HAIL MARY

193pp., paperback, Magpie, London, 2026

ISBN: 9780861547692

In this short story collection, nine Nigerian women discover what it means to confront traditional expectations that have held them hostage.

"Hail Mary, Funmi Fetto’s immersive story collection, is an unflinching observation of how people and systems claiming culture, tradition or religion conspire to lock girls and women in oppressive cycles. It is a forceful reminder that we are full of grace - so much more than our sexuality, social station, looks, fertility, or marital status. And it is a prayer of the searching soul for true Godly relief.” Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond, author of My Parents’ Marriage: A novel

"Funmi Fetto’s vignettes take us from Nigeria to the UK, from triumph to tragedy, through shocking tales of desperation and deliverance. She shines a necessary light on the ways in which religion, patriarchy, and colonialism oppress Nigerian women in a culturally layered and gripping collection of stories that are also a testament to their resilience."  Vanessa Walters, author of The Lagos Wife 

London-based journalist and editor Funmi Fetto is currently Style Editor at British Vogue. She has worked and written for numerous publications and organisations including Vanity Fair, InStyle, Sunday Times Style, Guardian and Tatler, is a columnist at the Observer, and author of the book Palette: The Beauty Bible for Women of Colour. Hail Mary is her first work of fiction.