“He’s the Devil” by Tobi Coventry: Being Bad Never Felt So Good (BOOK REVIEW)

Being Bad Never Felt So Good

Hey, Alex! What have you been reading lately?

This moment feels like something I manifested. I’ve had my eyes on He’s the Devil by Tobi Coventry ever since that stunning cover dropped a couple of weeks ago, and when I kindly got sent a digital copy prior to its release on February 12th, 2026… let’s just say I couldn’t sit still and had to devour it right away.

Having recently moved flats myself - being that new flatmate - and reading this book made me seriously wonder if my housemates secretly think I’m not right in the head or light sage in the common areas when I’m not around. Queer horror, a suspicious flatmate, and a dash of the supernatural? It’s the perfect spooky season read.

Tell me more. What is the book about?

He’s the Devil follows Simon, a waiter with an obsessive desire for order and cleanliness. Simon is methodical, neat, the kind of guy who does his dishes and will do yours, too. But beneath all that composure lies something sinister, something he’s trying to keep under control.

When his long-term flatmate, Josh, moves out and replaces himself with a stranger named Massimo, Simon’s perfectly balanced world starts to rot around the edges. Massimo is everything Simon isn’t - he’s messy, magnetic, dangerously charming. And while Simon swears he despises him, his fascination takes the shape of something darker.

Meanwhile, bodies start piling up in their neighbourhood, and a local paramedic named Kat begins to suspect that something – or someone – causes all that misfortune.

He’s the Devil is a story about desire, repression, and the slow, terrifying process of becoming the thing you fear most.

What are some strong and weak points of the book?

What I loved most was how the writing was well justified. It feels cold, clinical, and unnervingly precise. The prose mirrors Simon’s mind: organised to the point of obsession, sterile yet easily disturbed. It’s voyeuristic, paranoid, and laced with a sexual tension so thick it practically drips off the pages.

The unreliable narrator trope is handled well here. Simon’s descent into chaos feels earned – one moment he’s a neat freak wiping the windows, the next he’s fighting not to let the devil living across the hall too close. He’s bound to leave the good boy persona behind and succumb to evilness.

That being said, the book uses lots of swearing and profanities, which are not to my personal liking. Another thing is that I wish Josh (the original flatmate) had more of a presence here. He’s introduced as a key emotional anchor, but after the initial setup, he kind of vanishes from the picture.

The later twist about why he left is wild – one of those holy what? moments that makes you flip back a few pages – but that also left me wanting more closure between him and Simon.

Any final thoughts? Should I read it too?

If you’re looking for a dark and endearing read that drips with psychological anxiety, you will love He’s the Devil. It’s a story that asks what happens when control turns into obsession, and what desire looks like when it curdles into something out of proportion.

The horror scenes are well executed and read very cinematic. I understand that the author, Tobi Coventry, happens to be a film producer. I definitely see this book being adapted for the screen, and believe it holds great potential to keep readers and audience alike on the edge of their seats.

For the longest time Simon refuses to accept that dark presence lurking from within and projects it onto Massimo – a complete stranger. He’s the Devil reminds us that there is a devil in all of us, and that the only way to live with it is to stop pretending it doesn’t exist and let go of everything that’s holding us back.

Thank you so much!! Are there any similar books that you can recommend?

Here are two recs if this one had you hooked too:

📸 Boy Parts by Eliza Clark — a female photographer on a transgressive dive into desire and creative obsession.

🍑 The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix — small-town community bite back at their charming, hair-raising new neighbour.

📲 limaistyping…

rating: ☀️☀️☀️
tropes: ⚖️ good vs bad | 😈 devil narrative | ✝️ exorcism | 🏳️‍🌈 queer horror | 🚪 behind closed doors
read if you like: white wine (multiple glasses, never bottle), flat shares, mushroom picking, Halloween parties
look out for: 💔 a ruined friendship | 🥐 why not to order croissants for breakfast | 💦 lots of pissing | 🫑 peppers or tongues | 🔮 cleansing ritual
"This felt like witnessing a car crash - you're frozen in space, eyes glued and unable to look away."