With the Writer Spotlight Series, we create a positive image for young girls to refer to by having conversations with different writers and illustrators. This month we have been doing Q&As with many writers, to get to know more about them and their work. Here, we are showcasing all the questions we have asked Illustrator Busayo Matuluko. We discuss her new book, ‘Til Death.
Welcome Busayo, tell us about yourself.
Hello! I’m Busayo. I’m a nurse by day and a mystery and romance writer by very odd hours of the night. I love binge-watching classic TV shows like Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty because that was when TV was at its peak. I also love, love sharing my every thought with my friends over brunch or dinner—it brings me so much joy.
Congratulations on your debut novel. What inspired you to write ‘Til Death?
Thank you! 'Til Death came about from a lot of different things. I first got the initial idea from watching YouTube videos of Nigerian traditional weddings. A morbid thought popped into my mind as I looked at the bride: It would be so cool if she just died right now. Now, obviously, that is not a normal thought to have! I was like, Busayo, that's insane… but as a novel? I love it.
I never really wanted to write a mystery novel because I didn’t think I’d be good at it. To write 'Til Death, I knew I had to know the ending first. I’ve also always wanted to explore a more striking story, so 'Til Death ended up being an amalgamation of both these avenues.
In what ways does the Nigerian setting enhance the narrative? How are family dynamics and cultural traditions portrayed?
I think the Nigerian setting enhances the narrative because Nigerian people, as a whole, are so dramatic. It makes exploring these characters and their motivations almost very realistic! My friends and I often say, It’s not unrealistic; we’re Nigerian.
The setting also highlights the wonder that is Nigerian traditional weddings. They are always entirely over the top, and there’s always drama. With all weddings, there will be drama, but it’s heightened in Nigerian weddings because there are two ceremonies to plan for, and there’s always a fight with your parents over guest lists. Everyone wants to one-up each other, and no one wants to be talked about negatively. It’s the perfect landscape for a traditional wedding, where all these traditions started.
Family dynamics are portrayed throughout the entire book. As I said, so much drama can happen within weddings, and it’s not always with the people you’d expect. You’d hope your family would help make your wedding as smooth as possible, but that’s not always the case. From the very first chapter, we see Lara and her mum communicate in a way that’s wholly unique to them. Then, we experience life and interactions with brothers, cousins, and aunties and uncles throughout.
Cultural traditions are displayed both covertly and overtly. It’s in scenes where Aunty Adélé cannot be rude to Aunty Zai because she is older, and that’s not respectful. It’s also in the scenes of the actual wedding, when the groomsmen have to dobalé in front of the bride’s family to ask permission to marry Dérin, because that’s standard procedure in Yoruba weddings.
How do the main characters evolve from the beginning to the end of the story? What pivotal moments contribute to their development?
I think the main characters evolve in very unique ways. Lara has never doubted herself or her ability to be a detective. If anything, she is an academically gifted child and would thrive at it. Her main problem is that her parents have imposed their vision of her life onto her, and she feels guilty for going against it. So, Lara’s character evolution isn’t surrounded by the core plot of 'Til Death, but I love the way she takes control of her life in the end.
However, Dérin’s evolution is tied directly to the plot. At the beginning of the story, Dérin is extremely naïve and very trusting of the people around her, believing that no one can harm her. Whether it’s showing up unannounced to her wedding dress rehearsal, despite being explicitly told to come two weeks later, or trusting her friend (who’s also her fiancé’s ex-fling) to be a bridesmaid.
She also lives with an invisible illness, which she keeps very close to her cards. Only one person in her immediate family knows, and that was even by accident. By the end of the story, she transitions from wanting to hide her illness to using her platform for awareness and education. As for the rest of the cast, it’s just a whole lot of them behaving badly—lol!
How do you think your background and experiences have influenced the portrayal of community dynamics in your book?
I come from a very large extended family who are a huge cast of characters. My mum is the oldest of five, and my dad is the youngest of four, so I had a lot of material to work with! I grew up in the UK without them, but that didn’t stop my parents from sharing stories about who was doing what and how.
As a fellow gossip, like Lara, I loved absorbing these stories. I definitely took a lot of inspiration from some of my family members and infused that into 'Til Death. Gossip sessions with my friends also showed me that you don’t need a large extended family to have crazy characters within yours. I also have a very imaginative mind, which helps me a lot with dialogue. When I write scenes, I can distinctly know what a character would do and say and what feels appropriate for the moment.
Lastly, I was just very lucky with the timing that ‘Til Death came about because it happened after I had a sickle cell crisis that changed everything and that really made me want to write about Dérin on her experience with sickle cell.
Finally, what message or takeaway do you hope readers will remember after finishing ‘Til Death?
I hope readers gain a new or better understanding of sickle cell and recognise the validity of invisible illnesses. These conditions can seem covert, even if it looks like someone’s life is fully under control—sometimes, there are factors they can’t control.I hope readers enjoy how I’ve juggled a Nigerian wedding and a mystery. I want them to love the unique setting and the infusion of culture.
Most of all, I hope people have fun with the book! It’s not your average
mystery-thriller, and the humour is very intentional. I hope readers come away feeling satisfied.
Quick fire round
One word to describe your writing style?
Messy
Favourite writing snack?
I’m more of a drink girlie! A rotation of ice-cold water and a fizzy drink of the day
What is the last book you read?
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn – jaw dropping!
About the author
Busayo Matuluko is a Black British-Nigerian nurse. YA/Crossover mystery
and romance writer of ‘TIL Death published by Simon and Schuster in January 2025, sold for a significant six figure pre-empt, and an extremely opinionated, award-nominated BookTokker, nominated at the inaugural TikTok Book Awards for Creator of the year.