The Night Is Not for You

“[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.

• "Quotah paints us a world that feels ripe for the taking, much like the flowers that make up Layla’s perfumes, but also foreign and warped. The work done here is complex, heartfelt, and painful at times. This is a book that I will return to time and time again, particularly when the world feels vibrant and violent.” 
  Megan Bontrager, author of The Sea Hides Its Dead
• "The Night Is Not for You is a fierce coming of age novel unlike any I’ve read before. Steeped in dread and a wild, aromatic atmosphere, this story is a shapeshifter—from murder mystery to folktale to family drama and back again. Through this mutability, Eman Quotah perfectly captures the dark heart of girlhood, the fear of what lurks in the night, and the thrill of lurking there yourself." 
  Jen Julian, author of Red Rabbit Ghost
•  "[A] wonderfully chilling and entirely immersive feminist horror story... The characters are well drawn, the suspense is taut, and a great final twist proves very fun. There’s a lot here to sink one’s teeth into." 
  Publishers Weekly (starred review)
• "Fans of protagonists breaking bad and horror that reads like fractured fairy tales will enjoy following Quotah's narrative down its shadowed alleys." 
  Library Journal