring him down. A balance of comedy and catharsis, this dual-narrative tackles both the fear of growing up and the scars our childhood leaves behind.
To mid-forties, down-on-his-luck Ivan, the worst thing in the world happened when he lost his imaginary friend. Now cursed with the ability to see everyone else’s, Ivan makes a living by killing the imaginary friends of adults who couldn’t let go. But when one of Eddie Video’s “pranks” goes too far, Ivan agrees to make an exception and help Kay.
Only Ivan will soon learn that Eddie Video is nothing like the talking ostriches, star bears, and goblin princesses he’s encountered in the past, and it’s going to take a lot more than clumsy haymakers and steak knives to bring him down. A balance of comedy and catharsis, this dual-narrative tackles both the fear of growing up and the scars our childhood leaves behind.
353 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication January 27, 2026
4 people are currently reading
4644 people want to read
About the author
Robert Brockway
16 books496 followersI am Robert Brockway. I wrote The Vicious Circuit trilogy from Tor Books. I wrote Rx: A Tale of Electronegativity. I wrote Everything is Going to Kill Everybody. I am but a man.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 11, 2025
Drop dead Fred meets The exorcist meets Coraline? Walk with me here. Because I liked this one.
I think it’s slower start worked for this book, because I was wondering how dark the author was gonna get, and surprised when he surpassed what I expected. Things got really messed up.
We’re taken into an 8 year old Kay’s and broke adult Ivan’s lonely worlds. Kay’s loneliness is a childhood loneliness, which is really its own monster. The inability to understand and help how you feel. Trapped. Ivan’s is a bitter adult loneliness, where you know what choices you’d made to get here but you’re also just busy trying to survive. But you’re still trapped, too. He’s still carrying all that childhood loneliness around with him, literally.
They’re brought together by the infamous little freak Eddie Video. He creeped me out bad. Having him be this kid’s obnoxious youtube puppet character was smart and his intro and humor felt really familiar to things I know kids watch. Blegh.
I enjoyed the chapter’s of Ivan going around preforming hits on adult’s imaginary friends, I’d read a whole book of that and be satisfied I think. Robert Brockway builds on that strong concept and gives us an interesting story on coping mechanisms and childhood. How the ways we escape can run us over if left unchecked. And none of this feels cliche or wrapped in a neat bow. This book left me thinking about how much it sucks to let go, but we all gotta do it. Hopefully we’re better for it. 4 1/2 stars.
I think it’s slower start worked for this book, because I was wondering how dark the author was gonna get, and surprised when he surpassed what I expected. Things got really messed up.
We’re taken into an 8 year old Kay’s and broke adult Ivan’s lonely worlds. Kay’s loneliness is a childhood loneliness, which is really its own monster. The inability to understand and help how you feel. Trapped. Ivan’s is a bitter adult loneliness, where you know what choices you’d made to get here but you’re also just busy trying to survive. But you’re still trapped, too. He’s still carrying all that childhood loneliness around with him, literally.
They’re brought together by the infamous little freak Eddie Video. He creeped me out bad. Having him be this kid’s obnoxious youtube puppet character was smart and his intro and humor felt really familiar to things I know kids watch. Blegh.
I enjoyed the chapter’s of Ivan going around preforming hits on adult’s imaginary friends, I’d read a whole book of that and be satisfied I think. Robert Brockway builds on that strong concept and gives us an interesting story on coping mechanisms and childhood. How the ways we escape can run us over if left unchecked. And none of this feels cliche or wrapped in a neat bow. This book left me thinking about how much it sucks to let go, but we all gotta do it. Hopefully we’re better for it. 4 1/2 stars.
December 22, 2025
I Will Kill Your Imaginary Friend for $200 — 3.75 ⭐️
Ivan is a middle-aged man just trying to make ends meet when he becomes a contract assassin for adults’ childhood imaginary friends.
Rich kids tend to create (harmless and usually forgettable) imaginary friends out of boredom. Poor kids, though, often create monsters born from darker places, meant to protect them through harder times. Those are the imaginary friends Ivan has to worry about.
And Ivan has one strict rule: no children. Kids need their imaginary friends. It’s the ones that refuse to leave as we grow up that tend to become real problems. As long as he stays outside the typical fifty-foot boundary that imaginary friends surround their humans with, the job is usually manageable.
So when Ivan is contacted about an eight-year-old girl named Kay, whose imaginary friend may be genuinely dangerous and threatening her safety, he makes an exception.
The concept is so creative, original, and an absolutely hilariously wild time.
I personally just had somewhat of an issue with the pacing. I love that the story gets straight to the point and moves very quickly, but sometimes it was just too quickly. It felt very plot-driven, and I wish there had been more space for character interaction and relationship development. Because I loved these characters and I wanted to feel everything that happened in this story rather than like I was being told.
That said, I still thought this story was great, and I’m sure a lot of readers will absolutely love it. I just didn’t connect quite as deeply as I hoped, which lands it just under four stars for me at 3.75.
Thank you to NetGalley and Page Street Horror for the opportunity to read this early copy. I will not forget this one anytime soon.
Ivan is a middle-aged man just trying to make ends meet when he becomes a contract assassin for adults’ childhood imaginary friends.
Rich kids tend to create (harmless and usually forgettable) imaginary friends out of boredom. Poor kids, though, often create monsters born from darker places, meant to protect them through harder times. Those are the imaginary friends Ivan has to worry about.
And Ivan has one strict rule: no children. Kids need their imaginary friends. It’s the ones that refuse to leave as we grow up that tend to become real problems. As long as he stays outside the typical fifty-foot boundary that imaginary friends surround their humans with, the job is usually manageable.
So when Ivan is contacted about an eight-year-old girl named Kay, whose imaginary friend may be genuinely dangerous and threatening her safety, he makes an exception.
The concept is so creative, original, and an absolutely hilariously wild time.
I personally just had somewhat of an issue with the pacing. I love that the story gets straight to the point and moves very quickly, but sometimes it was just too quickly. It felt very plot-driven, and I wish there had been more space for character interaction and relationship development. Because I loved these characters and I wanted to feel everything that happened in this story rather than like I was being told.
That said, I still thought this story was great, and I’m sure a lot of readers will absolutely love it. I just didn’t connect quite as deeply as I hoped, which lands it just under four stars for me at 3.75.
Thank you to NetGalley and Page Street Horror for the opportunity to read this early copy. I will not forget this one anytime soon.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
2.5 rounded up
Thank you to Page Street Horror for sending me an early copy to read and review!
The premise and setup of this story was unique, and I enjoyed getting to learn more about the 'world' of imaginary friends and how those kinds of bonds worked while following Ivan and Kay, along with some interspersed sections following other children and characters. The humor was also a major highlight of the story and writing! It absolutely leans into the comedy aspect of the 'comedic horror' classification. That said, I missed the horror element. I didn't feel particularly unsettled while reading as I searched for the horror aspects; there are 2 or 3 scenes that provided that feeling (check TW for SH), but otherwise I felt that the story was more of a comedy with a sort of magical realism world set up.
I did enjoy following both Ivan and Kay in turn. With the alternating chapters, following Kay's descent into her own imagination with Eddie Video, along with following Eddie become more sinister and controlling, was interesting. Ivan's sort of 'curse' of being able to see and interact with imaginary friends was unique, and his means of evading such interactions was a romp of a time. I really enjoyed the chapters following him 'attacking'/killing other adults' imaginary friends, though other chapters of his dragged a bit and didn't feel particularly necessary/additive to the story. The sections where we get introduced to other children and their imaginary friends were perhaps my favorite part, along with following Kay. Like many stories following multiple POVs/characters, I did find myself preferring Kay's chapters. I felt more invested in Kay's character, as we got more depth for her, while I felt a bit detached from Ivan (though his story/arc was still enjoyable to follow).
Amidst the fun chaos, there are a lot of meaningful moments and prose that convey themes a lot of readers will relate to. It speaks well to the ache, desperation, loneliness, and awkwardness of childhood. If you've ever felt lonely, felt like everyone else has the answers to fitting in and you didn't get the memo, felt like the quiet closes in too much and leaves you alone with your thoughts, you'll see yourself in this story. It speaks to hanging on to things, letting them go, and the dangers of losing yourself to yourself, in a way, or a place or a thing.
I did enjoy the ending of the story and how things came together! The imaginary friend 'world' became a big focus towards the end, which picked up my attention. I will say that one sort of 'plot hole' left me with questions. Knowing that killing one's imaginary friend leads to that person being able to see and interact with other imaginary friends (what led to Ivan's circumstances), I was left wondering what happened to the rest of the adults he helped earlier on.
Overall, this is a fun story with lots of humor and good themes/messages. The imagination of the author absolutely shines with the cast of characters and shenanigans! That said, I wasn't totally engaged in the story, so it did drag for me, and I was wanting much more horror integrated in.
Thank you to Page Street Horror for sending me an early copy to read and review!
The premise and setup of this story was unique, and I enjoyed getting to learn more about the 'world' of imaginary friends and how those kinds of bonds worked while following Ivan and Kay, along with some interspersed sections following other children and characters. The humor was also a major highlight of the story and writing! It absolutely leans into the comedy aspect of the 'comedic horror' classification. That said, I missed the horror element. I didn't feel particularly unsettled while reading as I searched for the horror aspects; there are 2 or 3 scenes that provided that feeling (check TW for SH), but otherwise I felt that the story was more of a comedy with a sort of magical realism world set up.
I did enjoy following both Ivan and Kay in turn. With the alternating chapters, following Kay's descent into her own imagination with Eddie Video, along with following Eddie become more sinister and controlling, was interesting. Ivan's sort of 'curse' of being able to see and interact with imaginary friends was unique, and his means of evading such interactions was a romp of a time. I really enjoyed the chapters following him 'attacking'/killing other adults' imaginary friends, though other chapters of his dragged a bit and didn't feel particularly necessary/additive to the story. The sections where we get introduced to other children and their imaginary friends were perhaps my favorite part, along with following Kay. Like many stories following multiple POVs/characters, I did find myself preferring Kay's chapters. I felt more invested in Kay's character, as we got more depth for her, while I felt a bit detached from Ivan (though his story/arc was still enjoyable to follow).
Amidst the fun chaos, there are a lot of meaningful moments and prose that convey themes a lot of readers will relate to. It speaks well to the ache, desperation, loneliness, and awkwardness of childhood. If you've ever felt lonely, felt like everyone else has the answers to fitting in and you didn't get the memo, felt like the quiet closes in too much and leaves you alone with your thoughts, you'll see yourself in this story. It speaks to hanging on to things, letting them go, and the dangers of losing yourself to yourself, in a way, or a place or a thing.
I did enjoy the ending of the story and how things came together! The imaginary friend 'world' became a big focus towards the end, which picked up my attention. I will say that one sort of 'plot hole' left me with questions. Knowing that killing one's imaginary friend leads to that person being able to see and interact with other imaginary friends (what led to Ivan's circumstances), I was left wondering what happened to the rest of the adults he helped earlier on.
Overall, this is a fun story with lots of humor and good themes/messages. The imagination of the author absolutely shines with the cast of characters and shenanigans! That said, I wasn't totally engaged in the story, so it did drag for me, and I was wanting much more horror integrated in.
December 8, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
I wanted to give this a flat 5-star rating so badly and I'm gonna round up to five simply because, excluding the last four chapters, this is one of my favorite books I've ever read.
The concept is so good. Ivan is a 40-something perpetually down on his luck guy who avoids any environment in which kids, especially poorer kids, might be present like the plague. This is because he can see their imaginary friends (wealthy children create imaginary friends out of boredom, whereas poor kids create them out of necessity, and commonly for protection, making them more dangerous to Ivan). The imaginary friends go into a murderous rage when they realize that Ivan can see them, because they immediately know that he, under complicated circumstances, killed his own imaginary friend when he was a teenager, and they view him as a betrayer.
Imaginary friends are important to kids, as Ivan is well aware. But sometimes they overstay their welcome and follow their kids into adulthood, trying to help but ultimately making their lives super difficult. This is where Ivan can capitalize on his ability—he puts out an advertisement that if you're a fed-up adult, he will kill your imaginary friend for $200. He is able to sustain himself this way.
Then we have Kay, a lonely 8-year-old whose dedicated but super busy mom is always working. What Kay hates more than anything else is quiet, so she needs multiple sources of stimulation while she's home alone, like simultaneously listening to HGTV while she watches her favorite YouTube show, the Eddie Video Show. Eddie Video is a blocky, pixelated menace of a boy who pulls mean pranks on all the characters in Caper Town, many of them inexplicably involving meat. Kay's need for escapism grows the more she isolates herself from her peers, and Eddie slowly becomes more than just a YouTube character...
So for real, the first 30 chapters of this book are impeccable. I live for the weird way that Eddie talks, the descriptions of the imaginary friends Ivan slaughters, and the flashbacks to other children getting sucked into the worlds of their imaginary friends.
And believe me when I say I lost my shit at the line "Today, ha? We are having an adventure in sacrifice."
But those last four chapters. They went on. For. Much. Too. Long. Unlike the rest of the book, those chapters are very very lengthy, throwing the pacing way off for me. The rest of the chapters in the book are relatively short. I don't know why it wasn't just divided into more chapters at the end, then maybe it wouldn't have lost me as much? So because of this I found the last couple scenes somewhat of a chore to dredge through.
Regardless, I thought this book was phenomenal, original, and so fun. It's hilarious, it's demented, it's silly, it's surprisingly insightful, it's extremely heart wrenching. Great character development, great story, perhaps my favorite book that I read this year. :)
I wanted to give this a flat 5-star rating so badly and I'm gonna round up to five simply because, excluding the last four chapters, this is one of my favorite books I've ever read.
The concept is so good. Ivan is a 40-something perpetually down on his luck guy who avoids any environment in which kids, especially poorer kids, might be present like the plague. This is because he can see their imaginary friends (wealthy children create imaginary friends out of boredom, whereas poor kids create them out of necessity, and commonly for protection, making them more dangerous to Ivan). The imaginary friends go into a murderous rage when they realize that Ivan can see them, because they immediately know that he, under complicated circumstances, killed his own imaginary friend when he was a teenager, and they view him as a betrayer.
Imaginary friends are important to kids, as Ivan is well aware. But sometimes they overstay their welcome and follow their kids into adulthood, trying to help but ultimately making their lives super difficult. This is where Ivan can capitalize on his ability—he puts out an advertisement that if you're a fed-up adult, he will kill your imaginary friend for $200. He is able to sustain himself this way.
Then we have Kay, a lonely 8-year-old whose dedicated but super busy mom is always working. What Kay hates more than anything else is quiet, so she needs multiple sources of stimulation while she's home alone, like simultaneously listening to HGTV while she watches her favorite YouTube show, the Eddie Video Show. Eddie Video is a blocky, pixelated menace of a boy who pulls mean pranks on all the characters in Caper Town, many of them inexplicably involving meat. Kay's need for escapism grows the more she isolates herself from her peers, and Eddie slowly becomes more than just a YouTube character...
So for real, the first 30 chapters of this book are impeccable. I live for the weird way that Eddie talks, the descriptions of the imaginary friends Ivan slaughters, and the flashbacks to other children getting sucked into the worlds of their imaginary friends.
And believe me when I say I lost my shit at the line "Today, ha? We are having an adventure in sacrifice."
But those last four chapters. They went on. For. Much. Too. Long. Unlike the rest of the book, those chapters are very very lengthy, throwing the pacing way off for me. The rest of the chapters in the book are relatively short. I don't know why it wasn't just divided into more chapters at the end, then maybe it wouldn't have lost me as much? So because of this I found the last couple scenes somewhat of a chore to dredge through.
Regardless, I thought this book was phenomenal, original, and so fun. It's hilarious, it's demented, it's silly, it's surprisingly insightful, it's extremely heart wrenching. Great character development, great story, perhaps my favorite book that I read this year. :)
September 13, 2025
When I tell you that this is such an incredibly ridiculous story, and yet one of the most insightful I have ever read, I mean it.
Never has a book had me cackling so hard - like hold my stomach, belly laughing at the writing style and word choices. If you were to take someone's internal monologue and remove the filter that sifts through the inappropriate thoughts to put on paper, that is what reading this felt like. The writing is so descriptive, but not in the typical way you would expect. There aren't vivid descriptions of landscapes, settings, or characters. It's almost as if a child is explaining something so outlandish to you using only metaphors and similes, and somehow you can envision exactly what they're talking about.
The narrator is blunt and plain-spoken, which is helpful in deciphering the two "worlds" our setting takes place in. The plot twists and surprises come from these sudden transitions between realities - one action is being naively described in the imaginary world of Caper Town, while something much more sinister is occurring at the exact time in reality. These unanticipated shifts are such a remarkably unique way in escalating the story and are truly so unsettling. There were many of these instances that I needed to put the book down and reread, just to ensure that what I was reading, was in fact real.
Violence and gore have a heavy presence in this story, though in two very different ways. To picture a grown man beating the ever living sh*t out of invisible imaginary creatures is absolutely hysterical. It is so incredibly profound, that I had such a difficult time trying to recount these scenes to my partner. My attempts to do so made me sound certifiably insane; which I may be after reading this. On the other hand, a huge takeaway from this book included the awareness and reality of self-harm/depression. It can be difficult to explain or understand the effects of invisible illnesses, but Robert Brockway did so in such a horrific and imaginative way. Desperation, helplessness, exhaustion, and hopelessness are all manifested in an imaginary friend.
I have a feeling that this book will be one I come back to for a long time. It's comical, gory, and nonsensical. I have shared this plotline with so many people, readers and non-readers alike. I simply cannot get it out of my head and HIGHLY recommend. A big thank you to Edelweiss, Page Street Horror, and Robert Brockway for the early copy.
Never has a book had me cackling so hard - like hold my stomach, belly laughing at the writing style and word choices. If you were to take someone's internal monologue and remove the filter that sifts through the inappropriate thoughts to put on paper, that is what reading this felt like. The writing is so descriptive, but not in the typical way you would expect. There aren't vivid descriptions of landscapes, settings, or characters. It's almost as if a child is explaining something so outlandish to you using only metaphors and similes, and somehow you can envision exactly what they're talking about.
The narrator is blunt and plain-spoken, which is helpful in deciphering the two "worlds" our setting takes place in. The plot twists and surprises come from these sudden transitions between realities - one action is being naively described in the imaginary world of Caper Town, while something much more sinister is occurring at the exact time in reality. These unanticipated shifts are such a remarkably unique way in escalating the story and are truly so unsettling. There were many of these instances that I needed to put the book down and reread, just to ensure that what I was reading, was in fact real.
Violence and gore have a heavy presence in this story, though in two very different ways. To picture a grown man beating the ever living sh*t out of invisible imaginary creatures is absolutely hysterical. It is so incredibly profound, that I had such a difficult time trying to recount these scenes to my partner. My attempts to do so made me sound certifiably insane; which I may be after reading this. On the other hand, a huge takeaway from this book included the awareness and reality of self-harm/depression. It can be difficult to explain or understand the effects of invisible illnesses, but Robert Brockway did so in such a horrific and imaginative way. Desperation, helplessness, exhaustion, and hopelessness are all manifested in an imaginary friend.
I have a feeling that this book will be one I come back to for a long time. It's comical, gory, and nonsensical. I have shared this plotline with so many people, readers and non-readers alike. I simply cannot get it out of my head and HIGHLY recommend. A big thank you to Edelweiss, Page Street Horror, and Robert Brockway for the early copy.
December 22, 2025
4.5 rounded up to 5 stars
“Wax hammered Ivan’s stomach with four-inch claws, and that should have been the end of things. Dying how Ivan always knew he would, disemboweled in an alley by a racist Muppet.”
From a giant tree monster, to a talking bird, to a goblin princess who laughs by pulling “her cheeks apart, exposing her anus, and” firing “a blast of rotten garbage confetti" – this book is full of quirky characters that must die.
This book balances wry humor with a deep strain of wistful horror. Ivan is an adult barely making ends meet through the gig economy, drifting through a Portland that feels simultaneously mundane and lethal. For this Ukrainian immigrant who can see imaginary friends - cupcake shops, malls, and birthday parties are not safe spaces but potential war zones. At any moment, an imaginary friend might recognize what Ivan is and decide he needs to die. When desperation for money sets in, Ivan answers a Craigslist email asking him to kill someone’s imaginary friend.
Kay is a lonely eight-year-old who cannot bear the silence of her own mind. She builds an imaginary world out of her favorite YouTube video, Eddie Video, turning comfort into companionship. What begins as refuge slowly curdles. Eddie is not what he pretends to be, and Ivan is brought in not as a hero, but as damage control.
There is a particular ache to horror rooted in childhood, in the things we invent to protect ourselves. When a child imagines a friend out of loneliness and despair, there is nothing more devastating than realizing that the one presence they trusted was never on their side.
I am going to be reading Robert Brockway’s prior books, hoping they carry the same sharp humor and cruel irony that make this story’s tenderness hurt as much as its horror. Do yourself a favor, order it today.
Thank you to Netgalley and Page Street Horror for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
“Wax hammered Ivan’s stomach with four-inch claws, and that should have been the end of things. Dying how Ivan always knew he would, disemboweled in an alley by a racist Muppet.”
From a giant tree monster, to a talking bird, to a goblin princess who laughs by pulling “her cheeks apart, exposing her anus, and” firing “a blast of rotten garbage confetti" – this book is full of quirky characters that must die.
This book balances wry humor with a deep strain of wistful horror. Ivan is an adult barely making ends meet through the gig economy, drifting through a Portland that feels simultaneously mundane and lethal. For this Ukrainian immigrant who can see imaginary friends - cupcake shops, malls, and birthday parties are not safe spaces but potential war zones. At any moment, an imaginary friend might recognize what Ivan is and decide he needs to die. When desperation for money sets in, Ivan answers a Craigslist email asking him to kill someone’s imaginary friend.
Kay is a lonely eight-year-old who cannot bear the silence of her own mind. She builds an imaginary world out of her favorite YouTube video, Eddie Video, turning comfort into companionship. What begins as refuge slowly curdles. Eddie is not what he pretends to be, and Ivan is brought in not as a hero, but as damage control.
There is a particular ache to horror rooted in childhood, in the things we invent to protect ourselves. When a child imagines a friend out of loneliness and despair, there is nothing more devastating than realizing that the one presence they trusted was never on their side.
I am going to be reading Robert Brockway’s prior books, hoping they carry the same sharp humor and cruel irony that make this story’s tenderness hurt as much as its horror. Do yourself a favor, order it today.
Thank you to Netgalley and Page Street Horror for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
November 30, 2025
Book# 237 2025
"I Will Kill Your Imaginary Friend For $200" ~ Robert Brockway
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (NetGalley Review)
Releases 1-26-2026
Dark, chaotic, and laugh out loud unhinged, this book is a wild ride I didn’t know I needed. Robert Brockway delivers a story that blends absurd humor with bloody mayhem in a way only he can, and it absolutely works. The concept alone hooks you, but it’s the execution, the sharp dialogue, bizarre worldbuilding, and unexpected emotional beats, that makes it stick.
Ivan barrels through a series of surreal, violent, and hilarious encounters that feel like equal parts fever dream and cult classic action comedy. Imaginary creatures, questionable choices, and twisted morality all collide in a story that constantly surprises you.
My only knock? Sometimes the chaos gets a little too chaotic, making certain scenes feel more disorienting than necessary. But honestly, that’s also part of the charm.
If you love your humor black, your horror ridiculous, and your stories bold enough to embrace complete madness, this is absolutely worth the ride. A gloriously bizarre standout. #booktok #NetGalley #IWillKillyourImaginaryfriendfor200dollars #robertbrockway #bookrecommendations
"I Will Kill Your Imaginary Friend For $200" ~ Robert Brockway
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (NetGalley Review)
Releases 1-26-2026
Dark, chaotic, and laugh out loud unhinged, this book is a wild ride I didn’t know I needed. Robert Brockway delivers a story that blends absurd humor with bloody mayhem in a way only he can, and it absolutely works. The concept alone hooks you, but it’s the execution, the sharp dialogue, bizarre worldbuilding, and unexpected emotional beats, that makes it stick.
Ivan barrels through a series of surreal, violent, and hilarious encounters that feel like equal parts fever dream and cult classic action comedy. Imaginary creatures, questionable choices, and twisted morality all collide in a story that constantly surprises you.
My only knock? Sometimes the chaos gets a little too chaotic, making certain scenes feel more disorienting than necessary. But honestly, that’s also part of the charm.
If you love your humor black, your horror ridiculous, and your stories bold enough to embrace complete madness, this is absolutely worth the ride. A gloriously bizarre standout. #booktok #NetGalley #IWillKillyourImaginaryfriendfor200dollars #robertbrockway #bookrecommendations
October 29, 2025
I really enjoyed this horror/comedy novel. It had the right amount of both with some sincere moments scattered throughout as well.
A man who's REALLY down on his luck has an idea to offer his services to kill people's imaginary friends for $200. He knows these things are real because, when he was younger, he killed his own. And he misses his ape friend very much.
In the meantime, there's an eight year old girl, Kate, who's imaginary friend is the host of a weird YouTube show, Eddie Video. Eddie's not always friendly and his plans are anything but innocent as he slowly begins to take over Kate's life.
These two stories will come together in bloodshed (well, at least glittery purple blood that looks like stuffing) and violence as a battle rages between Ivan, the imaginary friend killer, and Eddie Video.
Equal parts dreadful and hilarious, this novel takes the concept of imaginary friends and puts a horrific spin on it while making you laugh at the same time. I highly recommend it.
I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
A man who's REALLY down on his luck has an idea to offer his services to kill people's imaginary friends for $200. He knows these things are real because, when he was younger, he killed his own. And he misses his ape friend very much.
In the meantime, there's an eight year old girl, Kate, who's imaginary friend is the host of a weird YouTube show, Eddie Video. Eddie's not always friendly and his plans are anything but innocent as he slowly begins to take over Kate's life.
These two stories will come together in bloodshed (well, at least glittery purple blood that looks like stuffing) and violence as a battle rages between Ivan, the imaginary friend killer, and Eddie Video.
Equal parts dreadful and hilarious, this novel takes the concept of imaginary friends and puts a horrific spin on it while making you laugh at the same time. I highly recommend it.
I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
November 15, 2025
I was so hoping to love this. Horror comedy is my favorite genre and this did not disappoint! Loved the kids: shy Mai and adorably weird Kay. Loved the exhausted but fierce mom Mack. Loved the messed up Ivan. Loved all the puppet-like imaginary friends. I even loved Eddie Video with his crazy speech patterns and visiting Caper Town. This was How to Sell a Haunted House (Grady Hendrix) meets Mr. Roger's Neighborhood/Lazytown/Wreck it Ralph in all the terribly best ways. It could have just been creepy kids, but this story had heart too and that made all the difference.
And yes, I had an imaginary friend named Honey when I was young too.
Thanks so much to NetGalley, the publisher, and Robert Brockway for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
content: lots of language, some brief violence/gore, and references to child possession with self harm and death (not super explicit but could be triggering)
And yes, I had an imaginary friend named Honey when I was young too.
Thanks so much to NetGalley, the publisher, and Robert Brockway for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
content: lots of language, some brief violence/gore, and references to child possession with self harm and death (not super explicit but could be triggering)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and Page Street Horror for this ARC.
This story had such an interesting concept and it was so much fun to read. It's about how young kids start having imaginary friends, the bond between them and how growing up changes everything.
I liked the writing style, it was mediun paced and easy to follow. There was something happening at all times so I was entertained, no doubt.
The characters were diverse and interesting. There was Kay, an eight year old who felt very lonely and found her comfort in Eddie Video, her imaginary friend. Her fears and feelings were very well described.
Then there was Ivan, an adult with an unusual "power", he could see all imaginary friends and could also get rid of them. The relationship that he had with his own imaginary friend was heartbreaking.
The story felt like two separate parts because at one point it took a nasty turn. I was somewhat expecting it, but still felt surprised.
Overall I really liked the story, especially how the author wrote about the struggles that lonely kids have.
This story had such an interesting concept and it was so much fun to read. It's about how young kids start having imaginary friends, the bond between them and how growing up changes everything.
I liked the writing style, it was mediun paced and easy to follow. There was something happening at all times so I was entertained, no doubt.
The characters were diverse and interesting. There was Kay, an eight year old who felt very lonely and found her comfort in Eddie Video, her imaginary friend. Her fears and feelings were very well described.
Then there was Ivan, an adult with an unusual "power", he could see all imaginary friends and could also get rid of them. The relationship that he had with his own imaginary friend was heartbreaking.
The story felt like two separate parts because at one point it took a nasty turn. I was somewhat expecting it, but still felt surprised.
Overall I really liked the story, especially how the author wrote about the struggles that lonely kids have.
November 27, 2025
4.5 Star rounded up
Received as an ARC from NetGalley, to be released Jan 2026.
Wow, to say this book shocked me would be an understatement. It was such an absurdist take on the world while producing the most profound thoughts I’ve had in a very long time.
Something that will stick with me is that poor children make imaginary friends to protect them. But what happens when protecting becomes too much and manipulative?
A comedic horror that will have me reeling for days. The writing is amazing, making it easy to differentiate between the different character storyline’s.
I could go on and on and on about this book and still not say everything I want to say. Read it. Highly recommend.
Received as an ARC from NetGalley, to be released Jan 2026.
Wow, to say this book shocked me would be an understatement. It was such an absurdist take on the world while producing the most profound thoughts I’ve had in a very long time.
Something that will stick with me is that poor children make imaginary friends to protect them. But what happens when protecting becomes too much and manipulative?
A comedic horror that will have me reeling for days. The writing is amazing, making it easy to differentiate between the different character storyline’s.
I could go on and on and on about this book and still not say everything I want to say. Read it. Highly recommend.
August 17, 2025
This book was strange, in the best possible way. The central concept, pretty much explained by the novels title, *should* make the story ridiculous and impossible to take seriously. But Brockway manages to take the bizarre idea and craft a tale that is by turns funny, moving, and deeply unsettling in a way I can't properly explain. The only downside to this book is that I now have a new author whose backlist I have to track down and devour.
December 19, 2025
E-ARC generously provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review! Thank you!
I absolutely devoured this amazing horror book, where Ivan, a contract killer who eliminates imaginary friends when they oversay their welcome, is brought to help Kay, a little girl with an imaginary friend who does more harm than good to her and others around her. The dark humor was ingrained excellently and fills in the cracks when the story turns dark. The lesson of learning to let go, when you need to, even if you don't want to, was immensely powerful, as we see this struggle for so many characters. The characters themselves were so unique and original with their own concerns and personalities, especially Ivan, with his struggle of employment and having to bear the weight of killing his own imaginary friend when he was younger. I completely recommend this dark humor and horror book for those who are looking for an original story filled with catharsis.
I absolutely devoured this amazing horror book, where Ivan, a contract killer who eliminates imaginary friends when they oversay their welcome, is brought to help Kay, a little girl with an imaginary friend who does more harm than good to her and others around her. The dark humor was ingrained excellently and fills in the cracks when the story turns dark. The lesson of learning to let go, when you need to, even if you don't want to, was immensely powerful, as we see this struggle for so many characters. The characters themselves were so unique and original with their own concerns and personalities, especially Ivan, with his struggle of employment and having to bear the weight of killing his own imaginary friend when he was younger. I completely recommend this dark humor and horror book for those who are looking for an original story filled with catharsis.
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