Sue Wallman is the author of the young adult novel Such a Good Liar. Her other books include the YA novel Lying About Last Summer. She lives near London.
Q: What inspired you to write Such a Good Liar, and how did you create your character Lydia/Shannon?
A: The challenge for me with Such a Good Liar was to write a book from the point of view of a villain. Shannon is a 17-year-old fraudster who is hellbent on revenge. She pretends to be Lydia Cornwallis so she can wriggle her way into the inner circle of the two rich, privileged sisters who she believes are responsible for the death of her mother.
I’ve long been fascinated by the case of Anna Sorokin/Delvey, who in her 20s pretended to be a German heiress and fooled many prominent people in New York before everything unravelled for her.
Reading about it and watching the Netflix series Inventing Anna helped me work out how Shannon could defraud people through a mix of confidence, nerve, and resourcefulness.
I don’t like reading books or watching movies where I don’t care about any of the characters. I want readers to really root for Shannon despite the fact she’s plotting murder and that took a while to work out.
Q: The novel is set on an island--how did you choose this location, and how important is setting to you in your writing?
A: Fengari is a fictional island in the Caribbean although there are embellished elements of Mustique, where I visited in my 20s. I wanted Shannon to be in a setting that was the complete opposite to her frugal, urban life in South London.
Fengari is beautiful but she’s constantly having to worry about blending in and understanding the class codes. Setting is everything in a thriller. Give me any setting and I can make it feel uneasy!
Q: What do you think the book says about wealth?
A: The bubble of those born into extreme wealth and privilege can be toxic.
Q: How was the book's title chosen, and what does it signify for you?
A: My UK publisher chose the title. My original title was much less effective. I think Such a Good Liar works very well. Shannon is good at lying. Is she a “good” person despite her intentions? That’s something the reader needs to decide!
Q: What are you working on now?
A: Such A Good Liar is my first young adult thriller to be published in the States. In the UK, I have seven young adult thrillers published and I’m currently working on my eighth.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: This is a nice question! I have been a magazine journalist and a secondary school librarian and as of a few months ago, I am now pretty much working as an author full-time, which is daunting but exciting.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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