SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: That Kind of Girl
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.nataliecanderson.com/
CITY: Geneva
STATE:
COUNTRY: Switzerland
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 347
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married; children: one son.
EDUCATION:Attended art school; bachelor’s degree; M.A.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and international development professional. Affiliated with United Nations and various nongovernmental organizations; former AmeriCorps volunteer in Seattle, WA; worked variously as a bartender, leather worker, and social worker. Boston Public Library children’s writer-in-residence, 2014-15.
WRITINGS
City of Saints and Thieves was optioned for film by Universal, to be produced by Will Packer and Kerry Washington.
SIDELIGHTS
Natalie C. Anderson attended art school before finding her calling in international development. Her focus on refugee aid issues has taken her around the world through jobs with the United Nations as well as with nongovernmental organizations (NGO’s) in Africa and elsewhere. Although born in the United States, Anderson now resides in Geneva, Switzerland, with her husband and son. Perhaps inspired by her work with refugees, she also writes for teens. She is the author of the mystery/thriller novels City of Saints and Thieves and Let’s Go Swimming on Doomsday.
Anderson wrote City of Saints and Thieves while serving as Boston Public Library’s children’s writer-in-residence. It was published in 2017. The novel was inspired by her recent work in Kenya, and she chose the mystery genre “because I wanted the subject matter to be accessible and the story to feel exciting,” as she explained to Jessica Stauffer on the American Booksellers Association website. She said, “I didn’t want it to feel like an issue book. I wanted people to keep turning pages and stay interested, and maybe learn a thing or two about real-life issues at the same time.”
When readers meet her in City of Saints and Thieves, Tina is a teenager with a tragic past. She was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but her family fled like many others due to the increasing violence. She was eleven years old and living in Sangui City, Kenya, with her mother and young half-sister, Kiki, when her mother was killed and both sisters were left homeless. Kiki’s father is Mr. Greyhill, a local businessman for whom Tina’s mother worked as a maid, and Tina decided that he was responsible for her mom’s death. Vowing to exact revenge, the preteen arranged Kiki’s admission to a local Catholic school and then joined a street gang, the Goondas, where she became one of only a few girls to train as a gang soldier. Fast forward six years and her intelligence and pragmatism have helped Tina excel as a street thief, thus increasing her status within the Goondas. Avenging her mother’s death is still her goal when she meets Michael, Greyhill’s legitimate son and someone she played with as a child. When her suspicion shifts from Grayhill, Tina teams up with Michael and enlists the help of friend Boyboy, a whiz with technology. Their sleuthing soon takes the friends to the Congo, where the murder may be connected to that country’s corrupt mining industry.
In praise of Anderson’s debut novel, Debbie Carton wrote in Booklist that “Tina’s gripping narrative” presents readers with “a wonderfully twisted puzzle of a murder mystery.” In Kirkus Reviews a critic also praised City of Saints and Thieves, describing it as “full of twists and turns, proving nothing is ever as black and white as it may seem.” The first-time author “adeptly uses language to bring Tina’s world to life,” asserted a reviewer in Publishers Weekly, and in School Library Journal, Stephanie Klose recommended City of Saints and Thieves to “teens looking for a gritty, suspenseful, immersive read driven by a tough, smart, realistic heroine.”
In Let’s Go Swimming on Doomsday readers meet Abdi, a boy raised in a small Somali village. Four years earlier Abdi’s older brother, Dahir, was kidnapped by Al Shabaab, a much-feared militia group led by a man known as the Butcher. Now he and his remaining family are captured by a joint U.S./Somali force known as AMISOM. It turns out that his capture was no accident: after several brutal beatings, he is told that Dahir is now an Al Shabaab leader. If he agrees to aid AMISOM in infiltrating the rogue militia group, both Abdi and his family will gain their freedom. The teen agrees to infiltrate Al Shabaab, but when he locates his brother he realizes that Dahir is no longer of sound mind. Abdi tries but fails to save his brother and is forced to flee, eventually reaching Sangui City, Kenya. Ultimately he finds sanctuary in a female-only refugee camp, and there the young man gains perspective on his situation with the help of a compassionate new friend.
Citing Let’s Go Swimming on Doomsday for its “thought-provoking narrative,” Desiree Thomas added in her School Library Journal review that Anderson’s second novel presents “an intriguing examination of ways familial loyalty and guilt can lead anyone to make desperate choices.” Abdi’s story illustrates “the lengths one will go to for loved ones,” asserted a Kirkus Reviews critic, and the author’s “riveting account of young people living through violence” contains themes of “greed, guilt, and redemption.” “Storytelling is a feat of informed imagination,” asserted Diane Colson reviewing Let’s Go Swimming on Doomsday in Booklist. Colson concluded that Anderson’s “efforts breathe ferocious life into a story that needs to be told.”
Through her work with NGO’s, Anderson has become a strong advocate of immigrant populations and views the refugee issue as a moral one. Young-adult fiction “has never shied away from reflecting reality in all its beauty and brutality,” she commented in an essay posted on the Penguin website. “Contemporary classics like [S.E. Hinton’s 1967 novel] The Outsiders … give us the mirrors and windows we need to see and understand the world.” Anderson added, “Refugees are people who can’t go home because they’re being persecuted for something they can’t change or won’t change.” She continued, “Most want nothing but a quiet, peaceful life, but somehow find themselves on the frontlines, leading revolutions.” She asserted, “We know these people. … We’ve read their stories. … Anyone who’s ever had their heart broken over a fictional character’s death or wanted to go into battle beside her should know that these stories are happening all around us, in real time, with real people.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, January 1, 2017, Debbie Carton, review of City of Saints and Thieves, p. 7; February 15, 2019, Diane Colson, review of Let’s Go Swimming on Doomsday, p. 53.
Horn Book, March-April, 2017, Sarah Hannah Gomez, review of City of Saints and Thieves, p. 83.
Kirkus Reviews, December 1, 2016, review of City of Saints and Thieves; December 15, 2018, review of Let’s Go Swimming on Doomsday.
Publishers Weekly, November 7, 2016, review of City of Saints and Thieves. p. 62; December 4, 2017, review of City of Saints and Thieves, p. 112.
School Librarian, fall, 2017, Anna Quick, review of City of Saints and Thieves, p. 190.
School Library Journal, January, 2017, Stephanie Klose, review of City of Saints and Thieves, p. 96; winter, 2018, Desiree Thomas, review of Let’s Go Swimming on Doomsday, p. 60.
Teacher Librarian, Volume 44, number 5, 2017, Kathleen Odean, review of City of Saints and Thieves, p. 19.
ONLINE
American Bookseller Association website, http://www.bookweb.org/ (February 6, 2017), Jessica Stauffer, author interview.
Natalie C. Anderson website, https://www.nataliecanderson.com/ (May 21, 2019).
Penguin website, http://www.penguinteen.com/ (May 21, 2019), Natalie C. Anderson, “All Your Favorite Fantasy Heroes Are Actually Refugees.”*
About Me
I am a young adult fiction writer. I've lived around the world, but I'm now based in Geneva, Switzerland. My books are contemporary thrillers that blend mystery, international intrigue and heart. I am passionate about crafting stories that pull readers into hidden worlds and spark meaningful conversations.
This website is a space for me to share my work and connect with readers. I look forward to hearing from you!
Natalie C. Anderson is an American writer and international development professional living in Geneva, Switzerland. She has spent the last decade working with NGOs and the UN on refugee relief and development, mainly in Africa. She was selected as the 2014-2015 Associates of the Boston Public Library Children's Writer in Residence, where she wrote her debut novel, City of Saints and Thieves.
Q&A: Natalie C. Anderson, Author of ‘That Kind of Girl’
Elise Dumpleton·Writers Corner·June 25, 2025·4 min read
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We chat with author Natalie C. Anderson about That Kind of Girl, which is a gripping YA thriller and follows two girls from opposite worlds play a dangerous game of cat and mouse when a rich classmate is murdered and they become prime suspects. The race is on to find out which one is a killer.
Hi, Natalie! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I’m one of those nomads who has the rare fortune of actually loving the place they come from. I live in Geneva, Switzerland now, but I grew up in the mountains of Western North Carolina. It wasn’t your typical small southern town. Mountain people are fiercely independent, cantankerous and proud. Throw in a dash of old hippies and academics brought in by the natural beauty and the local university – it was only when I moved away that I realized most typical teenage weekends didn’t usually involve four-wheeling, analysing beat poetry and skinny dipping in waterfalls. That Kind of Girl is set in Asheville, NC, where my heart is.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’ve always loved stories – not just books, but being told stories, watching movies, plays, commercials… I wasn’t picky! But of course, books were the best. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love flipping pages, especially mysteries. Luckily it was a love encouraged by my family, a few excellent teachers, and some very tolerant librarians. I come by it honestly. I remember my grandmother, a librarian, used to keep a book with her at all times, in case of emergency. She’d read in her car at traffic lights.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
The first book you ever remember reading: Pat the Bunny
The one that made you want to become an author: Lord of the Flies
The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Franny & Zooey
Your latest novel, That Kind of Girl, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Murder, riddles, mean-girls, revenge, lavish
What can readers expect?
A macabre treasure hunt, an Appalachian Veronica Mars, a murder mystery within a murder mystery spanning decades, a dive into the little-known history of how racism created the geography of the city of Asheville, girls not taking any s*it.
Where did the inspiration for That Kind of Girl come from?
I was a little bit obsessed with Nancy Drew as a kid. Was some of it terrible writing? Yes? Was it formulaic? Absolutely. Did I care? Nope. I loved reading about Nancy whipping around in her convertible, chasing scary people into dark basements. What a boss. Her place as the quintessential teen detective has never really been challenged (though I do love Veronica Mars). Writing this book was all about having fun writing a sleuthy character, but with an Appalachain noir twist.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I’m not going to lie, I had a lot of fun writing Inez’s character. She’s a sex worker who’s not apologetic about it, but at the same time who’s constantly examining who she is and how she got there and how she even feels about it. These are the characters that are really interesting to inhabit while you’re writing them – to think, okay, if I was in her shoes what would I be thinking? I love slipping into other people’s skins– it’s one of the best parts of being a writer. It’s liberating, especially when you’re pretending to be one of the darker characters.
See also
Co-Authors Chris Sugden and Jen Sugden On ‘High Vaultage’
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
I have all the bad habits of most writers when it comes to making myself actually put butt to chair and open my laptop. This book came fairly easily, but getting the book written is only 30% of the work. Then you start editing and you Just. Never. Stop. Editing. People love to ask how long it takes to write a book. It’s not the writing that takes a long time – it’s the fact that of the ten words you write, eight of them have to be rewritten. There is no solution except coffee.
What’s next for you?
I’m working on a grown-up book! Even though I don’t feel grown and I seem to understand humans less and less every day. Which I think is a good sign that I’m probably middle aged now. It’s murdery and set in Switzerland. But I’m also toying with a follow up book to That Kind of Girl. (cue gleeful hand rubbing).
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?
I read The Locked Tomb series by Tamsyn Muir basically without getting up to eat or go to the bathroom. And as soon as I finished it I promptly opened it back up to page one and began reading it all over again. All 1400 pages. If you haven’t read it, please stop whatever it is you’re doing and go sort yourself out. It scratched some feminist-queer-loveship-space opera-horror-climate collapse anxiety itch I didn’t even know I had. Tamsyn, I’m begging you: for the love of the Emperor, please finish book 4. Please. I’m also looking forward to having my heart crushed by Sabaa Tahir as only Sabaa Tahir can crush it in Heir.
Anderson, Natalie C. THAT KIND OF GIRL Nancy Paulsen Books (Teen None) $19.99 6, 24 ISBN: 9780593406298
Two young women's lives collide after a gruesome murder.
Twenty-one-year-old Inez works as a maid and sex worker in Asheville, North Carolina. Following the death of her mother, she's been scraping by, dreaming of a better future, when she finds herself involved in something horrible that involves a lot of blood. Meanwhile, 16-year-old Roxie is an amateur detective and a scholarship student at an elite Catholic girls' school where she doesn't quite fit in. Known for helping her classmates find things (for a fee), she's approached by her former bully, Kirsten, for help locating the person who stole her phone. Roxie reluctantly agrees, but when she arrives at Kirsten's house to learn more, she discovers Kirsten's brutally murdered body and quickly becomes a person of interest in the investigation. At the same time, Roxie gets drawn (with her aunt and ex-FBI agent uncle) into a search for her late great-aunt's hidden diamond necklace. The treasure hunt game, a family tradition, leads to Roxie's discovering connections between her family and Kirsten's. As Roxie grapples with trauma from her childhood and Inez's and Roxie's paths converge, Roxie pieces together a web of secrets tying them both to the crime. Told through alternating perspectives, this fast-paced mystery builds a trail of clues, culminating in a jaw-dropping conclusion that's bigger than both Roxie and Inez. Main characters are cued white, and racial diversity is represented among secondary characters.
An engaging and suspenseful read. ("The Robber Bridegroom")(Mystery. 16-adult)
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"Anderson, Natalie C.: THAT KIND OF GIRL." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Apr. 2025. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A835106381/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=dc81fdaa. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.