We Run the Night
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- Pre-Order
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- Expected Sep 15, 2026
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- $11.99
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- Pre-Order
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
An elite, isolated Kenyan boarding school is terrorized by supernatural entities, grotesque maladies, and strange transformations in a chilling YA horror debut inspired by the urban legend of “night runners.”
Perfect for fans of She Is a Haunting and White Smoke
When Shani returns to her elite, isolated boarding school after her father’s mysterious death, she just wants to finish senior year with her scholarship intact—which means focusing on her work and staying out of trouble. Even with her best friend, Pendo, by her side, she’s never quite fit in at Taji Academy. But soon, strange things start happening at school—not only are students coming down with odd, grotesque skin maladies, someone is causing chaos on campus after curfew. Are they night runners, the supernatural entities that terrorize rural neighborhoods in the dark?
The strict administration insists it’s just students pulling pranks. Everyone knows that night runners are just an urban legend. But when one of the popular students, Adila, goes missing—and Shani wakes up one morning with mud on her feet, torn clothes, and a pounding headache—she knows it’s more than that. As she and others at Taji begin to transform with no way to contact the outside world, she must figure out what is happening—before it’s too late.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Pulling from Kenyan urban legends, Mbengei debuts with a heart-stopping supernatural horror novel. Returning to class following the sudden death of her father in a hit-and-run, senior Shani Bara just wants to make it through the rest of the school year. She's been sleeping less since her father's accident, making it difficult for her to focus on her studies, and she must maintain impeccable grades and behavior to keep her scholarship to elite Kenyan boarding school Taji Academy. Meanwhile, rumors swirl about night runners—shadowy figures said to roam the campus grounds after dark. Most students dismiss them as pranksters, until Shani awakens in her dorm room covered in mud and realizes she may be becoming one herself. As students begin vanishing and school administrators offer little support, Shani races to uncover the truth behind the night runners before she disappears as well. Eerie ambience and mounting tension fuel a twist-filled paranormal mystery that intertwines with the protagonist's seeking justice as she searches for the driver responsible for her father's death. Shani's ongoing clashes with wealthy bullies and former friends add layers to her struggles with grief, identity, and loss, lending emotional weight to a suspenseful offering. Ages 14–up.
