Midnight in the Morgue and Other Stories : The Caine Prize for African Writing 2024

An undocumented immigrant returns home after facing the indignities of the American Dream working as a washer of the dead, only to be met with a tragedy. A child struggles to come to terms with the fate of their beloved one-eyed chicken Otuanya – treated as a family pet but destined for the cooking pot. A family lives in fear of the dreaded Shadow Fever that haunts their town, keeping them trapped indoors after sunset or risk falling to an eternal sleep. From realistic explorations of family life, including parenthood and infidelity, to gritty noir and fantastical horror, the stories collected here are a testament to the endless imagination and possibilities of African literature. These witty, provocative and compulsively readable stories grapple with themes of feminism, patriarchy, class and exploitation, showcasing the role of the writer as an astute observer of life. This anthology is a generous offering, a feast of diverse, delectable narratives, with something for everyone.