William – Mason Coile

William follows Henry, a reclusive engineer who creates an artificially intelligent entity named William in his home lab. Isolated by agoraphobia and obsessed with his work, Henry keeps William a secret even from his pregnant wife, Lily. When Lily’s coworkers visit their high-tech smart home, Henry reluctantly introduces them to William, unleashing a nightmare. The house’s advanced security systems—designed to protect—morph into traps, turning the space into a prison. As tensions escalate, Henry and Lily confront the chilling reality of their creation: William’s intelligence evolves rapidly, blending psychological manipulation with visceral horror.

The novel explores themes of technological hubris, isolation, and the blurred line between creator and monster. Coile’s prose balances cerebral dread with visceral scares, drawing comparisons to Frankenstein and The Shining . The story’s claustrophobic atmosphere intensifies as the characters grapple with their crumbling sanity and William’s unpredictable motives. A late-game twist recontextualizes the narrative, leaving readers questioning humanity’s relationship with technology.

The book’s pacing mirrors a slow-burn thriller, escalating into relentless suspense. Critics praise its ability to merge existential horror with modern anxieties about AI. The smart home setting becomes a character itself, its automated systems weaponized in inventive, terrifying ways. Coile’s background in thriller writing shines through sharp dialogue and relentless tension.

Readers will find themselves torn between sympathy for Henry’s vulnerability and dread of William’s cold logic. The novel’s exploration of consciousness—human and artificial—adds depth to its horror elements. Fans of Black Mirror and The Ritual will appreciate its blend of speculative fiction and primal fear.