The Fraud Squad by Kyla Zhao

Using her fashion and lifestyle writing experience, she crafts a story of a socialite world and the young woman that dreams of being a part of it

Hi readers,

I’ve had a good reading week this last week, and I hope you have too. I completed three books for one of my “author completist” goals, and I’ve finished five books so far for the year. I don’t think I’ve ever had this strong of a start on a reading year; it gives me hope for what’s to come. I joined a couple of in-person book clubs and am busy reading both books for meetings later this month.

I’m in two Postal Book Clubs ( I wrote about that here), and I’m wrapping those two books up so I can mail them to the next reader at the end of the month. I’m excited to see what I’ll receive in return.

One of my many ideas for SoNovelicious newsletters is introducing readers to authors to learn about their journey and the books they write. I’m so excited to present first-time author Kyla Zhao, whose book publishes today. Zhao was born and raised in Singapore, received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Stanford, and is fulfilling her dream of writing about characters of color that she rarely got to read about when she was young.

SN: Welcome to SoNovelicious, Kyla. I’m excited to talk with you about your new book. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

KZ: Hi, I’m Kyla! I’m from Singapore and came to California in 2017 to study at Stanford University. I graduated last year with a master’s degree in Communications and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. I used to work as a writer at fashion magazines like Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Tatler. Those experiences gave me the idea to write a book set in the fashion world and high society.

SN: What is your book about?

KZ: The Fraud Squad is about a working-class woman who dreams of writing for Singapore’s poshest and snobbiest magazine, but they won’t consider her because she doesn’t come from the right background. So she enlists the help of two friends to help her pretend to be a socialite and infiltrate high society, all hoping to impress the magazine’s editor-in-chief. But as she falls deeper into her new glamorous lifestyle, her fears of being exposed as a fraud also deepen—especially when a mysterious gossip columnist is hunting for high society dirt and other socialites are determined to bring her down.

SN: Where did the inspiration for this story come from?

KZ: Crazy Rich Asians is one of my favorite books, but I always wondered: how would the story unfold if it’s told from the point of view of an outsider who would do anything to be a part of the exclusive high society? I also found a lot of inspiration while working at luxury magazines like Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Tatler, where I met socialites and saw how they interacted with one another. I witnessed not just the glitzy side of high society that most people would know of but also the less glamorous parts behind the scenes. As an outsider at an elite institution like Stanford, I also drew upon my own imposter syndrome to describe how out of place and overwhelmed my protagonist felt as she tried to navigate this daunting new environment.

SN: Was your book based on any real people?

KZ: Hah, yes! But no character is based directly on one person. Interacting with socialites at my past jobs made me realize that even though these people are obviously very privileged, they all have unique fears, desires, and motivations. So even though my protagonist Samantha is the most obvious fraud, I really wanted to convey the sense that all the characters are frauds in their own way.

SN: What were some interesting things you came across during your research?

KZ: When I first came up with the idea in June 2020 of an ordinary woman who pretends to be a socialite, Inventing Anna wasn’t out yet, so I didn’t know of any real-life examples that would validate if this plot was even feasible. So I did some research, and I found two stories of women in Asia who successfully deceived people into thinking they were wealthy socialites. One of the examples was the Shanghai socialites—a group of women who did the most bizarre things to make themselves look posh, like sharing a pair of Gucci pantyhose among thirty women. They got exposed because a journalist pretended to be one of them and infiltrated their chat group. That also gave me the idea of creating this mysterious gossip columnist who is always keeping tabs on high society and trying to unearth any sly deeds.

SN: Describe your main character in five words.

KZ: Putting the lie in socialite.

SN: How did you get started writing?

KZ: I’ve been writing for magazines since I was 16. The very first article I ever published was for Harper’s Bazaar, where I, a 16-year-old, gave brides-to-be advice on wedding preparation. But when you write for a publication, you have to suppress your voice to suit the magazine’s voice, so writing a novel was a completely different challenge. And because a novel is so much longer, it felt like running a marathon compared to sprinting for a magazine. I wasn’t sure I would even be able to write an entire book, so I only allowed myself to tell people that I was writing one after I hit 50,000 words. I figured by that point, I would be too invested to stop.

I was in my third year at university when I started writing The Fraud Squad. It was in June 2020, at the height of the pandemic, and I was studying alone in California, separated from my family in Singapore and all my friends during the lockdown. Writing was my way of dealing with loneliness, homesickness, and depression. That’s why I really wanted to write a book that was super fun and breezy, and light. It was my way of escaping from pandemic reality, and I hope it can also be an escape for someone else. When you read my book, you will forget about all your troubles for just a moment and lose yourself in this fictional world that I’ve crafted.

SN: Which scene was the most fun to write?

KZ: All the party scenes were really fun to write. I think I lived vicariously through my characters during the pandemic when everything was in lockdown, and I wasn’t seeing anyone for months. In the meantime, my characters are getting all glammed up (while I’m in sweatpants), going to grand parties, and mingling with one another. Writing these party scenes also gave me a chance to do a lot of research into rich people, like the most expensive water ever sold in the world or tea bricks that cost more than a house.

SN: Which scene was the hardest to write?

KZ: A scene near the end when my protagonist, Samantha, confronts her mother emotionally. While Samantha is getting sucked into high society, she’s also gradually turning into a different person who leaves her old life (and the people in it) behind. Even though this was hard to write because of how raw the emotions were, I think it’s a necessary part of Samantha’s growth.

SN: Kyla, thanks so much for being here and introducing yourself and your book to my readers. Before you go, can you tell us what you are working on now and what’s next in your writing journey?

I have another adult novel coming out in November, also from Penguin Random House. It's a standalone novel unrelated to The Fraud Squad, but the protagonist in this book is just as bold and tackles imposter syndrome, too (albeit not as an actual imposter). This story combines two of my favorite things: fashion and Silicon Valley (the tech mecca where I currently work). I hope to share more about this soon! 

I also have a children's novel coming out from Penguin Random House next year. It's about a female chess prodigy who makes a bet to prove a sexist teammate wrong, while simultaneously grappling with her own complicated feelings toward the game. 

You can connect with Kyla at: Newsletter | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | Buy Book

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I hope the coming week allows for a bit of relaxation with your favorite beverage and a good book. Happy reading!