Sadly, I was disappointed by this book. It failed to deliver the black comedy promised by the title, and instead only offered irritating characters, along with a lack of plot or character development. At the end of the book, Ayoola is just as infuriatingly vapid as at the beginning, and Korede just as willing to cover up her murderous spree. The final part of the book rushes through to a conclusion where it would have benefited from a little more fleshing out of their back story, and indeed a path forward. If nothing and no-one has changed through the course of the book, I'm left wondering why I bothered to read it?

My Sister The Serial Killer is a really quick read about a sister left to clean up the chaos left behind by her murderous Sister. The book opens with a murder that is described so matter of factly that I almost thought it was a joke. The flippancy of the killing leads to a darkly humourous story about the lengths a Sister will go to when protecting their sibling. I really enjoyed the vibe of this along with some well fleshed out characters. A twisted little tale of family love in a twenty first century of throw away friendships and insta love.

I can't say I enjoyed this book as it was different to what I usually read but after a slow start I started to get interested
The relationship and loyalty between the sisters I suppose could be understandable but why Korede the older sister puts up with Ayoola the younger one is a little too untrue to me
The ending just appeared and was left flat so disappointing
Would I rush to read more from this Author no I don't think I would

*I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A great satirical thriller that had me gripped from the first page. It's a lot of fun to read although if you're looking for a high-stakes suspenseful thriller, this one won't be for you - but don't let that turn you off! As someone who devours crime and thriller novels, I requested this based on the title alone and enjoyed the read overall.

This was a quick, entertaining read from the perspective of the sister of a serial killer. I liked the potential that our narrator was unreliable, but other than that I did feel that the book lacked depth- it was as if there was an extra plot dimension which was missing somehow.

Novella that I wanted to keep going. Dark, deep and diverting.

4.5 stars.

Quite unlike anything I've read before. And I wanted MORE, it was a very short read, though a complete story in itself, it felt like a competition entry that would later be expanded.

A story of sisters, loyalty and family, it's also the story of a serial killer. Though we never learn of the 'whys', we follow Ayoola's love life through her sister, nurse Korede. Ayoola is the younger sister, beautiful and carefree, popular with men, but it seems has a habit of 'having' to defend herself when they 'attack' her, leaving Korede to clean up her messes. Literally. And as a big sister, Korede feels obliged to protect her.

But when Ayoola arouses the interest of the doctor colleague that Korede has admired from afar for many months, Korede's loyalties are tested - she knows what will happen if she lets events take their course.

Korede tells this story, and our sympathies are with her, though watching her suffer simply for being the oldest and less pretty is hard: "Ayoola is inconsiderate and selfish and reckless, but her welfare is and has always been my responsibility."

My favourite aspect of the book was that Korede, unable to confide her secrets in a friend, talks about them to a patient in a coma. That situation intensifies, of course, bringing a little dark comedy to the tale.

Ayoola remains aloof to the reader, we are never privy to her thoughts - is she a psychopath? Simply unlucky? Relying on her sister? Watching men fall at her feet while ignoring the smart and capable Korede felt frustrating, especially seeing where it might lead them. Men don't feature as strong and smart characters here, they are played by women, which gives this a fresh feel (though I do feel for the men reading this who would not identify with this stereotypical male!).

Intriguing, dark and morbidly funny, it's got a lot to say. And I want a part two!

With thanks to Netgalley for the sample reading copy.

A short funny read about one sister protecting the other. This is a fast paced story with a lot of action packed in. I feel though that there is no real depth to the characters. I did not learn enough about them to be really interested in what happened to them.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

My Sister, the Serial Killer is about 2 sisters living in Nigeria. One is a serial killer and the other one is the person she calls to deal with the body!

This was a really unexpected read for me. It has an unusual storyline and was very well written. Short chapters and the fast pace make it a quick read.

Both sisters grew up under the influence of a violent father. This has left a mark on both girls but in very different ways.

Ayoola is a unrepentant serial killer. Beautiful and popular but selfish and egotistical, she is used to everyone falling at her feet and doing exactly what she wants.

Korede is a nurse at the local hospital and is passionate about taking care about her patients. However she is frustratingly passive and is enabling Ayoola’s murderous tendencies. It’s understandable that as the elder of the two girls, she feels obliged to protect her sister, especially as she was unable to do so when their father was alive, however she takes this to the extreme by disposing of the bodies.

I didn’t particularly like either of the sisters and it was clear to see that their behaviour as adults was impacted by their childhood and living with a violent and oppressive father. For me neither of them had any real likeable or redeeming qualities.

Having said all of that, I was interested in their fate and what would happen next in this crazy story, therefore I would say give this a go especially if you want to read something with an unusual storyline and some morally questionable characters!

3.5 stars ⭐️

My Sister, the Serial Killer will be available from January 3rd 2019.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher (Atlantic Books) for providing a copy. All opinions are my own and provides willingly.

Oh my god I LOVED this book! It’s set in Nigeria and tells the story of 2 sisters and their love for each other. Is blood thicker than water? Read this and you’ll find out!
5/5 on goodreads

I'm always a sucker for a well drawn sisterly relationship and this one is fantastic; I recognised so much of my own sibling experience in the interactions between Korede and Ayoola (although I've never dumped a body off a bridge, obviously), and style-wise, I actually think the short, snappy chapters work perfectly with the narrative. Really enjoyable.

My Sister The Serial Killer is a short but very clever novel, an elegantly told tale of two sisters, that which drives them and the murky family life that defines them.

The fact that one of them has a tendency to kill, then call on her older sister to clean up the mess, is almost a secondary concern...

I loved it. It is both observational and chilling, the Lagos setting and culture comes to vivid life, an immersive backdrop to a dark dark domestic tale.

I wish in a way it was longer, the surface of these two amazingly fascinating characters has barely been scratched and yet My Sister The Serial Killer is a perfectly formed gem of a tale. Highly Recommended.

Really interesting and intriguing story. it changes from the traditional serial killers stories. women are at the centre of this gripping story, a page turner!

“Ayoola summons me with these words – Korede, I killed him.”

Korede is a nurse, who is obsessed with cleanliness. That is quite useful where her beautiful, younger sister, Ayoola is concerned, as she has now killed her third boyfriend. Indeed, Korede has become adept at cleaning up after such crimes, and disposing of bodies.

So begins this enticing, deliciously dark, novel. As the story progresses, we learn more about the characters, and why, perhaps, Ayoola – so enticing to men – just cannot seem to stop killing them. However, there is one man at the hospital, handsome doctor, Tade, who Korede secretly desires. Of course, though, once he meets Ayoola, he is instantly smitten. Can Korede keep him from Ayoola’s clutches? Can she keep him safe?

This is such an original crime novel, which moves along at a fast pace, with short, sharp chapters. Braithwaite paints a picture of Lagos, where bribing corrupt police is seen as normal, as well as making the places within the novel feel extremely real – the family house of Korede, her sister and mother, and the hospital where she works. Ayoola is casually complacent, almost childishly sure of herself, while Korede feels she has to protect her younger sister, even when she is horrified at her selfish behaviour. I also enjoyed meeting the other nurses at the hospital and the coma patient who Korede poured her thoughts out to.

I loved this original crime novel and would certainly read more by this author. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

Absurd, humorous and yet darkly believable, I really enjoyed this. A quick read which hits the spot.

My thanks to Atlantic Books for an eARC, via NetGalley, of this debut novel by Oyinkan Braithwaite, originally published in Nigeria in 2017 and getting its U.K. publication in January 2019.

Clearly from the opening chapter this is a dark comedy/satire and it’s easy to see why the publishers sought out Luke Jennings of the ‘Villanelle/Killing Eve’ series for an endorsement as it is bound to appeal to readers attracted to his work.

Set in Lagos, the title pretty much sums it up. Its narrator, Korede, finds herself cleaning up after her younger sister, Ayoola, who has just killed Femi. This is her third boyfriend to meet this fate. Korede muses that “Femi makes three, ...Three, and they label you a serial killer”. Yet would Ayoola pay any attention? It is only when Ayoola starts dating Tade, the handsome doctor that Korede is secretly in love with, that her loyalty to her sister comes under review.

I loved it! Well written in an economical style, clever, compelling, and fun in a dark, twisted way. Certainly highly recommended and I may suggest to my reading group as aside from the above qualities it explores family dynamics and loyalty, which provides an excellent opening for discussion.

Korede's sister, Ayoola, is beautiful, charming and possibly a serial killer. How many murders does it take? Ayoola's third boyfriend in a row is dead and Korede is there to help clean up the mess. Because that's what being a sister is all about.

Korede works as a nurse and has a crush on one of the doctors at the hospital. Of course, the day her sister walks in, he is immediately drawn to Ayoola, wants to ask her out. Korede likes this man, she doesn't want him getting hurt, so how can she warn him away.

My Sister, the Serial Killer is fantastic piece of dark comedy, but ultimately is about sisters and the lengths you'll go to, to protect those you love.

I loved how Korede confesses everything to a coma patient, never even considering he might wake up and remember everything. Whilst Ayoola isn't a likeable character, she's also not what you'd expect from a serial killer. Except for the fact everyone loves her, she's a fairly regular person who just seems incapable of ending a relationship the normal way.

There are some great observations on human behaviour. Korede does get annoyed with her sister and I liked that she acted in a logical manner. Sometimes with these kinds of stories I get irritated at the stupid things they do, but she was sensible and her motives (protecting her sister) were understandable.

Two sisters are at the heart of the story, Ayoola is the younger sister, she is disorganized, sensational, and beautiful. She acts instinctively, and she is a serial killer. Korede, is the elder sister and the narrator of the story. She is the methodical,organised, meticulous. She is the one that do the cleaning up after her sister murders her boyfriends

I liked Oyinkan Braithwaite’s straightforward writing. The plot is brilliant, unexpected, interesting and funny, it’s a joy to read. And, I loved that it is set in Lagos. While reading you can feel the heat and the humidity, the buzz in the atmosphere, and the blend of old and contemporary. It makes the story more fascinating and engaging.

I don’t want to give too much away. One could characterize My Sister the Serial Killer as dark thriller, but I think it is so much more. The main characters are obsessed, paranoid, and, yes, terrible, but also, naïve and simplistic. A big part of the story is about the unique relationship between these two young sisters.The flashbacks in their childhood are interesting, gradually as you read, a scary and abusing past unfolds and you begin to understand why they behave the way they do.

I liked Oyinkan Braithwaite’s straightforward writing. The plot is brilliant, unexpected, interesting and funny, it’s a joy to read. And, I loved that it is set in Lagos. While reading you can feel the heat and the humidity, the buzz in the atmosphere, and the blend of old and contemporary. It makes the story more fascinating and engaging.

Korede lives in Lagos and is an obsessive cleaner. Which is handy as her sister is a serial killer so at least she can get the blood out the carpets.

It’s for this black humour that this novel stood out for me. So much so that after I finished it my first thought was when can I read it again as I am sure that I have missed bits.

This is a short review. Blood is thicker than water and Korede does what she can to protect her sister Ayoola. Cleaning up the mess and disposing of at least one body. What makes it particularly funny is Korede cleans and fixes everything she sees which is interlaced brilliantly into the plot.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for my advance copy which is definitely going on my one to read again list.

The title says it all in this book.
Two Nigerian sisters from a dysfunctional family and yes one of them is a serial killer. This book was not what I was expecting. Firstly it is a quick read and it is full of dark almost gallows humour. There is sibling rivalry and how one sister is trying to protect the other one from getting caught. As i said before there is a lot of laughter and shows how strong family bonds can be.
How far would you go to protect someone you love???
I am interested to see what this author does next. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Atlantic Books for the ARC of this book in return for giving an honest review.

This is the tale of Korede, she has a sister, Ayoola, who is stunningly beautiful, but has a secret. she has killed three men. So far !

Korede has helped Ayoola dispose of the bodies and keeps her secret, but she is concerned as the man she loves, Dr Tade, is now besotted with Ayoola. Will he end up the same way as the others?

I liked the insight into Nigerian culture and it did remind me a little of the Purple Hibiscus, as in a brutal father figure, but without the murders !. It also has references to the current obsession with social media, which gives this a feel of reality.

Oyinkan Braithwaite has written a marvellously dark story, and is so blasé about murder. With its touches of humour it makes you smile at times even though you know you shouldn’t. Just how far will a sister go to protect her younger sibling. It is a quick read but packs a lot into it and I enjoyed it immensely.

I would like to thank the Author/the Publishers/NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review