Korede's receives a distress call from her sister. She knows what's expected of her: bleach, rubber gloves, and a strong stomach. This'll be the third boyfriend Ayoola has dispatched in, quote, self-defence.
Author Oyinkan Braithwaite would like to give the impression, initially, that this is crime noir, set in Nigeria: Dark humour, pulsating tension, and blood.
But Braithwaite uses the genre as a springboard to explore the on-the-nose portrayal of sisterhood, and the painful undercurrent of family. The pain of their haunting past manifests in both deep affection and contrasting nature.
The result of all this is an intelligent exploration of sisterhood, with a bit of murder on the side.
It is a darn good story. No wonder it has been Longlisted for the Women's Prize in Fiction.
Reviewed by Kelsey Ward
Back to reviewed book list page