Thank you to Catherine Steadman, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of a digital advanced reviewer copy in exchange for an honest review!

DNF at 52 percent.

The book premise caught my attention right away and instantly added this book to my TBR. I went in blind to reading this book and at the 50 percent mark, I couldn't go any further. Not that all books should be realistic, but the storyline absolutely derailed after the cat and mouse chase begun. It almost felt like I was reading a fantasy novel and the thriller genre was a stretch. It was just bad overall. I'm not in any rush to begin reading any other novels by this author.

I really really enjoyed this book!! I couldn't put it down once I picked it up. The mystery of the whole rich family had me sucked in and didn't let me go till the end. I thought it was twisty, and I love the cinematic way Catherine Steadman writes! It's just so good! Definitely will be picking up more from this author (I LOVED the Disappearing Act)!

OMG what an edge of your seat ride.

Harriet is a writer and has published her novel. She’s engaged to a wealthy man and it seems all her dreams are coming true. She’s an orphan and he’’s her prince. You know the drill…. But this one is so good. She has everything she’s ever wanted. Until she doesn’t.

The only way I can describe this without giving some things away is to say.. GRAB IT AND READ IT! I promise you won’t be sorry. It’s one that will keep you on edge and turning the pages until the very ending.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Highly entertaining and compelling. I didn’t know where things were going and really enjoyed the ride. The plot is unpredictable in a good way and the ending is very satisfying.

Harriet Reed has a deep dark secret that she has carried with her for many years. This secret has remained buried and she plans to keep it that way. Enter Edward whom she meets one night out with her publisher. Edward comes from a well known prominent family. Harry always wanting a family of her own is excited when his family welcomes her with open arms. His father, Richard, however, is always watching out for their family and pulls Harriet aside the first night they meet. He gives her a tape to listen to. What is on that tape makes Harriet wonder just what type of family she is getting in to…. After listening to the tape and navigating her way through the Family Games that are played, Harriet knows that this family has a deep dark secret and they about to expose hers. Definitely a great read. I enjoyed it. Thank you to #Ballentine books for the ARC#TheFamilyGame.

As I read this one, all I could think is I would be running from this family. They have some creepy games. I have always read how insufferable inlaws can be, but this is one dysfunctional family. The author can be hit or miss for me, but this one was definitely a hit. It is a dark twisted read, where nothing is really as it seems. I’m going to be sparse on the details so as to not reveal something that might spoil your read.

I can say I liked Harry and loved her trying to finish her book. There is a little bit of dark humor in this one and I really liked that too. I’m such a fan of adding the right dark humor into a thriller. The tension and pace builds as you read until it is off the charts, so hold on for the bumpy rise.

This may be my favorite book of the authors and I recommend it.

This was very repetitive and I enjoyed the ending but felt that the writing could’ve been cleaned up. This was thrilling, heart throbbing and the people are insane so for the most part it was an enjoyable read.

This was my first novel by Catherine Steadman but it will not be my last! I loved the mystery of this book and the family. It was a little creepy but I enjoyed it. The plot twist at the end surprised me as well! I would definitely recommend this book. I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I was happily surprised that the “The Family Game” was set around Christmastime. However, I think that this book is as a “Christmas book” as much as “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie, which in my opinion is, not at all!

Overall, I throughly enjoyed The Family Game by Catherine Steadman. I like main character and her fiancés wealthy, interesting family. I would recommend this wintery read!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for my digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman is a truly captivating read that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. This thrilling novel is a masterful combination of mystery, suspense, and psychological drama that will leave you enthralled and guessing until the very end.

Catherine Steadman is a talented writer who has crafted a compelling narrative that is both thought-provoking and suspenseful. The Family Game is a story about a wealthy family who is torn apart by secrets, lies, and deceit. The characters are complex and well-developed, and each one is woven seamlessly into the plot, making it impossible to put the book down.

The tension builds slowly but surely, keeping you engaged and invested in the story until the very end. The twists and turns will have you gasping in surprise, and the shocking reveals will leave you breathless. The writing style is smooth and engaging, and the descriptions are vivid and evocative, bringing the story to life in your imagination.

Overall, The Family Game is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and anyone who loves a good mystery. It's a fast-paced and engaging read that will keep you on the edge of your seat and have you questioning what you thought you knew right up until the final page. If you're looking for a page-turner that will keep you captivated and entertained, then this is the book for you.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for sending a Digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so good. I loved everything about this from the beginning all the way to the end. Catherine always keeps me on my toes and I recommend her books to anyone I talk to.

Another winner from Catherine Steadman! I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and couldn't stop reading. I definitely did not see the ending coming and I loved it. If you are a fan of suspense novels you would love this one! Thank you netgalley for my free copy.

Rich people behaving badly. Friends, this book is a ride! Harry is a novelist recently engaged to Edward, who comes from a family with old money. Edward's family is one of society's super elite but Edward has mostly gone on his own in recent years so Harry has yet to meet them. The family fortune is entitled so they are always protective of who Edward, the eldest in the family, dates. Harry is nervous to meet them all once they are engaged and the meeting goes differently than expected.

Outwardly, the family is welcoming and ready to include Harry in their family fold. The big difference is Robert, Edward's father. When he pulls Harry aside to meet with her one-on-one to give her a cassette recording, she is instantly both intrigued and suspect about what exactly Robert's motives are. Over the next month or so, there are terrifying family games, awkward dinners and meetings, a list of missing persons, and investigation on Harry's part about the family she is marrying into. The one thing that keeps Harry going is her love for Edward and the belief that he is worth it all.

The book kept me riveted right from the start. I could not put it down. Secrets slowly start to unfold and the twists at the end surprised me. I would recommend this one to anyone who is a family of domestic drama and suspense.

Wow I had such high expectations for this one and it absolutely came through! I will never stop recommending this one! definitely one of my favorites in a while

Thanks to Netgalley, Ballantine Books, and Catherine Steadman for an advance copy of The Family Game in exchange for an honest review. Okay, why the heck did I wait so long to read this one?! I LOVED IT! Its hard to say much about this one without giving plot points away but I was completely immersed in this story. I felt that it started out a little bit slow but the last 75% flew by for me. With that being said, the slow burn in the beginning provided me with a good ground work about the family. I was very happy with how this one turned out and I of course, guessed the twist wrong. This one is out now and was also recently a BOTM pick so you have no reason to not add it to your bookshelf!

Thank you #Netgalley!

Harry is a writer who recently moved to the United States after falling in love with Edward, a wealthy man from New York. Harry and Edward get engaged and now Harry is interested in finally meeting Edward's family, who he has kept away over the last year. Edward had distanced himself and was weary of Harry connecting. While Harry was curious about this well known wealthy family and how she would fit in. As she begins to meet the family, she learns each has their own secrets and the family enjoys playing "games". From the outside these games are not normal, Harry struggles with the concepts and how to proceed with the relationships as Edward's father in particular plays mind games with her. Many twists and turns, ultimately enjoyed the last chapter and how things played out for Harry.

Ok, I had really high hopes for this book because it sounded like rich people drama meets thriller! I was expecting more of a May Cobb feel, but got maybe more of a Ruth Ware vibe.

The set up of the story took a few turns that I was not expecting, but I did have an idea of the ending twist about halfway through the book. The descriptions and setting were pretty eerie in a really great way for a thriller book. I also really love the look of the cover so there's a plus.

3.5 stars rounded up.

I'm obsessed with this book! I listened to the audio and it was fantastic. I don’t know how one person can narrate like 3 people and sell this story so well. I have no idea if I would have loved this as much if I was just reading off the page because the narrator really brought this story to life. I LOVED the parts of the book that were part of the cassette recording, the little buzz and click of a recording portion, the tone of voice, the pauses at the exact right moment was *chefs kiss*

Ok now that I’m done gushing about the audio, on to the story:
This is a thriller for sure, with romance, intrigue, mystery and some major family drama. There were so many points in this story where I was SURE I had this all figured out only to find out I was way off base. I love when a book gives me an ending I didn’t see coming and this certainly delivered. I was hooked on this book from the day I picked it up.

Highly recommended!

I love that roasting billionaires has become a genre all in itself, and the newest by Catherine Steadman is on top of its game. Pun intended. Harriet is a British writer about to marry Edward Holbeck, the son of one of the most powerful men in America. And Harry seems intimidated by the prospect of meeting future in-laws and the rest of the family. Or don't they watch Succession in the UK? She's right to be apprehensive because this family, apart from being astonishingly wealthy and influential, is also weird. They like to play bizarre games. Grown-up versions of children's Halloween games, brought over from Germany, were hide-and-seek invokes pure terror, and Christmas games that turn even deadlier.

And then we have yet to talk about their mind games. Those would push every prospective daughter-in-law over the edge.

But Harriet is not easily unnerved; she proves herself to be assertive and maybe even as destructive.

The central relationship in this book is not between Harriet and her fiance but instead indulging in the incredible awkwardness of Harriet and her future father-in-law, Robert's connection. Harriet's knees almost buckle every time Robert walks in the room; her fascination and attraction are incredibly uncomfortable and intriguing. From his side, his interest remains opaque.

But after meeting her once, Robert leaves Harriet with a tape cassette, with what seems to be a confession to murder.

It's delicious how Steadman turned an anxiety-filled time for any future bride, meeting the parents into this deadly cat-and-mouse game. Or better, a perfect match between a tom and queen because Harriet is no meek prey; her grit shows when she is put to the test. This is a woman who takes charge. And she might be the one thing this family needs to redeem itself from its past sins.

So, there are creepy contests, spooky locations, ambiguous deaths, a lot of sleuthing, romances gone wrong, and as many twists as there is room in The Holbeck manor.

It is gothic, richly written, twisted, uneasy, and has a kickass protagonist to root for.

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman is a fantastic fast paced read.

I really liked the main characters Harried and Edward .

There are multiple twists and turns that kept me guessing throughout the story.