Chaos, Clairvoyance, and Childhood: A Deep Dive into True Murder by Yaba Badoe

What do you get when you mix two pre-teen girls, an attic full of secrets, divorcing parents, and a dash of clairvoyance? A recipe for chaos, that’s what. And in True Murder by Yaba Badoe, that chaos isn’t just on the page—it’s in your head. This isn’t your typical boarding school mystery. It’s messy, psychological, and eerily real, exploring the fallout of adult selfishness through the eyes of kids who are anything but ordinary.

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when children inherit the chaos of the adult world, Badoe has your answer—and it’s as fascinating as it is unsettling.

What This Novel Is About

At its core, True Murder is a young adult psychological drama wrapped in a mystery. The story follows Ajuba Benson, an eleven-year-old Ghanaian girl, whose life has been upended by her parents’ divorce. After her mother’s mental health deteriorates, Ajuba is sent to live with her father, who promptly deposits her in a boarding school in Exe, leaving her adrift in a world that doesn’t pause for children.

Enter Polly Venus, a fiery, chaotic girl whose family life is just as dysfunctional. Together with their friend Beth, Ajuba and Polly stumble upon an attic mystery: a hidden package of tiny bones left behind by the house’s previous owner. What starts as a seemingly innocent discovery spirals into a full-blown investigation as the girls attempt to unravel the truth—while navigating the turbulence of broken homes, shifting loyalties, and their own emerging identities.

Themes of divorce, family dysfunction, friendship, loyalty, and the malleable nature of truth run throughout the book. Badoe crafts a story where children are sharp, adults are flawed, and the line between innocence and cunning is blurred.

👉 Grab your copy of True Murder here: Amazon Link

Why You Should Read True Murder

The Characters

Ajuba is a beautifully conflicted protagonist—sweet, loyal, but deeply biased. Her unreliable narration forces you to constantly question what’s true. She hates her father for abandoning her mother yet adores Polly’s father, Peter, who is essentially repeating the same mistake. Through Ajuba, Badoe explores the gray areas of morality and the way children interpret adult failings.

Polly Venus is unforgettable: chaotic, fearless, and unpredictable. She lashes out, she schemes, she pushes boundaries—sometimes cruelly—but it’s all a survival mechanism in a world that feels out of control. Their friendship is intense, obsessive, and, at times, almost frightening in its loyalty.

The Mystery

The attic bones storyline offers suspense and intrigue, though Badoe doesn’t go for pure horror. Instead, she blends psychological tension with domestic drama, creating a haunting effect. Are the bones a remnant of a past crime, or a mirror for the chaos in the girls’ lives? The story keeps you guessing, and the ambiguity is part of its genius.

Themes and Depth

Badoe examines the ripple effects of divorce, the search for belonging, and the complexity of childhood friendships. She also subtly interrogates truth—how it’s perceived, manipulated, and filtered through personal bias. This isn’t just a story about a mystery in an attic; it’s a reflection on human behavior and the legacies adults leave behind.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths:

• Richly drawn, psychologically complex characters

• Unflinching look at the effects of family breakdowns on children

• A suspenseful, layered narrative that combines mystery with social commentary

• Beautifully written boarding school and domestic scenes

Weaknesses:

• Some readers might find the attic mystery less macabre than expected

• Ajuba’s unreliable narration can be disorienting, though intentionally so

• Polly’s extremity might be polarizing for readers seeking more grounded YA characters

Despite these minor drawbacks, True Murder is compelling, thought-provoking, and emotionally resonant.

About the Author

Yaba Badoe is a Ghanaian-British documentary filmmaker and author. With a career spanning BBC documentaries, teaching stints in Spain and Jamaica, and a feature film about Toni Morrison, Badoe brings a rich, cinematic quality to her writing. True Murder, her debut novel published in 2009, immediately showcased her ability to craft stories that linger long after the last page is turned.

Who Should Read This Book

You’ll enjoy True Murder if you:

• Love mysteries that mix suspense with psychological depth

• Are fascinated by family dynamics and the effects of divorce on children

• Enjoy YA fiction that doesn’t shy away from complexity and moral ambiguity

You might struggle with it if you:

• Prefer fast-paced, plot-driven thrillers

• Want clearly “good” or “evil” characters

• Dislike open-ended questions or morally gray storytelling

👉 Pick up your copy of True Murder here: Amazon Link

Final Thoughts

True Murder is a book that’s as unsettling as it is unforgettable. It’s raw, real, and brilliantly written—a story where childhood innocence collides with adult failings, leaving readers to wrestle with their own ideas of loyalty, morality, and truth. Ajuba and Polly will stay in your mind long after the attic doors close, and you’ll find yourself asking: Was Polly evil, or just broken? Was Ajuba truly psychic, or simply a product of trauma?

For readers who love a mystery with emotional and psychological depth, Yaba Badoe’s True Murder is essential. It’s a story that challenges, unsettles, and rewards, and it deserves a spot on your bookshelf.

👉 Don’t miss out—grab it here: Amazon Link