"Behind These Four Walls," coming January 2026
Popsugar: What were your favorite books growing up, and why?
Yasmin Angoe: I was that kid glued to Christopher Pike books — "Spellbound" completely sealed my love for horror and thrillers. I also devoured Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High, and The Babysitters' Club. Then came "Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers, R.L. Stine's Fear Street series, and all of Anne Rice's vampire drama — my high school self was hooked. Later, discovering Toni Morrison and L.A. Banks blew my mind. That's when I realized how much I'd been missing — seeing myself in stories, reading voices that felt familiar. That moment really changed how I think about storytelling now. Today, there are more Black authors and other authors of color who've been published, and we need to keep that going because the stories we tell are amazing.
PS: What would you say to another first-generation writer who hopes to publish a novel (or many!) someday?
YA: First, read widely — in your genre and outside of it. When you know what's out there, you expand your own imagination and you then know what you want to write. Second, keep going, even when it feels impossible — or when people don't "get" what you're trying to do yet. Your voice, your culture, your story — it all matters more than you think. There's someone out there waiting to see themselves in your words. So write it, finish it, and send it out. The world can't read a book that's still in your head!
PS: What draws you to the psychological suspense thriller genre?
YA: I love that mix of heart racing and mind spinning. I want to be scared, but I also want to be thinking, "What would I do in this situation?" The best thrillers make you question everyone, including yourself, and they stick with you long after you close the book. I live for that.
PS: What lessons about friendship, community, and class struggle do you think readers of "Behind These Four Walls" might take away?
YA: First and foremost, I hope readers are entertained — like, popcorn-gripping-the-book kind of entertained. But underneath all the twists, I want them to think about how family isn't just blood. Sometimes, the people we choose are the ones who hold us up the most. And even when you don't have money, status, or power, you can still make a difference. That's the kind of quiet strength that really moves me.
Book blurb: "A young woman weaves her way into a billionaire family's estate to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of her best friend in a nail-biting thriller full of corruption, wealth, morality, and revenge."
