If you love Gangland crime like martina cole, mandasue heller or dreda say mitchell, look no further. I have just finished this book in 1 day! Easy to read and leaves you wanting to read "just one more page"! Casey has created a fabulous family in this book, not too far away from other big authors in their crime families, I loved each and everyone of the characters . Kept me hooked till the end...on to book 2, The broken!
Thanks to NetGalley for the book to write this review.

Casey you did it again.. What a thoroughly gripping read. Simply did not want to put it down. The Byrne family are so dysfunctional in every way.. Loved this book from start to end and was left wanting the next Installment to find out what they do next.

Jimmy Byrne husband, father, and secret keeper. Jimmy is murdered. Nancy Byrne daughter, she will make whose ever did this will pay. I good read for anyone who enjoys the bad guy getting his in the end. I like that Nancy will stop at nothing to find the person who killed her father. Enjoy the read.......

I read a lot of books. Really a lot. I love reading crime fiction, but these days all are promoted as "psychological thrillers" with a twist, and the twists are sometimes so silly, I feel upset for wasting my time and energy with the so-called bestseller. Then I read something like Betrayed by Casey Kelleher. Old school crime fiction, with a crime boss (a face), that is so bad that he's actually good, that you actually end up feeling sorry for him if something goes wrong. Nobody can be all bad, can they?
In this book you meet the bad guy, Jimmy Byrne. He's all that a crime boss is defined as in any dictionary, but I really enjoyed the straight forward malice he projected, and not the implied criminal factor of a psychological thriller.
This was really an entertaining, thrilling read, and worth every minute of sleep I did not get to finish it!

Bookouture and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Betrayed. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Jimmy Byrne and Alex Costa are partners, working in the underbelly of society. Whether running drugs or handling girls, the pair always has a scheme to make money and be successful. Letting no one stand in their way, Jimmy ends up romancing Colleen, the daughter of a florist shop owner. What happens when she learns Jimmy's true nature? What will the future hold for Colleen and Jimmy?

Honestly, I had a hard time finding something to like about the characters of The Betrayed. The gritty nature of the book, with regards to the violence, degradation of society, and the deception also affected the story as a whole. The author spanned several years, from the lengthy beginning in the past, to the present, but really did not do enough to connect the time frames together. Having read previous books by the author, I was expecting to find more of a balance between the characters, the plot, and the action. For these reasons, The Betrayed was a miss for me and a book that I would be hesitant to recommend to other readers.

The Betrayed by Casey Kelleher
Publisher: Bookouture

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher Bookouture for the ebook ARC of The Betrayed by Casey Kelleher in exchange for an honest review.

Jimmy Byrne is one of the biggest faces on the Soho scene. He is equally feared and respected. He has clawed his way to the top. Money is his game, and he is willing to make it by any means necessary.
Jimmy sets his sights on Colleen Walsh, she is quickly seduced by his sweet words and life of luxury. But behind all the money and luxuries is the reality of gangland violence. Colleen only realizes the truth before she is already in too deep.
Like her father, Jimmy Byrne, Nancy Byrne, is strong, opinionated and ruthless. But when Jimmy is murdered, Nancy vows to find the killer and make them pay for the actions. But the killer is someone she trusted. Someone who betrayed them all. It seems those closest to you end up stabbing you in the back.

I give this book a rating of 3 stars. I found that it took me quite a while to get into as it was a slow start. And then it got my attention again and I wanted to find how the book ends. It was well written, the book didn’t really keep my attention throughout the entire book. There were quite a few shocking twists and turns. This was the first book I have read by Casey Kelleher, and from what other reviews I have read, I will definitely be giving another one of her novels a read in the future.

this is the first book by this author that i have read and won't be the last.

the story follows Jimmy Byrne, a rising underworld face, through his marriage, criminal activities and birth of his subsequent children. the book is well worth a read and i'm hoping there will be a sequel.

many thanks to netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big fan of Casey Kelleher's books and The Betrayed lives up to her high standards. Another 5+☆ book in my eyes! Casey's books just keep getting better and better. I can't wait for the next one!! The other ones I've listened to on Audible, this one I read though. I think feel a bit more of the tension when I listen to them than when I read but that's just a personal preference, really.

I have to admit there were some twists and turns in this story that I wasn’t expecting. The author always manages to write a raw and gripping read that will have you rushing through the pages to see how it will all end. I have to admit to being a bit taken back by the ending as i’m not a big fan of open endings but was ecstatic to see that there is another one in the pipeline which I am thrilled about as it means I get to catch up with the characters again which by the end had fully grabbed me. Even the not so nice ones!

Once again Casey pulled me into her world. The Betrayed is enthralling, gritty, gripping, and captures the essence of the gangland life, and its a hard-hitting page-turner that captured my attention the whole way through. Not to mention the pulse-racing twists and the ending....left me wanting more, just like Casey has done with the other books.

I love this authors work and look forward to every book she brings out. Her style is very like Martina Cole, so you know that you are in for a thrilling, fast paced story. Jimmy Byrne is a man with quite a few dealings. Drugs, prostitution, property to name a few. He decides to marry and start a family so woos Colleen who is a young innocent woman. She witnesses horrific violence on their wedding night and never fully recovers. So it is up to Jimmy's mum to raise her two grandchildren. We fast forward to when the children are adults and Jimmy is murdered. Someone has betrayed the family! Read on to discover who!

This book was fabulous..a proper gritty gangland fast paced novel that had me gripped from the very start.
A family who come together after the murder of Jimmy Bryne Nancy his daughter makes it her priority to find out who killed her Dad...this book had me shocked,heartbroken & constantly turning the pages to see where the story was going! Brilliantly written I really think this book beats some of Martina Cole's Casey is a very talented author & I look forward to reading more of her books.

Thanks Netgalley, Publisher and Casey Kelleher. I loved loved loved this book and cannot say anymore but READ IT

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have recommended it to all my friends and fellow book club members

5☆ Gritty, enthralling, hard hitting!!!

I am a big fan of Casey Kelleher's books and The Betrayed lives up to her high standards. Another 5+☆ book in my eyes!
Casey's books just keep getting better and better. I can't wait for the next one!!

Once again Casey pulled me into her world. The Betrayed is enthralling, gritty, gripping, captures the essence of the gangland life, and its a hard hitting page Turner that captured my attention the whole way through. Not to mention the pulse racing twists and the ending....left me wanting more!

The characters are your typical gang family.
The Bryne family is unlike no other, The Dad is a good for nothing cheat, Joanie the Mum... she is in my eyes the real head of the family and not without her own secrets !
Then there is Jimmy.... Now he rules the family. He can do no wrong in he's mums eyes. But he worships her.
He tries he's best to do right by her. Indulging her in the very best.

However Jimmy is a brutal thug! When he catches he's Dad in bed with one of he's 'girls' he gives him the beating of he's life!
People fear Jimmy he is not the kind of man you double cross! He's ruthless and will stop at nothing to get what he wants!
Love him or hate him... you will 100% remember him!

When Jimmy meets Colleen her life is about to change forever.
She is young and very innocent. But quickly she falls for Jimmy.
This really reminds me of the Krays as he's wife was very innocent and had no idea of the brutality and lengths her husband did to stay at the top!
This was exactly like Jimmy and Colleen.

I want to write so much more but I feel if I do I'm risking spoiling it, and I really want everyone to pick up The Betrayed and delve into Casey's world.

I love the gangland books. They are gritty, exciting and eye opening.
But don't be fooled they are hard hitting, violent, and really do pack a punch! The perfect way to draw you into the underground world of criminals.

This book really does capture the true essence of the criminal underworld.
There is lots of violence and swearing. Which isn't for everyone but necessary to capture the reality of their world!

The characters are realistic, somewhat a little predictable at times, which I loved!

I really did feel like I was part of the story.  Casey literally sucks you in. She has this way of shocking and keeping you on your toes with all the twists.

The Betrayed is a story of secrets, lies, fear, betrayal, family, violence, twists, loyalty, criminal underworld.

If you love Martina Cole and Kimberley Chambers then there is no doubt in my mind you will LOVE The Betrayed!

Would I recommend this book..... Without a doubt 100% ....... YES!!!!
Bring on the next book!

The book separates into PART 1 – 3

Part 1 – 1982

The first 100 pages are fast paced drama which kicks you right in the teeth with impact. Jimmy in the first chapters is what I would describe as borderline inhuman and quite evil, toward his own father.

After the first two chapters, it settles down to a novel with romance for the first half of the book.

Edel is the cliche mother figure; loveable because she comes across as a real human rather than a character just added into the plot.

After Jimmy and Colleen meet, you see a different more likeable side to Jimmy. Although it comes across as overboard. The romance between them is quick paced and before you know it, it is cliche romance. Some people would call it “Insta-love” whatever that means, I really don’t get it? anyway… *SPOILER ALERT* – they are engaged within 3 chapters.

The wedding chapters drama were okay but nothing special or unique about it until the end of it – it hits you with a punch, especially after a few chapters of just mundane life.

Part 2 – 1985

The shift between mundane life and marriage themes are broken when dramatic impact as you see how completely different the characters are compared to the beginning. Personally? I did not like the change at all and wanted to put the book down without finishing. Anyway, I powered on through eventually. A word of warning, there is a lot of depressing scenes and *TRIGGER* suicide is mentioned throughout.

Part 3 – 2003

The way this book changes again for part 3 is quite strange in my opinion. It jumps to a completely different family and this generation that has little to do with the original characters that I had to endure. Personally, I did not care for a change in characters and thought it was an easy way out rather than finishing the main story. The only part which made sense was when Jimmy and Colleen’s children were mentioned.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Would I recommend this book? Honestly… although I didn’t enjoy it, I think others might. Why not borrow it from the library and if you do enjoy it – buy! I wouldn’t have chosen to read it if I had known more about it, but I do like most crime genres and was intrigued.

Utterly fantastic. I was gripped from start to finish. I think Nancy will become a force to be reckoned with in a bad way.

One of my top reads this year.

Casey has managed to grip me once again and was responsible for me cutting my fingers doing the vegetables for dinner, while I tried to carry on reading, lol
In this book we meet the Byrne family with Michael at the helm, although we are shown in no uncertain terms that he is there under sufferance and the real head of the family is son Jimmy.
Jimmy is a strange man he portrays a lot of your typical London gangster characteristics, the anger, the aggression, the overwhelming need to be the number one Face and if it takes a few beatings and murder, so be it. That said there is a sense of something more to him that we haven’t found out yet.
Colleen Walsh is a shy young thing, and when Jimmy meets woos and appears to love her. He offers her the illusion of safety soon a marriage happens and that’s really when it all starts to go wrong. Once that illusion is shattered Colleen begins her dance with the demon drink, spiralling out of control.
The other members of the family are in their traditional places in the hierarchy, the typical mother-in-law from hell Joanie who bounced off her counterpart with an acerbic tongue cutting Joanie down to size made me literally laugh out loud.
As for the offspring of Jimmy and Colleen, Dan and Nancy what chance did they have?
This really needs a follow up, as there’s so much more that can be done with this family.

Read for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture

Wow what a brilliant book and one that will surely have a sequel. Casey has again created believable characters that you love to hate or hate to love. A story with twists and turns and a surprising ending.

Not one of this authors best books, seemed to take a long time to get going but enjoyable all the same, I didn't really warm to the main character and felt I wanted to give her a shake and tell her to get on with it.yet her daughter had plenty of grit about her and proved to be a powerful woman as the book went on. As I said not one of her best books but still a pleasant few hours reading.

Casey Kelleher has really drawn me in with the writing. A wonderful author who makes her books come to life.

The Betrayed by Casey Kelleher

Love and betrayal are themes of this book as are crime, drugs, abuse and the seedier side of life. Filial love comes to mind but then…what that means and how it is expressed is another thing entirely…as is maternal…most of the love in this book is not healthy and leads to terrible things. I will say that this book kept me turning pages quickly wanting to know what dark and disturbing thing would happen next. The hook at the end of the book was twisted and left me wondering if anyone would walk away whole, complete and even a little bit “normal”.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boukouture for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars