My Sister, the Serial Killer: A Novel

By Oyinkan Braithwaite

ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE'S 100 BEST MYSTERY AND THRILLER BOOKS OF ALL TIME • BOOKER PRIZE NOMINEE • “A taut and darkly funny contemporary noir that moves at lightning speed, it’s the wittiest and most fun murder party you’ve ever been invited to.” —MARIE CLAIRE

Korede’s sister Ayoola is many things: the favorite child, the beautiful one, possibly sociopathic. And now Ayoola’s third boyfriend in a row is dead, stabbed through the heart with Ayoola’s knife.

Korede’s practicality is the sisters’ saving grace. She knows the best solutions for cleaning blood (bleach, bleach, and more bleach), the best way to move a body (wrap it in sheets like a mummy), and she keeps Ayoola from posting pictures to Instagram when she should be mourning her “missing” boyfriend. Not that she gets any credit.

Korede has long been in love with a kind, handsome doctor at the hospital where she works. She dreams of the day when he will realize that she’s exactly what he needs. But when he asks Korede for Ayoola’s phone number, she must reckon with what her sister has become and how far she’s willing to go to protect her.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
• Release date: Nov 20, 2018
• ISBN: 9780385544245

Book preview

BLEACH

I bet you didn’t know that bleach masks the smell of blood. Most people use bleach indiscriminately, assuming it is a catchall product, never taking the time to read the list of ingredients on the back, never taking the time to return to the recently wiped surface to take a closer look. Bleach will disinfect, but it’s not great for cleaning residue, so I use it only after I have first scrubbed the bathroom of all traces of life, and death.

It is clear that the room we are in has been remodeled recently. It has that never-been-used look, especially now that I’ve spent close to three hours cleaning up. The hardest part was getting to the blood that had seeped in between the shower and the caulking. It’s an easy part to forget.

There’s nothing placed on any of the surfaces; his shower gel, toothbrush and toothpaste are all stored in the cabinet above the sink. Then there’s the shower mat—a black smiley face on a yellow rectangle in an otherwise white room.

Ayoola is perched on the toilet seat, her knees raised and her arms wrapped around them. The blood on her dress has dried and there is no risk that it will drip on the white, now glossy floors. Her dreadlocks are piled atop her head, so they don’t sweep the ground. She keeps looking up at me with her big brown eyes, afraid that I am angry, that I will soon get off my hands and knees to lecture her.

I am not angry. If I am anything, I am tired. The sweat from my brow drips onto the floor and I use the blue sponge to wipe it away.

I was about to eat when she called me. I had laid everything out on the tray in preparation—the fork was to the left of the plate, the knife to the right. I folded the napkin into the shape of a crown and placed it at the center of the plate. The movie was paused at the beginning credits and the oven timer had just rung, when my phone began to vibrate violently on my table.

By the time I get home, the food will be cold.

I stand up and rinse the gloves in the sink, but I don’t remove them. Ayoola is looking at my reflection in the mirror.

We need to move the body, I tell her.

Are you angry at me?

Perhaps a normal person would be angry, but what I feel now is a pressing need to dispose of the body. When I got here, we carried him to the boot of my car, so that I was free to scrub and mop without having to countenance his cold stare.

Get your bag, I reply.

We return to the car and he is still in the boot, waiting for us.

The third mainland bridge gets little to no traffic at this time of night, and since there are no lamplights, it’s almost pitch-black, but if you look beyond the bridge you can see the lights of the city. We take him to where we took the last one—over the bridge and into the water. At least he won’t be lonely.

Some of the blood has seeped into the lining of the boot. Ayoola offers to clean it, out of guilt, but I take my homemade mixture of one spoon of ammonia to two cups of water from her and pour it over the stain. I don’t know whether or not they have the tech for a thorough crime scene investigation in Lagos, but Ayoola could never clean up as efficiently as I can.

THE NOTEBOOK

Who was he?

Femi.

I scribble the name down. We are in my bedroom. Ayoola is sitting cross-legged on my sofa, her head resting on the back of the cushion. While she took a bath, I set the dress she had been wearing on fire. Now she wears a rose-colored T-shirt and smells of baby powder.

And his surname?

She frowns, pressing her lips together, and then she shakes her head, as though trying to shake the name back into the forefront of her brain. It doesn’t come. She shrugs. I should have taken his wallet.

I close the notebook. It is small, smaller than the palm of my hand. I watched a TEDx video once where the man said that carrying around a notebook and penning one happy moment each day had changed his life. That is why I bought the notebook. On the first page, I wrote, I saw a white owl through my bedroom window. The notebook has been mostly empty since.

It’s not my fault, you know. But I don’t know. I don’t know what she is referring to. Does she mean the inability to recall his surname? Or his death?

Tell me what happened.

THE POEM

Femi wrote her a poem.

(She can remember the poem, but she cannot remember his last name.)

I dare you to find a flaw

in her beauty;

or to bring forth a woman

who can stand beside

her without wilting.

And he gave it to her written on a piece of paper, folded twice, reminiscent of our secondary school days, when kids would pass love notes to one another in the back row of classrooms. She was moved by all this (but then Ayoola is always moved by the worship of her merits) and so she agreed to be his woman.

On their one-month anniversary, she stabbed him in the bathroom of his apartment. She didn’t mean to, of course. He was angry, screaming at her, his onion-stained breath hot against her face.

(But why was she carrying the knife?)

The knife was for her protection. You never knew with men, they wanted what they wanted when they wanted it. She didn’t mean to kill him; she wanted to warn him off, but he wasn’t scared of her weapon. He was over six feet tall and she must have looked like a doll to him, with her small frame, long eyelashes and rosy, full lips.

(Her description, not mine.)

She killed him on the first strike, a jab straight to the heart. But then she stabbed him twice more to be sure. He sank to the floor. She could hear her own breathing and nothing else.

BODY

Have you heard this one before? 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.

How many bedsheets do we need?

How many does he have? Ayoola ran out of the bathroom and returned armed with the information that there were five sheets in his laundry cupboard. I bit my lip. We needed a lot, but I was afraid his family might notice if the only sheet he had was the one laid on his bed. For the average male, this wouldn’t be all that peculiar—but this man was meticulous. His bookshelf was arranged alphabetically by author. His bathroom was stocked with the full range of cleaning supplies; he even bought the same brand of disinfectant as I did. And his kitchen shone. Ayoola seemed out of place here—a blight in an otherwise pure existence.

Bring three.

Second, they clean up the blood.

I soaked up the blood with a towel and wrung it out in the sink. I repeated the motions until the floor was dry. Ayoola hovered, leaning on one foot and then the other. I ignored her impatience. It takes a whole 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. But my eyes kept darting to the slumped corpse, propped up against the wall. I wouldn’t be able to do a thorough job until his body was elsewhere.

Third, they turn him into a mummy.

We laid the sheets out on the now dry floor and she rolled him onto them. I didn’t want to touch him. I could make out his sculpted body beneath his white tee. He looked like a man who could survive a couple of flesh wounds, but then so had Achilles and Caesar. It was a shame to think that death would whittle away at his broad shoulders and concave abs, until he was nothing more than bone. When I first walked in I had checked his pulse thrice, and then thrice more. He could have been sleeping, he looked so peaceful. His head was bent low, his back curved against the wall, his legs askew.

Ayoola huffed and puffed as she pushed his body onto the sheets. She wiped the sweat off her brow and left a trace of blood there. She tucked one side of a sheet over him, hiding him from view. Then I helped her roll him and wrap him firmly within the sheets. We stood and looked at him.

What now? she asked.

Fourth, they move the body.

We could have used the stairs, but I imagined us carrying what was clearly a crudely swaddled body and meeting someone on our way. I made up a couple of possible explanations—

We are playing a prank on my brother. He is a deep sleeper and we are moving his sleeping body elsewhere.

No, no, it’s not a real man, what do you take us for? It’s a mannequin.

No, ma, it is just a sack of potatoes.

I pictured the eyes of my make-believe witness widening in fear as he or she ran to safety. No, the stairs were out of the question.

We need to take the lift.

Ayoola opened her mouth to ask a question and then she shook her head and closed it again. She had done her bit, the rest she left to me. We lifted him. I should have used my knees and not my back. I felt something crack and dropped my end of the body with a thud. My sister rolled her eyes. I took his feet again, and we carried him to the doorway.

Ayoola darted to the lift, pressed the button, ran back to us and lifted Femi’s shoulders once more. I peeked out of the apartment and confirmed that the landing was still clear. I was tempted to pray, to beg that no door be opened as we journeyed from door to lift, but I am fairly certain that those are exactly the types of prayers He doesn’t answer. So I chose instead to rely on luck and speed. We silently shuffled across the stone floor. The lift dinged just in time and opened its mouth for us. We stayed to one side while I confirmed that the lift was empty, and then we heaved him in, bundling him into the corner, away from immediate view.

Please hold the lift! cried a voice. From the corner of my eye, I saw Ayoola about to press the button, the one that stops the lift from closing its doors. I slapped her hand away and jabbed the ground button repeatedly. As the lift doors slid shut, I caught a glimpse of a young mother’s disappointed face. I felt a little guilty—she had a baby in one arm and bags in the other—but I did not feel guilty enough to risk incarceration. Besides, what good could she be up to moving around at that hour, with a child in tow?

What is wrong with you? I hissed at Ayoola, even though I knew her movement had been instinctive, possibly the same impulsiveness that caused her to drive knife into flesh.

My bad, was her only response. I swallowed the words that threatened to spill out of my mouth. This was not the time.

On the ground floor, I left Ayoola to guard the body and hold the lift. If anyone was coming toward her, she was to shut the doors and go to the top floor. If someone attempted to call it from another floor, she was to hold the lift doors. I ran to get my car and drove it to the back door of the apartment building, where we fetched the body from the lift. My heart only stopped hammering in my chest when we shut the boot.

Fifth, they bleach.

SCRUBS

The administration at the hospital decided to change the nurses’ uniform from white to pale pink,

Reviews for My Sister, the Serial Killer

[adonisguilfoyle · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I can't say I 'enjoyed' this novel exactly, but the swift and succinct storytelling is very effective and the characters, if not always likeable or sympathetic, seem very real.

Korede is the career big sister who has dedicated her life to looking after others, from her patients to sociopathic baby sister Ayoola. Beautiful but shallow, Ayoola spends all her time on looking good on social media and somehow always picking the wrong men, who somehow always end up dead. But Korede is always there with a bottle of bleach to cover her sister's crimes.

Initially there's a kind of dark humour to Ayoola's tragic love life, but she's no femme fatale, killing for the power or the excitement. She's just a mess, and after a point, I started hoping she would get caught. I did enjoy the turning of the tables, with men paying for their superficial treatment of women, especially in a country like Nigeria, but there was also an element of crying wolf that usually only hurts women in the end. And for Korede to keep sacrificing her conscience and her own happiness for Ayoola also seemed a bit sadistic - I know she was an accomplice but I would still have snapped in Korede's place.

Aside from the deeply unsatisfying ending, this was a punchy yet intimate view of Lagos life, blending hot weather and tempting food with misogyny and corruption.

[melissarochelle_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I don't even know how to start. I read it VERY quickly. Korede is so over cleaning up her sister's messes. And Ayoola makes MESSES. So ridiculous, so funny, and a little frightening.

Upon my second reading, it's still a powerful testament of the power of sisterhood.

[ladypembroke · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good book. Fast read. The only real drawback was that the characters felt underdeveloped. The concept was interesting, and the writing was solid. I have no regrets about the read, and I look forward to reading more from Braithwaite.

[angelreadsthings · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Captivating but not as emotionally resonant as I had hoped. The characters, plot, and writing style made this book difficult to put down but the speed with which the author moved from experience to experience and thought to thought made it nearly impossible to really inhabit the emotions of the characters. Ultimately, this was a quick, enjoyable read that left me wanting even more psychological and emotional meat to wrestle with.

[griffin_reads · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I had a good time with My Sister, the Serial Killer. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and found it to be a good palette cleanser. It is also an incredibly fast read, which I enjoyed. At times, it did feel as if the author wrote the book in sections without re-reading what she previously wrote, as it seemed to jump around a bit and have a few plot holes and general unclear plot points. Despite that though, it is a solid three-stars, in a good way. I will definitely read more of Braithwaite's works in the future.

[bruyere_c · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Loved the audiobook!

[lindoula-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great book! So engrossing, I'd have read it in one sitting if my toddler would have let me. I saw some people praise this as a dark comedy, but I've known too many Ayoolas - not literal serial killers, needless to say, just people who expect everything will always go the way they want it - over the years for me to find any humor in her personality.

[thegalaxygirl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fresh take on crime fiction. The story was original, and I liked the window into Nigerian culture and also the relationship between the two sisters. What do you do when your sister is a serial killer? Cover it up, of course.

[carolfoisset · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Enjoyed the audio version. Author did a great job convincing me how this situation could have developed between the sisters.
Intriguing tale, liked the psychological aspect of the story.

[almin-70827 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

When I started reading I thought the writing was spare and a bit simple, but then I think there was a reason. Suddenly Korede would say something surprising and I would have to go back and read it again to make sure I understood what she just revealed. I think Ayoola wasn't as shallow or flaky as I thought in the beginning, she is very sly.

I enjoyed, very quick read, it is described as 'dark comedy'.... I guess I can agree with that.

[technodiabla · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I listed to this as an audio book.

My Sister, The Serial Killer is billed as a dark comedy. It isn't. It's just dark. Very dark. This short novel is about two Nigerian sisters, one is a shallow beauty and the other a no-nonsense nurse. One has a habit of killing all her boyfriends and her sister aids in the clean up. That's where the novel begins anyway. What follows is a family drama where the nurse is conflicted over what to do about her sister's "problem", especially as they begin to adore the same man. It's a sad story with a lot going on. Men are definitely not painted in a good light. No one is really. Looking forward to discussing in book club. The audio was a pleasure. Love the accent!

[danielle.desrochers · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3.5 stars rounded up

I really wanted to like this, the premise sounded so interesting! I found the majority of the characters fell a bit flat for me, and I really didn’t like the super short chapters. It felt more like I was reading free-form poetry at times. I did however really like how the character of Ayoola was written. She wasn’t predictable and I feel like she was more real and human than a lot of characters we could liken her to.

[geauxgetlit · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

A beautiful woman can get away with murder of her male partners due to her beauty alone. No depth and pretty cliche.

[proustitute_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A short, quick, fun read that showcases some witty, satirical writing on Braithwaite’s part—especially for a debut novel. I read a lot of literary classics (classic-classics and contemporary literary fiction) as well as mystery/crime novels; to me, this read more like a comedy of manners with a serial killer twist, and that in itself would have been fine. It does its job of entertaining the reader, keeping the reader intrigued by the relationship between these two sisters—Korede, a nurse, who cleans up after Ayoola begins to kill the men she dates—as well as what will happen next.

Since I’m less of a plot-based reader, I don’t think that this worked for me on the levels that it might have for some others who rated it more highly; with that said, it’s a good first novel, and a nice look at life in Lagos… I did feel, though, that if Braithwaite’s intent was to critique Nigerian society, authority, and corruption and relate this back to Ayoola offing her lovers (as indeed seemed to be the case several times, i.e., something like what American Psycho does so well), it was not carried through to the extent that it should have been, favoring plot more than a running critique.

If you’re looking for a quick and pleasant weekend read—“pleasant” perhaps being an odd word choice for a book about a serial killer—I would recommend this book, hands down, and I think that Braithwaite will go on to do great things with her career. Not sure why this made the Booker longlist, to be honest, as there were many finer choices that could have been placed in its stead: a lot of surface here, but little plumbing of the depths.

[amcheri-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

4.5 rounded up.

I thoroughly enjoyed this short novel. I had no idea what to expect and had a near constant knot in my stomach waiting for the tale to unfold. I can absolutely see myself reading it again. So good.

[jonez-6 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3.75

I read this fast-paced, tension-filled book in one sitting and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This satisfied my love of familial drama, the topic of cultural stagnation, as well as my need to consume anything that has to do with serial murder (I don't know what is wrong with me. Don't ask). Braithwaite was able to poke at these subjects deftly and it did leave me thinking. With that said, there was so much more that could have been unpacked here and maybe poked at a bit harder. I was left wanting more.

[sriddell_8 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I'm clearly in the minority here, but I didn't like this book.

It was very well written so I added a star to bring my overall rating up to a 2.

But I hated every single character in this book. Every single one. With the potential exception of the guy in a coma.

Mother was weak. Father was unspeakably awful. Auntie was stupid. Sister was in fact a serial killer (I would have hoped this wasn't quite so literal) and the main character Korede was a co-dependent sap and accessory to murder.

[brianinbuffalo · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book had such little "staying power" that I actually forgot to log it until a few months after I finished it. What's more, I could barely remember anything except for the general storyline. It was a quick read that was structured in minimalist fashion (a style I typically prefer). I recall finding some of the narrative mildly interesting -- albeit a bit predictable in spots.

[alanna1122 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was so excellent. It wasn't particularly gory - so don't let the title scare you away too much. It was so tight and well written. The story was really fresh and I loved the sense of place the author incorporated. The characters were well drawn and the emotions of the sister were so well embodied it gave such a different feeling of suspense than in traditional thrillers. I'd recommend this to people looking for an excellent thriller with a really novel perspective.

[sheriawilkinson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

The story of two Sisters Korede and Ayoola, close but complete opposites. Korede is a Nurse (an) ordinary young woman. Ayoola, is stunning, beautiful, but has a dark side. When Korede discovers her dark secret, she is there to help her any way she can.

But when Ayoola falls for the Doctor Korede likes, this changes everything. What will they do if her secret is revealed. How far will Korede go to help her. Life is about to take an irreversible change for the Sisters, as decisions must be made.

A fast page page-turning, heart-pounding suspense. With vivid details, engaging dialog and compelling plot, I was pulled into their story. I liked Korede and Ayoola. I (feel) compassionate for what they are and have gone through. Family ties are what bind these Sisters, as they would do anything to help the other, at any cost.

Overall I found My Sister, the Serial Killer intense, emotional, thought-provoking and memorable. I highly recommend to all .

[jennybeast · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Short, quick read that packs a punch -- really sharp and clean, almost vignette style writing, but amazingly emotionally evocative. Captures the moment of love denied, captures the childhood trauma/love of siblings, opens a door on Nigerian culture. Massively messed up, but fascinating.

[dairyqueen84 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting exploration of sisterly love.

[marse_4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Despite it being about a serial killer, I really enjoyed this book. The writing is straightforward and conversational, the story engaging--even humorous. Two sisters, the younger one is pretty and attractive to men and has the propensity to end up with a dead body on her hands, while the elder, a plain, but intelligent nurse, is the one her sister turns to when she needs help disposing of the body. the elder sister is the narrator of this novel. What I also found refreshing about this novel is the setting - Nigeria. Nigeria, not as an exotic country, but as a normal, familiar place. A place where stories are told, where people live their lives, where bad things happen - just like anywhere else. I haven't read much literature from Africa so I can't really judge, but this book made me feel at home in a place I've never been. Loved it!

[amzzz_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

What lengths would you go to in order to protect your sister? Would you still be on her side if her boyfriends started showing up dead? This was a nice easy read with some dark humour and plenty to think about!

[brakketh-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A breezy quick read with fun characters and some enjoyable twists.

[lara335 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Original theme. Sensible, caring nurse Korede, cleans up the mess created by her younger, siren sister, Ayoola, who collects boyfriends who are bedazzled by the sexy minx but who subsequently come to speedy ends. Ayoola can’t understand what all the fuss is about & busies herself with Instagram. Korede tries to warn the doctor she yearns for, & is soundly rebuffed.

Set in middle-class Nigeria, drily humorous with a very recognisable, universal cast.

[akbouterse · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this! Well maybe enjoyed is the wrong word, but this was very compelling and I really enjoyed the writing.

As the title suggests, this is a book is about Korede, who is dealing with her sister Ayoola who seems to always end up killing the boys she dates. This book definitely isn't a typical thriller in that it isn't super fast-paced or high action but the author did a great job setting up the tension and release cycle that you see a lot in Southern Gothic terror. I actually would describe this more as being terrifying, in that the suspense comes from the feeling that something might happen, rather than thrilling, where it seems the suspense comes from action.

I really enjoyed the care that was taken with setting up the familial relationships in this. I think the author did a great job describing the pressures an older sister might feel to take care of a younger sister. I'm an older sister and even through there wasn't a ton of pressure put on me to take care of her, you still end up worrying and feeling the need to protect them. And my sister hasn't ever killed anyone as far as I'm aware so I imagine the pressure for Korede is even greater!

I really enjoyed the writing style in this book. I loved the way Braithwaite wove the family history and the sisters background into the current plot line. All the chapters were pretty short and almost felt like little short stories. I would definitely be interested in reading more from this author. The only plot thread that felt a bit weaker for me was the one with Korede and the coma patient. There were parts of that I liked but that was the most predictable part of this book for me and tied in the least to the other stuff. I'm glad I finally picked this up. This was a super short read and so if you're thinking about picking it I would recommend this, just know that it's not super thrillerish in a traditional sense.

[Pilar1970 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It is an easy book to read. It is short, its chapters are too, so the reading is quick and very dynamic. (Translated from Spanish)

[bdgamer-669415 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The initial setup for the story was great - how do you deal with a sister who's a serial killer? - but it slowly devolves into a personal, angst-driven story about problematic sibling relationships and father issues. While these issues are handled quite well by Braithwaite, they weren't exactly what I was expecting. Also, the story doesn't do anything interesting or goes anywhere with the promising premise.

The characterization is good, especially Korede. The author expertly crafts the narrative from her perspective, giving us a biased view towards her sister and father. Initially, it seemed more of a rivalry, but it soon goes into jealousy and pride, marked with a dash of doubt. It would've been interesting if the author did something sneaky - like pull off a twist? - yet, as you might have guessed, Braithwaite goes nowhere.

I liked the depiction of Ayoola. She's the hot girl who knows she's hot, always getting what she wants. She has men groveling at her feet and can get away with anything. Anything. And that's where the narrator's perspective came into play. Even with Ayoola's flaws, the narrator does not seem to want to hate her, perhaps subverting our expectations from the book. And yet, there's a tension throughout, which, as you might have guessed, doesn't go anywhere.

It's a quick read, something that can be wrapped up in an afternoon. It could've been great, a memorable piece if the narrative had been bolder and more confident in carving its way forward.

[reader1009-863136 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

suspense fiction - a fast read with short chapters and tons of suspense for fans of Gone Girl and other runaway bestsellers.