[ad/gifted - I received a proof copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.]
Title & Author: He's The Devil by Tobi Coventry
My rating: 4/5
Publisher: 4th Estate
Publication date: 12th February 2026
Blurb:
Simon has always been a good boy. He’s invariably employee of the month at the seasonal small plates restaurant where he works, he neurotically tidies his home, he keeps on top of repairs on behalf of his twenty-something, permanently-abroad landlord and tries to do right by everyone. But when his best and only friend, Josh, moves out of their shared flat, Simon is lonelier than ever – until in moves a new flatmate, the strange (and strangely sexy) Massimo.
But Massimo’s brought something with him. Odd sounds emerge from Massimo’s room, smells of earth and meat drift through the corridor and Simon’s nights fill with disturbing and tantalising dreams. Massimo is awakening something in Simon, something wild and exciting and horrifying that could be the end of him – or maybe a new beginning. But whatever’s in Massimo, whatever’s in the flat, isn’t finished. It wants more...
Review:
It only took me about five pages into this until I thought, "I'm really going to enjoy this." The writing style was just fantastic.
Think of He's The Devil as a queer modern horror novel where your new flatmate is housing a demon that wants to possess you.
Our main character Simon, is an unlikeable one but that absolutely did not put me off because I enjoyed the story so much. Simon wants to try his best to be a 'good boy', he works his restaurant job but doesn't really have a lot of friends. His friend and roommate Josh moves out and it feels quite clear that their relationship is a bit one-sided. Simon thinks of Josh and tries to contact him a lot but Josh gives nothing back.
An Italian man called Massimo comes to live with Simon as recommended by Josh but strange things start to happen around the flat and it is apparent that not all are as it seems with him. I genuinely started to feel a bit crazy reading about Simon trying to work out what was going on. There is dark humour, gross depictions and really everything I look for in a horror novel.
I couldn't put this down and I just wanted to see how it would end because I could not guess it at all, but to me it was perfect and satisfying.
