The Forbidden Heiress is Glede Browne Kabongo’s newest psychological thriller. My prior experience with the author’s work had me eager to dive into this one, and after reading the prologue, I knew I had made the right choice.
Title: The Forbidden Heiress: A Twisty Inheritance Thriller with Dark Family Secrets
Author(s): Glede Browne Kabongo
Published by Browne Star Media on October 22, 2025
Pages: 348
Genre(s): Psychological Thriller
Source: Author
Format: eBook
Purchase: Amazon
Rating:
Sabree Warner's biggest mistake wasn't taking the job—it was being born.
Drowning in grief and desperate for work, brilliant cancer researcher Sabree Warner leaps at the chance to join Montague Pharma, one of the world's most powerful pharmaceutical dynasties. Her first assignment seems simple find out why promising treatments were mysteriously shelved before they could save lives.
But someone doesn't want her asking questions.
A car tries to run her down in broad daylight. Her apartment is ransacked. Warning signs scream at her to walk away, but Sabree refuses to back down, determined to unravel the truth about the abandoned drugs. They weren't shelved by mistake. They were buried to hide a devastating secret that could bring down the entire Montague empire.
Then Sabree makes a discovery that changes her connection to the Montague family runs deeper and deadlier than any corporate conspiracy. As a vicious succession battle rages, someone is watching her every move. Someone who has already killed to keep the truth about her identity buried. In a world of cutthroat ambition and ruthless power games, Sabree isn't just fighting for answers. She's fighting to stay alive.
Because in the Montague family, secrets don't stay hidden—they get eliminated.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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The prologue reveals a murder and the disposal of the body by the killer. Immediately, the reader is left asking: Who was killed? Who did it? And why? The answers unfolded at the heart of the story.
The story introduces Dr. Sabree Warner, a brilliant scientist who cannot seem to secure a job. To make matters worse, she is drowning in student loan debt and still grappling with the loss of her mother. After the funeral, she stumbles upon information she cannot decipher. The details appear significant but make no sense to her. Then an unexpected job offer from Montague Pharmaceuticals comes her way. An offer that sets into motion a chain of events that will uncover answers capable of upending her entire world.
As Sabree settles into her new role, she senses that things at Montague Pharmaceuticals is not what it appears to be. The deeper she delves into her assignments, the more unsettling the connections become. Connections between the company’s research, her mother’s past, and the documents she discovered after the funeral. Each revelation pulls her further into a web of secrets, manipulation, and long-buried truths. Kabongo masterfully builds tension as Sabree realizes that the answers she sought may come at a far greater cost than she ever imagined.
What I appreciated most is how Kabongo pulls all the threads together with precision. The pacing is steady and the clues deliberate. Sabree’s journey is not only about uncovering the truth but also about confronting who she is and where she comes from. This gives the story emotional weight. The ethical questions, the family secrets, and the corporate power plays all add layers that make the story more than just a straightforward thriller.
In the end, The Forbidden Heiress gave me exactly what I expected from Kabongo, sharp plotting, layered characters, and tension that never lets up. It’s a gripping, well-crafted read that stays with you long after the final reveal. This is another strong addition to her catalogue, and one fans of psychological thrillers are sure to enjoy.
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About Glede Browne Kabongo
Gledé Browne Kabongo writes intense psychological thrillers—unflinching tales of deception, secrecy, danger and family. She is the #1 Amazon bestselling author of the Fearless Series, Swan Deception, Conspiracy of Silence, and Mark of Deceit. Her love affair with books began as a young girl growing up in the Caribbean, where her town library overlooked the Atlantic Ocean. She was trading books and discussing them with neighbors before Book Clubs became popular. Gledé holds both an M.S. and B.A. in communications. She was a featured speaker at the 2016 Boston Book Festival and has led workshops on publishing and the craft of writing. She hopes to win an Oscar for screenwriting. Gledé lives outside Boston with her husband and two sons
