My Sister the Serial Killer - Oyinkan Braithwaite

Description

When Korede's dinner is interrupted one night by a distress call from her sister, Ayoola, she knows what's expected of her: bleach, rubber gloves, nerves of steel and a strong stomach. This'll be the third boyfriend Ayoola's dispatched in, quote, self-defence and the third mess that her lethal little sibling has left Korede to clear away. She should probably go to the police for the good of the menfolk of Nigeria, but she loves her sister and, as they say, family always comes first. Until, that is, Ayoola starts dating the doctor where Korede works as a nurse. Korede's long been in love with him, and isn't prepared to see him wind up with a knife in his back: but to save one would mean sacrificing the other...

My Sister, the Serial Killer is a blackly comic novel about how blood is thicker - and more difficult to get out of the carpet - than water...

Review

At 240 pages this didn't take me long to read. But is there ever a lot packed into those pages. Korede's sister has murdered her boyfriend, it's happened before and this leads Korede to Google, "how many murders makes a serial killer?" - the answer "three or more", so it's official her sister is a serial killer.

Set in Lagos, Nigeria this book tells the tale of Korede and her sister Ayoola. Korede has always been blamed by her mother for anything that Ayoola gets wrong, she's the older sister and should be looking out for her. So, it's unlikely she can share with her Mother what's happened for the third time. She does though share it with a patient whose in a coma in her hospital. Then there's the Dr that Korede hankers after, but nothing will come of that now he's seen her sister, will he become another one of her victims?

I'm not one for reading about serial murders but I felt this could be taken with a pinch of salt so to speak, it felt at times a little farcical even. There is a more serious side to the story when we learn more about the girl's backstory. When I got to the last page I turned to read the next page - it didn't feel like an ending, so I read it again. Actually it was a brilliant ending.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Borrowbox and my local library for lending me the ebook.

Comments

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