HOLY WOW!!! This book was fan-freaking-tastic, a must read!! Totally unputdownable!! Sucked in from page one, my heart was racing as I soared through this story! I've only read one other book by this author, Something in the Water, and I thought that it was ok. 3 stars. I didn't think that I would be interested in reading any more of her work...until The Family Game happened!!! The synopsis sank it's teeth into me and was just too exciting to pass up. Reminded me of that movie, Ready or Not, with the new bride being welcomed into her new crazy family of in-laws. Loved it!! Based off of reviews from her other books, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that this is probably Steadman's best work yet!!

Harriet "Harry" Reed is on top of the world. She has a new bestselling debut novel, a new home in New York and recently became engaged to the man of her dreams, Edward Holbeck. Edward is the heir to an extremely affluent and powerful family, but has been estranged from them for the last year or so. The spreading news of their engagement has the Holbeck's slowly infiltrating themselves back into Edward's life. Harry, orphaned at a young age with no other relatives, is anxious to meet them and excited to gain a new family. They seem welcoming at first until Harry meets Edwards's father. He hands her a cassette tape, saying that he has been working on an idea for a book and would like to know her thoughts. But, instead of hearing the makings of a book, its contents appear to be a confession to a murder. Is this just a test of loyalty? Why did he hand her the power to destroy everything this family holds dear? With no other choice but to follow instructions, Harry is drawn into a sadistic game of cat and mouse, all the while fearing for her life.

I highly recommend this book!! Preorder now!! I can definitely see this as being a favorite thriller of 2022. Huge thank you to the author, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for granting my wish and allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book absolutely reminded me of one of my favorite indie thrillers named “Ready or not!” At that movie: new bride finds herself a very deadly cat-mouse game at the mansion of her family in law.
The ending lines of the movie summarizes the entire premise perfectly just like it also gives us quick recap about the plot of this book in few words:
Police officer approaches the bride who wears tattered wedding gown with blood stains , looking so overwhelmed ( played by Samara Wearing)and asks; “Jesus Christ, what happened to you?”
The bride answers instantly:“ In laws”

Dear Harriet / Harry is exactly at the same situation after accepting the proposal of her boyfriend Edward who is the wealthiest bachelor of the US. Edward is a member of Holbeck clan. How can that family be defined in few words? Generations of wealth, woven into the fabric of America since the Gilded Age, shipping, communications, and of course those ever-present shadows of questionable ethics.

Harriet suffers from writer’s block after the brilliant success of her first novel. She’s not coy, sweet, lovely girl as she seems. Do not dare to underestimate her! She keeps a big secret from her past that may lock her in jail for years. Her surprising pregnancy, the sudden proposal and writer’s block already make things out of her control and now she gets a call from Edward’s sister Mathilda’s assistant to arrange a meeting with her. She has no idea what she gets herself into. She accepts the meeting and also Mathilda’s offer to attend a family dinner.

During the dinner she meets with charismatic but also scary, powerful Robert Holbeck, her future father in law. He wants her to meet in his study in private and he gives her a cassette tape that including a crime story which may help her to write her next book. But when she plays the tape alone, things she learns will change her entire perception about the family and force her to play a very dangerous and deadly game. Will she survive from her in laws or will she be another victim of this ruthless family?

I’m not gonna give away much. But I can assure you this family has very dark sense of humor, vicious and horrifying game schemes. If you want to be part of Holbecks, you might be as batshit crazy, ruthless and relent as them!

The ending twist and the cat-mouse game were fascinating! This is gripping, heart throbbing, smart thriller absolutely keeps you in your toes and at the edge of your seat! I loved it! I highly recommend it!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing/ Ballantine Books for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

Fun, inventive read, reminded me of the movie "Ready or Not," which I enjoyed. I would recommended this for people who appreciate mystery and suspense novels which include dysfunctional family members. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Harriet 'Harry' Reed is enamored with the love of her life, Edward Holbeck, of THE Holbecks, an old moneyed family in the vein of the Vanderbilts and the Carnegies. Together just over a year, she has left her home and pretty much her whole life behind in England to come live with him in New York City. Her debut novel was a runaway bestseller, and now she's living the life of her dreams, working on a follow-up in her beautiful new home with her handsome fiancé. The only catch is her in-laws to be, the Holbeck family.

Harry is completely different to any of Edward's previous girlfriends, and with no family or inherited wealth of her own, she dreads to think how his family will judge her. He put off Harry meeting them as long as possible, but now that she is to become family, he feels obligated to introduce them. Edward's not ashamed of her, he just knows that his influential and wealthy family can be a bit much for anyone to handle, and he hasn't been close with them for years.

Harry is of course expecting the worse, so she is pleasantly surprised at how down to earth and welcoming they are towards her. She can't quite understand why her husband has kept them at arms length for so long. Sure, they may be a bit pushy and too eager to assert their influence to suit their needs, but she can't blame them for that. It's only when she has a private conversation with Edward's father, the renowned Robert Holbeck, that doubts begin to creep in. He tasks her with listening to a charmingly outdated Dictaphone tape which holds a...story of his. Only Harry can hear it, and she is not to tell anyone what is on the tape or even that he gave it to her. She's suspicious, but too intrigued by Robert to ignore his wishes. Oh, if only she hadn't.

What she hears is too realistic and detailed for her to believe that it is fiction. It sounds disturbingly like he is revealing past crimes to her, almost like a test. Will she keep his secrets or turn him in? Is he just playing sick games as part of some Holbeck family initiation? Is there any right way for her to respond that won't result in losing Edward? She's never faced a greater test of loyalty, one that could be the difference between life and death.

The Holbecks are an eccentric family with immense wealth and unlimited power, a deadly combination when they also enjoy twisted games. That's what makes this such a tantalizing thriller. I couldn't put it down and raced through it in just a few hours. The Krampusnacht inclusion was fantastic and completely unexpected - if you have never celebrated it before, you will certainly think twice now! I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next!

Catherine Steadman is quickly becoming one of my favorite mystery/thriller authors.

The combo of an unreliable narrator and one obvious suspect surrounded by subtly suspicious family members and friends gets me every time.

The premise reminded me of the movie Ready or Not, a similar story about a girl marrying into an über-wealthy family and being dragged into the family games that are not quite as lighthearted as they seem. As much as I questioned Harry’s mysterious past, I was really rooting for her throughout, while also a little scared of what she may have to face.

By the time I thought I had finally figured out what was going on in the Holbeck family, I realized I was 85% through the book and only figured it out because it was just the right time. This book kept me on the edge of my seat and I really enjoyed the wild ride it took me on.

4.5 stars

I really, really enjoyed this book! It hooked me from the very beginning and kept me hooked the whole time!

Okay this book is fantastic, but if you can I HIGHLY recommend listening to the audiobook too!! Hilarious! I really, really enjoyed this book! It was captivating and it hooked me from the very first chapter! Definitely recommend! Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!