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Oyinkan Braithwaite

オインカン・ブレイスウェイト

Oyinkan Braithwaite

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1988-01-01 （Lagos, Nigeria）
Nationality
Nigerian, British
Languages
English
Residence History
Lagos, Nigeria → Southgate, London, UK

Career

Occupations
Novelist, Writer, Illustrator
Active Years
2010-

Education

University of Surrey
Law
Country: United Kingdom
Reported to have studied law and creative writing
Kingston University
Creative Writing
Country: United Kingdom
Reported to have studied creative writing
Iowa Writers' Workshop
Country: United States
Reported participation in writers' workshop/program

Awards

Eko Poetry Slam Top Ten (Spoken-word)
2014
Organization: Eko Poetry Slam
Result: Shortlisted
Commonwealth Short Story Prize (nominated)
2016
Organization: Commonwealth Short Story Prize
Result: Nominated
LA Times Book Prize — Best Crime Thriller
2019
Work: My Sister, the Serial Killer
Organization: Los Angeles Times
Result: Winner
Women's Prize for Fiction (shortlisted)
2019
Work: My Sister, the Serial Killer
Organization: Women's Prize for Fiction
Result: Shortlisted
Booker Prize (longlisted)
2019
Work: My Sister, the Serial Killer
Organization: Booker Prize Foundation
Result: Longlisted
Amazon Publishing Readers’ Awards (shortlisted)
2019
Work: My Sister, the Serial Killer
Organization: Amazon Publishing
Result: Shortlisted
British Book Awards — Crime and Thriller Book of the Year
2020
Work: My Sister, the Serial Killer
Organization: British Book Awards
Result: Winner
Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year (shortlisted)
2020
Work: My Sister, the Serial Killer
Organization: Theakston's Old Peculier
Result: Shortlisted

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

My Sister, the Serial Killer

2018 Crime / Mystery

A concise crime novel mixing dark humor and cold observation, centered on two sisters. When the younger sister commits a series of murders, the elder sister faces moral dilemmas about protecting her.

SisterhoodFamily secretsViolence and moralityDark humor
Adaptations
  • [Film] My Sister, the Serial Killer (planned film)

The Baby is Mine

2021 Fiction

A novel exploring family, identity and childbirth; reflects the author's recurring interest in women's relationships and family dynamics.

FamilyChildbirthWomen's experiences

Cursed Daughters

2025 Fiction

Limited information available; presented as a work dealing with family, inheritance, and women's roles—either a collection or novel.

FamilyInheritanceWomen's roles

Bibliography

  • The Driver (collection, 2010)
  • My Sister, the Serial Killer (2018)
  • Treasure (collection, 2020)
  • The Baby is Mine (2021)
  • Cursed Daughters (2025)

Adaptations

  • My Sister, the Serial Killer — planned film adaptation

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Concise, rhythmic proseDark humor in narrationShort chapters and sharp dialogue
Recurring Motifs
Sisterhood and family tiesIntersection of domesticity and violenceMoral dilemmas

Legacy

Braithwaite garnered international attention for her concise, sharp crime fiction and is credited with bringing fresh perspectives to contemporary crime fiction, particularly centered on Black female protagonists. With multiple award nominations and wins and film-interest in her work, she is influential both popularly and critically.

In Popular Culture

  • The planned film adaptation of 'My Sister, the Serial Killer' generated attention and the book reached a wide readership, influencing popular culture.

Quotes

  • I just had high standards for myself.
    Source: Gulf News interview (2019) (2019)

Trivia

  • Illustrated the cover of the Nigerian edition of her novel.
  • Grew up partly in Southgate, London, before returning to Lagos with her family.
  • Has experience in short fiction and spoken-word; was selected in the top ten at Eko Poetry Slam.