Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé’s debut thriller novel Ace of Spades became a bestseller, and she is now experimenting with mystery in her latest book Where Sleeping Girls Lie. Sade Hussein is new to the Alfred Nobel Academy boarding school and discovers dark secrets and coverups when her roommate Elizabeth disappears. Young Entertainment interviewed Faridah to learn more about where the inspiration for this book came from. 

Young Entertainment: What drew you to wanting to write this YA contemporary mystery?
Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé: I really wanted to work on something that felt completely different to my debut which was a YA thriller. I’m someone who loves character work but avoids world building at all costs and so I challenged myself to really focus in on the world building in this book— which I am pretty proud of! 

“I wanted to thread through the subtle love, slow-rising story in the book to show how multifaceted we are even in the throes of trauma/darkness.”

YE: Where did the inspiration for Where Sleeping Girls Lie come from?
FAI: I was inspired by the gentlemen’s-club-esque culture that exists inside a lot of schools, where violence happens and it is excused and brushed under the rug in favor of protecting the promising futures of the boys who are jeopardizing the futures of their classmates. I have also always loved boarding school stories and so I really wanted to write my own. 

YE: Alfred Nobel Academy boarding school is a big part of Where Sleeping Girls Lie. Describe to us how you imagined it as you were writing it.
FAI: I was very inspired by the architecture of the University of Glasgow in Scotland. If you haven’t seen the campus, it has these sprawling, gothic, buildings from the Middle Ages. I wrote most of Where Sleeping Girls Lie during lockdown and so I heavily relied on videos and pictures of the University of Glasgow’s campus. 

YE: What was the process of creating Where Sleeping Girls Lie like?
FAI: Stressful. Writing a second book is not for the weak, it took me many, many years to plan, write and edit this story. I definitely think I have become a stronger writer through this process, and I am extremely proud of how far this book has come, even with all of the initial strife. 

YE: How would you describe Sade in three words?
FAI:Head in clouds 

YE: Sade is especially drawn to Persephone. What is it about her that makes Sade so drawn to her?
FAI: I think at first she just thinks Persephone is really pretty, in an almost arresting way. Persephone always throws Sade off, both with her abrupt personality and her enigmatic persona. I wanted to thread through the subtle love, slow-rising story in the book to show how multifaceted we are even in the throes of trauma/darkness. I think it is important to show people who have lived through horrendous things also getting to love and exist in a multitude of ways. 

YE: Sade finds herself surrounded by the Unholy Trinity, how would you describe this group?
FAI: I’d describe the Unholy Trinity as an enigmatic, interesting group of young girls who everyone inexplicably feels drawn to. 

“ I’m someone who loves character work but avoids world building at all costs and so I challenged myself to really focus in on the world building in this book.”

YE: Who is an inspiration for you when it comes to writing?
FAI: I have so many writing inspirations, but one author that comes to mind is Neal Shusterman. His world building is just incredible, and I am always trying to up my world building game. 

YE: What is something you learned about yourself when you wrote Where Sleeping Girls Lie?
FAI: That I can indeed write a long book. Before Where Sleeping Girls Lie, I was a chronic underwriter, but something weird happened with this book and I somehow produced this time. 

YE: What does it take to make a great contemporary mystery?
FAI: A story where the twist was somewhat obvious but at the same time you still feel like the rug has been pulled from beneath you. 

YE: Do you plan on writing more contemporary mysteries?
FAI: Yes! I have plans to write at least two more YA mysteries.

Consider this: 

• Don’t be afraid to try different genres of work and challenge yourself.