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He's the Devil: A Novel
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.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.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 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.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 3, 2026
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1156 people want to read
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January 6, 2026He'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.
February 13, 2026
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.
He moons over his previous roomie, Josh, who moved out under auspicious circumstances.
And maybe that's why a demon moves in with him.
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 the type of person Simon is, it couldn't have ended any other way.
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.
He moons over his previous roomie, Josh, who moved out under auspicious circumstances.
And maybe that's why a demon moves in with him.
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 the type of person Simon is, it couldn't have ended any other way.
August 9, 2025
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.
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.
January 12, 2026
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.
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.
February 8, 2026
“A semi-possession. I still had one hand on the wheel.
Half a demon. Nothing I couldn’t handle.”
This was addictive & I flew through it so quickly, but I am left feeling it’s a little over-sold and under-delivered.
Simon is an absolute loser, and while my favourite books are those with very unlikeable main characters - it just didn’t quite hit for me. I was vibing with this choice until closer to the end, but the idea that THIS guy is the only one the demon/devil found who’s aggressively repressed urges are evil and grimy enough to hold him… is a bit weak.
Just don’t go in expecting your mind to be blown, and I think most will enjoy this. It’s one to read on holiday - where you just need something engaging and pretty easy to get through.
Half a demon. Nothing I couldn’t handle.”
This was addictive & I flew through it so quickly, but I am left feeling it’s a little over-sold and under-delivered.
Simon is an absolute loser, and while my favourite books are those with very unlikeable main characters - it just didn’t quite hit for me. I was vibing with this choice until closer to the end, but the idea that THIS guy is the only one the demon/devil found who’s aggressively repressed urges are evil and grimy enough to hold him… is a bit weak.
Just don’t go in expecting your mind to be blown, and I think most will enjoy this. It’s one to read on holiday - where you just need something engaging and pretty easy to get through.
August 13, 2025
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
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
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2025
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!
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!
September 18, 2025
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
February 15, 2026
Holy Moly , He's The Devil by was quite the ride . With a man character that feels off from the beginning this book nails the dark humor, unsettling feeling that some isn't right, lust , envy and all the thoughts that a demon can't help but want to latch on to. If a page turning Queer Horny Horror sounds up your alley then definitely add this one to your tbrs !
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Favorite Quotes :
I have no choice; if I am not good, it will be clear just how bad I really am. People will discover the grime within me. Because it’s there, wriggling through me, whole strings of filthy rotten boy coiled up and squirming.
I would smile back, give a wave, and as they left the shop I would think about them stepping into oncoming traffic.
It could be hard sometimes, to be so good for so long, and alone I could melt into a version of myself that required no effort. It was a relief.
Maybe it could come in, if that’s what it wanted. It could come in and take everything, leave nothing left, fill me up like foam and nestle in my bones.
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Favorite Quotes :
I have no choice; if I am not good, it will be clear just how bad I really am. People will discover the grime within me. Because it’s there, wriggling through me, whole strings of filthy rotten boy coiled up and squirming.
I would smile back, give a wave, and as they left the shop I would think about them stepping into oncoming traffic.
It could be hard sometimes, to be so good for so long, and alone I could melt into a version of myself that required no effort. It was a relief.
Maybe it could come in, if that’s what it wanted. It could come in and take everything, leave nothing left, fill me up like foam and nestle in my bones.
November 27, 2025
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.
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.
January 24, 2026
who wants to be good anyway x
January 14, 2026
This was a dark and gruesome read, written with a unique tone, and I really enjoyed my time with it.
Firstly, I must mention that if you’re after a likeable character to root for, I don’t think that you’ll find any in this book. All the characters are flawed, with very questionable morals. I personally loved this aspect of the book. I didn’t know who to trust, and was so intrigued by what was going on inside of our MMC’s twisted mind.
The slow, tension-filled unraveling of the story kept me gripped the whole way through. This would make a great read for those cold, long, dark evenings where you want to get lost in a good, creepy book.
Thank you to 4th Estate for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Firstly, I must mention that if you’re after a likeable character to root for, I don’t think that you’ll find any in this book. All the characters are flawed, with very questionable morals. I personally loved this aspect of the book. I didn’t know who to trust, and was so intrigued by what was going on inside of our MMC’s twisted mind.
The slow, tension-filled unraveling of the story kept me gripped the whole way through. This would make a great read for those cold, long, dark evenings where you want to get lost in a good, creepy book.
Thank you to 4th Estate for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
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.
October 3, 2025
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
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
February 15, 2026
BWAF Score: 7/10
TL;DR: He’s the Devil is flatshare horror as a cursed little artifact: voice-first, sweaty, bodily, and uncomfortably funny, with dread built from obsession and proximity until the walls feel complicit. It’s not flawless or tidy, but it’s fearless. If you like your horror queer, transgressive, and fucked up, this slaps.
This book opens like a confession you weren’t meant to overhear. The voice comes in hot, close, and nosy, pressing its face to the wall between rooms, savoring sounds you should not be savoring. It’s funny in a slightly sick way, too. Not “jokes,” exactly, more like the brain’s defensive little tap dance when it realizes the night is leaning in.
Here’s the basic setup, in human terms. Simon is a service-industry do-gooder with weaponized tidiness and a desperate need to be liked. His best friend and flatmate Josh moves out, and instead of a gentle transition, Simon gets handed a replacement roommate like an organ donor cooler dumped on the doorstep. That roommate is Massimo: magnetic, sexual, strange, and immediately destabilizing, the kind of person who turns a shared kitchen into a stage where everyone else forgets their lines. Simon becomes convinced something is wrong with Massimo. Not “bad vibes,” but capital-S Something. The book spends the rest of its time tightening that suspicion into obsession, then into a full-body problem.
The writing is the main event. First-person, present-tense intimacy that feels like being trapped in an elevator with someone who is simultaneously charming, panicking, and narrating their own undoing in real time. Coventry’s sentences have this greasy shimmer to them, a mix of precision and delirium. Simon notices everything: textures, smells, the social micro-violences of politeness, the way a room changes when a person enters it. That attention reads as anxious comedy at first, then flips into dread once you realize the narrator’s fixation is not just a personality quirk. And, crucially, it’s not fully reliable. Simon’s certainty is always doing too much, which makes every “I swear this happened” feel like both a promise and a threat.
The novel is a a steady escalation ladder with some intentional wobble. The early chapters lock you into the flat, the walls, the routine, the itch of cohabitation, then start opening doors that do not feel metaphorical anymore. Coventry is good at reveal timing: you get enough to feel the supernatural (or the psychosexual) creeping in, but not enough to file it neatly. Mid-book, the story takes a few sideways steps into social orbit, new connections, new rooms, new air, and that shift works because it changes the pressure rather than releasing it. If anything, the broader the world gets, the more claustrophobic Simon feels, like the curse is portable.
Character work is mean and tender in the same breath. Simon is not a “likeable protagonist” in the bland marketing sense, but he’s compelling as hell: needy, performative, sharp-eyed, self-disgusted, yearning. His contradictions are the point. He wants intimacy and control. He wants to be good and also wants to be seen doing goodness, which is a different hunger. Massimo, meanwhile, is drawn as an orbiting object rather than a fully explained man, and that choice is smart. He’s sexy, yes, but also unnervingly opaque. The dialogue between them is rarely direct communication. It’s people negotiating power, attention, fear, desire, and self-image through mundane talk about food, plans, schedules, the weather, the usual bullshit we use to avoid saying “I am becoming unwell about you.”
You can smell the damp building, the streets, the restaurant work, the cheap wine, the bleach. The flat becomes a literal stage for recurring motifs: doors, walls, listening, cleanliness, rot, hunger, the body as both temple and landfill. Coventry’s sensory detail does a lot of horror work before anything explicitly horrific even happens. The dread mechanics are mostly proximity and attention: Simon listening through walls, monitoring movement, reading meaning into small shifts, spiraling into bodily awareness until the body starts answering back. When the horror turns physical, it’s not just “gross stuff happens,” it’s aftermath-aware. It lingers. It stains. It changes how a room feels.
This is Tobi Coventry’s debut novel, and it’s been positioned from the start as a “flatshare literary horror,” which is honestly the perfect container for the book’s blend of intimacy, paranoia, and social performance. Coventry’s day job context is unusually relevant: he has worked for years as a book scout focused on film and television adaptation, which makes the novel’s refusal to become a tidy “package” feel intentional rather than sloppy. Taken together, the career arc reads like someone steeped in story structure and market logic choosing, on purpose, to write something that feels more like a cursed little artifact than a pitch-perfect adaptation unit. If Coventry’s future work keeps this level of voice-commitment while sharpening the mid-book torque, that’s going to be a fun problem for all of us.
Underneath the blood-and-breath surface, this is a novel about loneliness as appetite, masculinity as performance, and “goodness” as a kind of self-harm when it’s done for approval instead of connection. It’s about the terror of wanting someone who might ruin you, and the even worse terror that you might be the ruin. It’s also about shared space, and what happens when your home stops being a refuge and becomes a witness.
There are moments where the intensity of the voice risks flattening other registers, and a couple of sequences feel like they’re luxuriating in the spiral a beat longer than they need to. Some readers will call that indulgent. I call it part of the aesthetic, but it’s still where the book comes closest to sagging. If you love voice-first novels that are intimate, queer, nasty, and funny, and you do not need every plot beat to click into a clean diagram, you’re going to have a great time. If you want your horror to behave, explain itself, and wrap up with a neat bow, you will want to throw Simon out a window by page fifty.
The book is uncomfortably strange in that specific way where you can’t tell if you’re aroused, horrified, or just impressed that the author committed to the bit with both hands.
Read if you want a voice that grabs you by the collar and whispers, “We’re doing this, babe,” while your brain screams for HR.
Skip if you want your horror “spooky but comforting,” like a scented candle that says Haunted Library.
TL;DR: He’s the Devil is flatshare horror as a cursed little artifact: voice-first, sweaty, bodily, and uncomfortably funny, with dread built from obsession and proximity until the walls feel complicit. It’s not flawless or tidy, but it’s fearless. If you like your horror queer, transgressive, and fucked up, this slaps.
This book opens like a confession you weren’t meant to overhear. The voice comes in hot, close, and nosy, pressing its face to the wall between rooms, savoring sounds you should not be savoring. It’s funny in a slightly sick way, too. Not “jokes,” exactly, more like the brain’s defensive little tap dance when it realizes the night is leaning in.
Here’s the basic setup, in human terms. Simon is a service-industry do-gooder with weaponized tidiness and a desperate need to be liked. His best friend and flatmate Josh moves out, and instead of a gentle transition, Simon gets handed a replacement roommate like an organ donor cooler dumped on the doorstep. That roommate is Massimo: magnetic, sexual, strange, and immediately destabilizing, the kind of person who turns a shared kitchen into a stage where everyone else forgets their lines. Simon becomes convinced something is wrong with Massimo. Not “bad vibes,” but capital-S Something. The book spends the rest of its time tightening that suspicion into obsession, then into a full-body problem.
The writing is the main event. First-person, present-tense intimacy that feels like being trapped in an elevator with someone who is simultaneously charming, panicking, and narrating their own undoing in real time. Coventry’s sentences have this greasy shimmer to them, a mix of precision and delirium. Simon notices everything: textures, smells, the social micro-violences of politeness, the way a room changes when a person enters it. That attention reads as anxious comedy at first, then flips into dread once you realize the narrator’s fixation is not just a personality quirk. And, crucially, it’s not fully reliable. Simon’s certainty is always doing too much, which makes every “I swear this happened” feel like both a promise and a threat.
The novel is a a steady escalation ladder with some intentional wobble. The early chapters lock you into the flat, the walls, the routine, the itch of cohabitation, then start opening doors that do not feel metaphorical anymore. Coventry is good at reveal timing: you get enough to feel the supernatural (or the psychosexual) creeping in, but not enough to file it neatly. Mid-book, the story takes a few sideways steps into social orbit, new connections, new rooms, new air, and that shift works because it changes the pressure rather than releasing it. If anything, the broader the world gets, the more claustrophobic Simon feels, like the curse is portable.
Character work is mean and tender in the same breath. Simon is not a “likeable protagonist” in the bland marketing sense, but he’s compelling as hell: needy, performative, sharp-eyed, self-disgusted, yearning. His contradictions are the point. He wants intimacy and control. He wants to be good and also wants to be seen doing goodness, which is a different hunger. Massimo, meanwhile, is drawn as an orbiting object rather than a fully explained man, and that choice is smart. He’s sexy, yes, but also unnervingly opaque. The dialogue between them is rarely direct communication. It’s people negotiating power, attention, fear, desire, and self-image through mundane talk about food, plans, schedules, the weather, the usual bullshit we use to avoid saying “I am becoming unwell about you.”
You can smell the damp building, the streets, the restaurant work, the cheap wine, the bleach. The flat becomes a literal stage for recurring motifs: doors, walls, listening, cleanliness, rot, hunger, the body as both temple and landfill. Coventry’s sensory detail does a lot of horror work before anything explicitly horrific even happens. The dread mechanics are mostly proximity and attention: Simon listening through walls, monitoring movement, reading meaning into small shifts, spiraling into bodily awareness until the body starts answering back. When the horror turns physical, it’s not just “gross stuff happens,” it’s aftermath-aware. It lingers. It stains. It changes how a room feels.
This is Tobi Coventry’s debut novel, and it’s been positioned from the start as a “flatshare literary horror,” which is honestly the perfect container for the book’s blend of intimacy, paranoia, and social performance. Coventry’s day job context is unusually relevant: he has worked for years as a book scout focused on film and television adaptation, which makes the novel’s refusal to become a tidy “package” feel intentional rather than sloppy. Taken together, the career arc reads like someone steeped in story structure and market logic choosing, on purpose, to write something that feels more like a cursed little artifact than a pitch-perfect adaptation unit. If Coventry’s future work keeps this level of voice-commitment while sharpening the mid-book torque, that’s going to be a fun problem for all of us.
Underneath the blood-and-breath surface, this is a novel about loneliness as appetite, masculinity as performance, and “goodness” as a kind of self-harm when it’s done for approval instead of connection. It’s about the terror of wanting someone who might ruin you, and the even worse terror that you might be the ruin. It’s also about shared space, and what happens when your home stops being a refuge and becomes a witness.
There are moments where the intensity of the voice risks flattening other registers, and a couple of sequences feel like they’re luxuriating in the spiral a beat longer than they need to. Some readers will call that indulgent. I call it part of the aesthetic, but it’s still where the book comes closest to sagging. If you love voice-first novels that are intimate, queer, nasty, and funny, and you do not need every plot beat to click into a clean diagram, you’re going to have a great time. If you want your horror to behave, explain itself, and wrap up with a neat bow, you will want to throw Simon out a window by page fifty.
The book is uncomfortably strange in that specific way where you can’t tell if you’re aroused, horrified, or just impressed that the author committed to the bit with both hands.
Read if you want a voice that grabs you by the collar and whispers, “We’re doing this, babe,” while your brain screams for HR.
Skip if you want your horror “spooky but comforting,” like a scented candle that says Haunted Library.
July 11, 2025
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
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
September 26, 2025
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.
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.
October 5, 2025
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.
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.
July 5, 2025
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.
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.
Review of advance copy
This has got to be the BEST horror novel dealing with 'the Devil' and his EVIL ways that I have read in the last 15 years!
This came available as an audiobook on my Libby account yesterday, though it is NOT supposed to come out till mid February 2026, and I was SO SO glad it did! I have never heard of this author (this was their debut!) nor the book, but when I read the book details......I HAD to borrow it! Come on, a Gay male lead, the Devil, and gratuitous SEX! I was so enthralled that this was a debut novel.....and one that I thought was SO good, and almost believable that I HAD to write this review.
I spent just 9.5 hours listening to this last night and got thru it in one sitting, it was that good. Simon is a young gay man who is lonely. He works at a very unique and popular restaurant and he is always Emp of the Month. He is also very charming, but almost shy. And oh; yeah, did I mention he is addicted to SEX!? Yes, he is. He lives in a flat somewhere in the U.K. with his quiet and his only best friend; Josh. All is well with their lives and friendship that is until the day when Josh decides to move out; leaving Simon to have to come up with rent on his own......and they do not have the nicest of young property managers. When he finds out that he has a new flatmate moving in, he thinks and hopes that they will be as close with each other has he and Josh were........he finds out that he could NOT be more wrong. The new flatmate's name is Massimo and he is absolutely gorgeous.....and in extremely good physical shape, something that Simon is not; muscular, and outgoing. Then he starts to smell rotten and raw smelling dead 'meat'. What the hell could this be, and from where is it coming from?
When people and animals start coming up tore apart and or partially eaten he stops to think is it still safe to go out to the gay clubs/and pubs till all hours of the night, or should he just stay home until the police find out who is responsible. What follows has got to be one of the best novels dealing with a gay male character and THE 'Devil' that I have read since the early 80's! As I approached the end I was so happy that this author did not ruin the book with it's outcome, it was very well thought of and executed almost to perfection!. Being an openly gay male in my 60's this book took me back to my days where I could relate to Simon whole heartedly.
It is graphic in it's details of sex, cannibalism, and mutilation of both people and animals*, so if that is something that bothers you, do not read it, otherwise get a copy as soon as it comes out!.
*the animal abuse is one small scene and not gratuitous.
Highly recommended!
When was the last time you smelt something rotting in someone's breath?
5 stars
This came available as an audiobook on my Libby account yesterday, though it is NOT supposed to come out till mid February 2026, and I was SO SO glad it did! I have never heard of this author (this was their debut!) nor the book, but when I read the book details......I HAD to borrow it! Come on, a Gay male lead, the Devil, and gratuitous SEX! I was so enthralled that this was a debut novel.....and one that I thought was SO good, and almost believable that I HAD to write this review.
I spent just 9.5 hours listening to this last night and got thru it in one sitting, it was that good. Simon is a young gay man who is lonely. He works at a very unique and popular restaurant and he is always Emp of the Month. He is also very charming, but almost shy. And oh; yeah, did I mention he is addicted to SEX!? Yes, he is. He lives in a flat somewhere in the U.K. with his quiet and his only best friend; Josh. All is well with their lives and friendship that is until the day when Josh decides to move out; leaving Simon to have to come up with rent on his own......and they do not have the nicest of young property managers. When he finds out that he has a new flatmate moving in, he thinks and hopes that they will be as close with each other has he and Josh were........he finds out that he could NOT be more wrong. The new flatmate's name is Massimo and he is absolutely gorgeous.....and in extremely good physical shape, something that Simon is not; muscular, and outgoing. Then he starts to smell rotten and raw smelling dead 'meat'. What the hell could this be, and from where is it coming from?
When people and animals start coming up tore apart and or partially eaten he stops to think is it still safe to go out to the gay clubs/and pubs till all hours of the night, or should he just stay home until the police find out who is responsible. What follows has got to be one of the best novels dealing with a gay male character and THE 'Devil' that I have read since the early 80's! As I approached the end I was so happy that this author did not ruin the book with it's outcome, it was very well thought of and executed almost to perfection!. Being an openly gay male in my 60's this book took me back to my days where I could relate to Simon whole heartedly.
It is graphic in it's details of sex, cannibalism, and mutilation of both people and animals*, so if that is something that bothers you, do not read it, otherwise get a copy as soon as it comes out!.
*the animal abuse is one small scene and not gratuitous.
Highly recommended!
When was the last time you smelt something rotting in someone's breath?
5 stars
February 1, 2026
Simon’s roommate Josh has moved out and found him a new roommate through a friend of a friend. Having to share an apartment with a total stranger sounds like a nightmarish enough scenario on its own - imagine believing that this stranger is also the devil. It’s such a fun set up for a novel and I was so excited to pick it up. I just feel like it’s also a misleading synopsis in ways I can’t get into without massive spoilers. Just know it’s not exactly what it says on the tin.
Simon started out as an interesting enough character, if not thoroughly frustrating. He’s unreliable and clearly unstable and hiding things from the reader, which is an unlikable narrator I can usually get behind. He evolved into something less interesting and just absolutely infuriating as the book went on, though. I spent most of the time trying to figure out what was wrong with him and what the author was trying to say with him. By the end I’m not sure that the author entirely knew either.
Throughout the course of this novel it kept morphing into something new and each change felt less appealing than the last to me. Every time I felt I had a grip on what was going on the genre changed. I feel like this had the potential to be one cohesive story, but it’s just not as put together as it could be. Besides that it could stand to lose a few entire chapters (the Josh context could be necessary but by the time it comes I’m so beyond tired of hearing about him and the entire history we get on another character felt wholly unnecessary to me too). Truly, I’m not sure this novel knew what it wanted to be.
Just in general this felt like it could have used a couple more drafts to really pin down and polish off what could have been a really unique and interesting story. The potential was there, but, even outside of bigger plot points and problem areas that could have been cleaner, there was a ton of grammatical errors. Some of it was clearly style choice - choppy sentences for a disorganized mind - but it broke its own style choices often enough that I found myself having to put it down several times. It just felt erratic in general.
I’m sure this story will be loved by those it speaks to on a personal level. I just can’t see around the craft issues I have with it to find that.
Thank you to NetGalley and Abram’s Books for this eARC given in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions here are my own.
Simon started out as an interesting enough character, if not thoroughly frustrating. He’s unreliable and clearly unstable and hiding things from the reader, which is an unlikable narrator I can usually get behind. He evolved into something less interesting and just absolutely infuriating as the book went on, though. I spent most of the time trying to figure out what was wrong with him and what the author was trying to say with him. By the end I’m not sure that the author entirely knew either.
Throughout the course of this novel it kept morphing into something new and each change felt less appealing than the last to me. Every time I felt I had a grip on what was going on the genre changed. I feel like this had the potential to be one cohesive story, but it’s just not as put together as it could be. Besides that it could stand to lose a few entire chapters (the Josh context could be necessary but by the time it comes I’m so beyond tired of hearing about him and the entire history we get on another character felt wholly unnecessary to me too). Truly, I’m not sure this novel knew what it wanted to be.
Just in general this felt like it could have used a couple more drafts to really pin down and polish off what could have been a really unique and interesting story. The potential was there, but, even outside of bigger plot points and problem areas that could have been cleaner, there was a ton of grammatical errors. Some of it was clearly style choice - choppy sentences for a disorganized mind - but it broke its own style choices often enough that I found myself having to put it down several times. It just felt erratic in general.
I’m sure this story will be loved by those it speaks to on a personal level. I just can’t see around the craft issues I have with it to find that.
Thank you to NetGalley and Abram’s Books for this eARC given in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions here are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.
A book that straddles genres, He’s the Devil is … weird. That’s the best way to describe it. Perhaps unhinged.
This book isn’t for everyone, that’s for sure. It’s got a lot of unapologetically graphic content and a main character who is interesting but is often unlikable. Yet, the book is also funny in very dark ways and carries a sort of campy flair to its prose. In all these ways, it reminded me of an early Chuck Palahniuk book.
The book is also incredibly horny - if that bothers you, avoid for sure, but I was like, “meh, I’ve read weirder stuff.”
Simon is hard to get a bead on when it comes to this, though, as he lusts after people yet refuses real connection. He’s an interesting character because he puts on a facade to hide his darkness, yet he also goes through moments of deluding himself. And the book never tries to make you empathize with him - we’re just supposed to watch this weirdo in a sort of voyeuristic way as he tries to live within the lines but often steps over them. He gets a very minimal backstory as a pseudo-explanation, but it felt more for depth than a reason or excuse for his behaviour or personality. He’s so weird, but then again, so is everyone in this book. There isn’t a single character who isn’t some sort of strange person, so much so that this book steps into the realm of a fever dream, but I wouldn’t call it that exactly.
Unfortunately, Simon’s facade is too blatant to the reader, making the trajectory of the story rather obvious. While he hides it from other characters, it’s too obvious for us. While it’s fun to wonder how long he can hold it back, his reining it in and etcetera took a bit too long. It could have been trimmed. And some sections near the end could have been woven throughout, or perhaps Simon’s sections shortened and theirs broadened.
This book is a horror, but I’d argue the real horror is having roommates.
Overall, a very interesting take on demon possession, and if you like books that are weird and deliberately gross, give it a shot. It's fun!
A book that straddles genres, He’s the Devil is … weird. That’s the best way to describe it. Perhaps unhinged.
This book isn’t for everyone, that’s for sure. It’s got a lot of unapologetically graphic content and a main character who is interesting but is often unlikable. Yet, the book is also funny in very dark ways and carries a sort of campy flair to its prose. In all these ways, it reminded me of an early Chuck Palahniuk book.
The book is also incredibly horny - if that bothers you, avoid for sure, but I was like, “meh, I’ve read weirder stuff.”
Simon is hard to get a bead on when it comes to this, though, as he lusts after people yet refuses real connection. He’s an interesting character because he puts on a facade to hide his darkness, yet he also goes through moments of deluding himself. And the book never tries to make you empathize with him - we’re just supposed to watch this weirdo in a sort of voyeuristic way as he tries to live within the lines but often steps over them. He gets a very minimal backstory as a pseudo-explanation, but it felt more for depth than a reason or excuse for his behaviour or personality. He’s so weird, but then again, so is everyone in this book. There isn’t a single character who isn’t some sort of strange person, so much so that this book steps into the realm of a fever dream, but I wouldn’t call it that exactly.
Unfortunately, Simon’s facade is too blatant to the reader, making the trajectory of the story rather obvious. While he hides it from other characters, it’s too obvious for us. While it’s fun to wonder how long he can hold it back, his reining it in and etcetera took a bit too long. It could have been trimmed. And some sections near the end could have been woven throughout, or perhaps Simon’s sections shortened and theirs broadened.
This book is a horror, but I’d argue the real horror is having roommates.
Overall, a very interesting take on demon possession, and if you like books that are weird and deliberately gross, give it a shot. It's fun!
Review of advance copy
First things first. This book is a queer horror. Not a thriller. I had gone into the book expecting some sense of a murder mystery based on the way it had been described to me which somewhat altered my reading experience. Around half way through when seeing “relatable” on the front cover I was quite confused. But as the book unfolds and metaphors being to sink you realise just how relatable Simon is. In his struggles with being perfect and the relentless temptations of addiction woven throughout the story. You see a pretty ordinary guy living his pretty ordinary life but still facing the everyday urges that stray from being perfect and ‘in line’. Something that has really stuck with me that translates his behaviour into modern thought is the trend of “impulsive thoughts”. ‘Acting in my impulsive thoughts’,
‘Seeing my friends reactions to my impulsive thoughts’. Thoughts that creep into everyone’s minds that we know are wrong and we could never act on, but thoughts we think none the less. Toby coventry explores what it would be like to cross that line, say what you have always wanted to say, do what you have always wanted to do. The pleasures and fears that could bring. As someone who doesn’t read many horror novels it’s definitely opened my eyes to more literature, and I think he has done an amazing job at demonising average thought on a grand dramatic scale. My only note is that the first half of the book leaves you questioning a lot of the behaviour and actions without understanding why, as the book continues it makes more sense but for a novel of nearly 400 pages you have to grit your teeth through some questionable behaviour before you get your answers. Overall the book was a solid read and does go full circle, leaving you wanting more as such is the essence of the story. I will definitely be reading more of his work as it is published.
‘Seeing my friends reactions to my impulsive thoughts’. Thoughts that creep into everyone’s minds that we know are wrong and we could never act on, but thoughts we think none the less. Toby coventry explores what it would be like to cross that line, say what you have always wanted to say, do what you have always wanted to do. The pleasures and fears that could bring. As someone who doesn’t read many horror novels it’s definitely opened my eyes to more literature, and I think he has done an amazing job at demonising average thought on a grand dramatic scale. My only note is that the first half of the book leaves you questioning a lot of the behaviour and actions without understanding why, as the book continues it makes more sense but for a novel of nearly 400 pages you have to grit your teeth through some questionable behaviour before you get your answers. Overall the book was a solid read and does go full circle, leaving you wanting more as such is the essence of the story. I will definitely be reading more of his work as it is published.
February 4, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Abrams Press for this ARC. This is my honest review.
This book is out now!
Simon has a good life. He’s got a reliable job, good apartment, and he’s been successfully hiding his dark parts by being a good guy. Until suddenly his best friend Josh moves out, and a new roommate, Massimo, moves in. Now Simon can hear creaking in his hallways, he can always smell earth and spoiled meat, and he has been starting to have weird dreams. Having Massimo living with him is slowly starting to chip away at his will to hide his dark parts and Simon’s not sure if that’s a good thing.
This was more of a slow build up horror. Over time, the weird things started happening more and more. Simon tries to ignore it but you could tell it slowly started to creep him out. I didn’t find the suspense all that chilling because a lot of the time Simon seemed too cocky for this thing in his house to be evil or bad. Massimo’s actions were creepy and weird, and I’d say that was the creepiest part of the book. But again it was hard to be creeped out when Simon had two default settings around Massimo: scared or horny. I did enjoy, though, the ending and I feel like that is the second best way this book could have ended.
Simon had been hiding his dark parts of him, the ones that wanted to cause chaos, for as long as he could remember. I liked him in a way. He was pretty cocky when it came to the thing in his house, but he also seemed awkward talking to people in public. He also doesn’t seem to have much survival instincts. But I think he was mostly a guy trying to do good things, although maybe a little bit unsuccessfully.
I’m happy I read this book and I would recommend this to anyone that thinks this would suit them!
This book is out now!
Simon has a good life. He’s got a reliable job, good apartment, and he’s been successfully hiding his dark parts by being a good guy. Until suddenly his best friend Josh moves out, and a new roommate, Massimo, moves in. Now Simon can hear creaking in his hallways, he can always smell earth and spoiled meat, and he has been starting to have weird dreams. Having Massimo living with him is slowly starting to chip away at his will to hide his dark parts and Simon’s not sure if that’s a good thing.
This was more of a slow build up horror. Over time, the weird things started happening more and more. Simon tries to ignore it but you could tell it slowly started to creep him out. I didn’t find the suspense all that chilling because a lot of the time Simon seemed too cocky for this thing in his house to be evil or bad. Massimo’s actions were creepy and weird, and I’d say that was the creepiest part of the book. But again it was hard to be creeped out when Simon had two default settings around Massimo: scared or horny. I did enjoy, though, the ending and I feel like that is the second best way this book could have ended.
Simon had been hiding his dark parts of him, the ones that wanted to cause chaos, for as long as he could remember. I liked him in a way. He was pretty cocky when it came to the thing in his house, but he also seemed awkward talking to people in public. He also doesn’t seem to have much survival instincts. But I think he was mostly a guy trying to do good things, although maybe a little bit unsuccessfully.
I’m happy I read this book and I would recommend this to anyone that thinks this would suit them!
October 19, 2025
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The synopsis I fell for is devastatingly NOT what I feel this book will give readers, personally. Simon loses Josh as a roommate and experiences a deep loneliness as a repercussion. Instantly, he finds a stranger to fill Josh's shoes in hopes his life will not only chug along as usual, but really and truly gravitate towards success in a "new roomie, new me" mantra of sorts. What I hoped would be a horny, queer Three's Company turned on its head fell flat for me- Simon was so unlikeable, but instead of developing positively, he gets even worse by the end. This in particular left me feeling al,ost empty at the conclusion of this book- I had no rhyme nor reason to root for any individual mentioned in this book. I want to point out too, there is a consistent mention of farts and sulfur and gaseous bodily functions that did not amount to anything remotely demonic, and for what? Said mentions become redundant when there's no relativity to the plot, and I'll leave this review here. This author wrote SO well- I loved the metaphorical and lyrical beauty in the words themselves. I hope to enjoy their next release more. Thanks to NetGalley and Abrams Press for the eARC. All opinions are entirely my own.
December 12, 2025
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!
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!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
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.
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.
February 8, 2026
It only took me to get 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 with a demon who 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 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.
Think of He's The Devil as a queer modern horror novel with a demon who 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 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.
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