Where Sleeping Girls Lie

By Author / Illustrator

Faridah Abike-Iyimide

Genre

Suspense & Thrillers

Age range(s)

14+

Publisher

Usborne Publishing Ltd

ISBN

9781474967549

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

14-03-2024

Synopsis

A haunting and compulsive new dark academia mystery of secrets, lies and revenge, from the award-winning, bestselling author of Ace of Spades, Faridah Abike-Iyimide. Perfect for fans of Holly Jackson and Maureen Johnson.

This was a mistake, the voice in her head whispered. You should never have come... Sade Hussein is the new girl at the prestigious Alfred Nobel Academy. She has no idea what to expect of her mysterious new boarding school - an institution steeped in tradition and secrets. But she certainly didn't imagine her roommate, Elizabeth, to go missing on her first night. Or for people to think Sade had something to do with it.

Suddenly everyone is talking about Sade, including the Unholy Trinity: the three most popular girls at school. Swept up in their circle, Sade can't shake the sense that there's more to Elizabeth's disappearance - especially as the teachers don't seem to care. And then a student is found dead.

It's clear there's more to Alfred Nobel Academy and its students than Sade could have imagined - and she must race to uncover the truth. But secrets lurk around every corner and beneath every surface...secrets that rival even her own.

Praise for Ace of Spades: "ACE OF SPADES is the thought-provoking thriller we ALL need." Nic Stone, #1 NYT bestselling author. "A heart-racing and twisty thriller." Alice Oseman. "Strong Gossip Girl vibes and a whole lot of mystery." Buzzfeed. "Thunderous and terrifying. There's no way you're putting this down until you get to the last page." Maureen Johnson, NYT bestselling author.

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Reviews

Faridah Abike-Iymide's long awaited follow up to her YA novel Ace of Spades will be equally popular and is well worth the wait. Where Sleeping Girls Lie is a combination of a mystery requiring detective work from the main character, Sade Hussain and her new-found friends at a prestigious boarding school, within the plot of a thriller.

The opening chapter is short, punchy and brutal. The reader is immediately thrown into the drama, only for Faridah to apply the brakes and move away from the action to introduce the main protagonist. Thereafter, the tension is gradually built as the characters are developed and the plot twists and turns.

The author takes her time ensuring a descriptive narrative, leaving the reader invested in Sade solving the disappearance of her room mate, Elizabeth Wang. The detail ensures you are fully immersed in the life of the students at the Alfred Nobel Academy. Although the pace picks up as the book builds to the shocking conclusion, Faridah includes an epilogue so that the reader both catches their breath before the final sentence and any loose ends are addressed.

This excellent read addresses some challenging issues, hence my recommendation for this YA book for older students and trigger warnings should be noted for bereavement, mental health issues and sexual violence. NB Faridah Abike-Iyimide was a 2024 World Book Day author.

576 pages / Reviewed by Ruth Cornish, school librarian