About the Book:

Derin is a working-class student bound for Cambridge University. When her favourite professor, Alexander Darnley, and then his wife, Cornelia, unexpectedly die, all of their students attend the will reading. They are instructed to compete in a series of challenges, based on Cornelia’s beloved historical novel, to win their stately home and its multi million-pound inheritance.

But the Darnley’s family are not happy to be missing out on their fortune and they don’t plan on letting it go easily. And tensions continue to rise when on Derin’s first night at Kenfield House, she receives a note reading ‘There’s something else going on here that the Darnley’s don’t want you to know.’ Derin must balance the thrilling games, scheming classmates and a cute Kenfield intern, all whilst realizing that the history and secrets of Kenfield House might be soaked in blood.

Who will ultimately be the heir?

Find on Goodreads. Find on Bookshop.org UK (affiliate link).

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About the Author:

Aleema Omotoni is a British-Nigerian author living in England. She writes novels that centre Black teens – especially Black girls – navigating friendships, family and coming of age. Aleema loves musical theatre, astrophysics and rainy autumn days snuggled up with a new TV show to binge

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Interview:

Pitch your book in 10 words!

Gifted literature students compete to win a multimillion-pound fortune 

In WINNERS & LIARS, Derin is one of several local school children offered a chance at a great fortune by playing the part in a game set around a best-selling book. Why did you want to write a thriller set in the modern day with this historical recreation aspect?

Going into my second book I really wanted to write something fun. So I decided to structure the book around exciting games that would propel the story along. As I wanted to incorporate things I learnt from my history degrees– in order to explore themes of loss, heritage and the whitewashing of history– the idea for the games to be based on a historical fiction book came naturally.

What drew you to pick the 1840s as the period of the novel, and thus the recreation?

I chose 1842 specifically because the characters were going to spend the games in historical clothing. The early 1840s had the benefit of being not as wildly whimsical as the 1830s but not as stuffy as the deep Victorian era.

In the immortal words of Aretha Franklin: “Great gowns, beautiful gowns” haha

Also, the themes I wanted to explore required specific historical contexts. I won’t go into too much detail because of spoilers but yeah it took a lot of research, creating timelines and family trees to finally decide on 1842 to set the novel in the book.

If you had to participate in the contest, is there a challenge you’d particularly like to participate in? One you’d like to avoid?

I won’t be specific because of spoilers but:

Participate: the first game could be a fun, but only if I’m in the same situation as Derin!

Avoid: the penultimate game. A game like that in the summer heat… not for me lol

As well as participating in the competition, Derin is presented with a mystery to investigate too. What tips do you have for writers juggling multiple thriller plotlines like this?

Make sure everything is connected. The story is so much easier to balance if everything that happens needs to be there in order to execute it. 

For example, each plotline should exist as a result of another or in order to emphasize the overall themes you’re trying to explore. 

This will make sure the story doesn’t feel bloated or overwhelming to execute. 

Derin’s competition includes friends and supposed friends. Were any of these secondary characters particularly difficult or easy to write?

With the other Kenfield Set members, no one was particularly difficult to write because they all served a thematic function in the story. They also mirror each other in certain ways so that made it easier to plan their choices and decisions as I outlined the book. That ultimately made things much more straight forward when I eventually went on to start drafting.

The book touches on the many lives of Black people in Britain over the many centuries who have been white-washed from history. Were there any who, for pacing or other reasons, you weren’t able to mention?

Thankfully not! Everyone that needed mentioning was tied to a relevant plotline in the story, and anyone else was unnecessary to the story, so I didn’t feel the need to include them. 

It did take a lot of restraint when I was outlining the book to not go deep on the things I learnt during my history degrees and from my own personal study haha. 

Please recommend a UKYA book you think readers will love.

THE MAP THAT LED TO YOU* by Ella McLeod

Thank you, Aleema!

*Affiliate link