Read the Hlomu the Wife book series in order

Just a few years ago, Dudu Busani-Dube started writing a story about a journalist who falls in love with a taxi driver. Little did she know that her book would grow from a self-published passion project into the inspiration for a wildly popular series with a massive following and a deal with streaming platform Showmax! But that’s exactly what happened to Dudu, the journalist-turned-fiction-author and the woman behind the Hlomu the Wife book series. 

Centred around the lives of eight Zulu brothers, a formidable crime family from Greytown, KZN, the series tells love stories through the eyes of the wives who fall in love with the tall, dark and dangerous brothers. 

The Hlomu the Wife book series is sold in every bookstore in the country.

Update: Want to know more? Watch the behind-the-scenes special The Wife: Behind the Veil. Plus, binge all of Season 1 and 2 of The Wife on Showmax.

Read the Hlomu book series in order:

1. Hlomu the Wife

The first book in the series follows a young woman named Mahlomu who meets Mqhele Zulu and they fall in love. Even though aspects of Mqhele’s personality and past make her uncomfortable, Hlomu is happy. Their love is strong and they stand by each other through good and bad. But Mqhele and his seven brothers have a dark and tumultuous past that involves a dead warlord father, mob justice, and lots of unaccounted-for money. 

Get your copy: Takealot.com, Uppercasebooks.co.za, and Amazon.com.

2. Zandile the Resolute

Book two of the blockbuster series continues the story of the eight Zulu brothers. Rich, handsome, powerful, dangerous and one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in Johannesburg, Zandile is the wife of the first brother Nkosana. Their love story is like a South African township Romeo and Juliet – their families hate each other but their love is so strong, it endures all the hatred, the deaths and even prison time.

Get your copy: Takealot.com, Uppercasebooks.co.za, and Amazon.com.

3. Naledi: His Love

Naledi, like Hlomu and Zandile, comes to understand that loving one of the Zulu brothers (in her case it’s Qhawe that makes the earth move) means loving all of his dark and tumultuous past and as much as she will enjoy the trappings that come with being the wife of one of those rich, handsome, powerful and dangerous men, she must also live with the inherent danger that remains.

Get your copy: Takealot.com and Uppercasebooks.co.za.

4. Iqunga

With the fourth story in the series, the author switched things up a bit. A meeting with a man who tells them they need to rid themselves of an ancestral curse leads the Zulu brothers on a journey of uncovering their lineage.The storyline takes place in two parts and alternates between present and past events, with the past events not only repeating themselves, but also revealing why the Zulu Brothers are the way they are. This of course, is not without the drama that constantly surrounds these men! 

Get your copy: Takealot.com and Uppercasebooks.co.za.

5. Mess

Perhaps the most gut-wrenching book in the series, Mess follows Lahliwe and Mqoqi as they try to make their relationship work despite the damage done to them. Stuck between the expectations that come with being a Zulu brother and who he really wants to be, Mqoqi Zulu is the most misunderstood of the “wolf pack”. This is a heartbreaking read about family, love, and mental health. Keep the tissues handy!

Get your copy: Takealot.com and Uppercasebooks.co.za.

6. TBC

There is a sixth and final instalment of the series coming up, according to the author. Keep an eye out!

The time has come to part ways with the infamous Zulu family.They have lived in my head for seven full years.I'm going to miss them,so so much.
Hlomu and Mqhele
Zandile and Nkosana
Qhawe and Naledi
Nqoba and Gugu
Sambulo and Xolie
Mqoqi (RIP)
Mpande and (you will find out soon) pic.twitter.com/jEhg17uieG

— Martha public (@marthapublic) October 7, 2021

Where to watch The Wife series on TV

Good news for super fans… there is a telenovela coming to Showmax that is inspired by the Hlomu the Wife series of books. The series is called The Wife and will be available to watch at www.showmax.com.

There will be three seasons, split between the first three novels, with the first 40 episodes focusing on Hlomu and her tumultuous relationship with Mqhele.

Watch The Wife on Showmax. Season 3 landing on 10 November 2022.