Who's With Liam: A Southern Psychological Horror

by David A Lambert

Genres: Horror

378 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 1, 2026

Reviews

[Kristin Fennell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this could have been a really good book if it was about 100 pages shorter. It was super repetitive and was hard to push through until about 70%. It didn't end how I expected, but I did enjoy that last 30% more.

[Amber Rouse · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had so much potential. The story was great, but so repetitive. I understand the need for the antagonist to be repetitive to the child as a means of manipulation, but it was sooo repetitive that it was almost like the writer hit copy and paste to the next page. I had to make sure several times that i wasn’t rereading the same page. Also the verbiage used for a supposed 7 yr old was unrealistic in a way that i couldn’t get past.

[Jessie Owens · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a nice change of pace from the fantasy books I read. It was scary, creepy, and jaw dropping at the end!

[Caitlin Elaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just don’t

I don’t know if this started out as a chapter by chapter story that was published on the internet, but that’s how it reads. Each new chapter repeats the end of the last. The wording is so repetitive, like it was almost trying to be a poem. Also if there were trigger warnings I missed them. !!!!!! spoiler!!!!!!!!!!













The dog dies….

[Cheny Sandoval · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not even a horror girly… and this book had me completely locked in.
Who’s With Liam follows Liam, a young boy dealing with an unimaginable loss, forced to navigate a new home, a new reality… and something that doesn’t quite feel right. From the very beginning, there’s this quiet, unsettling tension that lingers in every scene. It’s not loud, over-the-top horror,it’s the kind that slowly creeps under your skin and stays there.
What really stood out to me was how the story balances grief with suspense. Liam’s emotional journey felt real and heavy, and you can feel how his loneliness shapes everything around him. Then there’s the presence in the story subtle, eerie, and never fully predictable. It’s not your typical “imaginary friend,” and that’s what makes it so effective.
The pacing is a slow burn, but in the best way. The tension is always there, quietly escalating, making you question what’s real and what isn’t. By the time everything starts to unfold, I was completely locked in.
And again… as someone who doesn’t usually reach for horror, the fact that this pulled me in like this says a lot.
If you love atmospheric, emotional, slow-burn stories with a constant sense of unease, this absolutely delivers.
This one stuck with me.

[Derrick College · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book deserves so much more then 5 stars, this book will makes you experience every single emotion that exists..
I really enjoyed this.. even when it came with repeated phrases. This book really had me hooked, from beginning to end with all kinds of emotions happening. The characters were very likeable for the most part. Sometimes I felt Liam was older, with how he spoke or thought. Seemed very mature for a 7 year old.
It is very detailed and a slow burn. I do highly recommend reading this.. ( I hope it’s turned into a movie )
Our MC Liam is 7 years old, when he witnesses his sister Iris’s life being taken. What follows is something no one could’ve imagined, but Liam.
He meets the mysterious Jerico, who only Liam can see and hear. But something isn’t right. Jerico gets mad when Liam is needed or makes new friends or when people try to helo. No one cares for then Jerico.
Can Liam be helped with getting rid of Jerico or will Jerico be around forever?..

[Stephanie Jewett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Need Therapy Now
​Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Would be 5, but I’m docking one star for emotional damages)
​I have never wanted to square up with a hallucination so badly in my entire life.
​This book is a masterclass in psychological horror, mostly because it psychologically tortured me. The antagonist is an imaginary friend to a seven-year-old, but instead of doing normal imaginary friend things like hiding shoes or stealing cookies, this entity is running a full scale, corporate- level gaslighting campaign.
​The sheer audacity of this entity! It has this poor kid apologizing for things it did, rewriting history faster than a corrupt politician. I spent half the book yelling at the pages like a boomer watching a football game. ​If you enjoy books that make your eye twitch, give you mild heartburn, and force you to witness a first-grader get absolutely out maneuvered by a toxic figment of his own subconscious, this is the book for you. It’s fantastic. I hate it.

[Liz Chardon · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible way to hook a reader from the very first page. This is a must-read for thriller and horror lovers alike. The story follows Liam, who is struggling after the tragic loss of his sister—until he meets an “imaginary” friend… or is he?

Dark, gripping, and deeply atmospheric, this book pulls you in and doesn’t let go. It’s the kind of page-turner that will have you up all night questioning everything. Lambert masterfully captures the manipulation and tension Liam experiences with his mysterious “friend,” making every moment feel unsettlingly real.

Absolutely a must-read—don’t miss it when it releases May 1st. #WhosWithLiam.

https://www.tiktok.com/@bellagia7742?...

[Dom Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first time reading David Lambert and it definitely won’t be my last.

Who’s With Liam follows seven year old Liam after he witnesses his sister’s tragic death. From that moment on, he’s not the same. His family moves hoping for a fresh start, but that’s when Jerico appears. A boy only Liam can see.

Jerico feels like he’s always there. Watching. Lingering. What starts as comfort slowly turns into something much darker, and that constant presence made this feel incredibly creepy and unsettling the entire time.

This isn’t just horror. It really digs into grief and trauma, which made it even harder to watch unfold in someone so young.

It pulled me in right away and didn’t let go. Highly recommend.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the beginning of the book but was disappointed in the ending.

I really liked the writing style. Lots of short or partial sentences made it a fast paced read but still got the point across. However, lack of articles, a, an and the, made it difficult to read at times. If that was intentional, it was odd. And on more than one occasion, quotation marks were off making it difficult to figure out who was saying what. The ending was too far fetched for me but I loved the first two thirds of the book. I would give this author another try. Hopefully he'll get a good proofreader for future books.

[Joannie Pigford · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book reminds me of the movie The Prodigy. This was definitely creepy vibes, suffocating, and completely heartbreaking. The parents in this story, although they were grieving, should have paid closer attention to their son. They should have gotten therapy to help with the loss of their daughter.
Liam’s personality began to change and yes it was subtle but it progressed to aggression. The parents just kept trying things their way instead of seeking help immediately. Callie’s life is forever changed and it was such a shame! The ending definitely was so sad!
I am a preacher’s kid and I know for a fact my dad and mom would have been sling holy oil, praying and getting me help.

[Joshua Waselynchuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fear this has become one of my favourite reads of the year so far. I am still trying to process everything, but this story starts off with brother and sister "Liam and Iris" walking home when iris's life is tragically taken from her.

We then follow the families journey dealing with the grief specifically Liam's, and when the family moves to a new house, a presence is there that "helps" liam through these feelings.

I felt these characters and this story, and the creepiness that went along this journey. I loved everything about it.

Please check it out

[Maria Echevarria · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Who’s With Liam had me hooked since the very first chapter. It immediately grabs your attention and keeps you wanting to read “just one more chapter.” I honestly could not put it down. The suspense and twists kept getting better and better, and every time I thought I figured things out, I was completely wrong.

And that ending?! I did NOT expect that ending to happen at all. My jaw literally dropped. Such a good thriller that keeps you on your toes the whole time. Definitely one of those books that stays in your mind after you finish.

[Dries · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am being kind to give this book a 2 rating as there were parts that I enjoyed. An extremely slow start though. The repetition in this book was a real struggle. There is one sentence like that was probably repeated like 40 times in the book - shew. I did not particularly like the unrealistic plot. It reminded of a small budget movie as only a few of the characters were developed. The others were there to fill the story line with no background understanding and proper development. The fillers in the book was very tedious.

[Esme · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Who's with Liam is a slow-burning horror novel about a young boy's loss. It keeps the reader wondering what is real and who or what Liam's new friend Jerico really is. I think the author does a really good job of holding the tension in this beautifully disturbing story. Characters and background all came to life and are so well done, but I didn't really like the end. It may have been a me thing.

[Amber McGregor · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a real struggle to finish and took forever. Far too many grammatically broken sentences and just bad grammar in general, Im wondering if it had even been edited/proofread? Repetitiveness also made it very hard for me to read. If things weren't repeated exactly the same then they were reworded to give the same meaning, sometimes in the same paragraph. I wish I had counted the amount of times "just present" was mentioned.
Just my opinion, Ive seen a lot of other people love the book.

[Tracy Bookish · Rating 1 out of 5]

OK, I’m just gonna say it… I had such high hopes for this book but there’s chapters where it just keeps repeating itself and repeating itself and then 60% through an Animal is hurt… Yeah, this is a DNF for me. I am literally shocked that somebody would write this in a book. It’s not even scary. It’s more creepy. Jericho is freaking creepy. But the fact that they hurt a puppy is just unbelievable to me.

[ReneeReadsTooMuch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a creepy slow burn.. The book should have been wrapped up much sooner than it was had it not been for excessive repetition. I also had to go back to confirm Liam was only 7. His thoughts and communication were of a much older person, not a 7 year old. The whole book I was trying to determine whether there was a spirit with him or whether he was experiencing extreme grief and coping mechanisms. The ending was totally unexpected.

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yikes!!!!

This book brought out a rage in me, I've never felt while reading a book, and I've been reading stories for so long now. Yet I couldn't put it down. I needed to know that there was a positive way out for Liam.
Grief can be so debilitating. So all consuming. I cried for Liam. For the family. And now im feeling broken. I hope there's a continuation to this story.
First read by this author, and definitely will not be the last.

[Hayley O' brien · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good story building up throughout how grief effects people how when people deal with their grief they forget about others . Hiw grief can manifest and over take .. I wasnt keen on the very last part of the ending ... it felt just added to prolong and unnecessary but the rest of the ending was good..

[Valeryia Skuryat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, it was such a creepy slow burn that resulted in a big explosion. I was so convinced I know what I’m reading about but oh god I was so wrong. I can clearly picture this book as a movie. Really enjoyed the book, will be curious to look into author’s catalogue and read more!

[B · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is not for me. It felt like it was written for young adults. It's too repetitive, and the ending is ridiculous. Plus, Liam didn't talk like a seven-year-old—he talked like a teenager. There’s no way a seven-year-old could carry on a conversation that maturely.

[Melissa Dearing · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was so good but I almost didn’t finish it. It started strong but then got super repetitive- so much so that I was skipping long sections. It picked back up toward the end and I loved the ending.

[Nancy Segura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a gripping read. The story kept me hooked from the start, and I loved the mix of suspense and emotion throughout. The characters felt real, and the twists kept me guessing until the end. Definitely a great read if you enjoy emotional thrillers with strong character depth.

[Jeana Price · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a decent read. I'd like to read more from the author, I won't base my opinions of the author on this one book. I do strongly recommend trigger warnings, just in case there are people who can't handle what's happening in the book.

[Laura LaMoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sad, Slow and repetitive

This book was good, not great. So many sentences and paragraphs were incredibly repetitive!! I started wondering if it was a printing error! The same words, thoughts , descriptions over and over…was crazy. Just an FYI

[Alle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beyond repetitive for the first 150 pages - it was like reading the same thing over and over again. Every chapter was the same exact thing. And then the dog thing happened and that was the final straw, I couldn’t continue. I don’t even care what the ending is.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was creepy and I enjoyed….until the end. Really????? That’s what we get???????????

[Marcela Parvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very repetitive throughout. The whole mind set and thought process development from the main character would be more accurate if Liam was a pre-teen, and not a 7 year old.

[Misti Norwood · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you read from 50% on you’ll still understand the entire book. It was so repetitive, couldn’t wait for it to end.