This one really pulled me under from the first page! A Killer in the Family is a glittering, high-stakes thriller set against the backdrop of New York’s richest elite...skyscrapers, couture, and family dinners where everyone has something to hide.

Ali Azeem arrives from Mumbai believing he’s scored the perfect marriage into the powerful Khan dynasty. But between whispered warnings from his sister-in-law, a father-in-law whose empire was built on shadows, and the intoxicating pull of unimaginable wealth, Ali quickly realizes that nothing in this world is what it seems. Who can he trust, and what is the true cost of belonging to the one percent?

Lush, unsettling, and addictive, this novel kept me guessing until the final reveal.

#akillerinthefamily #henryholt #aminahmad

A Killer in the Family is a tense and engaging thriller that hooked me from the first few chapters. The premise—delving into dark family secrets and the unsettling possibility that someone close could be hiding a deadly side—felt chillingly believable and kept me turning pages quickly.

What I enjoyed most was the way the suspense built steadily, with just enough red herrings and twists to keep me guessing without feeling overdone. The characters were layered, flawed, and human, which made their choices and dynamics feel authentic. The pacing also worked well, especially in the second half where the story really took off.

The reason I landed on four stars instead of five is that a few parts felt slightly predictable, and I wish certain relationships had been explored more deeply. That said, it didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed the ride.

If you like psychological thrillers that explore family ties, loyalty, and hidden darkness, this one is definitely worth picking up.

A fantastic read. I love a book where none of the characters are truly likeable, but I find myself rooting for them anyway. The story really drew me in! The representation of India is lovely and I look forward to more from this author!

A Killer in the Family by Amin Ahmad is a gripping, high-stakes mystery that dives deep into the glittering world of New York’s elite and the dark secrets they keep. As a first-time reader of Ahmad, I was immediately pulled into the story of Ali Azeem, a naïve bachelor from Mumbai who enters an arranged marriage with Maryam Khan, daughter of a powerful real estate tycoon. After moving to the U.S., Ali is swept into a lavish lifestyle filled with luxury apartments, helicopter rides, and an invitation to join the family empire, Tiger Corp. But beneath the surface of wealth and charm lies something far more sinister, and Ali begins to suspect that the Khan family’s success may be built on blood.

The characters are sharply drawn and full of tension. Ali is relatable in his vulnerability and curiosity, while Maryam is reserved and enigmatic. Her sister Farhan, a rebellious divorcee, warns Ali that their father is not who he seems and may be hiding a deadly secret. As Ali digs deeper, he uncovers a possible link between the Khans and a serial killer thought to be long gone. The twist comes not just in the revelation of the killer’s identity, but in the shifting loyalties and power plays within the family, forcing Ali to question everything he thought he knew about love, trust, and ambition.

The conclusion is chilling and thought-provoking, leaving readers to wrestle with the cost of wealth and the meaning of family. Ahmad doesn’t just deliver a page-turner he offers a layered exploration of immigrant identity, moral compromise, and the seductive pull of power. A Killer in the Family is a standout debut that blends psychological suspense with cultural insight, and for those new to Amin Ahmad, it’s a thrilling introduction to a bold and compelling voice.

This book was amazing! I started it and could not put it down. Right from the start you are caught up in the rich world of Muslims and the rich.

I love how Amin described the arranged marriage and the different classes that hold status. How the parents pick who their daughter will marry.

Ali is a wedding photographer when his parents tell him he has been chosen to marry a rich girl. At first he is like no way but his mother pressures him into meeting her and getting to know her to see if he will like her and then in turn marry her. Their first meeting turns out good and Ali agrees to marry her and move to America. Only when he gets there he starts to miss his home and family.

Then Ali gets to sit with his wife's father who is a rich and powerful man in America and he realizes that he is out of his league. But he is determined to do as his mother asked of him and give the marriage a go. Only he finds himself entangled in something he shouldn't be and is hiding a big secret from his new wife.

As Ali is navigating through his new life he finds that the family he married into is not what it seems. There is corruption and family secrets that are better left unsaid and secrets that the family are willing to kill for. The Patriarch of the family rules with an iron fist and no one dares to go against him or make him mad. As Ali joins the family business he is shown a new life that he could get used to but he is not so sure as everyone around him walks on egg shells because no one dares to go up against the boss.

This book had me from page one till the end. There are so many plot twists and turns and so many secrets you can't believe what is going on. The ending was fantastic as it showed who really was in charge and how that person got to that status. I have to say I was shocked when I read the ending because everything started to make sense as to why Ali had so many things happen to him and his secrets weren't even secret because the whole family knew including his doting and loving wife.

This is a must read for all you thriller and mystery lovers. Thank you to Net-Galley for allowing me to read this ARC

This was a great book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope There is more to come from this author! I am totally hooked!

This book completely pulled me in from start to finish. Ali Azeem’s journey from naive newlywed to someone caught in the glittering but dangerous world of the Khan family was fascinating. The blend of wealth, glamour, and dark secrets gave this story a cinematic, almost Gatsby-meets-thriller vibe that I couldn’t put down.

What I loved most was the way the suspense built gradually — I found myself questioning every character’s motives and never knowing who to trust. The family dynamics, power struggles, and morally gray choices kept me turning the pages late into the night. By the end, the twists had me rethinking everything I thought I knew about the Khans.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A sharp, addictive, and unputdownable thriller about power, family, and the hidden cost of wealth. Highly recommend if you enjoy suspenseful stories filled with secrets and shocking revelations.

What I Learned:
This story really highlights that appearances can be deceiving, and the “dream life” often comes with hidden costs. It made me think about how power, wealth, and family loyalty can blur the lines between truth and lies — and how important it is to trust your instincts even when the glitter is tempting.

Huge thanks to @netgalley, the publisher, and Amin Ahmad for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

A killer in the family. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It had a slow burn all throughout the book but I couldnt put it down. The unknown mystery had me hooked. It was packed with suspense, mystery, and family drama as the family's secrets unfold. Highly recommend this book.

A Killer in the Family was mysterious and engaging, delivering on its marketing promises. That said, it was by no means a perfect read. The writing was just okay. The characters were fine, but largely clichéd and somewhat inconsistent. Especially the main character, Ali. It seemed like he waffled about who he was and wanted to be through the book, but not in that satisfying character-growth way. It mostly came off as unintentionally wishy-washy, as if Ahmad wasn't even sure what he wanted for Ali. The book was also a bit crowded. SO much happened in great detail (that I won't explore here as I don't want to spoil the read for others). I would have preferred a more concentrated plot, perhaps one that focused solely on Ali's turbulent integration into a wealthy, corrupt family, since that appeared to be the crux of the story anyway. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it! Many thanks to Holt for extending me the eARC!

Taut, unsettling, and full of slow-burn dread. Ahmad peels back the layers of a seemingly ordinary family to reveal secrets that twist tighter with every chapter. A smart, character-driven thriller that kept me reading past midnight.

This book is a chilling and atmospheric thriller that blends family drama with dark secrets. The characters are complex and well-crafted, each contributing to the tension in unexpected ways. The setting adds an ominous tone, making the unfolding mystery even more gripping.

This book gripped me from the outset and I blew through it quite quickly. I truly enjoyed the story, with its glamorous settings, interesting characters, and surprising twists. This is a fun family drama suspense thriller that is truly engaging and surprising as well.

Ali is a young wedding photographer living with his parents in Mumbai, and he is drawn into an arranged marriage with Maryam, the younger daughter of a Muslim Indian real estate mogul in New York City. Ali enjoys the privileges of his new life, but he has become obsessed with Farhan, his wife's older sister, and the two engage in an affair that quickly becomes very intense.

The story alternates between Ali's narration and Farhan's diary entries. It's a fast-paced narrative that has ups and downs and plenty of twists to keep it interesting. The book is sure to please thriller lovers who enjoy a good plot and fascinating characters.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

4 ⭐ – Second Read Changed My Mind

I decided to reread The Killer in the Family because I felt like I may have missed some things the first time around and I’m glad I did. I’m changing my rating from 3 stars to 4. I go into more detail on my TikTok review, but ultimately, this was a good book.

The beginning does run slow and can be pretty confusing, and there were moments where I could easily guess what was happening. I also think there were some missed opportunities for those big “wow” thriller moments. That said, on my second read, I understood the family dynamics, the main character’s conflict, and the overall plot so much better.

I do wish the character development had been stronger, or at least better integrated into the beginning, but once I got past the slow start, I ended up really enjoying the story.

“A Killer in the Family” is a dark, glittering dive into the seductive, dangerous world of New York’s elite—and the brutal secrets that often lie beneath the surface. This novel delivers exactly what it promises: tension, luxury, family drama, and a slow-burn mystery that keeps you guessing until the very last page.

Ali Azeem’s journey from an innocent bachelor in Mumbai to the opulent heights of Manhattan’s one-percent is both dazzling and disturbing. Saumya Dave has crafted a protagonist you want to root for—even as he stumbles through moral gray zones and uncertain loyalties. The tension between the two sisters, Maryam and Farhan, is especially well-written, leaving the reader constantly questioning who to trust.

The themes of wealth, ambition, cultural identity, and power are explored with nuance, and the writing feels sharp and immersive. Think The Great Gatsby meets My Sister, the Serial Killer, with a touch of Succession energy.

While the pacing occasionally lags in the middle, the final third is absolutely gripping. The twists are clever and the payoff is chilling.

Highly recommend for fans of layered thrillers with a strong sociopolitical undercurrent.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Riveting family mystery with a great twist at the end. Greed and jealous abound in the Abbas Khan family and Ali, new son-in-law, is drawn to the family more to his wife’s sister, Fahren, than his wife. Secrets abound and as the layers of deceit unravel, Ali is confronted by the impact of his choices and the knowledge that he is out of his depths. Great read. I want to thank NetGalley and the oublisher for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

Amin Ahmad delivers a taut, intelligent thriller in A Killer in the Family. With razor-sharp prose and masterful plotting, the novel explores themes of loyalty, identity, and the shadows within our own bloodlines. The suspense builds relentlessly, keeping readers riveted until the shocking conclusion. Ahmad’s character work is exceptional, offering both emotional depth and psychological complexity. This is a haunting and intricately woven mystery that lingers long after the final page. Fans of literary thrillers will find themselves deeply satisfied—and perhaps a little unsettled—by this immersive and thought-provoking novel. A must-read for crime fiction lovers.

I wasn’t fully invested in this book since I wasn’t hooked right away, but I did push through it. To me, it wasn’t fully a “thriller” it was more so very… dramatic to say the least and the family was just a complete mess and they stressed me out so much.

This wasn’t a book for me, but if you enjoy there being more drama mixed with a dysfunctional family then this one is most definitely for you.

The book didn’t immediately draw me in, and I found myself taking longer than usual to get through it. While it wasn’t a bad read, it lacked the wow factor I was hoping for. I went in expecting a thriller, but it turned out to be more of a drama—so it didn’t quite meet my expectations.

This book absolutely blew me away. From the very first page, A Killer in the Family pulls you into a layered psychological thriller that is as emotionally tense as it is unpredictable. I finished it in a single day because I could not stop turning the pages.

The story follows Ali Azeem, a wedding photographer who marries into one of the wealthiest Indian Muslim families in America. On the surface, he is living a dream life filled with luxury and opportunity. But beneath that polished exterior lies a web of secrets, betrayals, and long buried trauma that slowly begins to unravel.

What makes this thriller stand out is not just the plot twists, which come one after another in the best way possible. It is the depth of the characters and the sharp social dynamics at play. The book explores themes like class divide, power, mental health, family legacy, and the emotional cost of survival. Every character feels complicated and real, and no one is exactly who they seem to be.

Amin Ahmad does something rare in this genre. He centers Indian Muslim characters and allows their identities to shape the narrative without turning them into tropes or background decoration. The representation is thoughtful and refreshing. The cultural details and interpersonal nuances give the book a strong sense of place and authenticity.

The structure is also incredibly smart. The story begins near the end and then loops back to the beginning, building suspense with every chapter. Just when you think you understand what is happening, the ground shifts again. And yet, it all comes together with satisfying clarity. There are no loose ends here. Every thread is tied up with precision.

If you are a fan of tightly written thrillers with complex characters and meaningful stakes, this book is for you. It is a chilling and brilliant exploration of what people are willing to do to protect power, keep secrets, and stay in control.

A Killer in the Family is gripping, haunting, and unforgettable.

More of a family drama than a thriller with a familiar plot — another drama centered around secrets and betrayal within a wealthy family. There wasn't much here that felt new or surprising if you've read other domestic thrillers.

Still, if you enjoy stories about dysfunctional elites on a power trip that are not afraid to betray their own, this will scratch that itch. Just don't expect it to break new ground.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the ARC!