He's the Devil

by Tobi Coventry

An exhilarating, darkly comic debut novel about a do-gooder whose world is turned inside out when his new roommate—who might be possessed by the devil—moves in
       
Simon has always been a good guy, a charmer. He’s consistently employee of the month at his bougie restaurant job, neurotically tidy, and generally tries to do right by everyone. And his dark parts? He keeps those well-hidden. But when his best and only friend Josh moves out of their shared apartment, Simon’s world starts to fall apart when his new roommate Massimo moves in. Because Massimo has brought something—or someone—with him. He might just turn out to the be the roommate from hell . . .
        
Strange things start to happen. Weird noises come from Massimo’s room, smells of earth and spoiled meat drift through the halls, lights flicker, and Simon’s nights fill with disturbing and alluring dreams. Meanwhile, across the city, murders are being committed, bodies torn apart from the inside. Massimo and whatever he’s unleashed begin to awaken Simon’s wild and exciting and horrifying inner self. Whatever this new friend is could be the end of Simon—or a completely new beginning.
       
At once a visceral, unhinged, and comic novel about the roommate generation, He’s the Devil is a tantalizing literary thriller exploring possession and obsession, friendship and betrayal. Tobi Coventry’s debut is propulsive, funny, and touching, marking the arrival of a bold new literary imagination.

Genres: Horror, Literary Fiction, Horror Thriller, Fiction, LGBT

320 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication February 3, 2026

Reviews

[Claire Fuller]

He's the Devil is funny, seductive and outrageously delicious. Simon is mostly a people pleaser until his only friend and flatmate moves out and sends in his place, Massimo. Aloof and sexy, this new man is odd, and as Simon becomes more obsessed with him, things aren't quite what they seem. It's about possession, parasites, and how it might be good to be a little bit bad. This is Tobi Coventry's debut and I loved it.

[Elaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of He's the Devil.

A better title would have been "He's a Demon."

If Simon's roomie Massimo had been the devil, I think the narrative would have been more 'fun' in the only way pure horror and the devil can be.

The premise piqued my interest but it failed to hold my attention for the following reasons:

1. Simon is not likable. I don't have to like a character to enjoy the story but he's not a nice person.

He's a loser, he's not charming, he's self-centered, and that's okay.

That's relatable but the way he's drawn and described, he's not just a loser. He's pathetic.

He's desperate. He has no friends. He has no ambition.

He has no hobbies. He's one-dimensional. He's not interesting or compelling.

And maybe that's why a demon moves in with him.

He moons over his previous roomie, Josh, who moved out under auspicious circumstances.

2. Simon is obsessed with sex. That's all he seems to think about, talk about, want to engage in. He's got nothing else going on in his life so why not, right?

There's a lot of sex and sexual references that did nothing to move the story forward except maybe to give readers an idea of Simon's personality; he's a horny loser perhaps?

3. I imagined the story would be dark, bloody with small moments of humor and levity.

But the pacing dragged and the story became monotonous as Simon debated whether something was going on with Massimo.

There was a lack of urgency and suspense even when Simon had a bad feeling about his roomie, mainly because he's such a drag.

The writing was good, but I didn't like the tone or the writing style.

I got the feeling the author was trying to sound literary despite the subject matter.

The ending was a given; I wasn't surprised because knowing the type of person Simon is, it couldn't have ended any other way.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I went into this book expecting a campy horror novel based on how it was advertised, but ended up a bit disappointed. Instead of delivering the fun, over the top horror I was hoping for, it leaned more toward a stale, formulaic style that didn’t really grab me.

The characters felt flat and one dimensional, and I struggled to stay invested in their arcs. The beginning was rushed, giving little time to build tension or connect with the story, while the middle dragged without much payoff. It also had an oddly horny tone for a book that wasn’t about romance: we get it, your nipples are chafing.

That said, the ending was enjoyable and finally brought in some of the chaotic, unhinged energy I was hoping for from the start.

The prose itself was solid and flowed well, I just wish the plot and characters had more depth and nuance. If you’re looking for a light, not too deep horror read with a touch of gore, themes of demons and possession, and an unreliable narrator, this might be worth picking up. Just lower your expectations if you're hoping for something more campy or character driven.

[Wyetha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where to begin. First, thank you to Net Galley for the advanced copy of this title. 🦇🕷️🎃👻💀

He’s The Devil wasn’t quite what I was expecting, and according to the description, I think I completely missed the mark. While there are moments of humor and the synopsis hints at that, it never fully pulled me in.

I couldn’t connect with the protagonist (or antagonist), Simone—whatever he was meant to be. This is purely a matter of personal taste, but he grated on me from beginning to end. The thirstiness was over the top. I understand the human need for connection and to feel wanted, but everything about him—especially that desperate need to please—drove me a little mad.

Because of the graphic nature, this one won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. I didn’t mind that aspect, but I found myself more distracted by trying to figure out whether this entity was a devil, a demon, or some blend of both. Even when its origin was explained, it didn’t bring much clarity.

In the end, I gave this book ✮✮ ✮ three stars—mostly for the confusion, dread, and the overall chaos that every character seemed to bring to the table.

[labibliofille · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. To be candid, I stopped reading at 33 pages in for a myriad of reasons. The writing was bland, the plot already somehow confusing and boring, and the inner monologue was too inconsistent between gross teenage-boy type inappropriate thoughts and being a perfectionist. While I can understand the attempt at creating a layered character, all that this book succeeded in achieving so far was a simulltaneous inability to retain my attention and gross me out. I have no interest after the main character started getting a boner from a gory car crash that was written about in such a lackluster way that it did not feel like anything of importance. This is nothing that I was expecting based on the blurb.

[Cornelius Strange · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Abrams press for this earc in an exchange for a review of He's The Devil.



They always say new roommates are hell but also so is working retail so maybe Simon's crash out was valid on that point.

He's The Devil has a particular writing style that will probably not work for everyone but I found it paired well with Simon's inner monologue. He is jittery and overthinking by nature, his thoughts all quick and jumbled in a never ending stream. While the story has a slow start and a casual pace and picks up near the end it felt to me the pace matched when Simon was being pried open. He keeps so much buried even from himself he has literally boxed himself in (comparing his own emotions to Pandora's box even).

With Simon's attempt to never step out of line and be Good he fully circles back around to being unlikable or forgettable by all of those around him which only feeds further into his manic personality and obsession of not being alone. He wants the world to revolve around his actions, he wants them to pat him on the back and it's to the point he is missing all the horrors happening around him. It's no wonder the moment he got a taste of what the demon has to offer he didn't want to let it go even while knowing the horrors.

And with the nature of demons and Simon's selfishness we are pulled along by a unreliable narration. Is his roommate eating people or is that just all the drugs Simon has done mixed with paranoia? Is he slowly losing his mind or did the loss of control of his own space have him twisting the truth?

Desire, horror, and disgust are intertwined throughout the narrative and overall this is a story about accepting ones demons, both figuratively and literally and how sometimes it really is okay to let people see the weird parts of you because there will always be someone who also has parts of them that are strange and it's simply not healthy to hold all that in.

Simon just needed to let his freak flag fly

[Ted and her books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the change to read a beautiful proof of HE’S THE DEVIL, and I can’t even begin to explain how happy I was when I received it. When I saw the cover reveal on instagram, I knew it was going to be one of my most anticipated reads of 2026.

It’s more than 300 pages, and yet I flew through the book, it took me maybe a day to read it, it was impossible to put it down. I loved the main character Simon, he was such a good boy.

I can’t tell you much more about it without spoiling it, but believe me, I want to, I need to talk to someone about this.
It’s a story about friendship, betrayal, possession, and obsessions, and it also helps as a reminder to cut your nails, and to put those red belt peppers in jars on your grocery list.

He’s The Devil will come out on the 12 of February, and if you’re a horror girly like me, it needs to be on your list. Mark my words, this one, is going to be big!

[Ray Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book made my heart stutter. Tobi punctuates in a way that moves you through the story as quickly as the plot moves. He manages to instil the same anxiety in the reader as he does in the MC. I’ve never read (and believe I will never read) a more believable devil.

He’s The Devil is a perfect blend of Artful Storytelling with sinful imagination. The book will make you want to be bad, for the fun of it all. It’ll make you question how much of the Devil came off the page to get you too.

Genius.

[Selma Stearns · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so crazy and icky and fun! I loved the writing: a perfect balance between gross and funny at times (e.g. the description of someone’s head cracking open “like a cocktail lime”).

Simon is lonely, deluded, twisted, and self-destructive but I was still rooting for him. The reader can really feel his repulsion mixed with desire.

[Andrew Hickey · Rating 3 out of 5]

He’s the Devil
Tobi Coventry

Simon’s new flatmate may not be the person he thinks he is. Found as a replacement by his last flatmate, Massimo’s entrance also brings something else with him. A blend of traditional and psychological horror, Coventry’s debut novel starts off slow and builds the tension until it has its hooks in you.

At first glance it read as a different take on the themes from American Psycho. Is it real or is Simon just hiding his depravity? The situations he finds himself in, are in fact, darkly comical, but the choices in the plot nullify these moments by the end.

A story of demonic possession, circling around ideas of queer romance and obsession make it an interesting read. Coventry knows how to write characters that feel genuine in their character but at times it felt like maybe everybody would be a little more weirded out by the situations happening around them. A solid and brief, yet also flawed, read which makes me intrigued where their next tale may go. Perfect for people wanting a queer horror read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Abrams Press for providing a free eARC for review

[Kera’s Always Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simon is a chronic do-gooder who likes everything just so… but he is keeping a part of himself hidden. A part that is so much darker.

When a new tenant moves in, Simon is drawn to Massimo. There is something about him that gets under Simon’s skin. His mere presence is awakening parts of Simon, but when strange and unexplainable things start to happen, Simon begins to see Massimo in a different light.

Making Simon aware of his darker predilections, he doesn’t know if he should be horrified or enthralled. This was weird and twisted. I enjoyed the portrayals of obsession, masking, and self awareness.

3.25 stars

[Weneedtotalkaboutbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this one! 🔥

I needed a five star badly and Toby Coventry delivered, especially considering this is a debut. The writing is so fresh, slightly lyrical without being overdone, and the pace is fast without compromising on the character depth and introspection. I could not put this book down.

He’s the Devil follows Simon, a neat and orderly queer man whose life unravels when his unsettling new flatmate Massimo moves in, bringing chaos, dark desires, and possibly something supernatural.

There is more than meets the eye in this story, which is what kept me glued to the page. It’s darkly funny, camp, sometimes creepy. I loved seeing the world through Simon’s eye, the way he tries his best to conform to society and be a “good boy”, the unhinged thoughts behind the surface.

This is sharp, unapologetically gross at times, and so addictive. Highly recommended if you like queer contemporary horror with a good mix of plot and introspection, and if you have ever shared a flat with other people.

5/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thanks to the publisher for sending me a proof copy. Publication date set for February 2026.

[em · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars
This was unfortunately not for me! The writing started off really gorgeous but eventually felt pretentious and overwritten. The plot also felt very repetitive and I felt myself screaming at Simon to do something!! A great idea but it just felt very lacklustre.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #HesTheDevil #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Sarah Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review: He’s the Devil by Tobi Coventry

Rating: 4.3/5

Tobi Coventry’s He’s the Devil is a fiendishly clever debut that straddles the line between literary introspection and supernatural horror, delivering a darkly comic exploration of identity, obsession, and the chaos lurking beneath polite facades. As a reader who gravitates toward morally ambiguous narratives and psychological unease, I found myself both unsettled and exhilarated by Coventry’s razor-sharp prose and the novel’s escalating tension.

Strengths & Emotional Impact
Coventry’s greatest triumph is his nuanced character work. Simon, the neurotic nice guy protagonist, is a masterclass in unreliable narration—his meticulous control and suppressed darkness mirror the novel’s themes of possession and self-destruction. The dynamic between Simon and Massimo crackles with unsettling ambiguity; their relationship oscillates between camaraderie and menace, leaving the reader (like Simon) questioning what’s real. The novel’s dark humor (roommate from hell takes on a literal edge) provides levity without undercutting its creeping dread.

The atmospheric horror is understated yet potent. Coventry eschews cheap jump-scares for slow-burn unease: flickering lights, inexplicable smells, and dreams that bleed into waking life evoke a sense of visceral disorientation. The parallel thread of gruesome citywide murders adds a layer of societal decay, subtly tying Simon’s personal unraveling to a broader moral collapse.

Constructive Criticism
While the novel is largely gripping, a few elements could be refined:
-Pacing: The middle sags slightly as Simon’s paranoia loops repetitively; tighter editing might have heightened momentum.
-Thematic Depth: The exploration of good vs. evil occasionally feels surface-level, especially compared to its richer study of codependency. A deeper dive into the occult symbolism (e.g., the devil as metaphor for repressed desire) would have elevated the literary weight.
-Supporting Characters: Simon’s friend Josh and other periphery figures feel underdeveloped, missing opportunities to contrast or complicate Simon’s descent.

Why This Book Stands Out
He’s the Devil joins the ranks of contemporary literary horror like Bunny (Mona Awad) or Nightbitch (Rachel Yoder), but Coventry’s background as a film scout shines in its cinematic set-pieces and dialogue-driven tension. The novel’s strength lies in its refusal to neatly categorize its horror—is Massimo a demon, a manipulative sociopath, or a manifestation of Simon’s psyche? This ambiguity lingers provocatively.

Perfect for:
-Fans of psychological horror with literary flair.
-Readers who relish unreliable narrators and moral gray zones.
-Book clubs debating nature vs. nurture (or divinity vs. depravity).

Thank you to the publisher ABRAMS and Edelweiss for the advance copy. Coventry’s debut marks the arrival of a bold voice in dark fiction—one that claws under your skin and stays there.

Final Verdict:

Prose: 5/5 (Witty, precise, and dripping with tension.)
Originality: 4/5 (Familiar tropes, but freshly twisted.)
Emotional Resonance: 4.5/5 (Simon’s turmoil is hauntingly relatable.)
Horror Payoff: 4/5 (More psychological than visceral, but no less chilling.)

A must-read for those who like their demons literal, metaphorical, or deliciously indistinguishable.

[Siobhan · Rating 3 out of 5]

He's The Devil is a novel about a man whose hot new flatmate turns out to have a dark secret, leading to his own darker side emerging. Simon is good: he works hard as a waiter at a fancy restaurant and he keeps the flat nice for his best friend and flatmate Josh. When Josh moves out, Simon finds himself unwillingly with a new flatmate, Massimo. Despite his resentment at this change, Simon finds Massimo attractive, but Simon's dreams of him aren't simple, and something more sinister seems to be happening.

This is the kind of book that can be difficult to categorise, as it has some horror elements but is more of a weird literary novel without some of the depth that might suggest. Simon is an unreliable narrator with one satisfying twist he had been not mentioning, and some other elements that felt a bit like they could've gone somewhere but didn't (especially around his parents and generally his past). I had expected what he'd done previously to be worst than it was, and generally I think this is the sort of book that will shock people who don't usually read books that combine sinister stuff with gay sex, but if you've read something like Exquisite Corpse or a lot of Eric LaRocca's work, this is very tame. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, but I do think that the book maybe didn't have the intended 'bite' for me because of it.

Ultimately, this is a fun book that builds to a pretty dramatic ending, but I just wanted it to be a bit weirder or darker. It's more for people who like literary horror that's quite light on the horror than people who enjoy more extreme horror/splatterpunk.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this one. The synopsis seemed right up my alley, the devil moving into Simon's flat as his new roommate. I could see where this horror was going from the first few pages, and I was excited. However, the main character was insufferable. His inner dialogue reads like Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye. If you too were unimpressed by Holden Caulfield, I would not recommend this book to you.

I also had many issues with the story itself. We read from Simon's POV and I came to understand him as someone with mental health issues, though I couldn't pinpoint if he had depression, anxiety, or psychosis. He is obsessed with his former roommate Josh, and again, it's unclear until the latter stages of the novel why Josh continues to come up. Even so, when the reason is revealed, it's not something that truly moved the story forward. While the novel is mainly told from Simon's perspective, we get the devil's and Massimo's perspective toward the end of the novel, which I felt was unnecessary.

Both of these last two issues could be solved by rearranging the story itself. Josh's reason for moving out of the apartment could be moved to the beginning of the novel, creating more build up for Massimo to move in. Kat, a paramedic, could have had her own POV seeing the destruction around the city. Finally, Massimo and the devil could have had their POVs woven throughout the story.

Overall, I found this novel difficult to read, so much so that I restarted it after reading half of the novel. The second read through was just as difficult and hard for me to want to pick up the novel.

An arc was provided via Netgalley and Abrams Press in exchange for an honest review.

[Diana Clough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simon claims he’s always been a good boy. After all, he cleans his flat with fervour, cares too much about his waiting job, and was always at his ex-housemate Josh’s beck and call — who was his only friend. When Josh moves out and avoids Simon, it’s the mysterious (and sexy) Massimo who moves in. But there’s something off about his scent, his noises, and the effect he has on Simon. Almost like he’s the Devil. And wouldn’t that bring a bit of excitement and joy to Simon’s monotonous life?

I had such a fun time reading this one. Coventry’s writing is so seductive and I loved Simon’s character, despite all his flaws and how it’s revealed what went down between him and Josh.

It did plateau toward the end, and I would have liked a bit more of Simon’s backstory to be explored rather than some more repetitive present-day scenes. Nevertheless, its resounding themes of loneliness — particularly when you’re young and move to a new city — rang so true, and how actually it’s no bad thing to give your weird housemate a chance (unless they are the Devil incarnate).

Thank you to the publisher for the copy!

[Sammy Etches · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was phenomenal to read. The concept is crazy, it’s grotesque, it’s funny, it’s the gayest thing I’ve ever read and I adored every single page!! It’s the first horror book I’ve ever read, and I’m so happy that I did. The cinematic, first person experience was a joy, and the little twists and turns leave you feeling bewildered in the best way.

It covers so many themes, from friendship and betrayal, to desire and obsession. Following Simon’s POV, you really feel his loneliness and anxieties, and why he always tries to be a good boy. But when he starts to crave being bad… you can’t help wanting to be bad too. And the introduction to Massimo honestly left me with whiplash, a sweet innocent boy from Rome who’s bought something dark into Simon’s flat. And then the craziest things happen. I’m still not over this book, it had me gripped from start to finish, and I still think about it nearly every day.

I really hope this gets picked up for a tv series because I know it’s gonna be a massive hit - it literally reads like a movie/tv show!! Thank you again @4thestatebooks for the proof, and I can’t wait for you all to get your grubby little hands on a copy from 12th Feb.

[sydney | books + cats || thebookishcatmom · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Abrams Press & Netgalley for the ARC of this novel.

DNF at 20%
I have been pushing myself for months to read this. I got about 20% in, which is just when the writing style isn't deplorable anymore, and it's just not interesting.

The main character is really just annoying, and the inner monologue is odd and "perverted" as someone else put it. The writing style for the first 15% of the book is incredibly choppy and clipped, so it made reading it very difficult.

I agree with everyone else saying that this being marketed at a "darkly comedic" novel is a disservice, as I had yet to find anything funny at all 20% of the way through.

I was really excited to read this for the spooky season but kept finding myself procrastinating and just not connecting to the MC at all.

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t think that this writing style is for everyone, but I do like it quite a bit. It’s odd, unsettling, can be a little disjointed and random at times. To me the story reads as an allegory for a drug addiction. Filled with delusions, compulsions, relapses, feeble attempts of control, and paranoia.

I love an unreliable narrator, and as we go further into the book, the more our MC grows in his paranoia. His struggle for control over it, over the hallucinations, the memory gaps, the routine he’s trying so desperately to hold on to. The horror of the descent into madness and the dark comedy of it all were done well. Grisly and gorey. It was an enjoyable read.

Thank you Net Galley and and Abram’s Press for the eARC.

[Matt W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

He’s the Devil is like moving in with the worst roommate imaginable—only this one might actually be possessed. Simon, our neat-freak narrator, starts off in control, but things get weird fast: strange smells, flickering lights, gruesome news stories, and dreams that feel a little too real. The unreliable narrator angle works well, pulling you along as Simon unravels, though the middle drags and the chaos promised in the premise doesn’t really hit until the end. Still, the writing has a sharp, unsettling edge, with just enough dark humor to keep you hooked. It’s part toxic roommate drama, part psychological horror, part “is this guy losing it or is something truly evil in the spare room?”—and that mix kept me reading.

[Jennifer ➰ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought I’d devour this in no time, but I had a hard time motivating myself to pick it back up every time I put it down. I ended up in a month long slump, so that probably has affected my experience, but I wasn’t totally wowed by this story. At times I thought it was going great— eerie and haunting and gory— but I feel like it never reached its full potential. Simon could have been more fleshed out, exploring his dark desires more in depth, and unfortunately I didn’t find the devil very compelling. His part at the end felt so… movie villain monologue.

3 stars? Not a bad book… great concept, but maybe poorly executed. I just wish it went deeper and darker.

He’s the Devil is available February 3. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was exceptionally well written but it never seems to end. I’ve been reading it for hours every day and I’m only a third of the way done and I have not enjoyed it. It’s like spending hours at a time looking at a disturbing but well painted, unpleasant work of art. It’s certainly art but I am putting it aside at least for now to read something I actually enjoy.

[Venneh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fairly solid debut novel where a new roommate maybe turns out to be more than our main is expecting. This is a blend of psychological thriller and horror, with our narrator slowly but surely revealing that maybe he isn't as reliable as a narrator as he would have you believe. There's a lot happening in the background too, but since our main is a little self centered, he doesn't pay attention to things slowly falling apart around him. Basically, imagine your worst nightmare obsessive toxic roommate finally ran into a roommate worse than you who's maybe a devil, or posessed by one. The voice is solid, and it's definitely worth your time.

[Emily Reid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not exactly funny, but definitely well written, especially towards the end.
"Darkly comic" doesn't really describe He's the Devil... it is more gore? Absurdity? It definitely made me squirm at times. I liked the idea of Simon trying to "be good" and having to contend with dark urges. That narrative really stuck with me.


Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Ella · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded down. An interesting character study of a lonely and unhinged man who's forced to suffer a strange new roommate when his best friend moves out. I enjoyed it most when it let it self be weird and nasty, when it explored how strange Simon was and his draw to Massimo. It did drag in the middle but the wild ending saved it. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Zoe Lipman · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

I had fun with this!

And it answers the age=old question of "what do you do if your roommate turns out to kinda sorta definitely maybe be the devil?"

This was funny and unique and pretty short. I read through it very quickly.

This also felt like the perfect read for the Halloween season.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[herdarklibrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an utterly magnificent, crazy book! The writing was crisp and lovely, all the things I look for in a weird little book like this. Some absolute lyrical descriptions weaved throughout a psychedelic experience.

From page one I could feel a building tension. There was a clear question mark with each page; what was happening but more importantly, what was coming? I was gripped and read the book in one day.

Simon, our main character and narrator sets such a good tone. I was never quite sure if anything coming out of his mouth was true but that made it all the more interesting when you get to find out just how messed up everything is. Simon was such a harsh and fun main character, he was unapologetic in his actions and a little bit manic. His new roommate Massimo was a calm and steady contrast, until the end I held so many theories and questions for this character but it made the building tension all the more juicy.

The story reads with such chaotic energy but also some dark humour, queer lust and supernatural undertone. For a debut novel I am absolutely blown away! The style really reminded me of everything I love in Boy Parts by Eliza Clark (a huge compliment, as I loved that book).

4/5 ⭐️

Release date: February 2026

[ Thankyou hugely to @mattclacher from @4thestatebooks for gifting me an early proof ]

[mm luv · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! A perfect mix between horror and dark comedy, written in such a remarkable way that had me immediately hooked. And as far as unreliable narrators go, Simon is absolutely perfect.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!

[Maria Bru · Rating 3 out of 5]

The narrator felt unreliable to me, which is something I am not too fond of; but the book as a whole was interesting.
Good read for the spooky season, just not exactly my type of read