My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Wow. This is a fire cracker of a book. It’s a read in one sitting kind-of-book. Pure brilliance throughout.

Korede’s sister is a serial killer. No doubt about it. She’s killed three of her boyfriends. She claims it was “self defence” but Korede’s belief in her sister’s words is diminishing with every kill. No one knows about the deaths other than Korede, to the outside world, these three men have simply fled the country.

Can Korede keep her sister’s secrets? Up until this point, she’s been able to placate the guilt by rationalising that these men weren’t reputable members of society but it’s all about to change.

Ayoola has set her eyes on Korede’s work colleague; Tade. Except Tade is more than just a colleague, Korede has a massive crush on him and is desperate for him to notice her. Life is cruel and beauty has always allured men, so it’s hardly surprising when Tade meets Ayoola; who is known for her looks, that he’s besotted with her.

Braithwaite sympathetically captures the anguish that Korede feels. It’s a triple blow:

1. Tade is infatuated by her sister and not her;
2. Ayoola is basking in Tade’s affections, even though she knows Korede likes him;

and the final clincher…

3. Fear. What if Ayoola kills him too?

Everything about this book worked for me: its pace, the sheer genius plot, the perfect execution of Korede’s feelings… it had something for everyone to focus on.

Set in Lagos, Braithwaite offers the reader a glimpse into Nigerian city life, the culture and the dishes. It also highlighted that a level of corruptness is still present within the police and the lack of integrity those in uniform conform by – a very insightful read in this respect.

Revealing the sisters’ troubled childhood offers an answer to why Ayoola reacts so violently in fights with her boyfriends, however it did not make me sympathise with her!

She might not be the most sociable character, or the prettiest, or even the strongest… but Korede won my heart and attention in this story. I lived and breathed her torment through these pages, I understood the pressures her mother put on her to protect her little sister and I liked her orderly approach to life.

With the added thrill of a coma patient waking up, who could change everything, there was a lot to love about the many twists Braithwaite threw into this story.

READ. READ. READ. (If you like thrillers)

My Sister, the Serial Killer is out now in paperback, hardback and eBook options from Atlantic Books.

Until next time, Chloé x