"[A] wonderfully chilling and entirely immersive feminist horror story." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)
When her sense of safety is shattered, a young girl realizes she must become something untamable--even otherworldly--to find freedom, in this visceral coming-of-age horror debut.
She's a cautionary tale for children, "Come back before it gets dark." A man's body is found viciously murdered behind a neighborhood corner store, sending shockwaves through the tight-knit community. All the victim's family and bystanders want is to make sense of this brutal crime and move on with their lives. All Layla dreams of is freedom--to think for herself, go anywhere, and live an independent life.
She's a warning to men, "Don't wander the streets late at night." When a second man is murdered, rumors fly of hoofprints and a woman with hair like black silk. Ambiguous messages in lipstick and sweet smell of perfume at the crime scenes causes the men to suspect the women around them. As Layla's world unravels, she realizes that if she wants freedom she must grow into the type of woman she's always dreamed of becoming. A woman with sharp instincts. A woman who cannot be tamed.
The night is not for you. It has always belonged to her.
