My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite (17+)

Is blood truly thicker than water? In this sharply expressive Nigerian novel, this phrase is taken literally by our narrator, Korede, a meticulous and pragmatic nurse ― characteristics that position her as a strong candidate for the highly-coveted Head Nurse position ― who spends her after-work hours cleaning up after her sister’s murder streak.

Carefree and enigmatic, Ayoola is Korede’s remarkably beautiful sister … and has a nasty habit of killing her boyfriends when things get rocky.

Yet, this final fact about the breathtaking Ayoola is only known by her dutiful older sister/unwilling accomplice.

To everyone else, she is the womanly picture of daughter-in-law perfection, which against the conservative backdrop of modern Lagos, means that she is constantly admired by all. In other words, she is everything that Korede is not.

We meet Korede fresh in the horror of Ayoola’s third murder, earning her the title of a serial killer (not that this is known to anyone but our narrator).

Dutiful and dedicated as ever, Korede does not hesitate to delete the evidence and clean the scene with razor-like precision, removing her emotions.

Her younger sister claims self-defence as usual ― and despite her streak, we are somehow inclined to believe her; even the reader is swayed by Ayoola’s loveliness.

By the time we see Korede purify the crime scene, burn Ayoola’s bloodstained dress, and dispose of the body (even cleaning the digital tracks), we are confronted with the moral centre of this story: Korede wrestles with the conflict between letting Ayoola face the consequences of her actions (both for the sake of justice as well as Ayoola’s personal sense of accountability) and ‘protecting’ her sister from the harsh reality of her repeated offences.

All of these complicated emotions are tangled with the growing resentment Korede feels of being confined to her sister’s shadow for not matching her beauty.

As Korede is forced to watch Ayoola cry tears she does not have the right to, pretending to not know what happened to her boyfriend who has mysteriously gone missing, she is faced with the question of how far she is willing to go for her sister: aka is blood thicker than water?

In a lean 226 pages, Ayoola’s fierce love battles her sharp rationale in the vibrant city of Lagos.

The plot thickens when Ayoola sets her sights on her next boyfriend / potential victim who works at her sister’s hospital: Tade, an accomplished and charming doctor who Korede has harboured a silent love for much longer than Ayoola has even known he existed.

Will this be where Korede draws the line on her passivity to Ayoola’s escapades?

Has Tade already been condemned to being Ayoola’s fourth victim? Can she save him if it’s not too late?

More importantly, will Korede continue to force herself into the emotionally taxing and ethically unsound role of her sister’s protector?

Delve into Korede’s layered character as she experiences life with an overwhelmingly gorgeous serial killer sister, (seemingly) unrequited love for her dashing colleague, and a (different) burning family secret that could change everything.

Fiercely human, these personalities hide their many secrets; I am struck by how real these characters feel.

These absurdly funny chapters are short and punchy, packed with intense inner conflicts and shocking plot twists.

I would recommend My Sister, the Serial Killer to anyone looking for a thrilling new read with a complex moral dilemma and a suspenseful yet darkly comedic tone.

In an age where titles can be deceiving, Braithwaite stayed true to the story that her title promises ― and I am not disappointed!

There are no easy answers in this emotional puzzle, so I encourage you to give it a go!

I’d also like to hear your thoughts on my column; for any comments on My Sister, the Serial Killer or simply to give me a book recommendation of whatever you’re reading at the moment (I appreciate all messages from members of our community!), contact me at bookspacebda@gmail.com to tell me all about it.