From CJ Leede, the author of Maeve Fly and a new voice in the feminist horror space, comes a scorching new apocalyptic novel.

Blessed are the meek, Sophie was taught; blessed are the pure of heart. Blessed is the good Catholic girl who honours her father and mother, who renounces the sins of pride, greed, wrath, gluttony, envy, and sloth, for she will inherit the earth.

But nothing in her strict religious upbring could have prepared Sophie for the arrival of the scorching winds that sweep through the Midwest - not the righteous breath of God, but an evil gust that delivers an ungodly, fevered lust unto the virtuous and the wicked alike.

Separated from her family in the chaos of the apocalypse, Sophie is overcome by an unfamiliar fire from within, a steady pulse from somewhere beneath her belly that draws her toward the boys her mother warned her against: their eyes, their lips, their hands, their skin. The hellscape around her is foreign and strange, but so is the frantic desire that blooms in Sophie, tempting her away from the light. Though her own body has become a carnal battleground, she must somehow find her way through the ravaged world to rescue her brother, hoping the fever hasn't taken him; hoping he can still be saved.

'Keep an eye on this rising feminist voice' Tori Amos

In C.J Leede's latest genre-bending thriller, Sophie, a good Catholic girl who has been kept separate from the world, must traverse the apocalyptic hellscape of the midwest to try to find her lost brother whilst learning the reality of her own sexuality in a suddenly lust-filled world.

About the Author

C.J. LEEDE is the author of MAEVE FLY, winner of the Golden Poppy Octavia E. Butler Award, a Bram Stoker Award and Splatterpunk Award nominee. When she is not driving around the country, she can be found in LA with her boyfriend and rescue dogs.

AMERICAN RAPTURE is her second novel.

Reviews
'Leede masterfully eases readers into a taut horror plot in her standout sophomore outing . . . plenty of page-turning suspense, and this proves hard to put down' * Publishers Weekly *
'A riveting, sprawling, staggeringly brilliant novel about the horrors of shame and repression and sexual violence and moral panics. American Rapture is a riotous scream and an emotional ode to anyone who has ever hidden their true self under their mattress. Blood-soaked, heart-wrenching, grim and glorious. Leede is a singular talent' -- Rachel Harrison, author of BLACK SHEEP
'One of the best new writers in the genre' * Paste Magazine *
'American Rapture has its finger on the bloody, fevered pulse, fearlessly addressing notions of love, sex, faith, redemption, individuality. You won't read anything else like it' -- Keith Rosson, author of FEVER HOUSE
'This gruesomely lustful reality has all the hallmarks of great apocalyptic fiction. But beneath some fantastic set pieces and truly soul-scarring events, there is a furious satire of America's sexual politics' * Vulture *
'A bold, fiercely sharp, and deeply unsettling reimagining of the zombie apocalypse genre, which Leede crafts with equal parts anger and unwavering empathy' -- Chuck Tingle, author of CAMP DAMASCUS
'Like many horror fans, I worship at the altar of C.J. Leede and her upcoming horror novel, American Rapture, further proves that she's a force to be reckoned with' * Polygon *
'A blistering, feverish ride through a uniquely American apocalypse. Leede crafts a deeply compelling descent through an unraveling heartland' -- Chuck Wendig, author of THE BOOK OF ACCIDENTS
'Cinematic, visceral, reflective, and palpable, American Rapture keeps you staying up late, hand on page ready to turn before you're done with the one you're on, and thinking about it for days on end when you finish. Bravo' -- Ted Van Alst, co-editor of NEVER WHISTLE AT NIGHT
'With a heart as innocent as that of its heroine, American Rapture is a brave book, a daring book, and most of all, a timely book. It's terrifying because it's true. Kudos to CJ Leede' -- Alma Katsu, author of THE FERVOR
'A masterful, apocalyptic fever dream. Leede has the singular ability to make your skin crawl while you're bawling your eyes out. Americana horror at its finest' -- Liz Kerin, author of NIGHT'S EDGE
'Forget the zombies you know! Leede's American Rapture is a brutally fresh take on the apocalypse genre. Leede blends heart and horror, taking readers on an utterly bonkers and horrific ride. Buckle up' -- Jimmy Juliano, author of DEAD ELEVEN
'CJ Leede's debut novel, Maeve Fly, blew my hair back. American Rapture took the top of my head clean off. Her prose is as precise as a .44 copper-jacket, yet you'll discover real love and pathos in these pages' -- Nick Cutter, bestselling author of THE TROOP
'Shocking, heart-breaking ... and hopeful' * Goodreads *



Book Information
ISBN 9781785124662
Author CJ Leede
Format Paperback
Page Count 384
Imprint Bonnier Books Ltd
Publisher Bonnier Books Ltd