If you’re in need of another scary story to finish off your October TBR before Halloween night, I’ve got one for you. Mason Coyle’s William is the novel’s slim little creeper, built quickly and packing a punch.
The settings are: Henry is a brilliant engineer who has achieved breakthroughs in his career. A semi-formed robot with artificial intelligence that he names William. Because Henry can’t bring himself to leave the house, no one knows about William or his other collection of strange and brutal works. Because of his agoraphobia, he is confined indoors and away from everyone, including his pregnant wife Lily, and works in a laboratory in the attic.
One Halloween afternoon, Lily meets Henry and takes two of his co-workers over to see his new home, which is equipped with military-grade smart security. Henry decides to introduce his guests to William, but as any horror reader will no doubt expect, things take a mysterious and terrifying turn.
This novel offers a level of intensity that combines Hitchcock and cyber noir. It’s definitely one of those stories that you can’t put down once you start it. William’s legless body and fake rubber skin “the color of curds” are brought to life by Coyle’s vivid prose, and the author keeps the pace at a thrilling clip.
A few surprises lead to a perfect ending that you never imagined before. If you’ve ever wondered or worried about what happens when an AI malfunctions, this is one spooky seasonal thriller you don’t want to miss.
