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    My Sister, the Serial Killer: The Sunday Times Bestseller
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    My Sister, the Serial Killer: The Sunday Times Bestseller
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    My Sister, the Serial Killer: The Sunday Times Bestseller
    Ebook202 pages2 hours

    My Sister, the Serial Killer: The Sunday Times Bestseller

    By Oyinkan Braithwaite

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Sunday Times bestseller and The Times #1 bestseller

    Longlisted for the Booker Prize 2019
    Shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2019
    Winner of the 2019 LA Times Award for Best Crime Thriller
    Capital Crime Debut Author of the Year 2019
    __________

    'A literary sensation'
    Guardian

    'A bombshell of a book... Sharp, explosive, hilarious'
    New York Times

    'Glittering and funny... A stiletto slipped between the ribs and through the left ventricle of the heart' Financial Times
    __________

    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...

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAtlantic Books
    Release dateJan 3, 2019
    ISBN9781786495990
    Unavailable
    My Sister, the Serial Killer: The Sunday Times Bestseller

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    Reviews for My Sister, the Serial Killer

    4/5

    1,475 ratings128 reviews

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    • 5/5
      "Have you heard this one before?"This was a great read. Very recommended."...Two girls walk into a room. The room is in a flat. The flat is on the third floor. In the room is the dead body of an adult male. How do they get the body to the ground floor without being seen? First, they gather supplies..."
    • 4/5
      My Sister, The Serial Killer is a gripping, twisty and dark-humoured novel told from the point of a view of Korede, the long-suffering sister of Ayoola, a woman who has just killed for the third time, officially making her a serial killer. Korede is complicit in these crimes in that she takes over the clean-up and cover-up operation that follows.I found this novel irresistible and polished it off in just over a (working!) day. The chapters are very short and the author doesn't waste any words. I loved the setting of Nigeria and the brief but unforgettable portraits of all sorts of minor characters. Basically, this is a book to read if you want something quick, easy and not particularly lightweight to devour!
    • 4/5
      This whirlwind of a novel is short and sharp. I loved the author’s voice and listened to the whole thing almost without stopping. If books were alcoholic drinks this would be a shot of something strong. The title says it all. A nurse struggles with the moral dilemma of protecting her beautiful sister versus protecting the men who are her potential victims. Can’t wait to read whatever this author writes next.
    • 3/5
      It was OK. I was intrigued to read a book by a Nigerian author and that was the main reason I finished it. Other than that I am not too impressed. A bit unrealistic in the crime aspect, but very well portrayed effects of childhood abuse.
    • 5/5
      My Sister, The Serial Killerby Oyinkan Braithwaite2017Doubleday4.5 /5.0This is a story about family and the roles members can play within a family. It plays the role of enabled/enabler against itself and it totally worked in this story, giving it depth and personal consideration. It begs you to consider how far you might go to support family, even if you knew they were committing crimes.Korete and Ayoola are sisters, but that's all they have in common. Korete is a nurse, dependable and stable. Ayoota is a fashion designer, the apple of everyones eye because of her beauty, but also very impulsive. They are bound by an accident that killed their father. Ayoota has a problem-when she tires of a boyfriend, she murders them and asks Korete to help get rid of the evidence. Korete is willing to help, until Ayoota begins to want to date a doctor that Korete works with and has had her eye on for a long time. Hoe far will her loyalty to her sister go....who will Korete defend, her sister or the unknowing man she has fallen for.Excellent story, it really worked for me.
    • 4/5
      What a surprise! A quick, quirky novel that is more more witty than I expected. Sibling love and sibling rivalry tied into one.
    • 5/5
      I felt like I was constantly about to trip, running from chapter to chapter, hungry to know what comes next for the narrator Korede. She is all edges, unforgiving. She is as full of blind spots as she is sharply aware of the flaws in the perception of others. The chapters are tight, no more and no less than you need, and even as we pause to revisit the past the pace is breakneck, dangerous, not unlike her sister Ayoola. This book is a straightforward exploration of the limits of love and how being an enabler is a form of self betrayal. It doesn't rely on cheap plot twists: it is exactly what the title says and I love it.
    • 4/5
      This deliciously dark-humoured story is about two sisters. Ayoola, the younger, is beautiful, spoiled, over-indulged and used to getting her own way – from early childhood she has expected her less attractive sister to sort out any problems which look likely to threaten this golden life. Korode, a nurse, is conscientious, hardworking and plain and appears to accept her designated role without question, probably because their mother has always held her responsible for her sister’s actions. So, when Korode’s dinner is interrupted one evening by a panic-stricken phone call from her younger sister, she knows to equip herself with “bleach, rubber gloves, nerves of steel and a strong stomach” before setting off to the rescue. Why? Because Ayoola has killed yet another boyfriend – the third she has murdered “in self-defence” and, as always, she expects Korode to clear up the mess and dispose of the body. Does Korode demur? No, because although she knows that she really should go to the police (if only to protect future boyfriends from her sociopathic sibling!), she loves her sister and believes that family loyalties should always take priority. However, her certainty does begin to waver, and sibling rivalry raises its ugly head, when Ayoola sets her sights on Tade, the doctor with whom Korode works at the local hospital and is secretly in love with. Can she really run the risk of him ending up with a knife in his back? Smitten by Ayoola’s beauty, will he listen to Korode or will he dismiss her warnings as the spite of a jealous sister? The only person Korode can share her worries and dilemmas with is a patient who is in a coma – after all, he isn’t in any position to reveal Ayoola’s crimes, or Korode’s cover-ups!A combination of very short chapters and a deceptively light-hearted tone meant that I was able to read this story in one sitting. The story-telling is compelling, and the characters leap off the page – even the minor ones. They all have a vibrancy which makes them feel three-dimensionally credible, despite the rather incredible situations they find themselves in! Although I did try to keep reminding myself that murder is no joking matter, that people should be held accountable for their actions, I found myself enjoyably immersed in the farce-like developments of this engaging story. However, beneath all the black humour there is a huge sadness; the gradual revelation of family violence is shocking, exposing memories which Korode cannot remove with “bleach and wipes”. So, whenever I found myself becoming frustrated and irritated by all the ways in which she indulged and supported her sister, I couldn’t help but see the emotionally ensnaring dilemmas she faced. Just as I could see that Ayoola’s childhood experiences went some way towards explaining (but not excusing!) her lack of any morality or empathy.I loved the various ways in which the author convincingly explored the dynamics of sibling relationships. Underlying an apparently loyal and loving bond there are often some powerfully ambivalent feelings which, if exposed, create hard-to-resolve feelings of conflict and guilt. I thought that she also captured, acutely and authentically, the back-stabbing politics of the work environment – I certainly found some of Korode’s colleagues immediately recognisable! I found that her portrayal of Lagos, with its corrupt business and political practices, and a police force not averse to taking bribes for turning a blind eye, however accurate or otherwise, did contribute to enabling me to suspend my disbelief in the central premise of the plotting! At one point in the story one of Ayoola’s boyfriends challenges Korode by saying “There’s something wrong with her, but you? What’s your excuse?” This one sentence feels like sufficient justification to recommend this as a good choice for reading groups but, for all its apparent lightness, this story provides many themes which would make for some stimulating discussions. Both funny and disturbing, this is an impressive debut novel.With thanks to Atlantic Press and Readers First for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
    • 5/5
      Korede knows that she shouldn't be helping Ayoola to dispose of the bodies of the men that she "accidentally" kills, but she is good at it. After all she is a senior nurse at the local hospital. She keeps hoping each body will be the last. Their mother is amazingly unaware of what is going on as Ayoola's boyfriends go missing.But then things get really serious when Ayoola begins to drop in to the hospital for lunch and meets Korede's colleagues, in particular a male doctor that Korede has her eye on.Korede begins sharing her secrets with a patient who is in a coma, and then he wakes up and remembers some of what she has told him.An interesting read. Really about so much more than murders.This is really one novel where you need to look at the chapter headings because they tell you the focus of the chapter.
    • 4/5
      Rating: 4.25* of fiveThe Publisher Says: 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...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 Review: It takes a lot longer to dispose of a body than to dispose of a soul, especially if you don't want to leave any evidence of foul play.And just like *that* I'm totally hooked. Second book this month set in Lagos; and second informed by a special Nigerian magical realism. (The other is [David Mogo, Godhunter]. Excellent as well.) This is a light entertainment, a shiny pretty costume jewelry story that sets your readerly mood in its most attractive and colorful light. It's fun. It's got the Double Indemnityesque delight of a love triangle detonated by jealousy, the In Cold Bloodness of a crime spree done for the sheer hell of it, and that utterly madcap Thelma and Louisely sanitized violence and death.Yes, sanitized. Korede reports, doesn't narrate, the aftermath of Ayoola's kills. She keeps the details sparse enough to inform but not nauseate. Korede stands between us and Ayoola the serial killer. (Thank goodness. I don't think I could've read a whole novel from Ayoola's PoV!) So we're safe, we're not going to the places Korede has seen, we needn't do what Korede does.Besides, it's what Korede doesn't do...what in the end she chooses to allow to occur...that defines her as a moral actor. I disagree with her choice, and I would've liked a chance to convince her to change her mind. With a two-by-four to the knees if necessary. But Korede, as written, really couldn't have made a different choice, so here we are. Overall, the story's pluses...new-to-me setting, cultural differences that kept me on my Google-fu, and an authorial style I found engaging...got me to a shade over four stars. It wasn't hard to get there.
    • 5/5
      Read this in a single day, amazing. Original, interesting, and full of dark humour, this book is exactly what I was looking for for my 2019 read list. All of the characters I found to be interesting and I enjoyed the development of both characters and plot. My allegiances changed several times which is always a good sign, especially in a shorter book.
    • 3/5
      “... a novel about a Nigerian woman whose younger sister has a very inconvenient habit of killing her boyfriends.”Yup, that’s about the gist of it!I really like the premise of this book, and I loved being exposed to the culture and language of the characters living in Lagos. So many words that I had never read! But I did not really like the main character, Korede. She basically hates her sister, Ayoola, but does whatever she says. She enables, helps, and cleans up Ayoola's messes, and gets kicked in the teeth for doing so. I know that people like her exist, and I've met some, but I don't like them. And so, this affected how I felt toward this book.Had Korede had even the tiniest bit of backbone...
    • 3/5
      "It takes a whole lot longer to dispose of a body than to dispose of a soul....." KoredeKorede's sister Ayoola has a man problem. Korede is dedicated to her younger sister so she helps her out with this problem no matter the hour of day or night, even to the detriment of her own life. This book starts off strong, short chapters make it a fast paced read. The conclusion however comes sudden and stalls leaving an "oh, well" sort of feeling. Braithwaite is still honing her craft and I expect her writing will mature in time and I'm looking forward to her next offering.
    • 4/5
      Tragedy of two sisters one of whom is in fact a serial killer and the other who covers for her. If there is humor here it is in the abrupt bluntness with which the story is told - or otherwise so black I can't distinguish it from the Stygian background.
    • 5/5
      Stunningly good social satire that reveals a good deal about life in Lagos and about the depth and repercussions of sibling bonds. The narrative touches on lousy parents, the cage of gender roles, the ravages of class distinctions and assumptions, the fruits of abuse, duty, the nature of love, the obsession with female beauty, the futility of trying to live a life of honor in a corrupt world, and the vital importance of good cleaning products. There is no murder mystery, the revelation is in the title and the killer's motivation is never really revealed. The murders are not the point of the book, they are just events, no more or less dramatic than Korede making a cake and having it attributed to her sister. There is a lot of pretty heartbreaking stuff here but I laughed a lot while simultaneously thinking about where duty to self, duty to loved ones, and duty to community collide and conflict, and what we do when that happens. Also worth mentioning, though quite short, this book was uniquely structured in a way that absolutely worked for this story. For a new writer, this is pretty darn masterful.
    • 5/5
      Korede gets a call from her sister Ayoola and goes running to help her. Ayoola has knifed her boyfriend, saying he attacked her, and they have to dispose of the body - again. Korede, a nurse, confesses all to a comatose patient and starts to fall in love with a doctor, Tade. Then Ayoola meets Tade, and Korede has to decide if she's going to choose family or try to save this man from her sister.Reading this book was a bit like watching a train wreck: you know it's terrible, but it's morbidly fascinating and you can't look away. Korede narrates nonlinearly, telling both the aftermath of the third murder and unfolding the story of what went on before until you have a complete picture of the sisters. Despite the grim subject matter, the result is enthralling, entertaining reading.
    • 5/5
      I see why this twisted little black comedy won the Morning News Tournament of Books this year. It's very well written - every word and vignette is nicely chosen to create both an ominous and weirdly humorous story. How does one end up sympathizing with a serial killer and her loyal and protective sister? How indeed. I'm really looking forward to reading what this talented, young Nigerian author writes next.
    • 4/5
      Korede is the ultimate enabler of her murderous sister. As the story unfolded, revealing the subtle and not so subtle ways they were both subject to the whims of the men around them, I ended up feeling not that sorry for their victims.
    • 4/5
      “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 was a fun, little thriller, set in Lagos, Nigeria, about sisters, one who has some homicidal issues, and her big sister, who cleans up after her. Since several of my LT pals were buzzing about this one, I knew I had to give it a try. I was just waiting for the audiobook to come through, and I am glad I did, because it worked just fine in this format. The writing is fresh and engaging.
    • 4/5
      Horrifying yet oddly understandable.
    • 4/5
      Younger sister Ayoola is beautiful, irresponsible, and, for various reasons, inclined to murder her boyfriends. Older sister Korede is plain, practical, and honor-bound to help clean up her sister's messes. When Korede develops a crush on a man who only has eyes for Ayoola, a chain of events is sent into motion that leads to more than one character's undoing. This brief, breezy novel explores the bonds between sisters and gives a glimpse into life among the affluent in Nigeria. Highly recommended as a summer read.
    • 4/5
      Excellent book. Liked the characters. Liked the style.
    • 5/5
      Really stunning for a debut novel. The familial obligation inherent to this family (I assume to Nigerian culture broadly) is rendered impeccably. In some ways this is the most extreme version -- a purposely exaggerated and high stakes take on familial obligation -- but it accomplishes its goal and is an engrossing read at the same time. This is quick and easy to read. Lots to contemplate about culture, too, though.
    • 4/5
      My Sister, the Serial Killer is told from the point of view of a woman, a nurse, whose sister has the habit of killing her boyfriends. Each time, Ayoola calls Korede, and Korede goes to protect her sister from the consequences of her actions by disposing of the body and cleaning up the mess. But Ayoola is self-centered and demanding and when she meets the man who Korede cares for, will this be enough to break Korede's pattern of covering up her sister's crimes?Oyinkan Braithwaite's debut novel is a lot of fun. It's short, with short chapters that make it fly by even faster. There's no question of pacing in this novel, it all speeds by. But this isn't a flat genre novel, meant only as entertaining, there's a lot going on. From the setting of Lagos, Nigeria and the peek inside of that culture, to explorations of how a strictly patriarchal society shapes and harms both men and women, to asking how responsible are we for our families, all of that is so wrapped in a fun package, that it never feels heavy-handed.
    • 4/5
      Two sisters bound by their father’s harsh abusive punishments. Together, they commit the ultimate act. How this translates, for one sister, into future relationships with men plays out in this oddly light hearted psychological thriller.
    • 4/5
      Oh I can tell you right now, this book is certainly accurate on an exaggerated level the relationship between older and younger sisters. I had to research if the writer has siblings and she has three, including two younger sisters (I thought it obvious -- and I'm sorry there are two of them.) I don't know WHY parents do this, but the younger sister usually receives preferential treatment and then if the older sister points this out, it is almost always blamed on jealously (well, treat them the same then): "I am responsible for Ayoola. That’s how it has always been. Ayoola would break a glass, and I would receive the blame for giving her the drink. Ayoola would fail a class, and I would be blamed for not coaching her. Ayoola would take an apple and leave the store without paying for it, and I would be blamed for letting her get hungry." (page 59) For sisterly relationships, this book gets an A+.However, I must admit, that any book with 'serial killer' in the title might not be the book for me. I just can't seem to be invested in a book about a casual murderer. I remain at a distance. It's like how I could watch a comedy about death but I can't laugh at a comedy about murder. Poor Korede just needed to separate herself from her sister, but like the paragraph above, she was trained to worry more about her sister than herself. I think the book worked because the main character is an older sister as the writer is an older sister. She knows enough about sisters (even if her sisters may be great people). The sister didn't need to be a serial killer. The sisters here were like an exaggerated Elinor and Marianne from Jane Austen's Sense & Sensibility. But then again, Marianne WAS very drama. The book is short, concise, to the point, and hints at many underlying issues under the surface. This certainly shows that Braithwaite has some skills. I will be paying attention and hopefully the next one won't be about killers.
    • 4/5
      From the book jacket: Korede is bitter. How could she not be? Her sister, Ayoola, is many things: the favorite child, the beautiful one, possibly sociopathic. And now, Ayoola’s third boyfriend in a row is dead.My reactionsWhat an interesting concept! I was immediately drawn into the sisters’ co-dependent relationship. I understood and sympathized with Korede’s dilemma: she loves her sister, has vowed to protect her, but now is racked with guilt and wondering how she can safeguard not only her sister, but the man SHE loves (quietly and from afar). Ayoola is frustratingly irresponsible, cavalier, and, yes, charming. Her lies fall effortlessly from her lips until even Korede seems to believe them. And yet …I was fearful for Korede. She is the quiet, smart, professionally employed, responsible one. Not very pretty, but always kind and sensitive. The patients at the hospital where she is a nurse love her, and the doctors and administration appreciate her. And yet, she is lonely and longs for a love of her own. How can she possibly not be jealous of her beautiful sister, who has men fawning over her right left and sideways? I just knew she would come to harm as the plot moved relentlessly towards its inevitable conclusion. Flashbacks to their violent father’s actions helped me understand the sisters’ bond. But I cannot help but wonder if Korede had more to do with his death than originally implied. The tension is nonstop. Will she? Won’t she? When will she? How will she? In the end I’m left wondering WHO is the psychopath here?
    • 3/5
      A simple story that impresses for being simply told.
    • 4/5
      Ayoola has always been the beautiful sister, her mother’s favorite. She seems perfect from the outside but she does have one flaw. Her boyfriends keep dying in her company. Each time, she claims self-defense. Luckily, her protective older sister Korede is willing to literally clean up her mess time and time again. Korede, a nurse, is secretly in love with one of the doctors she works with but he has no idea. When Ayoola visits the hospital one day, he is immediately taken with her and her beauty like every other man she’s ever met. Now Korede has to decide where her loyalties lie because chances are that Ayoola’s relationship with the doctor will end like all her others.This book was very suspenseful! I honestly couldn’t figure out what Korede was going to do about the situation with her sister and the doctor. And oh my gosh – the sister was so vapid and selfish! I wanted to yell at Korede to quit protecting her. I guess that’s what big sisters are for.This book is a short read that’s fast paced and fun. There’s some dark humor in it that makes it not as morbid as it sounds. Take a close look at the cover – creepy! Recommended.
    • 3/5
      This book was more a long short story or novella than a novel with a pretty simple plot. Sister seems to find herself killing people. Sister helps her cover the killings Unsatisfactory ending. Lots of words in a Nigerian language I don't know and didn't understand, but that was okay. Just not a very satisfactory story.