**3.5 stars**

Overall this book is worth a read, but the beginning seemed to drag a bit. For 3/4 of the book you are waiting for the climax, which to some readers might be the best part! There is a decent bit of mystery and psychological thriller aspects within this book, but I almost feel as though the first half could have been cut in half and had the same effect. I just found that even though information was being shared, I didn't feel any closer to 'figuring it out'.

The main character, Harry, is one a lot of readers can connect with, but she seems to have a past that can be held against her. And it just so happens her soon to be father-in-law is one of those people that will do so. Or so it seems.

If you are into psychological thrillers that are circled around an enormously rich family this is a great book for you. I would give it a 4, but I feel as though it might have been better if the family was not so insanely rich. It felt as though their money could tie up loose ends in the plot, but there was so much potential there!

The characters have just enough mystery to keep the reader guessing, and each chapter gives a tidbit more information, which makes you question who you can really trust. Definitely worth the read!

Thank you to NetGalley the publisher, Ballantine Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

"THE RULES
1. Listen carefully
2. Do your research
3. Trust no one
4. Run for your life"

Harriet Reed meets Edward Holbeck, the son of an extremely wealthy and powerful man. Harry and Edward fall in love and are soon engaged. Now it's time for her to meet his family, whom she's desperate to impress.

But Edward's family seems unusual, and soon Harry finds herself in the middle of their family "games" - can she prove herself to be one of them?

Overall, I enjoyed this book! I thought that sometimes the pacing seemed slow, but it still kept my interest and I enjoyed the author's writing. It was a slow burn, but it was never boring to me.

I also enjoyed the ending and how everything was tied up. Definitely recommend it to suspense/thriller lovers! (:

Harriet aka Harry is with the love of her life, Edward Holbeck. Edward comes from an extremely rich and powerful family who live a very different life than Harry is used to. The couple gets invited to Thanksgiving at the Holbecks' and everything seems fine, until it isn't. After a shocking confession, the "family game" begins. Will Harry make it out of the festivities alive?

I thought this was a very well-written, original storyline from Steadman. I've read her others books and enjoy her way of telling a story. There were some twists that I didn't see coming, but I enjoyed them and how they fit into the storyline.

This book was INCREDIBLE! The premise sucked me in from the start, and then the execution was a 10/10. There were so many twists and turns, and what seemed clear cut was not that at all. It was suspenseful from start to finish and had an incredibly satisfying ending. It's not too creepy or spooky, but it is sinister and disturbing. One of the best thrillers I've read in a while!!

Want a good psychological suspense,/mystery? Look no further because this one is it! From the very first page to the last I LOVED this book. And what a unique story… Harriet Reed, a UK writer whose first book is #1 bestseller is newly engaged to Edward Holbeck, an heir to an extremely wealthy and powerful American family. She moves to America to start a brand new life with her future husband and meet his estranged family. His family can be quite handful is an understatement, but all welcome Harriet into their fold. Fabulous characters and such a unique story with great character development. Good solid writing is something Catherine Steadman does with ease, and she never disappoints me, ever. I loved the book so much that I waited to read it until the audiobook was released so I could purchase the audible version and read and listen alternately. Catherine Steadman is an amazing narrator, and I’m so glad she narrates her own books. If you love a good psychological suspense then I highly recommend this book or audio book. You won’t be disappointed. A very special thank you Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine via NetGalley for the Advanced eReaders Copy in exchange for my honest review.

I very much enjoy Catherine Steadman's style. So many layers of mystery to peel back about those the main character thought she knew best. I have to admit that there were a few scenes that I had trouble reading in the dark during this one. Overall, a quick read but a slow burn at the same time!

Great novel with a very unique plot! It follows a new addition to a powerful family and an underlying game that will spill their secrets. My only complaint is so much action occurred in the very end and I wished they had started it sooner to be able to fully explore the fallout.

Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC. This was also granted me as a wish so I really appreciate that. This was overall fairly good I had a little hard time getting into it but I did like the story.

First off, thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own.

The Family Game sounded like the ultimate thriller with every trigger imaginable. Sadly it fell short for me. I tried twice to get into this one not knowing if It was a NRN (not right now) book or a DNF. Ultimately I DNF at 25%. As I do have the kindle version I plan to try and pick it up again in the future and see if it grabs me different.

This book had me on the edge of my seat. I loved that I couldn't trust anyone and that Steadman even had me questioning the narrator.

There were so many red flags about Edward's family and the fact that Harriet was marrying Edward without ever having met them was mind blowing to me. It was also a bit odd to me how imposing they were once they did meet Harriet. The barrage of calls and social gatherings all at once felt a little overwhelming and not entirely realistic but I suppose it worked since Steadman planned everything around the holidays.

I loved that even though Edward was wealthy beyond anyone's wildest dreams, Harriet was successful in her own right. As an acclaimed novelist, I was intrigued by how her mind worked and what she chose to see as mysterious versus what she brushed off.

The Holbeck family was wild and while part of me was fascinated by their dark and totally bizarre family traditions, another part of me was totally horrified! I will say I was wildly impressed with Steadman for coming up with them!

The "book within a book" was an interesting plot twist and added quite the layer to the story. I couldn't put my finger on Robert or really figure out what his motive was. I had to suspend a bit of believability in the dirt he was able to dig up on Harriet, but it was worth it.

The way everything unfolds was very exciting and movie-esque. I could envision Harriet down in the well or running through the maze and could definitely see this book translating well to the big screen.

I listened to this novel on audio and thought the narrator did a great job. Her voices were unique enough for each character to keep things straight though I probably would have preferred a male narrator for Robert's tapes.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the copy.

As many before me have stated, this book is very reminiscent of the film Ready or Not: a rich, selective family, lack of familial boundaries, and a deadly game.

While I found The Family Game to be a quick read, the plot had a very slow buildup. Many of Harriet's choices in the beginning of the novel were odd and went into too much detail. However, the pace certainly picks up at Krampusnacht and the events after Harriet's second meeting with her soon-to-be in-laws.

Similar to Steadman's Something in the Water, some of the reader's pre-existing beliefs had to have been suspended in order to thoroughly enjoy the plot. I would not say, however, that the story went truly off the deep end the way other thrillers I've read recently have.

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

A juicy "horrible rich people"-esque thriller with Ready or Not vibes, though only at a glance. I was mildly surprised more of the book didn't take place at the manor house, but did like the investigation/twists and turns up to that point, regardless. The cast of characters was richly drawn and sparks the imagination--so much so, one of my mild disappointments in the twists/ending is that there wasn't even *more* of their awfulness. I was all in!

My main note for audio: that's not how you pronounce "Krampusnacht" :P I chuckled the first time it noted a character said it with "perfect pronunciation"... while saying it wrong, and every time hereafter, I shouted to no one (listening alone in my apartment, don't worry) "that's not how you say it!" So if anyone else listened to audio and is curious, no you don't say nacht as "naackt." It's more like "nawkt". Also when I lived in Germany there was nothing Krampus related on Nikolaus, and we put our shoes out and everything! So while thoroughly amused by that part of the novel, I was also perplexed because it's very much *not* a thing lollll.

Catherine Steadman is the queen of starting out a thriller/mystery on the slower side and building the story slowly until you reach the end at a fevered pitch! By the end of this book, I not only felt that I was one of the characters in the story but I could not turn the pages fast enough to finish! The characters are well fleshed out and interesting. I felt very invested in all of them and wanted to know what was going to happen. I never felt that there was information or characters just thrown in as filler. This book takes place in December so it is a perfect book to cuddle up with a blanket and snack and get ready for a thrilling ride you wont want to put down!
I very much enjoyed this book and will definitely read more books by this author.

Harry (Harriet) Reed is a bestselling author and newly engaged to super wealthy Edward Holbeck. However, after a year of dating, she has never met his family. She finally meets them at Thanksgiving, where his father, Robert, gives her a tape for her to listen to in private. The tape details some interesting history and also reveals information about Harry's past.
Harry worries that if the tape comes to light, Edward will look at her differently. On Christmas, they go to the Hydes, the family estate in NY, and everyone is told to play a special family game. What Harry doesn't know at the start of the game is how she will have to fight to survive, and how everything will change if she loses the game.
Another good thriller from Catherine Steadman.

I loved this book. Initially I had numerous theories over who was the killer, but in the end did figure it out. I was surprised that the confession really the correct person on the tape, but relaying stories regarding another character. I’m sad that one of the other characters died. This book kept me entertained from start to finish. I will be recommending to others.

Holy smokes this was so good!! It was pretty slow the first third of the book but the last two thirds had me flying through! I could not put it down and never ever saw that ending coming! Phenomenal book from Steadman! I’ve read her others, Something In the Water and Mr. Nobody, but this was nailed it for me!

I've read all of Catherine Steadman's books and this one is full of thrills and twists just like the others. The amount of research that Catherine would have done to write this novel is clearly shown in the detail in the plot and characters.

Harriet "Harry" Reed is an up-and-coming novelist who has just relocated from her native Britain to New York with her wealthy American fiancé, Edward. He's been estranged from his family, but this homecoming seems to be leading to a reuniting. After Harry is tricked into attending the family Thanksgiving, she finds herself trapped in their web. With both literal and figurative games afoot, will Harry survive this initiation into an elite family or will the secrets of her past and the family's lead to something much more sinister?

I thought the premise of the book was intriguing, but unfortunately, I found it on the whole to be absolutely absurd, over-the-top, and unrealistic. I never understood Harry and Edward's relationship, probably because he has no personality to speak of. It's a quick read, but I didn't find much substance to the plot.

Thank you for the copy of The Family Game. I thought this book was super interesting and was intrigued from page one. Definitely very entertaining and suspenseful esp if youre looking for a good thriller!

This was the first of Catherine Steadman’s books I’ve actually read. The mystery of the family kept me guessing and flying through the pages. I will have to pick up her other books.