The Family Business by Alex Kane

Release: 24th February 2022
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Hera Books
Source: Zooloos Book Tours
Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon UK, Amazon US,

Blood’s thicker than water… and they’re not afraid to spill it

Donnie Black. Charming, successful… and utterly terrifying, he rules the Glasgow underworld with an iron fist. Nothing – or no one – will stop him and he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty to grow his fortune.

Layla Black. She’s been married to Donnie for twenty years, enjoying the lavish world he has worked hard to create. But behind the perfect image Layla is crumbling, numbing her pain with alcohol. But Layla doesn’t know the secrets Donnie keeps – and the truth will send her spiralling.

Louise Bellshaw. She’s young, beautiful and innocent. She’s charmed by Donnie’s sweet words, and believes she’s found true love. But Louise doesn’t know her dream man has plans that will turn her life into a nightmare.

As the three collide, no one can predict how family ties will turn to bloodshed. Because you’ll do anything for the ones you love, won’t you?

A dark, twisty and totally gripping thriller set in the heart of Glasgow gangland – fans of Mandasue Heller and Kimberley Chambers won’t be able to put this down

About the Author:

Alex Kane is a psychological thriller writer who lives in Glasgow. Besides, she is a huge fan of the genre, with her favourite authors in the genre being Lisa Hall, BA Paris and Sarah Stovell.

If she is not writing, she can be found playing with her cat, reading, or drinking tea and/or gin (sometimes all of the above).

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

The Family Business Review:

The first thing that I loved about the tale is how intense the author writes the characters’ relationships. I was drawn to the entire Black family, whether it be Donnie, Steff, Mel, Cammy, Layla, Louise, to name a few. As you can probably guess, the story contains a large cast of characters, and I wondered if I would be able to keep track of them all. Conversely, you have Donnie and the challenges he faces taking over his father’s business and his plans with Steff and Goran.

Then you have Mel and Cammy, who wonder how messy their lives would get involved with Donnie. Then, throw in more characters like Tam and Louise, who also find themselves intertwined with the lives of the Black family. The author made this story fast-paced because of all the complex feelings each character has for the other. That was my favorite aspect of reading this book.

The story takes a full swing as the focus shifts to finding Demi Simpson. The author adds exciting twists and turns, and you wonder what will happen to the characters. There are also shocking moments that you don’t anticipate. My favorite parts were when Tam realizes how his life will change with his actions to make better lives for him and Louise. I also loved Layla’s storyline.

Perhaps the only downside to the story is that we don’t get much around Demi’s arc, as the report focuses primarily on Donnie. I still loved how everyone sets targets against Donnie like the Barrhoue Firm that leads to an exciting climax. The twists, in the end, made my jaw drop!

Overall, “The Family Business” is an exciting addition to the series, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.