“With this debut novella, Ajram delves into shadowy liminal spaces, allowing readers to guide the main character deeper into a nightmarish labyrinth with no escape.”
Vicken’s plan is to throw himself into the Saint Lawrence River in Montreal and say goodbye to everything. Seems fitting after a life of nothing but depression and pain. But when he steps off the subway, he is soon caught in an endless, looping station.
Determined to escape, Vicken explores the corridors and rooms in the station. No matter how many hallways he goes through, or vast cathedral-esque rooms, the exit is nowhere to be found.
The more he explores, the more Vicken is convinced that being trapped in his strange new prison isn’t an accident. And while walking through the shadows, he comes to realize that he almost certainly is not alone.
Why we’re excited about this book:
Horror readers will soon know Sofia Ajram and her work in one of the most anticipated books in 2024. Ajram is the author of Acid Bath (Little Mutations: Three Body Horror Novellas, with Jess Landry and Nadia Bulkin), and is the editor of Bury Your Gays: An Anthology of Tragic Queer Horror. When not writing, Ajram is designer of Sofia Zakia jewelry. With this debut novella, Ajram delves into shadowy liminal spaces, allowing readers to guide the main character deeper into a nightmarish labyrinth with no escape. Cynthia Pelayo (Children of Chicago) calls Coup de Grâce “An ever-expanding labyrinthine nightmare. A maze of memory. A kaleidoscope of caverns and chambers, peering deep into our movements of wake and sleep, guilt and regret and purpose. Coup de Grâce is one of the most unique, yet terrifying stories I have ever read, a terror so infinite I feel completely changed having read it”. Eric LaRocca (Everything the Darkness Eats) says: “Intricately woven and often too upsetting to bear, Ajram’s debut novella pulsates with a dizzying, almost mystifying energy. You will not feel safe while reading this book. A gift to be savored, a transgression to be endured.”,and Nat Cassidy (Nestlings) says: “To succinctly describe the power of this haunting labyrinth of a book would require a writer of Sofia Ajram’s skill—and that’s a rare thing indeed. This is the sort of story you read in one day and then think about for a lifetime. It’s bigger on the inside.”
Releasing from Titan Books 1 October 2024, Coup de Grâce by Sofia Ajram is available for pre-order now.
BOB PASTORELLA
