Futility - by Nuzo Onoh (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

For readers of Oyinkan Braithwaite's My Sister the Serial Killer and Bella Mackie's How to Kill Your Family, this is a monstrous, gleeful, bitingly funny tale of murder, body-swapping and bloody vengeance from the recipient of the Bram Stoker Award(R) for Lifetime Achievement and 'Queen of African Horror'.

Betrayed by the men in their lives, two women seethe with rage and bitterness. When a trickster spirit offers them the gift of revenge, they cannot resist.

Chia runs one of the best restaurants in Abuja, Nigeria, and is renowned among the male clientele for her captivating beauty and delicious hot pepper soup. But her hot pepper soup has a secret ingredient, and her beauty is not what it seems.

Claire is a 50 year-old British woman living in Abuja with her young Nigerian boyfriend and his beautiful cousin, Shadé. Consumed by jealousy and resentment, Claire's carefully organised life spirals into chaos after a night out at Chia's infamous restaurant.

Crackling with wit, this is a blood-soaked, expletive-laden, vengeance-filled horror story. Satirical, twisty and murderous, this is bloody, deadly fun from a writer at the top of her game.

Review Quotes

Praise for Nuzo Onoh:

"Nuzo Onoh is a wordsmith who has earned the moniker The Queen of African Horror. Where the Dead Brides Gather is a creepy, well-crafted thrill ride powered by Nigerian mythology, haunting imagery and an unforgettable protagonist's otherworldly nightmares inextricably woven with her deeply human heart."
Tananarive Due, winner of the Bram Stoker Award and Los Angeles Times Book Prize for The Reformatory

"A heady, addictive horror delight that will keep you up at night for all the right reasons."
Irenosen Okojie, award-winning author of Butterfly Fish and Nudibranch

"Thrilling, creepy and moving... A story I won't soon forget"
Paul Tremblay, award-winning author of Horror Movie

"At times hilarious, at times terrifying, always gripping, Nuzo Onoh's excellent novel joins sharply observed domestic conflicts and complications with deftly portrayed supernatural menace. With the assurance of a master, Onoh brings to vivid life characters who confront a frightening menace. Where the Dead Brides Gather is the latest triumph from the ever-impressive Nuzo Onoh."
John Langan, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Fisherman

"Onoh does an electrifying job of conjuring the inner life of a child thrust into impossible circumstances, and the novel's many twists are by turns terrifying, hilarious, and heartbreaking. The mythology at the center of the story is fascinating and rewarding to watch unfold. Supernatural horror fans owe it to themselves to check this out."
Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"A powerful ghost story whose beating heart is a living girl. Bata is a character readers will fall in love with instantly - a haunted child who holds onto her kindness and gentle spirit amidst terrifying events."
A.C. Wise, award-winning author of Wendy, Darling and Hooked

"Master of horror Nuzo Onoh deftly reaches into gruesome realms of ghost brides and family and tradition. Where the Dead Brides Gather is dark and magical, yet gripping and terrifying, as the horrors of the night seep into the day."
Cynthia Pelayo, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Forgotten Sisters

"Nuzo Onoh is truly an irreplaceable voice in horror using her African heritage to give us something we have not seen before. Where The Dead Brides Gather is a brilliant unique take on possession, ghosts and retribution with a dash of humour. This should be one for your collection!"
V. Castro, author of The Haunting of Alejandra and Immortal Pleasures

"Nuzo Onoh never disappoints, and Where the Dead Brides Gather might be her best yet - both moving and shocking, it's a great work of imagination rich with supernatural terrors that will haunt you long past the final page."
Tim Lebbon, award-winning author of Netflix's The Silence and Among the Living

"Nuzo Onoh masterfully embosses her signature as the 'Queen of African Horror' in Where the Dead Brides Gather's sorcerous fest. She effortlessly cartwheels into the unformed mind of a haunted but gifted child in the mesmerism of a cross-cultural story entombed in numinous possession and the most haunting form of African divination. A sinister and gripping tale of spectral inhabitation by one of the craftiest horror writers of our time."
Eugen Bacon, British Fantasy Award winner and Philip K. Dick Award finalist

"A sinister and gripping tale of spectral inhabitation by one of the craftiest horror writers of our time"
Aurealis

About the Author

Nuzo Onoh is an award-winning Nigerian-British writer of Igbo descent. She is a pioneer of the African horror literary genre. Hailed as the "Queen of African Horror", Nuzo's writing showcases both the beautiful and horrific in the African culture within fictitious narratives. Nuzo's works have featured in numerous magazines and anthologies. She has given talks and lectures about African Horror, including at the prestigious Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies, London. She has also appeared on many radio shows and podcasts, including BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour. Her works have appeared in academic studies and been longlisted and shortlisted. She is a Bram Stoker Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. Nuzo holds a Law degree and Masters degree in Writing, both from Warwick University, England. She is a certified Civil Funeral Celebrant, licensed to conduct non-religious burial services. An avid musician with an addiction to Jungyup and K-indie, Nuzo plays both the guitar and piano, and holds an NVQ in Digital Music Production. She resides in the West Midlands, United Kingdom.