Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and William Friend for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This psychological thriller nailed an air of discomfort from the very start. You’re immediately thrown into the mystery, and your desperation for answers keeps you reading.

I feel like this book pulls on some really simple horror tropes, most obviously creepy twins who can see something no one else can. But, the twist comes in the form of their psychologist Aunt who ‘experienced’ something herself as a child and is convinced that ‘Black Mamba‘ isn’t real.

I found the tension between what’s real and what isn’t was perfectly balanced. Just when you think you’ve wrapped your head around what’s happening, something comes along to challenge your thinking. But, I have to admit I was disappointed with the ambiguous ending that seemed reluctant to commit to either option.

Slight spoiler: the relationship between the Aunt and the Father really frustrated me. It felt unnatural, forced and just thrown in at the end. For me, it jarred from the plot at the heart of the story. Given how much Alfie adored his wife, I just didn’t get why they ended up together.

At its core, this psychological horror explores the effect of grief on a family. It watches as a father implodes, as twin girls struggle to process their loss. I wanted more from the horror aspect of this book - something of a more unexplained and supernatural nature.

It was a good book though and one I’d recommend for those into psychological thrillers and horror books. I’m keen to see what’s next from this author and what others think of this book.